Voters to Hillary: No, You Can't
Dear Stumped,
Sen. Hillary Clinton's attempt to be the first woman to be the most powerful politician in the world has been momentous. It has also been the most revealing political campaign in American history. Does the wide availability of offensive anti-Hillary paraphernalia in stores and on the Internet provide evidence that sexism reigns supreme? Would the many personal, gender-based attacks on Clinton and her supporters be tolerated if she were not a woman? Would the deafening silence on this topic prevail if such crude references were made in relation to Sen. Barack Obama or his followers? Is the hatred of women that has been exposed in this campaign an accepted part of our culture?
-- Tony
Dear Tony,
There is plenty of sexism in America, but I disagree with your contention that Hillary Clinton's failed candidacy, and the way it was covered by the media, revealed a widespread disdain for powerful women across the country. It would be insulting to the American people, and grossly unfair, for Clinton and her supporters to push such a postmortem.
Clinton's candidacy was always more about advancing the cause of one political dynasty than it was about advancing the cause of women -- and much of the visceral reaction against her bid was a visceral rejection of her familial claim to the throne. Clinton had a chance to become the first woman to occupy the White House, yes. But another historic milestone would have been her status as the first presidential spouse to be elected president. That she and her husband would have moved back into a White House most recently occupied by the son of a former president would have only perpetuated the notion that our nation's presidency is in danger of becoming a nepotistic trophy.
When Clinton first embarked upon her quest for the Democratic nomination, there was no sense that hers was a long-shot candidacy seeking to break through the proverbial glass ceiling. No, her candidacy was first and foremost the establishment/dynastic steamroller. The other Democratic candidates were deemed hapless underdogs. And remember those rumblings about whether staffers who dared to join other campaigns would ever again find gainful employment in Washington?
