The GOP: (un)Shockingly Scorning Women Again

I confess that I greeted the coverage of the revelations coming out of Marianne Gingrich's ABC News interview with perhaps more glee than I should have. The sheer juiciness of watching the man pander to conservatives in South Carolina while tales of his flagrant, unapologetic marital chutzpah dominated the news made me smile. But I should have known better:

Because alas, poor Marianne. Within hours, she's become that old favorite of the grumpy old men of the GOP: the angry ex-wife. You know the one. She's a harpy. Greedy. Grasping. You might remember her from 2008, when Mike Barnicle described Senator Hilary Clinton as "everyone's first wife standing outside a probate court."

Now, the spectacle of the ex-wife who should be mocked and ignored is back. First, right-wing hatchet man Ed Rollins (who formerly managed Michele Bachmann's campaign), took to CNN, describing Marianne as “a very vindictive woman….as vicious as anyone who's been an ex-wife.”

Following on his heels came the four-times-married Rush Limbaugh, who apparently spoke from great authority as he attempted to brush over Marianne's claims with this zinger: "Everybody's had an angry ex-spouse."

I get it, guys, I get it: the only thing worse than a cheating spouse who expects his wife to tolerate his behavior is……a woman who wouldn't tolerate being treated like that? Right. With independent women voters making up a critical piece of the electorate -- and with the divorce rate estimated to be as high as 50% -- Republicans might want to think twice before making the divorced woman a figure of scorn. Just a thought, guys. Check with your (third) wife.

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