Liberal Men ARE Pansies
Which is why, as Bizzyblog and the New York Times notes, the Democrats in 2006 ran "macho man" candidates with "carefully cultivated masculinity.":
The members of this new faction, which helped the Democrats expand into majority status, stand out not for their ideology or racial background but for their carefully cultivated masculinity.The return of Democratic manliness was no accident; it was a carefully planned strategy. But now that the Macho Dems are walking the halls of Congress, it remains to be seen whether they will create as many problems for Democrats as they solved. After all, these new Democrats have heterodox political views that could complicate Democratic caucus politics, and their success may raise uncomfortable questions for those Democrats who don't pass the new macho test.
“Joe Sestak ”� that guy's muscular!”? says Mr. Lapp. “He's a vice admiral. I've told him to spend a lot of time going on the national talk shows. He can really do a service changing the mold and the way the Democratic Party is viewed.”?
The roots of the Macho Dem strategy can be found in the party's 2004 losses when Democrats decided that their post-9/11 candidates needed to exude strength above all else.
Adds the Democratic strategist James Carville, “The fact that the party has come across as less ”� I don't want to say less masculine ”� but certainly less aggressive than Republicans, is true.”?
Just as these female faces are solidifying the perception of the Democrats as the party of women ”� the gender gap still exists ”� the Macho Dems are adding a dash of testosterone, which could add some cultural frisson to the party.
If they didn't have an apperance of liberal men being pansies, then why would Democrats need this sort of an image makeover?
I certainly hope Eric from Rothenberg's shadow organization reads this. He will probably challange Ryan Lizza to a boxing match.
