Fox News calls Michelle Obama "Obama's baby mama"

[ReillyT]

If it were any other news organization, I would be livid. However, since it is Fox... eh.

Whatever one may think of Michelle Obama, she is a serious and accomplished woman and the wife of the Democratic nominee for President. Not only is this kind of reference cheap and disrespectful, but I have a hard time seeing the white wife of a presidential nominee being referred to as a "baby mama." This probably qualifies as both racist and sexist. Who actually watches this shit?

During a segment discussing conservative attacks against Michelle Obama, the wife of presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama, the network described the former as "Obama's baby mama."

War Room - Salon.com

I don't watch Fox News, but an alert reader saw it, and Alex Koppelman found a clip: The pro-GOP network did, indeed, call Michelle Obama Barack Obama's "baby mama." It wasn't some freelance commentator spouting off; it was a network-produced headline featured more than once below a discussion by Michelle Malkin and host Megyn Kelly: "Outraged Liberals: Stop Picking on Obama's Baby Mama!"

http://www.salon.com/opinion/walsh/election_2008/2008/06/12/michelle_obama/index.html

 

[Ravi]

What does baby mama mean, exactly?

 

[ReillyT]

What does baby mama mean, exactly?

It is exactly what it sounds like and generally refers to a mother not married to a child's father. It is all about the illegitimacy. It is most widely used in the US in black culture, specifically in hip-hop music.

Baby mama - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[editec]

Fox news is written for people who are practically retarded.

It takes extremely complex issues and reduces to simplistic absurdities.

It speaks in half truths that pander to people's baser fears and prejudices.

Naturally, it's very popular.

Stupid people want simply answers, and Fox News is right there providing them to those people predisposed to liking junk social and political science.

Is this not obvious to all of us here?

Most of you appear to me to be rather sophisticated, so regardless of your political predispositions, it seems to me that you must all understand that Fox's mission isn't exactly to education, so much as to placate the idiots.

 

[Dirt McGirt]

Fox news is written for people who are practically retarded.

It takes extremely complex issues and reduces to simplistic absurdities.

It speaks in half truths that pander to people's baser fears and prejudices.

Naturally, it's very popular.

Stupid people want simply answers, and Fox News is right there providing them to those people predisposed to liking junk social and political science.

Is this not obvious to all of us here?

Most of you appear to me to be rather sophisticated, so regardless of your political predispositions, it seems to me that you must all understand that Fox's mission isn't exactly to education, so much as to placate the idiots.

....or pander to their target audience.

I like Obama, I'm more than likely going to vote for him....but I think the quote is hilarious.

 

[ReillyT]

....or pander to their target audience.

I like Obama, I'm more than likely going to vote for him....but I think the quote is hilarious.

It would be funny (and more appropriate) on The Daily Show or Colbert Report. Given my feelings towards Fox, it remains a little bit funny as it reinforces my opinion of them as buffoons that cannot be taken seriously. However, the that they are widely accepted as a legitimate news organization makes it less funny.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

It would be funny (and more appropriate) on The Daily Show or Colbert Report. Given my feelings towards Fox, it remains a little bit funny as it reinforces my opinion of them as buffoons that cannot be taken seriously. However, the that they are widely accepted as a legitimate news organization makes it less funny.

Must really frost you that most people like and watch Fox and when given the choice between the leftwing spin machine our national news used to be they switched in droves to Fox.

 

[ReillyT]

Must really frost you that most people like and watch Fox and when given the choice between the leftwing spin machine our national news used to be they switched in droves to Fox.

It doesn't "frost" me. It depresses me.

 

[editec]

On a completely unrelated issue?

DIRT, your animated GIFS make reading and viewing any page with one of your posts on it rather a pain in the ass.

The navigation jumps around like the html has palsy or something, and the only time this happens to me is on pages where your animations exist.

Any chance you might be willing to stop entertaining us with these entertaining but bandwidth-hogging animations?

 

[RetiredGySgt]

On a completely unrelated issue?

DIRT, your animated GIFS make reading and viewing any page with one of your posts on it rather a pain in the ass.

The navigation jumps around like the html has palsy or something, and the only time this happens to me is on pages where your animations exist.

Any chance you might be willing to stop entertaining us with these entertaining but bandwidth-hogging animations?

Get cable and join the 21st century?

 

[Dirt McGirt]

On a completely unrelated issue?

DIRT, your animated GIFS make reading and viewing any page with one of your posts on it rather a pain in the ass.

The navigation jumps around like the html has palsy or something, and the only time this happens to me is on pages where your animations exist.

Any chance you might be willing to stop entertaining us with these entertaining but bandwidth-hogging animations?

No. But if it is that big of a problem, you may put me on ignore and it will hide all of my gifs.

 

[Ravi]

I dunno, Reilly. From your wiki source:

Originally, the term was used by the fathers of children born out of wedlock to describe the mothers of their children, but the term is now in general use to describe any single mother. Since entering currency in U.S. tabloids, the terms baby mama and baby daddy have even begun to be applied to married and engaged celebrities.

There's nothing wrong with being a baby momma or baby daddy.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

I dunno, Reilly. From your wiki source:
There's nothing wrong with being a baby momma or baby daddy.

Don't confuse him with facts from his own source.

 

[ReillyT]

I dunno, Reilly. From your wiki source:
There's nothing wrong with being a baby momma or baby daddy.

Ohhh... I disagree. If Star utilizes the term to refer to Britney Spear's kids by Kevin Federline, that is one thing. Star is neither a reputable new source, or above being tongue in cheek, and Britney Spears is hardly a serious figure of public discourse. If NBC news uses it to refer to Michelle Obama, I think the context is completely different, and I think the term is filled with sexist and racist connotations.

I think that Fox falls somewhere between Star and NBC, but to the extent that it attempts to function as a actual source of news, I think it overstepped the line.

Consider another term with differential connotations: "Brother"

If Star publishes an article about Spike Lee giving a speech and titles it: "A Brother gives a speech," I think most people wouldn't find this terribly interesting. It is Star magazine and its role is a playful one providing info about celebrities, and often mocking them.

If NBC news has the caption "A Brother gives a speech" under video of Barack Obama giving a speech, I think the situation is completely different. On top of that, the term "baby mama" has (I believe) clearly sexist overtones, relegating a person's identity as only the mother (generally unmarried) of another man's baby. Like or dislike Michelle Obama, I think this clearly devalues her as a woman of accomplishment. I am surprised that people who felt Clinton was so badly mistreated in sexist ways by the media wouldn't see the similarities here.

 

[ReillyT]

Don't confuse him with facts from his own source.

The grown-ups are talking. Hush.

 

[Ravi]

You're point about FOX is valid, though I never consider it a serious news source, and while not quite lighthearted comedy it is in business, IMO, for shock value.

I did think about this, and wondered if I'd consider it sexist to call Hillary Bill's baby momma. It kind of made me laugh, really.

If you call a woman a momma, I don't see how it devalues her anymore than calling a man a daddy devalues him. Baby momma, sugar daddy...they aren't the total sum of someone, just a part of them. I can't imagine a man getting upset about being called a sugar daddy.

I think the real problem here is thinking being a momma is somehow a lacking trait.

 

[ReillyT]

You're point about FOX is valid, though I never consider it a serious news source, and while not quite lighthearted comedy it is in business, IMO, for shock value.

I did think about this, and wondered if I'd consider it sexist to call Hillary Bill's baby momma. It kind of made me laugh, really.

If you call a woman a momma, I don't see how it devalues her anymore than calling a man a daddy devalues him. Baby momma, sugar daddy...they aren't the total sum of someone, just a part of them. I can't imagine a man getting upset about being called a sugar daddy.

I think the real problem here is thinking being a momma is somehow a lacking trait.

Calling someone a mother isn't devaluing them, but I think the term "baby mama" in this instance takes it a step further. Referring to a male politician by the term "sugar daddy" is pretty disrespectful, and that term doesn't even carry the same sexist and racist connotations that the term "baby mama" does.

First, it is inaccurate insomuch as the term refers to the unmarried mother of a man's baby.

Second, it is sexist insomuch as it (a) identifies MO only in relation to her procreative relationship to her husband and (b) once again refers to a unmarried mother, which I think is about one step away from calling her a whore. It suggests that their marital relationship is not fully legitimate.

Third, it is racist as this is a term generally used in the black community, and specifically black hip hop. Referring to respected black politicians and their families by the same monikers used in hip hop culture to refer to (let's be honest) whores is placing BO and MO on the same level as 50 Cent. Why? Because they are black. This would never be done with a white politician.

Note: Before I come off like a overly sensitive liberal, I don't think the term in and of itself is necessarily racist and sexist. It might be used with irony, sarcasm, etc. to make a point or to get a laugh. I just don't think it is appropriate in this context.

 

[Ravi]

I really think you're being overly-sensitive. I'm married and have two kids, if someone called me a baby momma I wouldn't be offended. I seriously hope Michelle Obama will not be.

btw, have you seen this movie?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU34zV9A3gU"]YouTube - Baby Mama -- Official Theatrical Trailer[/ame]

It's called Baby Momma and it's about white people.

You raise an interesting point about not being allowed to use terms among the general public that originated in the black community. I'm going to have to think about that one.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

The grown-ups are talking. Hush.

Sure thing retard. Maybe you can "Invade" Fox and shut them down, all with out actually invading them?

 

[ReillyT]

You raise an interesting point about not being allowed to use terms among the general public that originated in the black community. I'm going to have to think about that one.

Okay smartass... you know that wasn't my point. I will try to remember this conversation the next time someone in the media does something you perceive to be sexist. Love you anyway.