A reporter for CNN, a network that considers itself an icon of the professional journalism industry, lost his temper on Wednesday and committed a misogynist assault against an accomplished politician and business executive who happens to be female.
Bill Weir, a CNN climate reporter who conceived his child in a lighthouse, lashed out at Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R., Ga.) on Twitter, the popular social networking website.
In response to Loeffler's recent comments about having "lived the American dream ... from the farm to the Fortune 500" and wanting to give Georgians "the same freedom and opportunities I had," the CNN scribe deployed a shopworn sexist trope: reducing her entire life story and career accomplishments to the man she chose to marry.
"Good news, Georgia!" Weir tweeted. "If you live on a farm, you now qualify to marry the Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange!" The offensive tweet has been up for more than two hours without an apology or clarification.
The sexist trope is routinely deployed against successful women, such as former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, whose accomplishments as first lady were frequently overshadowed by her more successful husband.
Men, on the other hand, are rarely scorned for marrying successful women. Just ask former senator John Kerry (D., Mass.), who won the Democratic nomination for president in 2004 despite being married to Big Ketchup heiress Teresa Heinz.
Feminist groups have tried to warn professional journalists like Weir about engaging in misogynist reporting. Alas, many professional journalists have been unable to stop themselves from obsessing over the fashion choices of prominent female politicians such as Kamala Harris.
Fortunately, when it comes to the vice president-elect, reporters have generally avoided stooping to Weir's level by making snarky comments about how Harris got her start in politics.
Prior to his sexist outburst on social media, Weir was best known for publishing an open letter to his newborn son, River, in which he apologized on behalf of humanity for failing to prevent a climate apocalypse.