Gawker Smear Machine Units Blogosphere Behind Christine O’Donnell

I’ve long maintained that politics is a business of bastards… For all intents and purposes it’s steel cage death match with no referee, so it’s rare when someone does something so despicable — so sleazy that it unites virtually the entire blogosphere in bipartisan condemnation.

I’m not going link to Gwaker’s sleazy anonymous tell all… frankly, I’m ashamed to admit I read even part of it. Go read Michelle Malkin’s take on it or go read Tracy Clark-Flory’s Salon.com piece on it.

Even NOW has delivered a rebuke:

Sexist, misogynist attacks against women have no place in the electoral process, regardless of a particular candidate’s political ideology.

Today the tabloid website Gawker published an anonymous piece titled “I Had A One-Night Stand With Christine O’Donnell” that takes the routine sexual degradation of women candidates to a disgusting new low. NOW repudiates Gawker’s decision to run this piece. It operates as public sexual harassment. And like all sexual harassment, it targets not only O’Donnell, but all women contemplating stepping into the public sphere.

NOW/PAC has proudly endorsed women’s rights champion Chris Coons, O’Donnell’s opponent in the Delaware Senate race, and finds O’Donnell’s political positions dangerous for women. That does not mean it’s acceptable to use slut-shaming against her, or any woman.

NOW has repeatedly called out misogyny against women candidates, and this election season is no different. Let me be honest: I look forward to seeing Christine O’Donnell defeated at the polls, but this kind of sexist attack is an affront to all women, and I won’t stand for it.

Just when you think American politics can’t sink any lower some sleazy bastard grabs a shovel and starts digging… This is the single most pathetically juvenile attempted smear I’ve ever seen.

Update: A few quick updates… Gwaker reportedly paid in the “low four figures” for that crass O’Donnell hit piece. The Smoking Gun appears to have identified “Anonymous”. And AJ Strata thinks Ms. O’Donnell’s opponent, Democrat Chris Coons, will pay a “heavy price for this sick stunt.