Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) reprimands a brigadier general for calling her "ma'am." 1

She worked hard huh - well sing me a song Donna Summer - who the hell doesn't...

Yes, I'm sure she and the general worked hard for their respective positions. The difference is that in this case, the general appears merely to have suffered a lapse in protocol while the senator had a lapse of good sense. Regardless of whether or not she was in the right, her public hand slap was just snotty overkill at that point. If she had been more interested in the topic at hand and less in making the news she might have gathered up enough class to speak to him in private later. As it turned out she just came off showing how arrogant, insecure and small she really is. Character traits that obviously caused her much less effort than her climb to the senate.