Beltway media is losing the high ground to, of all things, twitter. This week twitter posts have continuously focused on what perhaps may be the real reason for Manchin’s dislike of Neera. Manchin’s daughter earned a lot of money representing the pharmaceutical company responsible for producing and increasing the price of the EpiPen by almost 500%. People died because they could no longer afford this life saving tool. But she made money for herself and the company. Neera tweeted about it, something I’m sure Manchin would have preferred be kept quiet.
This is always the case with the Beltway press. Systematic internalized sexism isn't going away. No one remembers exactly what the press said about Clinton as all they really covered was Trump. But her emails...but Bengahzi...But look DT is talking about Megan Kelley and grabbing women. Look, he's kissing his daughter. BUT Hillary lost because she didn't go to Wisconsin. On behalf of all women, take a seat. As a grassroots journalist, I have been there. The infighting that goes on between female journalists as we all try to get a seat at the big table. Sexism isn't dead, it isn't even hiding. And Neera Tandem is another victim of an unwillingness to discuss this topic on the part of everyone. Thanks for addressing it.
I rolled my eyes in disgust when my milquetoast senator, Rob Portman, clutched his pearls while bemoaning Tanden's "highly partisan" tweets. This from the guy who turned a blind eye to Trump's vitriol for 5 years, and gave his blessing to Trump extorting foreign leaders and inciting a riot. Hypocrisy is too weak a word for today's GOP. And the NYT claiming Hillary was uniquely flawed is also a laugh, seeing it was 25+ years of slander from the NYT (especially Maureen Dowd) that was the source of the "flaw." In is closing statement, the Whitewater prosecutor told the jury that Bill and Hillary Clinton were VICTIMS of Jim McDougal. The NYT reporter "forgot" to mention that in his report the next day, and the NYT continued to flog its Whitewater fable.
While everything you've written is spot on accurate, to me, the real sad story is that Democrats can never get a break. After four years of utter destruction by the Republican Party led by Trump, that ultimately led to an insurrection at the US Capitol, Dems are still hindered in what they want to do. Just one more Democratic Senator, one more flipped Senate seat and the Neera Tanden story is moot. But we just couldn't get to 51. Incompetents like Susan Collins and Lindsey Graham got re-elected and the only way we won the majority was due to two runoffs in Georgia that ended miraculously. But that win only gave us a 50-50 Senate. And then there's Joe Manchin, a man for all practical purpose should be a Republican. And here we sit, Joe Manchin can't get himself to vote for Tanden because of some rough tweets while he supported Trump cabinet picks who were on their best day questionable citizens. By all counts, the Biden Administration is putting together an all star cabinet. But somehow Tanden is a bad pick. There is no question that the press holds women and especially women of color to a much higher standard. But so is the entire Democratic Party. Just watching the daily White House briefing with Jen Psaki, now only covered by MSNBC in real time, proves that.
I spit out my coffee with the Clinton double standard comment. I truly believe that if "you go low, I stay high" Michelle Obama or Mother Teresa were nominated for an appropriate position that the QRP's would sink them, and they'd maneuver some way, like milktoast/misogynist Manchin and Sinema to block, block and block some more any efforts by Democrats. QRP's are on a mission and in lockstep with media to sink Democracy, cause as much chaos as possible and save the "Republic" for their next 7 generations of white, so-called Christian, pro-life (LAUGH OUT LOUD), glock carrying future 'klans'. I'm so disgusted with the treatment of Neera Tanden. DISGUSTED! Since QRP's count on the fact that their followers have short memories go to the Google machine and look up "mean tweets" by more than DJT. The idea that suddenly Collins, Manchin, and others will sink Tanden is despicable considering their support for Kavanaugh, Grenell, Sessions and their unwillingness to comment on DJT's destruction of our society for 4 years.
The media has been desperately waiting for anything they could call a “stumble” to call out the Biden Admin and the Dems. Since the SC primary it has driven the politerati nuts that Biden isn’t “failing.” I actually heard one idiot say “if Biden wanted unity or a cabinet that looked like America, why isn’t there a Republican among his picks?” Not to mention the hit piece on Ron Klain in Wapo yesterday. The double standard driving media coverage (both gender wise and Dem-GOP wise) is headbanging.
But she has such a "strident" voice, and should have expressed her criticism "more appropriately," and furthermore, we'll never vote for her now because a "rational" woman would have already graciously declined the position (and gone into the kitchen to make us all a sandwich). Yeah, it's not sexism at all...
I was under the impression that Joe Manchin was against Neera's tweets aimed at His daughter over the Epi Pen price gauging a few years ago.
Additionally, the press has not owned up to their own culpability regarding the misogyny regarding Hillary Clinton in order to have the more marketable news of Trump
Of all of your excellent pieces, this is the most eloquent. Thank you for acknowledging the role misogyny played in press coverage of Hillary Clinton. And because Tanden is a Clinton ally I think Clinton hatred is the real subtext of the media/performative emo left squawking. Plus she has the nerve to be, you know, Not White. I contend the media's hatred of Democrats is rooted in the power and influence African Americans and women have in the Democratic Party.
"A recent Associated Press report on the nomination waited until the 24th paragraph to even bring up the idea that sexism might be in play. The AP suggested poor White House planning was by far a bigger factor."
"You really should have known they were going to be sexist jerks" is a mainstay of the enablers of conservatives and domestic abusers.
When Miami no longer exists, it will be Al Gore's fault because he shouldn't have gained weight, grown a bad beard and gotten divorced. Those are the rules.
Conservative Christians, mostly men, have long blamed Eve (and all women) for being exiled from the Garden of Eden; but it’s funny how they never blamed the serpent. Professional courtesy?
Our failed political press doesn’t cover sexism because they would then need to examine their own newsrooms.
Sexism is everywhere. What was it that study/poll a few years back proved? That we would see a black man elected President of the United States before we would see a woman in the Oval Office. And it took 60 freaking years since the Civil Rights movement before the media even admitted there is rampant racism in America, and that was only because Trump emboldened racists to such an extreme it couldn’t be excused or ignored. What is it going to take for the media to be forced into acknowledging what women of every race are dealing with?
That Dolly Parton song is as relevant today as it was 40 years ago and is an absolute delight. But it’s sad that we can all still relate to it. Progress is way too slow.
As I am sure others have pointed out, Manchin’s real problem with Tanden is that she called attention to his daughter’s role at a drug company, over pricing and salaries.
I don't wanna be a *contrarian* but imo there are very good reasons for opposing neera tanden for any significant position. Her openly imperialist comments on basically taking libya's oil is dick Cheney level crap. Having said that disqualifying her cause she *mean tweeted* or dissed manchins daughter about epipen is ridiculous. Manchin voted for every trump slug he could vote for.
Beltway media is losing the high ground to, of all things, twitter. This week twitter posts have continuously focused on what perhaps may be the real reason for Manchin’s dislike of Neera. Manchin’s daughter earned a lot of money representing the pharmaceutical company responsible for producing and increasing the price of the EpiPen by almost 500%. People died because they could no longer afford this life saving tool. But she made money for herself and the company. Neera tweeted about it, something I’m sure Manchin would have preferred be kept quiet.
This is always the case with the Beltway press. Systematic internalized sexism isn't going away. No one remembers exactly what the press said about Clinton as all they really covered was Trump. But her emails...but Bengahzi...But look DT is talking about Megan Kelley and grabbing women. Look, he's kissing his daughter. BUT Hillary lost because she didn't go to Wisconsin. On behalf of all women, take a seat. As a grassroots journalist, I have been there. The infighting that goes on between female journalists as we all try to get a seat at the big table. Sexism isn't dead, it isn't even hiding. And Neera Tandem is another victim of an unwillingness to discuss this topic on the part of everyone. Thanks for addressing it.
I rolled my eyes in disgust when my milquetoast senator, Rob Portman, clutched his pearls while bemoaning Tanden's "highly partisan" tweets. This from the guy who turned a blind eye to Trump's vitriol for 5 years, and gave his blessing to Trump extorting foreign leaders and inciting a riot. Hypocrisy is too weak a word for today's GOP. And the NYT claiming Hillary was uniquely flawed is also a laugh, seeing it was 25+ years of slander from the NYT (especially Maureen Dowd) that was the source of the "flaw." In is closing statement, the Whitewater prosecutor told the jury that Bill and Hillary Clinton were VICTIMS of Jim McDougal. The NYT reporter "forgot" to mention that in his report the next day, and the NYT continued to flog its Whitewater fable.
While everything you've written is spot on accurate, to me, the real sad story is that Democrats can never get a break. After four years of utter destruction by the Republican Party led by Trump, that ultimately led to an insurrection at the US Capitol, Dems are still hindered in what they want to do. Just one more Democratic Senator, one more flipped Senate seat and the Neera Tanden story is moot. But we just couldn't get to 51. Incompetents like Susan Collins and Lindsey Graham got re-elected and the only way we won the majority was due to two runoffs in Georgia that ended miraculously. But that win only gave us a 50-50 Senate. And then there's Joe Manchin, a man for all practical purpose should be a Republican. And here we sit, Joe Manchin can't get himself to vote for Tanden because of some rough tweets while he supported Trump cabinet picks who were on their best day questionable citizens. By all counts, the Biden Administration is putting together an all star cabinet. But somehow Tanden is a bad pick. There is no question that the press holds women and especially women of color to a much higher standard. But so is the entire Democratic Party. Just watching the daily White House briefing with Jen Psaki, now only covered by MSNBC in real time, proves that.
I spit out my coffee with the Clinton double standard comment. I truly believe that if "you go low, I stay high" Michelle Obama or Mother Teresa were nominated for an appropriate position that the QRP's would sink them, and they'd maneuver some way, like milktoast/misogynist Manchin and Sinema to block, block and block some more any efforts by Democrats. QRP's are on a mission and in lockstep with media to sink Democracy, cause as much chaos as possible and save the "Republic" for their next 7 generations of white, so-called Christian, pro-life (LAUGH OUT LOUD), glock carrying future 'klans'. I'm so disgusted with the treatment of Neera Tanden. DISGUSTED! Since QRP's count on the fact that their followers have short memories go to the Google machine and look up "mean tweets" by more than DJT. The idea that suddenly Collins, Manchin, and others will sink Tanden is despicable considering their support for Kavanaugh, Grenell, Sessions and their unwillingness to comment on DJT's destruction of our society for 4 years.
Dana Milbank wrote the truth in this W. Post editorial: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/02/24/what-terrible-things-did-neera-tanden-tweet-truth/
The media has been desperately waiting for anything they could call a “stumble” to call out the Biden Admin and the Dems. Since the SC primary it has driven the politerati nuts that Biden isn’t “failing.” I actually heard one idiot say “if Biden wanted unity or a cabinet that looked like America, why isn’t there a Republican among his picks?” Not to mention the hit piece on Ron Klain in Wapo yesterday. The double standard driving media coverage (both gender wise and Dem-GOP wise) is headbanging.
But she has such a "strident" voice, and should have expressed her criticism "more appropriately," and furthermore, we'll never vote for her now because a "rational" woman would have already graciously declined the position (and gone into the kitchen to make us all a sandwich). Yeah, it's not sexism at all...
I was under the impression that Joe Manchin was against Neera's tweets aimed at His daughter over the Epi Pen price gauging a few years ago.
Additionally, the press has not owned up to their own culpability regarding the misogyny regarding Hillary Clinton in order to have the more marketable news of Trump
Of all of your excellent pieces, this is the most eloquent. Thank you for acknowledging the role misogyny played in press coverage of Hillary Clinton. And because Tanden is a Clinton ally I think Clinton hatred is the real subtext of the media/performative emo left squawking. Plus she has the nerve to be, you know, Not White. I contend the media's hatred of Democrats is rooted in the power and influence African Americans and women have in the Democratic Party.
"A recent Associated Press report on the nomination waited until the 24th paragraph to even bring up the idea that sexism might be in play. The AP suggested poor White House planning was by far a bigger factor."
"You really should have known they were going to be sexist jerks" is a mainstay of the enablers of conservatives and domestic abusers.
When Miami no longer exists, it will be Al Gore's fault because he shouldn't have gained weight, grown a bad beard and gotten divorced. Those are the rules.
Conservative Christians, mostly men, have long blamed Eve (and all women) for being exiled from the Garden of Eden; but it’s funny how they never blamed the serpent. Professional courtesy?
Our failed political press doesn’t cover sexism because they would then need to examine their own newsrooms.
Sexism is everywhere. What was it that study/poll a few years back proved? That we would see a black man elected President of the United States before we would see a woman in the Oval Office. And it took 60 freaking years since the Civil Rights movement before the media even admitted there is rampant racism in America, and that was only because Trump emboldened racists to such an extreme it couldn’t be excused or ignored. What is it going to take for the media to be forced into acknowledging what women of every race are dealing with?
That Dolly Parton song is as relevant today as it was 40 years ago and is an absolute delight. But it’s sad that we can all still relate to it. Progress is way too slow.
As I am sure others have pointed out, Manchin’s real problem with Tanden is that she called attention to his daughter’s role at a drug company, over pricing and salaries.
https://www.newsweek.com/neera-tanden-criticized-joe-manchin-daughter-heather-bresch-1571531
I don't wanna be a *contrarian* but imo there are very good reasons for opposing neera tanden for any significant position. Her openly imperialist comments on basically taking libya's oil is dick Cheney level crap. Having said that disqualifying her cause she *mean tweeted* or dissed manchins daughter about epipen is ridiculous. Manchin voted for every trump slug he could vote for.
Spot on. Jill Flipovic at WaPo did seem to get it right on Feb. 24.