Arlen Specter Versus Michele Bachmann
By anniepa
@anniepa (27955)
United States
January 26, 2010 10:15pm CST
The other day Senator Arlen Specter, Republican turned Democrat Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania of Pennsylvania and GOP Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota appeared on a special edition in Washington of philadelphia radio host Dom Giordano's show on WPHT-AM (1210). I've tried but I haven't been able to find either a transcript or a recording of what was said before the following but I understand Bachmann had interrupted Specter. Below is what followed:
"Now wait a minute. I'll stop and you can talk," Specter said. "I'll treat you like a lady. So act like one."
"I am a lady," Bachmann replied.
Specter later went after Bachmann for saying she voted for "prosperity."
"She said 'I voted for prosperity,'" Specter said. "Well prosperity wasn’t a bill."
"Well why don’t we make it a bill?" Bachmann responded.
"Now wait a minute, don't interrupt me," he said. "I didn't interrupt you. Act like a lady."
When Bachmann said, "I think I am a lady," Specter toned down the rhetoric a bit, "I think you are too, that's why I'm treating you like one."
Specter reportedly called Bachman the next day to apologize but that hasn't stopped the right from making the most of this incident. Bachmann told Sean Hannity, "I was treated, really, like a little girl. I was patronized and basically told to go sit down and shut up in a corner. And I thought, ‘This is how you treat women?'"
Actually, he never told her to "shut up" and he certainly never told her to sit down or get into a corner! I'll be honest, as a woman I can understand feeling patronized by a man of my own age, give a take a few years, or younger telling me to "Act like a lady". However, Senator Specter is nearly 80 years old; he's from a different generation, a different time. When he was a younger man women liked to be called "ladies" and they usually acted like them. It didn't appear that Bachmann had a problem with the word, in fact she said, "I think I am a lady," so that's not the issue.
As I said, I haven't heard what was said before the part that's been played and replayed on TV and which you can hear by clicking on the link below but I get the impression Bachmann had been interrupting Specter, something I can believe having heard her on many occasions.
Was he really so out of line for asking her not to interrupt him?
As for how he treats women, as a Pennsylvanian I can attest that Senator Specter's record on women's issues speaks for itself.
Annie
: http://www.startribune.com/blogs/82268592.html
1 person likes this
6 responses
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
27 Jan 10
I don't think Spector meant to make her feel bad or to feel that she should sit back and shut up. But lets face it...in politics it is unforunately an aggressive career. For most women to have a career in politics they HAVE to be aggressive and assertive.Heck men in politics have to be aggressive and assertive. So she probly did not like being called out on "acting like a lady". Politics is an "old boys" club and most of the women in the higher levels of politics have learned to be "like the boys" to fit in and get ahead. If it had been another man during the interview would have told him to act like a "gentleman"?
But as I said....I don't think Spector meant anything by it. He was raised in a generation that actually was taught to respect women.
Bachmann is not my favorite politican ( no where close) but she has had to learn to play with the "big boys", which means...no she probly is not very "ladylike". She couldn't be and be where she is today.
All in all...a big deal made over nothing. Spector did not mean anything by it and Bachman needs to get over it.
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@anniepa (27955)
• United States
27 Jan 10
I agree with all you've written. I'm sure for you it seems even more offensive to think of a man telling a woman to "act like a lady" since that IS a very old-fashioned, outdated way of talking but Senator Specter IS old and I'm sure outdated in some ways...lol! Also, I'd guess that he's seen a lot of changes just in how members of Congress treat each other during his years in the Senate so maybe to him that was the most polite way to call a female member of Congress out for interrupting him. I sure don't think this incident is going to bring him down politically as Bachmann asserts!
Annie
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
27 Jan 10
I don't think being "ladylike" is old fashioned. I consider myself a lady. Yet you know I am opinioned and assertive. But in politics...there is no real room for "ladylike". Especially with how cut throat they are with each other. Expecting a politican to act like a "gentleman" or a "lady" is unforunately and regrettable not possible.
No this won't kill his career. It is much to do about nothing.
1 person likes this
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
27 Jan 10
There's nothing that annoys me more than being interrupted so I'm a little bias here but, Specter's could have said something more like "if I let you talk without interrupting you than why can't you show the same respect" Sorry, it's a huge pet peeve of mine (being interrupted) and when another adult interrupts I think it's extremely rude and disrespectful. Specter could have just said, "are you an adult with manners or were you really raised in a barn" 
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@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
27 Jan 10
To me it's a non-issue. I know you don't have speakers Annie, but you'd have to hear it to get the complete picture. Arlen Specter does the EXACT same thing my father does in a conversation. He pauses, you start to respond, and then he says he's not finished and accuses you of interrupting. That annoys the crap out of me. It does come off rather condescending the way he spoke to her, whether he meant it that way or not.
"as a Pennsylvanian I can attest that Senator Specter's record on women's issues speaks for itself"
Give me a break Annie. The fact that he's supports abortion doesn't mean he's automatically respectful towards women. Al Franken and Alan Grayson are both pro-abortion and they have both proven to be EXTREMELY disrespectful towards women. I'm not saying he's like them, as they are disgusting examples of politicians (and human beings for that matter), but they prove my point.
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
27 Jan 10
Actually, I DID hear it repeatedly on TV but they all picked it up where the "argument" began so I don't know what went on before. Anyway, since I don't have speakers and can't hear any of the tapes online I never post a link to a video or audio of something I haven't already seen and heard myself. Senator Specter does have a rather slow, deliberate way of speaking but this is the first time I recall ever hearing him accusing someone else of interrupting him.
Next, you can give ME a break, implying that the abortion issue is the only thing that concerns women! When I wrote that about Specter's record on women's issues I was referring to other things such as violence against women, child care and children's health care. I don't subscribe to the idea that as long as a politician is polite to a woman's face he can vote any way he pleases and still be considered "respectful" towards women!
Annie
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
27 Jan 10
"Women's issues" is a common euphemism for abortion. The term in and of itself is vague and meaningless. If you don't believe me than think about what "Men's issues" means. I'm not saying he isn't generally respectful towards women since I have insufficient data to base that on. I was just pointing out that a person's voting record is not valid by itself for making that determination and I feel Franken and Grayson are perfect examples of that.
I have seen Arlen Specter accuse people of interrupting him before. This is just the first time it's been with a woman hence the "act like a lady" bit. As I said, it was patronizing and I do feel that his age and the generation he came from has something to do with it. I heard about it about a week ago and didn't think it was newsworthy. Of course it's no surprise that Hannity made a big deal out of nothing.
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
27 Jan 10
Sorry, Taskr, but I respectfully disagree with your statement that "Women's issues" is a common euphemism for abortion." Maybe some people see it that way but I don't. Senator Bob Casey is pro-life - and he's pro-life in the true sense - but I consider him to be a champion of women's issues. It IS a vague term and not something that can be proven in black and white but that's just my opinion.
Annie
@Rollo1 (16676)
• Boston, Massachusetts
27 Jan 10
He twice told her to "act like a lady". She was very cool and calm in responding "I think I am a lady". The very fact that he told her to act like a lady indicates that he was suggesting that she was being un-ladylike. Truly, Specter embarrassed himself by saying it, regardless of whether you give him a little leeway for being older than dirt or not. She's not a lady - not when she's in her capacity as an elected official. She's his equal politically, and he should interact with her on that level. Don't you believe in equality in the workplace?
I heard the exchange a couple of times, and I didn't hear any indication that there was shouting, cursing or rudeness that preceded the exchange. Act like a lady and be quiet while the man speaks, that's what I heard. Also, if you did listen to the clip, then you know she didn't interrupt him. He made a statement, she asked a question. If you're having a discussion with someone and they make a statement and then stop talking, I think it's usually an indicator that it's your turn.
If a Republican Senator had told a female representative to "act like a lady" then the media would hype how sexist and demeaning he was. In reality, Specter has a history of being condescending towards women. "As for how he treats women, as a Pennsylvanian I can attest that Senator Specter's record on women's issues speaks for itself." When he was a Republican, his treatment of Anita Hill was proclaimed sexist by all. How did you feel about his questioning of Anita Hill? Was she not ladylike enough, either?
I say, everyone get over it. It's politics, it's political debate, and people regularly disagree during political debate. The best thing that can happen between two politicians of opposite genders is that they debate vigorously as equals. It amazes me that feminism begins to dissipate and disappears when party lines are crossed.
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
27 Jan 10
No, I didn't forget his questioning of Anita Hill and yes, I was actually very angry about that at the time. However, that was nearly 30 years ago and he has done much for women since then. I agree everyone should get over it.
I never said there was shouting or cursing. Did you hear what was said before the exchange I posted? I sincerely would like to hear that but I can't find it.
Annie
@poingly (605)
• United States
27 Jan 10
Isn't that the female version of the word "gentleman" (ie, "ladies and gentlemen). I believe that he meant to do a PC version of "Let's be gentlemen about this." It didn't come out right, and he apologized for it. I am pretty forgiving for thing these days when people apologize (though I can't say I have always been).
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