Open mic, OOPS!

Rendell’s words were picked up by an open microphone at the podium of the National Governors Conference, held yesterday morning at Independence Hall.

“Janet’s perfect for that job,” Rendell is heard to say. “Because for that job, you have to have no life. Janet has no family. Perfect. She can devote, literally, 19, 20 hours a day to it.”

Campbell Brown

“Wow,” commented CNN’s Campbell Brown. After saying she likes Rendell for his candor, she also took him to task for his characterization of Napolitano, 51, a Democrat who’s served her state since 2002.

“If a man had been Obama’s choice for the job, would having a family or not having a family ever even have been an issue?”

“Is there an assumption that if you’re family-free then you have no life? By some, yes.”

“Your comments do perpetuate stereotypes that put us in boxes, both mothers and single women.”

“The previous two heads of Homeland Security - Michael Chertoff and Tom Ridge - were men with families, but did anyone question their devotion?”

Chuck Ardo, spokesman for Rendell….

denied the remarks were sexist, saying the governor takes Napolitano’s qualifications “for granted.”

“His comments simply referred to the demands of the new position that she is going to take.” “He believes that public servants at that level of government have no lives, including himself.”

“He intends to call her, but he meant no disrespect,” he said. “I think anybody who has followed Ed Rendell’s career knows that he is a strong believer in equality of all sorts, and has had strong women at the highest levels of his administrations.”

Michelle Malkin had an article a few weeks ago where she points to Napolitano’s actual experience.

Napolitano’s heart lies with the shamnesty crowd. She vetoed a bill cracking down on phony matricula consular cards for illegal aliens and rejected efforts allowing more cooperation between local law enforcement and the feds. She opposes assimilationist measures on English language and ID requirements to prevent voter fraud; she supports in-state tuition discounts for illegal aliens.

In short, she’s a double-talker and double-doer who will ensure the immigration chaos status quo.

IMHO: Just a case of straight if not blunt, talk from Rendell.

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