Five years after starting my political column, 'hooker' is the insult de rigueur for women in Lansing

How was I supposed to know that when I began writing a political column five years ago that it would one day become fashionable to refer to powerful women in Lansing as hookers?

As most people who follow politics know, Sen. Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge) became a trendsetter late last year in response to public relations executive Kelly Rossman-McKinney naming him and House Democrats the biggest political losers of 2011 in MIRS.

In his usual thoughtful and demure way, Jones took it upon himself to contact MIRS and compared Rossman to a hooker. It took Jones about a week to finally apologize, but he still seems content to blab about the matter, despite the wishes of Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville (R-Monroe) and any Republican with a brain.

That should be the end of this sorry episode, but alas, it isn't. GOP political consultant Steve Linder jumped into the fray, suggesting Rossman was the problem and that her clients should ask for their money back. He was smart enough to quickly apologize.

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