I'm going everywhere I can to try to thank people for all their sympathetic and hilarious commisseration on the Dick Armey, um, incident. So here I am. I was awed by the creativity and heart of all the people who posted their reactions to Open in the last couple of days. Thank you all so much.
It's beneath me to pun on Dick or Armey, so don't even think about that. And I'm too worn out to come up with puns that aren't beneath me; I'm going from Salon email to personal email (I got an email from J.D., I hope he doesn't mind my sharing that) to Salon comments to Open posts and Open comments to Facebook to Twitter and then there are the phone calls. A lot of people, apparently, think what Dick Armey said and did was wrong, and or frickin' crazy. And I'm gratified, but not sure how to touch everybody back and say thank you!
My closest aunt was upset about it, way more upset than I was. I handled it like a feminist of my age does: Saying you don't want to marry me isn't the worst thing anyone can say, it's kind of funny and it's plumb crazy! But her reaction made me think about it a second time. I'll be thinking about it a bit more in the days to come. It's definitely one of those moments when we see what we're up against. I'm getting a lot of email from people reexamining their convictions that Hillary Clinton was whining about the way she was treated by the media. I appreciate that.
And I appreciate all of you, you make it easier to do what I do, every day. Thank you!
DakiniDancer
Niece of Dakini
Sheldon The Wonderhorse
Susan Walsh
Big Uncle Jack
jimmymac1025
Salon.com
Comments
Very much looking forward to hearing your reactions in days to come, and very happy to know you're getting so much deserved support.
You're a class act!
I was flabbergasted and sickened by it. I am a feminist your age, and I was fully freakin outraged. He is stupid old man in the party of waning power and growing shame and dinosaurs.
I took it as symbolic of the the Republican party (OLD guard) metastasis back to the 80's. Or they have just never changed and remain the party of misoginists (and I don't use that word lightly).
Thank for fighting the good fight out there! Maybe you should select who you will counter and demand only men or women who know how to respect.
If any time in the future you have a PTSD flashback to Dick showing his, um, insecurities please click here as a therapy link :) Even Spicoli has something to say about him.
A quick reply:
Saturn, you could come up with better puns!
ktm, Schadenfreude is still in season, for sure.
OESheepdog, thank you, I'm sure he will, unfortunately he'll get the chance.
Kellylark, I do say "absolutely not" to certain guests; DA will be on my list from now on.
Stellaa, you're right, and we will.
Lonnie, I was playing with Buzzfeed and Thomas's post and then I got distracted, if YOU could try that hat on me, and I know you can, we'd all be grateful....hint, hint, help, help!
cartouche, thank you...let's hope Dick's wife joins Open!
At one time I was all for keeping him and his ilk off any "news" or opinion shows, but I've turned around on that. Now I say, let's have him. The more he shows his ass (which is almost any time he opens his mouth), the more he shoots himself and the hardcore right-wingnuts of the GOP in the foot.
Support for you is a given and easy. You make it that way bacause you handle yourself in a manner that commands respect and empathy. You can hold your own with any of these good old boys, has beens, sour grapes, dried up and limp brained monkeys. And your host was impotent and socially inept in all of this. Won't even utter his name, I am so disappointed in him. OK, enough said.
:) and people finally 'saw it' for a change
I thought there was no way you could have handled it better. He is just an ass. I also thought Bob Herbert of the NYT who came on after you and stopped his intro to say that Dickie boy owed you an apology showed once again what a class act he is.
I expect that crap from Armey but I was totally disappointed with Chris Matthews who not only didn't call Armey on it but then did not pick up on Herbert's defense of you. Sometimes Chris hasn't got a clue.
As the good ole boys around here like to say, Ya done good!
Monte
Thank you Joan for taking the fight to the airwaves and giving the public the opportunity to see these guys' true colors.
What a way to get under his skin! Pull the discussion back to where it should be, on the real consequences of conservative/Republican propaganda.
It seems unnecessary to say this because it's so obvious, but I think we can assume Mr. Armey is unaccustomed to being questioned on anything he says, particularly from a woman.
Something tells me this is his natural state, so he can only be more of himself as time goes on. People will see him (and cronies) for who they are.
I was amazed at your quick and appropriate response. You were the grownup there.
Harry Homeless, of course!
Sally, Lonnie and I are communicating, more soon.
M.B., I wound up appreciating Chris said "That isn't prattle" and then let me talk. There were other ways it could have gone, but...it was what it was.
KH3333 and Wayne and Monte, likewise, yes, I thought of alternative lines and also guests and other things Chris could have said but...it was a teachable moment. It worked.
Thank you Just Cathy, you are equally crucial!
Skeptic, glad to have you back!
Thom, thanks to your wife, the three of us can get married, and then go rescue Mrs. Armey, and figure out what to do next.
Thanks, SeattleK8, I appreciated your letter as well.
Keep your head up, Joan.
http://open.salon.com/content.php?cid=96032
I'm still holding out for some puns.
BTW, we're planning a Hoohaa!
If he were a human-being, he would apologize on "Hardball". I'm just a bit shocked that Chris didn't stand up for you more. I've always thought he has a big crush on you anyway. :-)
Good for you for setting a good example and not lowering yourself to a Hannity type retort.
(rated) for class
Maybe the incident will be a tipping point people will point to and link to when other women of substance are treated poorly.
If I was missing something, it smelled of old
cigar smoke in an old boys' club, and definitely
not those that sat up high on Beacon Hill;
Where's the Harvard in these pundits? Where's
the gentlemen, collectively to be found? There
she is, up against the wall, where the boys were.
No, the conversation was about how PROUD we are that you represent us. My whole family, all four kids included, cheer you on when you're on these shows. My three-year-old says, "That's Ms. Joan!"
Remember when you're out there fighting the good fight that you have all of us behind you. D.A. showed his true colors - but more importantly, so did you!
My favorite, favorite response to all of this came from (I think) Lainey, who said "By the way, Joan, your hair looks great. Love the new 'do." That truly was the most intelligent thing to notice about this Armey incident.
As Ivana Trump famously said, "Beautiful hair is the best rrrrrevenge!"
(and it does, Joan! your hair DOES look great!)
It didn't take very large buckshot to bring the little thing down.
I did take a bounce or two........I heard......
Those that referred to him as an a**hole did a great disservice to rectal openings, they at least have a valuable place in the world. To refer to him as such gives him a purpose in the world that all life depends on. It was hilarious to watch.
Younger women just do not understand that it is a constant battle.
Hillary's and Caroline's experience should be noted.
I am encouraged by Obama's first bill being the Lily Ledbetter one. I firmly believe that women could be the saving of the world in terms of peace, security and development.
Keep up the good fight!
I watched the video with you and Armey, and I think you did a marvelous job. What first came to mind was that his misogynistic attitude is inherently prevalent society wise. If a woman makes a comment, or rebuttal to one of these neanderthals, their attitude, behavior, and retort is to put women in there place, that they should be seen and not heard in our male dominated society. It also, at least to me is a sign of this male's own inadequacy, from a psychological viewpoint. This behavior continues from one generation to the next, and there is really no excuse for it, except ignorance and prejudice. All Men and Women should do everything they can to change this major inequality, attitude and behavior in our society. It is not just about woman's right, it is also about human rights, and we all should be treated as equals, always!
Best wishes always,
Bill
Most of them are dicks and assholes... Wow, and they are against gays? Hah!
I didn't follow the Dick Armey thing but I'd consider it a complement that he wouldn't marry you, if that was the context of the statement.
I've always wondered what kind of being would actually marry these heinous creatures and allow they to put their, um, dirty parts in their dirty parts. I've also wondered what kind of 'god' would allow these evil people to actually procreate...
BUT...
The GOP has to be feeling some heat for the Limbaugh escapade and all the other crap they are throwing. I fired back to my GOP political hack representative and posted the email (and the article that spawned it). If many more people raised the heat on their asses, they will either pull into line or become so hated that they can't be seen in public anywhere except maybe Iran or Borneo.
(Iran because they hate America almost as much as the GOP and Borneo because the people there could probably give a care what they do to this country)
And Dick should be so lucky as to have you to listen to every day!
And, Hillary *was* treated in a sexist manner---most specifically by Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann, and Maureen Dowd. It isn't the reason she lost. Obama was simply the better candidate for the time and place. But that doesn't change the fact that she was treated in a sexist manner.
Good job Joan. Mean people suck. You aren't and you don't.
Oh, and I love the hat!
This is the most hostile site sometimes. I admire you.
I am appalled. And I don't know why, exactly. But every time something like this happens I expect everyone, conservative and liberal, or whatever is in between, to rise up in opposition and banish these people to some island somewhere, or at least be de-seated from their positions (how many people have been fired from making similar but diluted comments that were made with no malice?). I am always surprised when this doesn't happen. And I am always dismayed at the world I live in.
You did a great job, by the way. You were composed, informed (definitely about the EITC and anti-poverty initiatives, which I happen to know something about), and classy. You're also witty, but not mean. Not being mean is important. Good job.
I saw your encounter with Dick Armey on YouTube.
I don't generally pay any attention to Chris Matthews or Dick Armey. I saw your name on the headline and ran the video.
My question to you; is it worth it?
Dick Armey is - well - Dick Armey. He has been around a while. We all know who and what he is, and Hardball is called Hardball for a reason.
It seems to me that you are opening yourself to a lot of abuse by playing in that sandbox.
Is it worth it?
Jim
I was so proud of you. Proud not because of the way you acquited yourself in the face of such ignorance, but proud because your represented the daily struggle we women (and people of color and of a certain age!) Jesus, I am a Jamaican/Cuban +45 year old woman! go through every day. The crap we take and the graciousness with which we volley the ball. You are busy, but I would be honored if you could check my blog: http://jaybeesruminations.blogspot.com
When I saw Aretha in "The Hat", my first thought was that no white woman could ever wear it. Oooops.
Hugs
R-E-S-P-E-C-T you so richly deserve!
I suppose I shouldn't expect anything better from cable talk shows, but I do expect better from long-time elected officials. I was shocked by the clip, and couldn't get it out of my mind for days. It made it perfectly clear that Armey spent an entire lifetime in politics (you know, running our damned country) without ever having to interact with a female peer. An old white man who has spent decades only worrying about the opinions of old white men.
And yeah, I've heard the jokes about "old white men" for years (I'm 40) but honestly, that interview was a moment of epiphany for me. I've met my share of chauvinists, but in the corporate world you just can't hide yourself in a box where there are no people of color or women to challenge you.
Thank you for not responding in kind to him. Grown-ups don't behave like that and he really showed himself to be not capable of playing with the big girls and boys. What a loser. (- Jen from TT)
It's that power hat that you have on now...its all about that hat.
In case anyone else is like GordonO, confused, my hat is an homage to Aretha, not an insult. Of course.
I have to say Welcome, Jen! I'm thrilled to see you.
And I didn't see Reliable Sources. Will go look now. Jesus. Chris Wallace also thought it was "hilarious."
What flaming idiocy you dealt with! What patronizing, mean-spirited condescension! What sexism underneath it all! What poor debating skills! How insulting!
I just watched the video. I think I need a drink.
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