Columnist: GOP Women Won 'While Espousing Far-Right, Far-Out Ideas'

Columnist Peter Applebome, not so cheerful about Republican women winning big last Tuesday: "Last week's primaries were a great moment for women in American politics, an inspiring reminder that women are just as able as men to buy elections with big bucks...and win while espousing far-right, far-out ideas."

Peter Applebome's "Our Towns" column for Monday's New York section, "In Connecticut's G.O.P., a Vanquished Rival Lingers On," ostensibly dealt with the local matter of the Connecticut Senate race. But Applebome opened with this liberally distorted snapshot of national politics, downgrading the surge of "far-right, far-out" female winners in last Tuesday's primary elections in California, South Carolina, and Nevada.

Last week's primaries were a great moment for women in American politics, an inspiring reminder that women are just as able as men to buy elections with big bucks, get nominated while fending off allegations of marital infidelity, say unfortunate things into a live microphone while in a Type A BlackBerry trance and win while espousing far-right, far-out ideas.

Previously Times reporters Jackie Calmes and Jennifer Steinhauer had tarred Nevada Republican Senate primary winner Sharron Angle as "so extreme" and as a "far-right conservative."

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