Huffington's Latest Hissy Fit (Updated)

Mary Matalin rides again. You know she scored big on Sunday's Meet the Press when Zsa Zsa Gabor clone Arianna Huffington feels compelled to post a picture of Disney's Sleeping Beauty Witch next to Matalin's photo and spends the first SEVEN paragraphs of her column deriding Matalin's appearance and wardrobe. Lots of substance here, Arianna:

Let's start with the unavoidable: what was she wearing? First, the brooch. Or was it a sculpture? Or was it perhaps some bizarre new NSA listening device? It was so, well, there, that hard as you tried you could not avert your eyes from it.

And then there was the black Asian pajama top to match the black eye makeup and the scarlet red nails to match the scarlet red lips. It was impossible to watch her without thinking of Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty. And then there was her manner, which was so incredibly nasty that it was hard to focus on her ludicrous talking points.

Meow. Is Huffington trying to debate Matalin's points or singlehandedly set the Women's Movement back to 1950? After sniffing at Matalin's attire and demeanor, Huffington moves on to whining about Meet the Press host Tim Russert, a sure sign that Russert has been doing a good, objective job of moderating the discussion.

And Arianna closes with a huge lie:

Update: Mary Matalin's performance was universally panned in the blogosphere. Check out:

Huffington then lists several loony left blogs.

This is the kind of reaction that confirms a series of direct hits on liberal sacred cows. Mary Matalin is my hero.

Update: Even Arianna's fans are nervous: :

hi arianna. i know your heart's in the right place here, but i think you may be undermining your argument by making comments about matalin's physical appearance and fashion choices. it tends to undermine whatever you have to say about she is actually saying. i love huffington post and read the articles and columnists all the time, but i admit i am reading your posts less frequently b/c i think you're slightly misfiring. just something to consider.
Posted by: falgiano on February 20, 2006 at 12:08am
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Okay--I know folks won't like this, but I think Matalin's positions can be critiqued without the allusions to her superficial appearance. Critiqque her horrible toadiness and lies, but her hair, brooch, and face should be left alone. At least, that's what my mom taught me was polite.
Posted by: vaughan on February 20, 2006 at 10:08am
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The fashion critique of Dowd and Matalin very much distracted from your point.
Posted by: theurchin on February 20, 2006 at 10:10am
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Update II: James Wolcott enters the fray (if sissy slap-fighting can be considered "entering the fray". What kind of man writes for Vanity Fair anyway?):

Even without the immature pouting and pissy expression, Matalin would have been a car wreck in repose: With a bad haircut topping a mistaken facelift and a ghastly floral pin that looked like spray-painted aluminum, she looked like the Beltway's Madwoman of Chaillot.

Another fashion critique, no substance, which nicely encapsulates the mainstream media's behavior during the Cheney story.