A group called the Ulster County Democratic Women has sent a letter to New York Gov. David Paterson, urging him to appoint a female to the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Julie McQuain, the group's president, told a Freeman reporter on Thursday that the group is not advocating for any particular woman, only that whoever is appointed be female.

Excuse me?

Aren't these the same people who, just five months ago, said it was an insult to Democratic women to suggest that Clinton supporters would back GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin simply because Palin and Clinton have genitalia in common?

Now, all of a sudden, any woman will do?

Allow me to repeat something I wrote last August, when commenting about Palin's implication that fellow women should back her simply because she is female: Supporting someone solely because of their gender is as bad as not supporting someone solely because of their gender. It's sexism either way.

My hope is simply that Gov. Paterson appoints to Clinton's seat the most qualified person for the job.