Pansy? Standing next to Clinton, her top surrogate in North Carolina actually used the word “pansy” this morning.

After touring a bio-manufacturing training center, Gov. Easley, First Lady of North Carolina Mary Easley and Clinton held a ceremony at NC State University. The Governor formally expressed his support saying that there was “nothing I love more than a strong powerful woman.” Easley concluded his remarks saying Clinton — “makes Rocky Balboa look like a pansy”.

In case anyone has been living under a rock, pansy is slang for “fag.”

pan·sy

a. Used as a disparaging term for a man or boy who is considered effeminate.

b. Used as a disparaging term for a homosexual man.

So, Hillary isn’t gay? Or Hillary isn’t a weak gay? And of course, gays are something bad that need to be avoided. Now why would Hillary embrace gay-bashing to help her campaign? Well, putting aside the Clintons’ history of embracing gay-bashing when it suited them, take a look at what Ben Smith wrote this morning:

Easley is a meaningful ally in the culture war she’s waging against Senator Barack Obama, as she seeks to cast him as a hopelessly unelectable liberal elitist…

Oh, so Hillary has launched a “culture war” against Obama. And what are the three elements of the culture wars? God, guns, and gays. Hillary already pulled the God and gun card on Obama in Pennsylvania, where she couldn’t even say when she last went to church, and then claimed she was a hunter after a lifetime as one of America’s top gun control advocates. And now she’s gay-bashing.

And actually, she started subtly gay-bashing a while back. Remember all of her “San Francisco” references? Then there was her top aides calling Obama supporters “latte sippers who only care about “feelings” (i.e., they’re a bit effeminate and effete). (Then again, look who’s advising her.)

It’s ironic. Hillary is afraid to use the word “gay,” and gets visibly uncomfortable when answering questions about gay issues. But using slurs for “fag”” doesn’t bother her in the least. Hillary and her people will say anything to get elected. And if that means gay-bashing to win the bubba vote, then so be it. And her people wonder why so many have turned on Hillary in the past few months.