With Sexist Condescension, Maddow Shills for PP

So she insulted half her viewers, the straight ones anyway.

Deploying trademark saccharine smarm, Rachel Maddow last night rushed to defend Planned Parenthood from the predations of Indiana governor Mitch Daniels and like-minded Republicans in the legislature who have blocked federal funding to the abortion provider’s clinics in their state.

In the process, Maddow used a surreal approach — briefly converting her MSNBC studio to a “man cave” that looked like the sports den of a middle-class dad — then talking down to the men in her audience as knuckle-draggers unable to comprehend beyond football and cars (video below page break) —

Ladies, you can take a powder. I just need to talk, I just need to talk, you know, to all the menfolk who are watching right now, just me and the guys. I’m apparently allowed to open a beer, they told me. All right, here’s the deal. Ready? Man-cave moment. Here’s the deal — every three thousand miles. (raises eyebrows for emphasis) That’s a familiar concept, right? I don’t want to talk about synthetic oil, let’s forget the whole synthetic oil and that whole complicated thing — every 3,000 miles. You know what I’m talking about, right? Every 3,000 miles, oil change! Every 6,000 miles, rotate your tires! (wags finger for emphasis) At a certain number of miles, you check the brakes, you check the differential, maybe the spark plugs you can check at home depending on your skill level. But when it comes to, like, getting an alignment, re-balancing your wheels and all that stuff, basically speaking you take it in.

Not because there’s anything wrong with your vehicle, fellas (sarcastic smile for emphasis). It’s just preventive maintenance!  (begins tossing football) So, preventive maintenance, right? Preventive maintenance — Planned Parenthood (guffaws). Oil change — breast exam. Rotate your tires — can I say pap smears on TV? At the same time that I just opened a Budweiser?

Read more