One of the most important things that Laura Flanders brings out in her new book, Bushwomen, is that the powerful women who surround Bush get away with their war against democracy and decency because they are women. That is, the news media doesn't take them seriously, so they can do just about anything they want.

A perfect example of this occurred last night. On the eve of National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice's testimony before the September 11 Commission, Greta van Susteren was chatting with a guest on her Fox News show about Rice's preference for jewel tones in her suits because she thinks prints are "too busy." The National Security Director of the alleged leader of the free world is about to provide some of the most important public testimony in modern history, and the talking heads are discussing her choices in clothing.

There's a word for it--sexism. The United States is crawling with it.