Women's Groups Denounce Sexist Attacks

Women’s groups say sexist commentary is on the rise this election season, as female candidates around the country from both parties have suffered taunts, insults and inappropriate innuendo. “All of us have been extraordinarily surprised at the amount of incidents we’ve responded to on a daily basis,” said Yana Walton, of the Women’s Media Center. Walton cited instances in which reporters commented on candidates “tight little butts”, radio jocks discussing cup sizes, and late night TV host David Letterman linking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Charlie Sheen’s recent drug-fueled rampage with a porn star. Topping the list of attacks is a recent Gawker story, in which an anonymous man claims he had a one-night stand three years ago on Halloween with a drunk Christine O’Donnell, the Republican senate candidate in Delaware. "Christine O'Donnell has plenty of problematic platforms, and Gawker could have used its brand of humor to dismantle her campaign," said Walton. "Instead they chose this story to create a misogynistic media landscape."