What Will It Take To Elect a Woman as Commander in Chief?
March 30, 2011
by Anita Finlay ("Ani")
|The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and not necessarily those of The New Agenda.
According to Politico, Secretary of State Clinton stated “it’s time for the United States to join South American countries in electing female presidents” at her recent policy talk on South America :
“I must say, I’m far enough away from my own career in electoral politics that I will not take too much heat for suggesting that these women and societies can teach American voters a thing or two…”
Is anybody listening?
While gender, like race or age, should not be a help or a hindrance in determining someone’s electability, it is vital that we consider each candidate’s qualifications fairly and address preconceived bias, else we doom ourselves to successive repeats of the vicious sexist hazing of 2008 that both Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin endured.
This is not about politics or party, or whether either of these ladies ever again run for high office, but a choice to defend any woman who steps up the plate with the grit, smarts and ability to the job against being disparaged as a “twat,” “hellish housewife,” “she-devil,” “bitch,” “ice queen,” “diva” or “vaginal-American.”
When we take sexist attacks off the table, we allow for an intelligent debate of the issues and a chance at qualified caring leadership. No branding. No frills.
And if that leader happens to wear a skirt — or a pantsuit — so be it.
You are right of course. Unfortunately there is a army of pathetic, past their prime, little men like Bill Press, Chris Matthews, Bill Maher, Olbermann and their employers in Corporate Media who offer nothing to this country but their vile misogyny and are determined to die while spewing hatred and vulgarity towards women and girls. There is an equally big army of excuse making, turn a blind eye women on the left enabling them. Several additional thoughts involving ED drugs laced with blood pressure meds, liberal men, and sex orgies as a solution have been self censored.
The men who run Corporate Media have figured out how to extort payment for forced subscription to channels you don’t even want while gate keeping every one else out of the discussion. They are happy as hell and don’t care to even talk about changing to a free market in media. Corporate Media should be forced to exist in a free market where they would be punished for degrading 52% of the population, women. Until they are bigoted vulgar little men will reign.
Anita, all sounds logical. but if the commander in chief happens to wear…. does not sound like a rally cry. we have to learn from successful approaches. just imagine the civil rights cause for race would have sounded like: if the commander in chief has a black skin so be it. where would we be now.
the approach that gender should not matter is correct but very futuristic. for now we have to band together, support women, be appreciative of anyone who sympathizes with the civil rights cause for gender and have one goal to support the advance of women to the top jobs and positions in our society. after that we will have the luxury to look at issues together with the claims and realities of candidate positions.
Palin-West 2012. The ONLY ticket that can beat Obama!
I hear you, Marille. I suppose 2008 is too fresh in my mind where Obama was pushed as the “historic” candidate and some people actually did vote for him on that basis. In my view, that was a bad thing. Typically, and unfairly, Hillary’s candidacy was not regarded as “historic” — the media had their narrative and it did not favor her. While I take your point, I want it made clear that a woman is winning because she’s got the stuff — not because of what she looks like. I wanted Hillary for one reason only — she was the best candidate for the job. Period.
But I do agree we have to stick together in one particular way — not to allow demagoguery and wedge issues to divide and conquer women.
Both parties have used that methodology as a weapon for too long.
Ani, that’s where many of us including me started out, the best candidate for the job and that was clearly Hillary. She was an extraordinarily good candidate, one who does not come around every 4 years. but it does not matter currently. every woman getting out for some powerful job gets a different treatment, the double standard. and actually it is not a double standard like different people, situations need adjusted standards what the term suggests. it is nothing but putting hurdles up. and if the women with double triple work and every handcuff on still are on their way up, the openly sexist attacks come. telling that we are all stupid, having nothing but particular organs which define our little cut out space of action in the world. so now after 2008 I want women who are not better than anyone else or even not that experienced have our support. just like Obama and other male presidents they can surround themselves with capable advisors. there is no reason to be proud that women can dow everything on high heels and walking backwards. we need fair conditions and should be suspicious at all the claims that another female politician is suggested to be dumb or emotionaly unstable or less educated or…
Palin West interesting ticket- but if the left side wont support a woman candidate in 2012( they have none on their side who appear to be imminent) from the GOP, I feel that a female Commander in Chief may be a long long way off. I have suggested here that the way to break the glass ceiling is for women collectively to vote to do so and not let males manipulate them out of it as they allowed in 08- without unity in vote, yes based on gender, the ceiling that HRC so valiantly chipped away at, will not crack open in my lifetime
I hear you Anita!
We as women need not just the achievement of a woman president, but the results of an excellent president. Hillary would succeed on both counts.
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