September 4, 2008: Letter from The New Agenda to Senator Harry Reid
September 4, 2008
Senator Harry Reid
528 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Reid,
The New Agenda (www.thenewagenda.net), a non-partisan women’s rights advocacy group with men and women members nationwide, recognizes the history-making selection of Governor Sarah Palin as Senator John McCain’s running mate. As Governor Palin hits the campaign trail, The New Agenda members will serve as watch dogs monitoring news coverage and statements by political pundits, campaign surrogates, and other commentators for any sexist bias.
The New Agenda strongly objects to your press secretary’s characterization of Governor Sarah Palin’s speech last night as “shrill.” The New Agenda believes that Mr. Manley’s use of this word was intentionally meant to degrade and belittle Governor Palin because she is a female candidate.
Mr. Manley’s remarks are not a positive reflection on you or your leadership. The New Agenda requests an immediate public apology to Governor Palin by yourself and your press secretary, Mr. Manley.
As we all know, the word “shrill” has a very negative connotation when used to describe a woman or a woman’s voice. The term shrill has recently been used by the media as a purposeful weapon against female candidates, although never male candidates.
The word “shrill” was used to characterize Hillary Clinton. We call your attention to two examples:
On a Hardball panel February 10, 2008, former Rep. Joe Scarborough asserted that “there is a shrillness in Hillary that comes out on TV whenever she gets excited about something.” He then added, “every time her voice goes up she gets very shrill….”
An article in New York Magazine on February 25, 2008, called Senator Clinton “terrifyingly shrill.”
Senator Reid, folks across our fine country are still aghast and upset by the treatment that Senator Clinton endured from the media, as well as from her own party, during the primary season. The Democratic Party has for years held itself up as the party of equality. As such, The New Agenda is especially troubled that a person in a leadership role in the Party would use a degrading and belittling term like “shrill” against a qualified female candidate running for public office. Issues are fair game. Sexist treatment is no longer fair game.
Sincerely,
The New Agenda
copies to:
Gary Myrick
Dayle Crsinzio
Robin McCain
