"Don't lose your head and win." That's what my father used to tell me, only half in jest, whenever I went out to play tennis with a boy. I grew up in Virginia, where the message was clear. Women could succeed, but never by beating men outright. Drew Faust, the first woman president of Harvard, had a similar tale about growing up in Virginia. In an interview shortly after being named, she explained that her mother had simply told her: "honey, it's a man's world." Southern women get what they want by indirection, by being steel magnolias, soft on the outside and seemingly pliable, but never giving in and ultimately finding a way around any obstacles.
I thought of this recently with all the crowing about how Obama is beating Hillary with southern white men. Indeed, in Ellen Goodman's recent column identifying 10 pieces of conventional wisdom that have been debunked in the election thus far, the only one left standing was that "Southern white men still won't vote for a white woman." In other words, many white men in the South may be voting against Hillary more than they are voting for Obama. That's not good news for the Clinton campaign. But it isn't necessarily good news for the Obama campaign either. Just because these voters prefer Obama to Hillary does not mean that they will vote for Obama over McCain, no matter what the polls say. It's very hard to believe that when the chips are down they're not going to vote for the guy who looks like them.
Hillary lost her head and won, again and again. And a lot of white males, particularly in the south, can't stand her for it, and for the qualities that she has had to develop to succeed in what, for much of her career, was still largely a man's world. Obama may well be able to convince some of those voters to cross racial lines, which would be great. But the depth of their antipathy to Hillary should warn all Democrats that the south has not yet been won.
For those who are running around using words like misogyny, and prejudice, and pointing to the South to explain Hillary's losses, I'd suggest reading the book and changing its name to "How to Lie to Yourself with Statistics." The thought process you're using to reach your conclusion is no more intelligent than that we might expect from a 8 year old. Using the same methodology and the most recent Quinnipiac poll for Ohio, I can just as easily make the claim that the North has not been won. And may I point out that Southern white men are voting for a black!
The fact of the matter is that people have a problem on multiple levels. I won't deny that for a few (who tend to be Republicans, not Democrats!) misogyny is in there somewhere. However, for the most part they're voting for Barack and against Hillary for what they see as legitimate political differences. Throwing the gender card without simultaneously mentioning Hillary's negatives, Clinton-fatigue, the clear distinction between Hillary and Obama in terms of special interest, the five Clinton-gates (check Wikipedia), the fact that Obama simply outshines her in terms of communication skills, etc.., shows nothing but your own prejudice. It's one track thinking, and not only does that tell me your political view, it's dishonest to yourself.
father used to tell me, only half in jest,...
Hillary lost her head and won, again and again.'
Just goes to show that your parents can really mess you up,
even when they mean well. Anyway, at least HRC has realized
what a problem winning can be, and done something 'proactive' about it.
Out of 34 contests held, Hillary has lost 23 times. - Check a map for even more enlightemnet. She's lost in the South only 4 times.
Everything that goes around will come around - Karma.
The venum that some folks feel the need to assault Hillary Clinton with is the venum they will have to swallow in the general.
There are only two candidates with enough experience to be President in this Election - Hillary Clinton and John McCain. If the viciousness of racism (vote for Obama because he is Black and male) and sexism is what is motivating people to vote against Clinton, then John McCain will have won the general election.
It's a no brainer - McCain or Obama - I will vote for McCain. In fact, I am so convinced Obama is completely unqualified to be President that I might even campaign for McCain.
If the Democrats walk away from Hillary Clinton, they will walk away from the labor movement and from women in the Democratic party. Where does that leave labor or women's issues for another 4 years? We have to rely upon the fair-mindedness of John McCain, but Obama has made it perfectly clear he doesn't care about women's issues or about worker's issues. Obama is for Obama.
With NAFTA, the Clintons and Senator McCain made quite clear their concern for workers' issues. It's her 35 years of experience . . . except, I guess, for that part or the other parts that don't quite fit . . . or the votes to invade Iraq.
Senator Clinton or Senator McCain?
It's no wonder you're having a tough choice deciding.
to grow up in Virginia (though I didn't play much tennis growing up, whether against boys or girls);
to vote today in Henry Country, Va;
and to also be a graduate of the University at which, and the school of which, Ms. Slaughter is a/the Dean,
I'd say to Ms. Slaughter: You need to come back the Commonwealth and spend some time before generalizing so broadly.
You should have been in Richmond last Saturday night to hear, among others, Governor Tim Kaine, former Governor Doug Wilder, retired Judge Anne Holton, former World Bank employee Lisa Collis, Virginia State Senator John Edwards (just as good a man as the North Carolina JE), Congressman Bobby Scott and Democratic House Leader Ward Armstrong -- blacks, whites, men, women from all parts of Virginia who recognize the effectiveness and ability to inspire of Barak Obama.
You should have been down in deep southern Virginia in Henry County today to listen to voters of both genders, many races and, yes, both parties whose names may not be as well known but whose votes for Senator Obama count just as much and who would have rejected your inaccurate stereotyping just as strongly.
From what I understand, you're a great Dean. Your commentary here, however, is extraordinarily disappointing.
The Florida Democratic primary election ballot had all democratic candidates listed.
Florida Dems have been disenfranchised, through no fault of their own
HB537 was written by a Florida Republican to change Florida's primary date.
A state legislature has interfered with it's constituents National voting rights.
The Florida Democratic Party did NOT change this date, the legislature did.
The Florida legislature has an overwhelming Republican majority.
The House of Representatives in Florida have 41 Democrats; 71 Republicans.
The Senate in Florida have 14 Democrats; 26 Republicans
The state of Florida has a Republican Governor.
The citizens of the state of Florida did NOT vote on this date change.
HB537 was passed in May 2007 & legislatively changed the Florida primary date.
This date was, and still is, unalterable by the Florida Democrats.
At the start of the election, I knew two things...most Americans were fed up with Republicans and this misguided war, and racism is still alive. I was *this* close to supporting Hillary for that reason alone.
But, as a volunteer for Obama's campaign, I have seen and heard things that changed my mind on America and especially the south! The majority of the volunteers I worked with were White and both genders were equally represented. I've seen White men of all ages canvassing and phonebanking for a BLACK man. In SC, Barack won 25% of the White vote against Hililary and John. Me thinks he'll do okay in November.
People are willing to "overlook" their
prejudice if a candidate can show he/she doesn't meet those stereotypes. Unfortunately for Hillary, she has failed to change the negative perceptions about her and Bill.
It's this type of accepted prejudice that helps me understand why Southerners are not treated as equals by Democrats around the country. It helps me realize why news about Katrina and Rita continues to be buried in the media, and on HuffPo--in Harry Shearer's blog--mocked by every other headline on this site.