Left Lets Mask Slip

Helen Rosen, a prominent consultant to the Democratic National Committee, let her mask slip this week, presenting a gift to the Republican Party by saying that Ann Romney had "never worked a day in her life."  In one fell swoop, Rosen displayed what many on the right have been saying for years about left wing women:  They are snobs who look down their noses at stay-at-home moms, as if the only work that is to be esteemed is that for which people are paid a salary. 

The talk radio crowd had a field day with this all week long (he says, sounding like Yogi Berra).  Rush Limbaugh surely feels vindicated for one of his favorite labels of yore, the "Feminazi".

Of course, the White House quickly distanced itself from Rosen's statement and David Axelrod wasted no time in revving up his spin machine.  Jay Carney did his usual "hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil" routine by indicating that he wasn't sure who this Hilary Rosen was:  I don’t know how to assess her overall relationship with people here in the White House, but … I have not seen her here very frequently,” said an ABC blog.  He personally knew of three Hilary Rosens.  When all else fails, obfuscate, obfuscate, obfuscate, even in the face of reports that Rosen has visited the White House 35 times.

Axelrod, for his part, was much less evasive than Carney the Carnival Barker, saying most magnanimously, "We have an obligation to speak out, not just when people say things we think are inappropriate who are on the other side of the aisle, but when people are on our side of the aisle, when our friends speak out ...".  In other words, he let it be known that from the vantage point of Obama's campaign office, Rosen screwed up big time.

Taking her cue from Axelrod, Rosen said within 24 hours, "I apologize to Ann Romney and anyone else who was offended,"  and  "Let's declare peace in this phony war and go back to focus on the substance."  In other words she apologized by saying her opponents misinterpreted her.

So she carefully lifted the fallen mask back up onto her face, but left a little of her true self visible.