Marsha Blackburn--A Living, Breathing Logical Fallacy

I don't envy Jeff Woods for having to be a part of this conference call:

“Let me just give you a couple of examples, anecdotes from women I’ve talked to,” Blackburn says. “Some of my friends who are Democrat voters have expressed concern over the experience angle with Obama. You know, when you have a woman who is like me in her 50s and has had a career and maybe got passed over by the person who was supposed to be the next great thing for the company and then 18 months later he’s gone …”

First of all, what are "Democrat voters"? I know of a Democratic Party and of Democratic voters, but should we call our opponents the Republic Party and Republic voters? Honestly, that sounds like something out of Star Wars.

But lest my eyes deceive me, is Marsha Blackburn not playing identity politics here? Is she making a play to female voters not by highlighting the issues on which the Republicans can help them, but by victimizing them? Isn't that what Republicans constantly accuse Democrats of doing?

I thought our society was a meritocracy! If the woman was passed over in favor of the man, well then OBVIOUSLY the man was better qualified for the job despite her experience. We're an equal society, why does the woman expect special treatment?

Isn't the above argument what Republicans are supposed to make?

I guess it's not too terribly surprising that they're doing this. The "victim card" may very well be the only way the Republicans have of appealing to female voters. Enacting actual pro-woman policies would piss off that portion of their base that believes that women are nothing more than maids, chefs, and baby incubators.