McCain backers: Let's talk about sexism

ST. PAUL -- Former Massachusetts Governor Jane Swift led a group of Republican women who today repeatedly invoked "sexism"” as they accused the press and Obama campaign of conspiring to conduct "an outrageous smear campaign" against John McCain's running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

"One of the things I heard from Democrats was how disappointed they were in their own party when Hillary Clinton was a victim of sexist attacks," said Carly Fiorina, chair of the Republican National Committee’s Victory '08 fund, who said that Clinton’s campaign helped to "finely tune women's ears" to such slights. "The Republican Party will not stand by while Sarah Palin is subjected to sexist attacks."

The remarks, made at a press conference at the Xcel Center here hours before Palin was scheduled to address the party's convention, were the latest in a concerted effort by McCain's campaign to paint Palin as a victim of unfair media treatment.

"You can do what you want to do, but we’re going to come back at you,' said Renee Amoore, a Pennsylvania businesswoman and party official, taunted the dozens of reporters in attendance.

But another McCain surrogate, Meg Whitman, the former president and CEO of eBay, went off-message today, saying there hadn't been media sexism against Palin.

"I actually think it's completely fair for the media to vet Sarah Palin," Whitman said on Fox News Channel. Iit was "the right thing to do" for the media to review the background of someone who is "running for the highest office in the land," she added.