Kittywampus has a great post about the so-called “PUMAs” [short for “Party Unity My Ass”] –i.e. the diehard Hilary Clinton supporters/ she devils who supposedly will vote for McCain because they are so angry about the outcome of the Democratic primary. [see Katha Politt’s article as well] I agree that this narrative is partly the result of Republican “machinations” aimed at convincing swing voters that McCain is a moderate.
However, given the misogyny that has run through the liberal blogosphere and press during the Democratic primary, I wonder whether this story is also fed by Obama supporters because it’s yet another way to demonize Hilary and/or her “deluded” followers. What better way for the DNC to let itself off the hook should (heaven forbid) McSame be elected in the fall than to blame the outcome on “bitter old hags” who can’t get over Obama’s victory? [btw, would anyone dare tell African-Americans voters to “get over it” if Obama had lost the nomination?]
Knitting Clio 
Yeah, people tell African-Americans all the time to get over it. Slavery is over. Racism isn’t a big deal. Stop being so angry. I hear it all the time.
Yes, that’s very true.
I think perhaps the more precise question is “would liberals and/or fellow Democrats dare tell African American voters to ‘get over it’?” That’s what is so discouraging to many Dem women: it’s not the right-wingers or other known opponents who are being so nasty and dismissive, it’s people they thought were their allies who have turned against them and against feminist values.
Thanks for the link, Heather! I missed it initially because it coincided with a Technorati meltdown and my getting some weird summer flu bug.
There definitely are people on the left who just won’t let this go. I guess I just avoid the Daily Kos systematically enough that I didn’t read a lot of the worst crap.
I don’t think it helps to pose the question quite the way Historiann did here – and yet I get her point that certain kinds of comments are still salonfähig where women are concerned, yet totally taboo when aimed at non-whites. That doesn’t mean that sexism is more pernicious than racism, only that the battle lines are drawn differently. And that, in turn, can be an effective divide-and-conquer strategy.