If only they did that with all the candidates. But, the reality is it feels more like a popularity contest watching people campaign for President. At this rate I expect some cable channel to have an American Idol type of show and we will just phone in our votes and eliminate candidates one at a time.

There is definitely a pop culture element to national elections now. That seems to be true of a lot of the big industrialized countries.

Hopefully this race will focus on ideas and not fashion, though. There's a lot at stake this election.

But it looks like that's where we're headed. The dumbing-down of the American political culture is a serious issue.

are not restricted to female candidates. I know how these terms are often used, but when they fit someone like Fiorina, why not use them?

Discuss what happened to the companies that Fiorina ran into the ground? Why give her campaign any red meat about how sexist liberal media is?

focusing on the issues will get more people to understand what is so bad about Republican ideology.

fixate on small stuff. Partly because it's easier than big issues.

But, in Fiorina's case a large part of the reason for her failure at HP was her personality. And if she was as grating and domineering as rumored, that certainly affects her viability as President.

I don't want to see Fiorina get traction because the base gets pushed to defend her. We saw enough of that with Sarah Palin.

When women are categorized that way for actions that get plaudits for leadership when men take the same actions, there may be a problem.

I wish to hell I can remember where I read this but there was a recent article that highlighted those differences by interviewing transgender people. They asked those who transitioned from male to female and vice versa. The people who transitioned from male to female were frustrated that no one in business took them seriously as women (they were listed to as males). The people who transitioned from female to male were surprised that all of a sudden they were listened to and respected, and they were no longer described as pushy or abrasive.

We already knew this shit, but having real-life examples is illuminating for those who don't necessarily believe it.

than his sister, by somebody who didn't realize they were actually talking to the same person, post-transition.

I remember that comment about a "sister." It's the same person, idiots.

It's the disproportionality.