Condi on Penthouse & Playboy in the State Department: "I want them out"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

Washington Whispers

By Paul Bedard

4/10/06

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/060410/10whisplead.htm

Skin Mags? Not at This Department

Foreign Affairs, the Economist, and certainly U.S.News & World Report are titles you'd expect to see at the two State Department newsstands visited by the public, employees, and their kids, but Playboy and Penthouse? Yikes! Or so thought Condoleezza Rice a while back when she began receiving briefings in Foggy Bottom before her confirmation hearings as secretary of state. Alerted by an aide that the skin magazines, partially clad in brown paper covers, were placed beside newsmagazines and close to candy, nuts, and stuffed animals, she said, "I want them out."

A few weeks later, when she took over from Colin Powell, the eviction began. "The secretary wanted them gone immediately," says senior adviser Jim Wilkinson." She didn't understand how a department that claimed to fight for the rights of women worldwide could sell pornography that degrades women." And, he adds, the magazines "could be seen as contributing to a hostile work environment." He teamed with State's internal manager and several State women who had been campaigning against the publications but had gotten nowhere. Now that they have succeeded, some of those women are eyeing other lad mags like Maxim and FHM. But State News's Richard Williams isn't listening. It was no problem banning the XXX fare: It didn't move very fast. "But Maxim," he says, "is a bestseller."

[Gatchaman]

1. "a department that claimed to fight for the rights of women worldwide"??

When did this start?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. She helps Bush kill thousands of people without batting an eye

but gets her knickers all in a knot about nudie mags. Not that they aren't tacky and sexist, but how about we stop killing people first, worry about the naughty pictures later?

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

13. That's my point...

...as Hugh Hefner celebrates his 80th birthday, I see an 80-year-old idiot in a bathrobe and smelly jammies surrounded by three surgically-enhanced, opportunistic 20-year-olds...but HEY. It's the House Hef Built, and it doesn't matter who approves or disapproves. He's still getting paid and he's still getting laid, by women who are young enough to be his grandchildren.

And Penthouse? Bob Guccione? Look in the dictionary under "loser" and that pig's picture is right next to the definition.

In the same moment I see the countless photos of Iraqi fathers and mothers holding the dead, disfigured bodies of their children and want to extend a cordial invitation to the Secretary of State to go FUCK herself.

Take care of BUSINESS.

:patriot:

[Canuckistanian]

3. "fight for the rights of women worldwide"??

Can you say "Sharia Law", Condi? Because that's what you've installed in a once secular country.

[Kutjara]

11. Yes indeed.

They fight for the rights of women to stay home, have babies and keep their mouths shut.

Those are the women's rights that are nearest and dearest to the neocon heart.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

15. WELCOME to DU, Kutjara!

:patriot:

[Kutjara]

17. Thankee kindly

Glad to be here. Nice to find a haven of (near) sanity in a world gone mad.

[0007]

29. Want a real woman?.....

What if they hung pictures of Condi on the walls?

[Canuckistanian]

32. Oh, gross

I think I threw up a little in my mouth.

Do that again and there will be.... consequences.

:spank:

[Kutjara]

4. But...

...what are all the wankers in the State Department going to use for inspiration now?

[Canuckistanian]

7. The Financial Post

Money is the only thing that gives these assholes a hard-on.

And Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[Kutjara]

Of course.

I should have known.

And thanks for the warm welcome :)

[blondeatlast]

20. They'll use the war footage we are forbidden to see.

It can keep them busy for months...

Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[flordehinojos]

5. you might not be so damn angry if you'd let people be ADULTS...

rather than keeping them in a CHILD STATUS when you and your monkey boy tell people what they can read, what they should think, damn... LET GO OF PEOPLE, LET GO OF IRAQ, LET PEOPLE THINK, LET PEOPLE SPEAK, LET PEOPLE WRITE FREELY ABOUT WHAT IS ON THEIR MIND, LET GO. JUST LET GO!
Darn .....!

[babylonsister]

6. Who made her queen, and why is she allowed to censure

anything? That pic speaks volumes.

[shain from kane]

8. That picture make me so horny.

NOT!

[Doctor_J]

31. You and me both

I can't believe she hasn't found a life partner yet - she's so hot! :sarcasm:

[FARAFIELD]

9. BUT THE KENNETH COLE

catalogs should stay

OWNAGE!@!!!

[Supersedeas]

26. clothing catalogs that are degrading to women esp. women of more modest

countries....does Condi's taste in shoes violate her own speech standards?

[file83]

This story is just a...

PUFF :puffpiece: PIECE for Condi.

Condi: "NO PORN!"

Swing Voter: "Gee Mable, Condi is a Family Values Republican."

[muntrv]

10. Remember when John Ashcroft

ordered the statue of Lady Justice covered up because her breast was showing? That was a joke. Just like Rice saying that the State Dept. fights for women's rights worldwide, never mind that our "ally" Saudi Arabia considers women subhuman.

[acmejack]

12. When did State dept. become interested in anyone's rights?

Let alone Women's rights in particular? I'm really glad to hear it has finally happened...

[TomInTib]

14. I posted this earlier today and got so much grief...

I was trying to point out that they were keeping the mags that sold well and didn't reall care about Penthouse and Playboy because they were not selling, anyway.

I got flamed on it.

Guess time of day makes a big difference.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

16. I hear ya...

I'm not "advocating" Penthouse and Playboy (see above)...I'm just saying that "MAYBE" Ms. Rice has MORE PRESSING matters that she could attend to.

Regarding your earlier flames, my friend, remember:

"Illegitimis non carborundum"

:toast:

[TomInTib]

18. I have an idea...

Let her run the damned store and let's find a competent SecState.

And I don't take much of that flaming seriously. I just consider the source.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

19. "Hi, Ms. Rice...a pack of DoubleMint and a Newsweek, please?"....

When I weigh Condi's qualifications against her actual performance, I couldn't agree with you more.

:toast:

[shain from kane]

21. Hire the handicapped. n/t

[Canuckistanian]

33. LOL

:rofl:

[Cocoa]

22. Jim Wilkinson is a propagandist by profession

there's a reason for this story, and it's not because any of it happened.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=James_R._Wilkinson

[Kutjara]

23. Ooh, Jimboy is a right little player, isn't he?

What a weasel. Thanks for the link. I didn't realise he was a professional slimebag. I feel like I need a shower after reading his bio. What a waste of human flesh.

[Neil Lisst]

24. I can't stand her, but she's right on this.

It's a gift store. Come on!

I love that photo of her. I'm going to build a cartoon around that look.

[Vektor]

36. I agree, actually.

Just my opinion, but I don't feel off color magazines should be in a gift store in the State House. Time and place, ya know? I don't feel it's appropriate, but others may disagree. It does seem to set up a bit of a misogynistic environment there, I feel. Are there magazines featuring nude men too? (Not that either would be appropriate in that setting.) If not, then there is definitely a double standard occurring.

[Vickers]

25. Don't worry, Condi, nobody is imagining you nekkid.

Well, except for Cowboy George. :rofl:

[Nederland]

28. and Putin (nt)

[Rocknrule]

27. Hey Condi,

If boobs offend you, why are you the mistress of one?

[Doctor_J]

30. Those damn moral, family-values Repubs are at it again

Bill Bennett, you are needed in Aisle 7.

[LibDemAlways]

34. I think Condi's just jealous that nobody

ever asked her to appear in one of those mags. Most men would probably be willing to pay money to make sure she keeps her clothes on.

[Pryderi]

35. You know she wears leather and has a strapon for Georgie...

[Chemical Bill]

37. "Soldier of Fortune" only. n/t

[IndianaGreen]

38. Abortion and birth control are integral rights of women

Condi's State Department is opposed to both. What a tart!