GOP fights Boxer with ‘ma’am’ remark

The widely played video clip of Sen. Barbara Boxer reprimanding a general for calling her “ma’am” is the gift that keeps on giving for the two Republicans hoping to challenge her next year.

Republicans Carly Fiorina and Chuck DeVore are trying to capitalize on the exchange by making it a key ingredient of their fundraising efforts and attempts to recruit grass-roots support. Both campaigns say the video revs up a Republican Party base that already has a long-standing animosity toward Mrs. Boxer, among the most liberal members of the Senate.

Whether it will have currency beyond June’s Republican primary, when the winner will have to appeal to a much larger and more diverse audience, is an open question.

During a hearing last June, Mrs. Boxer interrupted Brig. Gen. Michael J. Walsh of the Army Corps of Engineers in midsentence: “Do me a favor?” she said. “Could you say ‘senator’ instead of ‘ma’am’? It’s just a thing. I worked so hard to get that title, so I’d appreciate it. Yes, thank you.”

Mrs. Boxer said the general was not offended by her remarks, but many in the Republican Party clearly were, including the two Republican challengers.

Mrs. Fiorina, a former Hewlett-Packard chief executive, said she thought the exchange was so memorable that it prompted her to create a Web site titled CallMeBarbara.com, which she uses to raise money and keep in touch with supporters.

Campaign aides said they could not quantify the site’s appeal except to say it has received thousands of hits and led to thousands of dollars in donations.

The campaign of state Assemblyman DeVore juxtaposed the Boxer clip with an Austin Powers movie frame showing the Dr. Evil character upbraiding those who dare refer to him as “Mr. Evil.” The 30-second video has generated more than 108,000 clicks on YouTube. It’s been one of the campaign’s most popular tools for reaching out to potential supporters.

Barbara O’Connor, professor of communications at California State University at Sacramento, said the use of Mrs. Boxer’s comments from the hearing no doubt will fire up the Republican base during the primary campaign but probably will not hurt the third-term senator in the general election. Jobs, health care and other bread-and-butter issues are expected to take precedence.

“It’s not the kind of thing that plays well in California,” Miss O’Connor said, referring to the type of criticism Mrs. Fiorina and Mr. DeVore are leveling at the Boxer video. “I think the economy is the sole issue that people are thinking about.”

Registered Republicans represent less than a third of California’s electorate. Women, who vote in greater numbers than men in California, may well see Mrs. Boxer’s statement as a demand for equal treatment.

“I think many California women resonate to the request to acknowledge their accomplishments,” Miss O’Connor said. “How you address someone is often a window to how much credibility you feel they have.”

Leisa Brug Kline, Mr. DeVore’s campaign manager, said she expects the Boxer video to be useful after the primary election because it illustrates the senator’s regard for others. The popularity of the Dr. Evil video proves that people were upset by the exchange, she said.

“I don’t know if it will be a huge issue, but it will be one because it boils down to demeanor and respect,” Mrs. Brug Kline said.

She said it’s not easy to quantify the video’s effect for the DeVore campaign: “It is more subtle than that. People view it, share it, sign up to our e-mail list, and eventually contribute. A large number of activists have seen the video, and they view it as a measure of our campaign’s effectiveness.”

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