On CBS' “Face the Nation” this week, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) discussed the dangers facing women candidates for public office.
According to the former House speaker, these attacks were often attacks on “ethics” because women are more “ethical” than men.
A partial transcription follows:
Brennan: In your book, you write about the attack on your husband in 2022, and your daughter tells you that if you had known what you were signing up for, she would never have given you her blessing to run for office in the first place. You said you said it wouldn't have happened. .
Pelosi: Yes.
Brennan: Do you think this threat of domestic violent extremism is having a chilling effect on new talent and on people running for office?
Pelosi: Well, I hope not.
But over the years, when I encouraged people, especially women, to run for office, they told me they would never put up with your kind of abuse. And it was really just abuse. It wasn't physical, it was criticism and other things, and we didn't want our kids to go through that.
And, certainly, I think it has a negative impact on people running for office. But, I mean, you're a mom, and as a mom, they're going after you, and your child comes home crying from school because someone said something negative. If someone says bad things about you on TV, you might not run for office.
Brennan: So you think it's particularly demotivating for women…
PELOSI: Especially women.
Brennan: …Because you're running?
Pelosi: Yes, that's right.
I mean, we know it's happening. But I hope not. I hope we can shine a bright light on this issue and say this is unacceptable. This is unacceptable. You know, in the case of women, they always — they always — can you say that women are more ethical than men? So when they pursue female candidates, they pursue that ethics.
And they will say this and that. And then the child came home from school crying because someone said something bad about his mother on TV. And no one wants that. So, hopefully, some bright light will shine there and it will be alleviated.
But women have been proven to be more ethical, and I think women are more ethical. Well, maybe they are less ethical and everything is ethical, but they can still withstand that criticism.
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