Dish blogger Andrew Sullivan (who’s spent more time in the news lately than he’s normally used to) showcases the above video clip of Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard verbally body-slamming the leader of the opposition party in the Parliament, Tony Abbott, for his sexism and misogyny. Sullivan then applies Gillard’s fiery speech to the American election and, in the meantime, coins a neologism:
Obama has trained his whole life not to be angry, so as to deflect and foil the raw racism of Hannity et al. But Gillard keeps her cool in tone while the rhetoric is brutal. Biden and Obama need to calmly but relentlessly tear into the inconsistencies, lies and cynicism behind Romney-Ryan. Expose the abortion reversal; expose the Medicare reversal; expose the pre-existing conditions lie; demand to see the math behind Romney’s ludicrous budgetary plan, and if he won’t provide it (because it’s impossible), call him out as the principle-free, chameleon salesman he is.
Obama let Romney shape-shift without rebuttal. Never again. The idea that the same policies that brought this country to its knees by 2009 should be put on steroids for the next four years should provoke outrage, not gentle disagreement. The fact that we cannot even know if Romney would actually do any of it because he is such a shameless liar and shape-shifter should also provoke amazement and incredulity, not good manners. Bill Clinton exposed the empty center of Romney with a wide knowing grin. But however he decides to do it, Obama needs to Gillard Romney in the next debate. To his face.
Indeed.
Related articles
- Julia Gillard tells opposition leader: calling me a bitch shows you’re a misogynist (newstatesman.com)
- Gillard’s misogyny speech goes global (abc.net.au)
- Ladylike: Julia Gillard’s Misogyny Speech (newyorker.com)
- Julia Gillard’s blistering attack on sexism was her best card (telegraph.co.uk)
- Australian Prime Minister Destroys Opposition Leader For Hypocrisy, Misogyny (buzzfeed.com)