Tantaros Dismissed Rice As Obama's “Human Shield”

Tantaros: Rice Appointed By Obama So She Can Be Used As A “Human Shield.” On Fox News' The Five, Tantaros said that Rice was only appointed because she is a woman and can be used by Obama to deflect criticism:

TANTAROS: This administration uses women as human shields. And the last time he nominated her, or her name was floated he didn't officially nominate her, he came out and he said, 'You want to go after somebody, Lindsey Graham, John McCain, come after me. She had nothing to do with Benghazi.'

I think they nominate her to set up a trap for Republicans to go after women. They're nominating Samantha Power. Hillary Clinton was Obama's human shield on Benghazi. [Fox News, The Five, 6/5/13, via Media Matters]

Tantaros Routinely Resorts To Sexist Attacks On Progressive And Other Women

SANDRA FLUKE

Tantaros: Sandra Fluke “Is Supremely Radical And Part Of This Fringe Gender Mania Sect Of The University Class.” During the March 6, 2012, edition of The Five, Tantaros claimed that Sandra Fluke, the former Georgetown law student who was the victim of a three-day smear campaign by Rush Limbaugh, “is supremely radical and part of this fringe gender mania sect of the university class.” [Fox News, The Five, 3/6/12]

Tantaros: “No Woman Should Aspire To Be” Fluke. On the April 23 edition of The Five, Tantaros said of Fluke: “No woman should aspire to be her. She claims to be this smart, successful woman, and she can't afford nine dollar birth control.” She added: “She's a lazy student because she won't get a job and pay for her own pills.” [Fox News, The Five, 8/23/12] 

Tantaros On Fluke's Time “Person Of The Year” Nomination: “What A Terrible Person To Elevate. A Woman Who Says, I Need The Government.” On November 27, 2012, following news that Fluke had been nominated for Time's “Person of the Year” award, Tantaros said, “What a terrible, I think, person to elevate. A woman who says, I need the government, I need help, I can't afford my own birth control.” Tantaros went on to suggest that Fluke is not a “true woman standing up for women's rights.” [Fox News, The Five, 11/27/12]

HERMAN CAIN'S ACCUSERS

Tantaros Called Cain Accuser A “Scam Artist” For Having An “Illegitimate Child.” On November 8, 2011, Tantaros attacked Sharon Bialek, one of the women who accused former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain of sexual harassment, saying:

TANTAROS: Now you have a woman who, if you look at her rap sheet -- 14 years later she all of a sudden cares about the country. Double bankruptcy, legal troubles, an illegitimate child. You know what that says to me? Two words: scam artist. [Fox News, The Five, 11/8/11] 

Tantaros: “At What Point Do Women Need To Take Some Responsibility?” In a November 10, 2011, New York Daily News opinion piece, Tantaros attacked one of Cain's accusers for “hav[ing] dinner and drinks with a married man” and asked: “At what point do women need to take some responsibility?” In the piece, titled “Ladies, time to man up: Cain accusers Sharon Bialek and Karen Kraushaar send the wrong message to women,” Tantaros said that women “don't need to play the victim” and that women often bear responsibility for what happens, writing:

Let me be clear: I'm not saying that Cain isn't guilty of sexual misconduct that took place when he was the head of the National Restaurant Association in the late 1990s. But this scandal should have every woman asking: At what point do women need to take some responsibility?

One accuser, Sharon Bialek, said Cain allegedly groped her after she came to him for job advice 14 years ago. At a press conference with famed attorney Gloria Allred, who has made a career out of victimized women, Bialek claims she met Cain for dinner and drinks for career counseling. Then she allegedly rode with him in a car, where he tried to put his hand up her skirt, then moved her head toward his groin.

If it's true, it's horrible. And while the timing of her decision to go public does raise questions about her motivation, the real question is: Why have dinner and drinks with a married man in the first place? Why not meet him in his office if your purpose is strictly professional?

It's also puzzling why Bialek later said that when she saw Cain at a recent Tea Party event, she approached him to give him a hug and see if he remembered her. [New York Daily News, 11/10/11]

Tantaros: “Bob Threw A Candy Corn Down My Dress Yesterday, And I Didn't Sue.” On America's Newsroom, Tantaros dismissed the accusations against Cain, saying that her co-host Bob Beckel on The Five “threw a candy corn” down her dress, and she “didn't sue.” From Talking Points Memo:

“But if you believe Herman Cain, the story that he told Greta last night, it was such a small deal, it wasn't anything that was sexual harassment at all. So he's right on that. I mean Bob [Beckel] threw a candy corn down my dress yesterday, and I didn't sue.” [Fox News, America's Newsroom, 11/2/11, via Talking Points Memo]

FEMINISTS

Tantaros: “A Lot” Of Feminists Aren't Happy Because They're “Older, They're Not Married, And They're Not Getting You-Know-What.” On the September 2, 2011, edition of The Five, Tantaros remarked: “After decades and decades and decades of feminists burning their bras, saying, 'Make more money than men, do this, run over men, have sex like a man, tell your man what to do, don't let them open the door,' they're not happy with the product, are you ladies? Because a lot of them are older, they're not married, and they're not getting you-know-what.” [Fox News, The Five, 9/2/11]

Tantaros Suggested Feminism Encouraged Teacher To Have Sex With Underage Student. On the January 22, 2013, edition of The Five, Tantaros suggested that feminism encouraged a female teacher to have sex with underage male student, saying, “There's something about feminism that lets them know, I can do everything that a man does. I can even go after that young boy. I deserve it. 40 is the new 50, yeah.” She added: “It's turning women into sexualized freaks.” [Fox News, The Five, 1/22/13]

OTHER SEXIST ATTACKS ON WOMEN

Tantaros Claimed “Free Birth Control” Drove Women's Vote: “Turns Out They Are One-Issue Voters.” On the November 8, 2012, edition of The Five, Tantaros said that in the 2012 presidential election, “We had women who could actually afford birth control -- suburban, college-educated women -- turn out and say, I want free birth control. So this dependency politics is now in suburban bedrooms.” She added: “How did he get them out? Turns out they are one-issue voters.” [Fox News, The Five, 11/8/12]

After Airing Biden's “Big Stick” Remark, Tantaros Said It Might Be “Most Effective Line” To Reach Single Women Voters. On the September 4 edition of The Five, Fox aired a clip of Vice President Joe Biden saying, “I promise you, the president has a big stick,” after quoting President Teddy Roosevelt's advice to “speak softly and carry a big stick.” Tantaros responded that Biden's remark might be the “most effective line” to reach single women voters. [Fox News, The Five, 9/4/12]

Tantaros Dismissed Concerns Over Cain Calling Pelosi “Princess Nancy.” During a November 2011 Republican presidential debate, Cain referred to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) as “princess Nancy.” Tantaros dismissed Cain's remarks, saying “it's stupid” for him to apologize and that “in the grand scheme of things” his remarks don't matter. She added: “Get over it. I don't think this is a big deal.” [Fox News, The Five, 11/10/11]