The fair sex? Not in politics

More and more, you like electing women.

Women have long been seen by voters as more ethical and fair-minded than men, reports Marie Wilson, founder of a group that wants a female president.

Maybe that's why a majority of North Carolina's Council of State, a group of 10 statewide elected officials including the governor, will be women. Is this a good thing? Maybe. But based on the recent campaigns, it's hard to claim that women are more ethical and fair than men.

Sen. Elizabeth Dole's "godless" ad was the national cheap shot of the year. And that's saying a lot.

In the ad, Dole raised legitimate questions about Kay Hagan's attending a Boston fundraiser hosted by a couple known for promoting atheist causes. At the end of the ad a woman's voice said, "There is no God," with a photograph of Hagan, a Presbyterian church elder, on the screen.

The ad backfired. Dole's biggest problem was that this commercial wasn't in character. We've always known that Dole, who went to Harvard law school and has a blue-chip resume, was smart. But that was only part of her appeal. For decades, she's been admired for her poise, charm and warmth.

Maybe we wouldn't have evaluated a man in the same way. But for Dole, it's been a winning style and part of the reason she beat a strong candidate in 2002.

We didn't recognize the Elizabeth Dole who sponsored that ad. Dole didn't get that. Once the ad ran, we expected the Elizabeth Dole we know to pull it and apologize. Instead she plowed ahead, defended the ad and even took a parting shot at Hagan during her otherwise gracious concession speech.

Unfortunately, Hagan wouldn't let this fight die. In what had to be the tackiest victory speech ever, Hagan took three swipes at Dole in less than 13 minutes. She said:

* She'd given her ruby-red shoes away (so Dole could click her heels and go home to Kansas).

* When she entered the race, the press and politicians were ready to hand Dole the keys to her office for another six years. "But it's not her office," she said twice.

* "It's certainly nice to have a husband who can vote for me" -- a reference to Dole's husband, Bob Dole, who is from Kansas.

Colleen Flanagan, a Hagan spokeswoman, said these weren't digs and that Hagan reached out to those who voted for Dole.

If those weren't digs, I am Jesse Helms. The only thing worse than a bad loser is a bad winner. Hagan had every right to be mad at Dole for the "godless" ad. And Hagan's ad in response was forceful and effective. But when the polls close, the campaign is over. You thank your opponent for her years of service (which Hagan did not) and look forward. In contrast, John McCain and Barack Obama were brilliant on election night -- patriotic, gracious, inspiring.

Our new governor got in some digs, too. At the last moment, Beverly Perdue sneaked in a radio ad that portrayed her as the candidate toughest on illegal immigrants. "The truth is that Bev Perdue has led the fight against illegal immigration," the ad said.

That's not the truth. Perdue, lieutenant governor for eight years, had little to say about immigration before running for governor. Her ad criticized Pat McCrory for saying illegal immigrants were doing good things, including working on construction projects. But McCrory had emphasized that the federal government was failing to enforce the law. Perdue had made similar comments about enforcement.

Ethical? Fair-minded? If this election proved anything, it's that women can be just as bad as men.