Dear Amy Siskind:

There are more than enough examples of women who are in power getting slighted, talked over, put down, and patronized to. You don't need to make them up, especially not in service of your point that because women in power are ill-treated, Sarah Palin was "brave" for resigning. On Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand:

Also on YouTube, you can catch the speech by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand as she introduces Judge Sonia Sotomayor. Well, part of it. The part before Senator Leahy rudely interrupts her and basically tells her “shut up.”

In a Senate body known for its collegial atmosphere, especially amongst those of the same political party, the senator from Vermont just could not contain himself. Sure women compose just 17 percent of the Senate, and only 2 of the 19 members of the Judiciary Committee (Al Franken is on it; but not Kirsten Gillibrand). Don't you get it, Kirsten? Women in politics, if you are seen, should not be heard. And certainly not beyond five minutes.

Huh, I thought. I didn't hear about that. And I generally like Sen. Leahy. So I watch the video:


Wow. That does look pretty bad. Although I must confess that Gillibrand's speaking style is stilted and I find it immediately off-putting. But I think: what's going on here? Was she over time? Or was Leahy just bored? Luckily, the New York Times covered the "incident":

Ms. Gillibrand was just over 6 minutes and 15 seconds into what was to have been her five-minute speech when the Senate Judiciary chairman, Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont, first tried to cut her off, gently rapping his gavel. But he failed to get the senator’s attention as she quoted Justice Antonin Scalia — or as she said, “Anthony Scalia” — on the subject of ethnicity and prejudice.

So she was over time. And got cut off. This is evidence of the "silencing" of women? I guess I should have know. Amy Siskind is a professional PUMA.

Call me an asshole, but the fact that Siskind focused on Gillibrand's (justified) getting cut off, rather than the four days of sexist and racist attacks on Judge Sotomayor that they were a miniscule part of, just confirms my suspicions that PUMAS are all about the white ladies.