Labash's (and The Weekly Standard's) Tasteless Sexism

Professor William Jacobson takes Matt Labash and The Weekly Standard to the woodshed for sexism and tasteless writing.

"I expect cheap shots at Sarah Palin from Politico."
. . .
"But I do not expect name calling and cheap tricks from The Weekly Standard. Yet Matt Labash of The Weekly Standard is Politico's newest best source of anti-Palin quotes, like the one Politico splashed on its home page today . . . .

"Here is the quote (emphasis mine):

'The appeal of conservatism is supposed to be people taking responsibility for their own actions,' said Labash. 'But if you close your eyes and listen to Palin and her most irate supporters constantly squawk or bellyache or tweet about how unfair a ride she gets from evil mustache-twirling elites and RINO saboteurs, she sounds like a professional victimologist, the flip side of any lefty grievance group leader. She’s becoming Al Sharpton, Alaska edition. The only difference being, she wears naughty-librarian glasses instead of a James Brown 'do.''

"Naughty-librarian glasses? Real classy. As if comparing Palin to Sharpton were not bad enough.

"Does being a conservative now require that we engage in the types of sexualized portrayals of conservative women perpetrated by the left-blogosphere?

"What's next, Mr. Labash, should we double-check to see if Palin had breast enlargement surgery? That will get you quoted in Gawker, too.

"Hey, how about some Palin 'hand job' jokes at the next Weekly Standard lunch meeting, that should get a round of laughs."

I subscribed to The Weekly Standard up until the end of last year. I quit because of Matt Labash's tasteless writing. Now Labash, identified in the Politico piece as "a longtime writer for the Weekly Standard", adds sexist put downs to his portfolio and, unfortunately, to The Weekly Standard's as well.

It's sad to see a serious publication getting its reputation shredded. Someone never taught either Labash or Weekly Standard editors that

A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

It's easy to lose a good reputation, and hard to gain it back.