Is Gretchen Whitmer a victim of misogyny?

Over the last year, the Michigan governor’s received colossal criticism.

Her edicts have spawned honking horns…

Rallies…

Lawsuits…

Instead of Approving Gov. Whitmer's Extension, Michigan House Republicans Vote to Sue Her https://t.co/0VX3Ruyvcu

— RedState (@RedState) May 1, 2020

And that most fierce of all political protest, haircuts:

Bang(s)! Protestors Take a Shot at Gretchen Whitmer as They Storm the Capitol With 'Operation Haircut' https://t.co/57Lh41BtaJ

— Holding a funeral for the media 📺 (@NuLLnVoiD4prez) May 21, 2020

What’s the cause of such resistance?

Some may say it’s a different point of view.

But what if it’s simply sexism?

Such could be the case, as was seemingly implied Sunday by the governor herself.

On CBS hit Face the Nation, host Margaret Brennan played a video of Michigan GOP Chairman Ron Weiser referring to Gretchen as a witch — one in need of being fired:

“Our job now is to soften up those three witches and make sure that we have good candidates to run against them, that they are ready for the burning at the stake.

“He was talking about you and two of your female Democratic colleagues,” the anchor noted. “The Senate Majority Leader was also bragging that the Senate had ‘spanked’ you on the budget and appointments.”

Margaret accused the men of making threats and being sexist:

“They’ve both apologized, but do you think there should be repercussions for misogynistic, threatening remarks like this?”

"There have been a lot of death threats, we know there was a plot to kidnap me and kill me … It is different in what I’m confronting than what some my male counterparts are," @GovWhitmer says of "misogyny" she's faced pic.twitter.com/IwNDjgbOID

— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) April 11, 2021

Gretchen indicated she’s not heard a peep of apology personally:

“Well, when you say that they’ve apologized, I don’t know to whom they’ve apologized, ’cause I haven’t heard from them.”

The elected leader recounted wretched roughness she’s received:

“I can tell you this, though, that sadly — in this moment — there have been a lot of death threats. We know that there was a plot to kidnap and kill me, death threats against me and my family.

Horrific.

But there’s more:

It’s different in what I’m confronting than what some of my male counterparts are.”

Are her dealings due to ideology? From the sound of things, perhaps not.

Turns out, it’s at least partly just what women must endure:

“So yes, I do think that there is a layer of misogyny here that every woman in leadership has been confronting and dealing with to some extent.”

Regarding a kidnapping plot, she is, of course, correct.

RedState’s Thomas LaDuke confirmed such last October:

The Federal Bureau of Investigation in conjunction with the Michigan State Police and their local partners today revealed arrests of individuals who were attempting to kidnap and/or harm the current Governor of the State, Gretchen Whitmer.

The author provided analysis:

These people who would try such a heinous thing are full-blown F$%^& idiots.

RedState’s Bonchie offered coverage as well:

When it was reported several days ago that a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was foiled by the FBI, the media kicked into high gear. They were sure the culprits were MAGA loving Trump supporters and also white supremacists. In fact, we even had some cable news analysts suggesting Trump should be charged as a co-conspirator (see Hot Take: MSNBC Analyst Wants to Charge Trump in Gov. Whitmer Kidnapping Plot)

That narrative started to fall when it was revealed one of the ringleaders not only didn’t support Trump, but that he had called the President a “tyrant” (see Narrative Fail: Turns Out the Folks Behind the Whitmer Plot Aren’t Who Dems and Media Are Painting Them As).

As for the notion her opposition’s ill will is sex-based, it caught tweeted flack from crowing critics:

I wonder if it mattered what sex the people in the long term care homes when you and your government made the decision to send confirmed covid cases back into the homes.

— Behind the scenes (@Behindt05710336) April 11, 2021

We never heard you apologize to the families of the people of Michigan who your actions have KILLED or irreparably harmed this past year either, Gretchen. I guess we’re even then?! 🤷🏼‍♀️

— DaveStefBoone (@grsmiledoc) April 11, 2021

Awe…poor Gretchen, she doesn’t think we remember the ‘8645’ incident which hinted at assassinating President Trump. Sit down, you vile hypocrite.https://t.co/Bc3J6Q3sHy

— Al Jemima (@al_jemima) April 11, 2021

It’s always racism or sexism, never personal responsibility. Always someone else’s fault.

— Pop Copy (@urbanmeyerlives) April 11, 2021

Back to the interview, Gretchen said she ain’t got time for all this:

“I don’t have time, though, to focus on that or to go punch for punch. I’m not gonna do that. I’ve got a job to do, and that is helping get my state through this, helping get our economy back on track, supporting the American jobs plan so that that helps us do both of those things. And that’s what I’m gonna stay focused on.”

Specifically, how’s she planning to fix things?

With this:

"Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Asks Citizens to Stop in-Person Sports, Indoor Gatherings Themselves"https://t.co/Gxv3aYT9En

— Alex Parker (@alexparker1984) April 11, 2021

Hopefully, less misogyny will ensue.

-ALEX

See more pieces from me:

Are You Ready for Your Vaccine Passport? House Republicans Are Trying to Ensure You Won’t Need to Be

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Asks Citizens to Stop in-Person Sports, Indoor Gatherings Themselves

Pete Buttigieg: Racism Is ‘Physically Built Into’ the Nation’s Road System

Find all my RedState work here.

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