No matter what your personal politics may be, if you're a news junkie like me, there's no way you escaped this week's media maelstrom surrounding Meghan McCain, daughter of Senator John McCain, and "conservative" radio host Laura Ingraham. Apparently, Ms. McCain criticized Ann Coulter in a column she writes and in a talk show interview. That made Ingraham mad, and she responded with an attack on -- wait for it -- McCain's weight.
Ladies, does this not take you right back to junior high school?
You can learn more about this fascinating display of human meanness here. There's even a delightful audio clip of Ingraham using her best 80s Valley Girl voice to deliver her weight-related zinger. McCain responded all over the media, including extending an interesting invitation on The View.
Sigh.
I really worry about all the young girls (and women) out there watching this spectacle. Are girls learning that the worth of your opinion is dictated by the size of your behind? Worse, are they learning that when you disagree with another woman and her views, you don't have to concern yourself with silly ideas like standing up for your own opinions and formulating a worthy rebuttal -- just call her fat. That'll show her.
With all the strides made by women in politics and government leadership during my lifetime, it's downright depressing that we're still all too willing to do this to each other.
Unfortunately, girls and women have been using body insults against each other for years. I devoted a whole chapter of my book to this very topic. And while I may not always agree with Meghan McCain and her politics, I sincerely hope she's following some of the best advice I know on the topic of body bullying: Before you take body criticism to heart, take a good look at the source.
I've been reading and hearing about this for the past couple of days.
Mow, I'm very biased: I absolutely DESPISE Laura Ingraham, and I think she is a nasty, cruel, self-serving jerk, who wouldn't know an intelligent argument if it kicked her in the face. And all this only cements my opinion of her.
The good news is that Meghan McCain, at 24, is far more intelligent, articulate, and SANE than most of the pundits out there. I don't agree with most her politics either, but if she is representative of young republicans, then I have hope. Maybe, just maybe, it's the beginning of the end for the Ingrahams, Coulters, Limbaughs and Hannitys.
Posted by: Alyssa | 03/18/2009 at 08:52 AM
That is ridiculous and childish. So petty that this is what it comes down to.
Posted by: Sagan | 03/18/2009 at 07:49 PM