Fox News contributor Andrea Tantaros might have had the best take on this week's Ed Schultz-Laura Ingraham affair.
Appearing on "Hannity" Thursday, Tantaros accurately said, "It is the last acceptable form of misogyny in this country - hatred, prejudice towards conservative females" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: All right. Let me ask both of you. Let me just go back to the issue of free speech. Ed Schultz, comments about Laura Ingraham, followed by a suspension, followed by an apology. My attitude is I believe in free speech. Did they handle this correctly?
KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE, FOX NEWS LEGAL ANALYST: I think they handled it correctly. And really, his conduct was inexcusable. I think his apology was somewhat sincere. But nevertheless, where do you go off like saying something like that about her? It's totally inappropriate.
HANNITY: What if I called any Democratic woman a slut?
ANDREA TANTAROS, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Oh, forget about it. Look, Laura Ingraham is an attractive, conservative white female, blonde. They hate conservatives. Sean, it is the last acceptable form of misogyny in this country - hatred, prejudice towards conservative females. Look what happened to Don Imus? He was fired.
HANNITY: Bachmann and Palin continued.
TANTAROS: Yes, Sean, you would be fired too. I'm all for free speech. It is what I do. It lets me sit here but it means responsible speech.
GUILFOYLE: You should also be appropriate.
HANNITY: Part of my vernacular. You know, go through the alphabet, you know, you can, certain letters, certain words, you never say about a woman, to a woman, ever, ever, ever.
(CROSSTALK)
GUILFOYLE: OK. So, when you are looking at someone like Ed Schultz, there's a very big difference. So, this guy, I'm sure this is not the last that we hear from him in terms of this...
TANTAROS: You know, what, they embarrass themselves when they do this.
GUILFOYLE: Yes.
TANTAROS: The best traits I think that conservative women have, among all the others, but particularly a Sarah Palin and Laura Ingraham.
HANNITY: Smarter?
HANNITY: All right.
TANTAROS: Hypocritical.
HANNITY: Guys good to see you both. I appreciate it.
TANTAROS: Yes. Good to see you, Sean.
Of course, Tantaros was correct.
What America has painfully learned since former Alaska governor Sarah Palin was first announced as John McCain's running mate in 2008 is that it is completely acceptable for media members to mercilessly attack a woman in print or on television and radio if she is a conservative.
In reality, not only is it condoned, it's applauded.
You can even win awards for doing so - just ask Katie Couric.
Sadder still is that the Left is constantly carping and whining about the scarcity of women in politics.
Maybe if they wouldn't attack every conservative female that deigns to enter public life there'd be more of them - or is that just too darned logical for a liberal?
Nicely said, Andrea. Brava!
