Is the sexist, misogynist tone that the Obama campaign established to defeat Hillary Clinton in the Democrat presidential primaries responsible for the disgusting Sarah Palin t-shirts being worn by some Obama supporters?

Feminist radio host Tammy Bruce thinks so, and believes that is what "upset so many Hillary Clinton supporters from the beginning of [Obama's] presidential run" making "this Democratic campaign...the worst we've ever seen."

Bruce also told Fox News's Martha MacCallum on Monday's "America's Election HQ" that these "Sarah Palin is a C***" t-shirts are similar to "the most popular t-shirts when Barack Obama was running in the primary season...that said 'Bros Before Hos'" (video embedded below the fold with partial transcript, h/t Hot Air):

MARTHA MACCALLUM, HOST: McCain supporters have been accused of stirring up hate, but what about Barack Obama supporters against Gov. Sarah Palin? She's been pounded with protests in Pennsylvania over the weekend, but the most traumatic is very offensive, frankly, no matter who you support, an anti-Palin t-shirt that is so vulgar, we can't show you what it says on cable TV. Are these protestors crossing the line? Joining me now Fox News Political Analyst and syndicated radio host Tammy Bruce. Tammy, I think we have a photograph with part of this sort of blurred out to show what these people had on their t-shirts. Why haven't we heard more about this?

TAMMY BRUCE, RADIO HOST: Well, partly from how you had introduced this. It's not even a word that can really be said. It's not a word that people want to say. It is the most derogatory term for womanhood that there is, and the remarkable thing is, of course, other than knowing that the general establishment media is in the tank for Obama, the fact is that this is nothing new. This is part and parcel to the attitude and tone of the Obama campaign, which has upset so many Hillary Clinton supporters from the beginning of his presidential run, the misogyny and the sexism, sets a tone for the supporters and it manifested in this way and it really is quite horrific.

MACCALLUM: Yeah, we're not going to show the picture because we don't want to add any legitimacy to it, but it's four people wearing a green t-shirt and it basically says "Palin is a" and it finishes that sentence in a really gross derogatory way. I was also shocked to see that there was a woman in that picture. Where does that come from?

BRUCE: You know, this kind of misogyny it's not just with men, of course. It transcends gender and race, it transcends class. The truth of the matter is that one of the most popular t-shirts when Barack Obama was running in the primary season was a t-shirt that said "Bros Before Hos." I mean, this was the tone that was set against Hillary, and Hillary supporters, which is why John McCain has received so much support from that end. This isn't just about defeating an opponent when it comes to the issues. This is about personal destruction, and this is the kind of thing that many people have decided to reject. And when we deal with issues of character and judgment, what your supporters are doing does reflect what the top of the ticket is doing.

MARTHA: And I guess you always have to put the shoe on the other foot to see how this thing would be treated. And I'm trying to imagine if there was something derogatory along those lines of a racial nature about Barack Obama on a t-shirt, I've got to believe that you would see this story pretty much everywhere.

BRUCE: Well we've already learned through these campaigns that the issue of race is treated much more seriously than misogyny is. That's an education that we've got to deal with. John McCain and Sarah Palin will be the beneficiaries of people who reject this kind of dynamic. The truth is we've got an issue here, even with when I was on the left, you had a screamer or two even at Palin rallies and McCain rallies yelling a derogatory word about Barack Obama calling him a terrorist. We would plant people in rallies in that regard to shout things to set a tone. I think this Democratic campaign is the worst we've ever seen, and as a feminist it appalls me and I think this is just going to push more Hillary supporters over to McCain.

MACCALLUM: But wouldn't Barack Obama and his supporters say this isn't his fault and he can't literally go put out every single fire by some extremists out there.

BRUCE: Sure, but again the issue becomes what is the tone that's been set from the beginning of his run for this presidency? This is not unusual. It was detailed in the press by feminist authors and writers throughout the primary season. This set the tone. Barack Obama, while he may not be approving of these things or writing or printing these t-shirts himself, he has given permission to some of these supporters to behave in this manner. It is horrific and it is a sign of again what kind of attitude has been set within the Democrat Party and from his campaign. It's a shame.

How true. Of course, MacCallum was spot on when she said "if there was something derogatory along those lines of a racial nature about Barack Obama on a t-shirt, I've got to believe that you would see this story pretty much everywhere."

Yes you would, Martha. The question is whether that's more a function of the media's love affair with Obama, or their own misogynist/sexist proclivities.

I vote the former...how 'bout you?

—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.