[massadvj]

The First Lady was asked if it is possible that some of the criticism is due to sexism and she prudently allowed as to how it is possible. It is incredibly intellectually dishonest to twist that exchange as the First Lady making silly and outrageous allegations.

Laura Bush has been around the block a few times, she knew what she was doing. And I am sure she was prepared for the question. She and GWB are looking for cover from the great unwashed masses of pro-choice suburban women and what better way to go about it then to hint that the respected and thoughtful conservative opposition is possibly sexist?

Couching something as "possible" doesn't take the sting out of it. It puts more sting in. If I say it's possible you are a pedophile, are you going to dismiss it and say to yourself "it's ok, he only said it's possible." No way. I was called a sexist, that much is very clear to me.

What should she have said? How about:

"I don't think so. We have these debates from time to time and they are healthy for the party and for democracy. But I don't think it serves anyone to get into name-calling."

She chose instead to go into attack mode against us, something they wouldn't even consider when it comes to the Dims.

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

Bull's-eye!

If Bush thinks that the soccer moms are going to come to his rescue, then he's sorely mistaken.

Can you say "catastrophic political miscalculation?"

[Ninian Dryhope]

"I don't think so. We have these debates from time to time and they are healthy for the party and for democracy. But I don't think it serves anyone to get into name-calling."

To which Matt's follow up question would be, "You mean to tell me that you do not even think that it is POSSIBLE that SOME of the criticism is due to sexism? How can you claim that?" And the headlines would be "Laura Bush claims that there is no sexism in the country".