Populist Reform of the Democratic Party

I disagree with the OP about some big difference between "whore" being bad and "prostitute" better.

And I disagree that the word 'whore' is meant to demean prostitutes, at least as 'the' definition.

I think the word has a troubled history. It goes back to a more sexist period, when a promiscuous woman - however much men were happy to take advantage - was attacked as a "whore", while a promiscuous man was something to be admired much of the time.

There were some weak efforts to sometimes use 'male whore', but the word largely remained about its use for shaming women for having more sex than the accuser approved of - or having the 'bad character' to want to.

When it's mixed with the issue of the male domination in money and power, it's problematic in its 'other meaning' - which is otherwise right on - to attack politicians who are lacking in principles and morals, to 'whorishly' indulge in corruption.

The word was often used for a prostitute, but not always. The bottom line - a woman selling what 'should not be sold' for money, or a politician who sold 'what should not be sold for money', sex in one case and the public trust in the other.

When it's used against a male politician, it makes its point very well, but still has that misogynist bite to it of its history, and there are plenty of other words to say the same thing, so why not use them and remove the sexism issue.

But when the context is the first woman close to being nominated for president, it adds a whole new wrong level of sexism to the word. And when that woman's campaign is just looking for any hint of sexism to use to motivate its voters, it inflates the issue.

It's like phrases that have a history of racism against blacks being used against candidate Obama - didn't you think he sounded uppity in that speech? Even if it's a legitimate criticism, it's also an appeal to racism in the wrong hands.

So, in my opinion - drop the word, because of the sexist history, and make the same point with other language. And do it out of some respect for the first female candidate this close to the presidency - while attacking her strongly where she deserves to be attacked.