Hillary's Gift to Women

In Friday's New York Times, Susan Faludi rejoiced over Hillary Clinton's destruction of the myth of female prissiness and innate moral superiority, hailing Clinton's "no-holds-barred pugnacity" and her media reputation as "nasty" and "ruthless." Future female presidential candidates will owe a lot to the race of 2008, Faludi wrote, "when Hillary Clinton broke through the glass floor and got down with the boys."

I share Faludi's glee -- up to a point. Surely no one will ever dare argue that women lack the temperament for political combat. But by running a racially-tinged campaign, lying about her foreign policy experience, and repeatedly seeming to favor McCain over her Democratic opponent, Clinton didn't just break through the "glass floor," she set a new low for floors in general, and would, if she could have got within arm's reach, have rubbed the broken glass into Obama's face.

A mere decade ago Francis Fukuyama fretted in Foreign Affairs that the world was too dangerous for the West to be entrusted to graying female leaders, whose aversion to violence was, as he established with numerous examples from chimpanzee society, "rooted in biology." The counter-example of Margaret Thatcher, perhaps the first of head of state to start a war for the sole purpose of pumping up her approval ratings, led him to concede that "biology is not destiny." But it was still a good reason to vote for a prehistoric-style club-wielding male.

Not to worry though, Francis. Far from being the stereotypical feminist-pacifist of your imagination, the woman to get closest to the Oval Office has promised to "obliterate" the toddlers of Tehran -- along, of course, with the bomb-builders and Hezbollah supporters. Earlier on, Clinton foreswore even talking to presumptive bad guys, although women are supposed to be the talk addicts of the species. Watch out -- was her distinctly unladylike message to Hugo Chavez, Kim Jong-Il, and the rest of them -- or I'll rip you a new one.

There's a reason why it's been so easy for men to overlook women's capacity for aggression. As every student of Women's Studies 101 knows, what's called aggression in men is usually trivialized as "bitchiness" in women: Men get angry; women suffer from bouts of inexplicable, hormonally-driven, hostility. So give Clinton credit for defying the belittling stereotype: She's been visibly angry for months, if not decades, and it can't all have been PMS.

But did we really need another lesson in the female capacity for ruthless aggression? Any illusions I had about the innate moral superiority of women ended four years ago with Abu Ghraib. Recall that three out of the five prison guards prosecuted for the torture and sexual humiliation of prisoners were women. The prison was directed by a woman, Gen. Janis Karpinski, and the top U.S. intelligence officer in Iraq, who also was responsible for reviewing the status of detainees before their release, was Major Gen. Barbara Fast. Not to mention that the U.S. official ultimately responsible for managing the occupation of Iraq at the time was Condoleezza Rice. 

Whatever violent and evil things men can do, women can do too, and if the capacity for cruelty is a criterion for leadership, as Fukuyama suggested, then Lynndie England should consider following up her stint in the brig with a run for the Senate.

It's important -- even kind of exhilarating -- for women to embrace their inner bitch, but the point should be to expand our sense of human possibility, not to enshrine aggression as a virtue. Women can behave like the warrior queen Boadicea, credited with slaughtering 70,000, many of them civilians, or like Margaret Thatcher, who attempted to dismantle the British welfare state. Men, for their part, are free to take as their role models the pacifist leaders Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi. Biology conditions us in all kinds of ways we might not even be aware of yet. But virtue is always a choice.

Hillary Clinton smashed the myth of innate female moral superiority in the worst possible way -- by demonstrating female moral inferiority. We didn't really need her racial innuendos and free-floating bellicosity to establish that women aren't wimps. As a generation of young feminists realizes, the values once thought to be uniquely and genetically female -- such as compassion and an aversion to violence -- can be found in either sex, and sometimes it's a man who best upholds them.

Comments

[BADEN]

"But by running a racially-tinged campaign, lying about her foreign policy experience, and repeatedly seeming to favor McCain over her Democratic opponent, Clinton didn't just break through the "glass floor," she set a new low for floors in general, and would, if she could have got within arm's reach, have rubbed the broken glass into Obama's face."

Yep. That about sums up the reason this woman Viet Vet and mother of a former Marine will not be voting for this woman in the fall.

I will be happy to vote in the CORRECT woman for this job when she comes to the top of the crop.

[dgscol]

It just goes to show that women fight dirty - kicking and scratching. We all knew that.

[klmebane]

it goes to show that women can fight just as dirty as men, true.

[RN4MERCY]

Barbara, this was a wonderful essay and you've hit the "male" on the head-Hillary's biggest mistake has been in adopting too many of the behaviors of the oppressors: rich white male/rich white female, from insider trading to selling out on health care reform. Every choice has a consequence; Hillary had a choice and she blew it, as you've described, when she broke through the glass-ceiling, into the big-boy's club. Take a letter, Hillary: No winds of change will be generated from that old, smoke-filled room.
Hillary had a real shot at generating the winds of change, by acknowledging our collective outrage at the paternalistic and depraved policies that enable war at the expense of healthcare, education, housing, clean air, water, and disaster preparedness foisted on the people by the current administration. The old feminist adage of, 'the best man for the job is a woman,' might have rung true at one time, but the bell has tolled after the 15th round in this fight.
Senator Obama is now our best hope for uniting and shaping an ideal America. The lesson is that we shouldn't compromise our ideals and surrender to the status quo in advance, when coming from a position of strength. We must continue to have the courage to change the things that we can, and to believe that those changes are politically feasible. America was founded on a vision of cooperative effort and the hopeful undertaking of difficult tasks by people of integrity.

[TRCPA]

This column is ridiculous. Hillary's campaign was mild. And I ask the Obama supporters (and most of the media) who have been intent on getting Hillary out the way for some time now (i.e. magnifiying North Carolina, dismisssing W. Va and Indiana)..­..the following question.

If the roles were exactly reversed at this time......­.honestly now.....wh­at would you be saying about the following topics?

1) Possibility for Obama to win popular vote......­would you dismiss it and not even consider it?

2) Negation of Florida and Michigan entirely..­...would you dismiss it and not even consider it?

Reach into the depths of your soul and think about this. Think about the 2000 election for just a minute. Put aside your love of Obama and your hatred of Hillary...­.for whatever your personal reasons.

And then honestly take a look at the above, think about it, and then respond...­..if the roles were reversed.

[S1m0n]

"If the roles were exactly reversed at this time.."

If the roles were exactly reversed at this time--if Obama had lost and Clinton won--Barack Obama would be unable to get the time of day from the media.

[chappelforpres]

What are you saying here TRCPA?:

1. Hillary ran a clean campaign?: That's a fantasy. She threw the kitchen sink at Obama, and for good reason, her frustration prior to NH was palpable. McCain's going to have to dig appreciably deeper to get any dirt on Obama, that Hillary hadn't already unearthed.

3. Popular Vote: Obama is still leading in both the popular and electoral vote. Forget about dissecting the individual primary results (how he won NC, or who voted, or how WV just went for Clinton), that's irrelevant. He has won the Democratic nomination in the manner Democratic nominations are won. The rules won't be altered (big state vs little state, last 4 states weighted X2, etc ) to empower Hillary to win, however close the vote. Which probably brings us to question 3. For you to try and justify a Clinton victory, you're obviously insisting that the FL and MI results, however distorted and unrepresentative of a "true" primary, now be counted.

2. MI and FL.: Both candidates knew going in, that FL and MI had knowingly defied the DNC rules on holding early primaries and that the primary results would not be honored. At that time, neither candidate seriously questioned or opposed the ruling. FL's and MI's decision to defy the DNC was stupid and entirely self-serving. Flush with money, prestige and a geared-up machine, Hillary campaigned. Obama, conserving his then meager resources for the DNC sanctioned primaries, chose not to.

[churchlady]

None of us have ever said that we are not hypocrites. If the situation were the opposite; I daresay, that you'd sound like the posters here.

[TRCPA]

Take a hard look at what the Obama campaign did. They called Hillary a liar, a monster, she would do anything to win, etc., etc......a­nd the media said that was fine. When Hillary tried to compare and contrast on issues....­not personalit­y....it was considered unfair by the media.

As for popular vote, let's see what happens after all of the votes are counted. Have we all forgotten about how valuable all of the votes are, sans Supreme Court, after 2000? I haven't.

As for Michigan and Florida, that was a tremendous botch job by the Democrats. And then Obama blocked holding new primaries, knowing that his psychological advantage could then continue throughout with those states in limbo.

In my opinion, it was the Obama camp that was utterly ruthless, but somehow was perceived as pristine. They knew exactly how to get inside the heads of the media, i.e. the MSNBC boys for certain.
But hey, that's politics..­...we should all know that after watching how the Republicans have done it in the past....an­d will continue to do it in the future. So for that, my hat's off to them. They got an inexperinced politicain with one year in the Senate through the primaries.

Unfortunately, this country has humongous problems and issues to deal with, primarily economic.

And these problems may now become entrusted to someone of very little experience, as opposed to someone who was on the inside of 8 years of peace and prosperity.

.

[ignrnthllblly]

While I am happy to consider a reversal of roles, I'll respectfully decline to think with my soul.

1) Popular vote--still immaterial.

2) Negation of Michigan and Florida entirely? I do dismiss their ENTIRE negation--­i.e., I believe an accomodation can and should be reached that seats a representative delegation from those states while preserving the necessary penalty. Treating their primaries as valid is ludicrous and would be regardless of the candidates.

Incidentally, I support Obama; I do not have a personal relationship with him. I do not love Sen. Obama. Conversely, I do not hate Sen. Clinton. I have been, and will continue to be, critical of the campaign she has waged to be "awarded" the nomination in contravention of the will of the majority of the Democratic Party.

Can you honestly imagine Sen. Clinton appealing to the superdelegates to overturn the will of the voters and every metric relevant to the nomination, on the basis of irrelevant metrics, because she alleges she is the stronger candidate--majority be damned--IF BARACK OBAMA WERE WHITE?

I submit to you that the gambit would have never been attempted.

[KarateKid]

Actually, Hillary should have won the nomination. But she made some classic mistakes that ultimately cost her dearly, and proved she was not a good leader or manager.

1. She was too overconfident and underestimated her opponents, especially Senator Obama.

2. She surrounded herself with the wrong people, and didn't control or manage them like a chief executive should have. Mark Penn??? Please...

3. Her senior staff did not have a pulse on the electorate.

4. Her mission statement came off as arrogant and not real. Most ready on Day One??

5. She panicked and jettisoned senior staff, primarily Patti Solis Doyle. Bad mistake.

6. She changed her persona and changed her mantra multiple times.

7. She did not have sound strategies, especially after Super Tuesday. It shows she expected the nomination by then.

8. She misused her husband, who frittered away the big advantage they had with the African American voters.

9. She did not have a handle on the caucuses, inexcusable considering her husband had gone through them. This is the experience she bragged of?

10. Most importantly, she WENT NEGATIVE AGAINST A FELLOW DEMOCRAT at a time when the Democratic electorate did not want campaigning as usual.

So, all the whiners ought to get off of blaming Obama and not scapegoat Obama's supporters. She blew it, Obama did not steal anything; she handed it to him.

The daily psychoanalysis and recriminations are useless. Ultimately, she was not ready on Day One...of her campaign.

[ornovscot]

I would like to thank Barbara Ehrenreich for excellent essay. I could not more agree with her. Aggressive persons can be found in either gender, and I disagree with those who, even after their attention is directed to examples like Indira Ghandi or Margaret Thatcher, are wont to say that those women were influenced by aggressive and domineering fathers.

Indeed, there are men who are pacifists, and there are women who seem to thrive on combat.

I am sorry to write that Hillary Clinton consistently has demonstrated that she is more properly comparable with those persons who enjoy conflict in their personal and public lives.


As the world become ever more integrated and as the world sports more and more dangerous ways of destroying out planet--a scenario rational people abhor--it becomes incumbent upon the electorate to select a person who advocates negotiations when possible and who does everything he can to avoid war.

Many may disparage Barack Obama's "lack of experience". Hillary Clinton's experiences has shown that she uses the word obliterate wheh she refers to an entire country. Until recently she advocated a surge of troups in the ccountry

[csepwede]

I'm an Obama supporter. I can't wait for this primary to be over because then I can start liking HIllary again.

She has many, many good qualities. But unfortunately in the heat of the battle, we all become polarized in order to have our candidate win.

[gun]

strong women can be honest about hillary

[yannaview]

CHILDREN OF KARL ROVE


Sometimes I get the distinct impression that the best lesson we have learnt over the last 8 years of George Bush presidency, is how to hate and find glowing and embllished words to justify the hatred.

The methods of KARL ROVE to undermine and discredit a person has formed a pattern by which to assess a person. Karl Rove first used this method on Bill Clinton while preparing the American voter to elect a Republican. It was Hillary Clinton that brought this evil system of hate to our attention. For that Karl Rove turned is evil wand on her and we all bought the crap and hated this woman who refused to stay down , when flattened. ALL PRAISE TO HILLARY.

[AggravationKills]

I guess you didnt get Obamas memo today.

[Verite]

You gotta love it...the Clintons have succeeded in alienating their camp followers against the rest of the Democratic Party and the man who will be the nominee. And for what?
You read through the anger here and regarding the NARAL endorsement, and you wonder what drugs are these pissed off people on?
And it further confirms what a 68 year old woman said to me this winter, the best thing that can be said about Bill Clinton's administration is that he was the greatest republican president of the 20th century, because that's what these folks sound like: typical angry pissed off republicans, folks you can never have a conversation except they're right and you're wrong.
What's with the Clinton worship?
Get real people! Our politics is a pretty rigged game, and the only way to deal with it is to keep an open mind, vote for the least corrupt person if you can, but never, ever, fall in love with a candidate or the BS that comes out of their mouth. I'll vote for Obama, but not because I think he's the second coming, but because he's our nominee and I agree with at least 30% of what he says.
And all you angry people, please check out Robert Plunket's column on the candidates from Sarasota magazine this winter, that's how sane people view their politicians. And take a breath, or maybe a valium.
http://www.sarasotamagazine.com/Articles/Sarasota-Magazine/2008/02/Mr-Chatterbox.asp?ht=

[GaiasChild]

Does this mean women whose strength comes from pretending they are men are more admirable for it?

There's much more strength in natural grace and wisdom. The ancient mothers were shamanic and visionary and healers. They were respected for their gender, not despite it.

This all be crazyness.

[SlappHappy]

The real genius of Barry Hussein Obama's campaign is how he has duped people into thinking that the Clintons have been playing the race card, when it was his doing all along. Nothing like playing on subconscious white liberal guilt to get the job done. Anyone who can't see what he's doing doesn't *want* to see it, plain and simple.

[veteran1964]

Hillary will have plenty of time to go bake some more cookies. It is true....Sh­e cut Bills balls off and taped them on herself...­..What a bitch!

[Oregonobama]

So, if we follow this logic, then I should vote for Obama because he's left-handed, plays basketball, and had the same first name I have? So, if so, how does a black-white man play the race card? If he does, which card does he play? Or does he play both of them? Or maybe he should play the human card?

[KarateKid]

And you're not playing the race card? Talk about not wanting to see, you don't have a clue, do you? No wonder Hillary lost. With supporters like you, who needs enemies?

[TRCPA]

I really prefer to stay out of the race issue entirely, but I can't help but agree with your comments, SlappHappy.

[Agarbeau]

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Seems that is true. Hillary seems to be willing to destroy the entire Democratic Party in her rapacious quest. In my opinion, it will be a long, long time before I would listen to any female politician. I just expect the men to be liars and hypocrites. She has done for aspiring female politicians what Ross Perot has done for third party candidates!

[kee]

I was a Clinton fan and supporter, but once it was obvious that she would do anything to win, including, but not limited to, race-baiting, fear-mongering, lying, stealing, emasculating, and yes, throwing the kitchen sink of lies and innuendo, Republican style, at her opponent, who effectively beat her BEFORE she unleashed most of this, at least on the surface. Rest assured, I respect Senator Clinton's presidential run and what it has done for women, but I too, question her tactics and methods, which leave me hoping that our next female presidential candidate with show some dignity, class and honor for her party, as she fights for the White House.

Wanakee Hill

[LollieDotCom]

Loyalty has it's +'s and -'s. But when you're focus is on survival, you will do what you have to do. That group is called NARAL Pro-Choice America, not NARAL Pro-Hillary America. Besides, it's not all their fault or Obama's fault that they turned to him now. Hillary is the one who screwed herself out of her shot at the white house with her chicken-sht ways. And I'm amazed at the number of people who have watched that woman channel Rove and since it's a democrat doing it, hey, it's a-ok! No. It isn't. I'm sorry, but I have grandchildren in high school that could die in the middle east before this next President is done. I wanted to vote Hillary. But I'll vote for the one I trust.

[jojojo]

HRC assumed an air of moral superiority wrapped in her femaleness, but showed how she's just another empty (pants) suit, just like so many male empty-suit politicians. Obama gives hope for something better. That's why, though I voted for her twice for senate, I can no longer support her pro-war, racist candidacy.


Female violence?

Go to menweb.org for articles from NY Times and others on female sex abusers, female domestic violence, child abuse. etc.

[Oregonobama]

Ella Grasso was elected the first governor of Connecticut who happened to be a woman and the first governor in the United States who happened to be a woman not married to a previous governor who happened to be male. In short, she did it with political skill and without the gutter tactics used by Tuzla Hillary.

[wwsword]

What racially-tinged campaign has Clinton run? Obama played the race card, not Clinton.

Never before in my life have I have lost so much respect for so many people who I thought were on the side of working people. People I thought were smart and got it are throwing reason overboard to join a cult of personality, a faux movement that will take us all the way to John McCain's inauguration. Like I said in another thread, I feel as if I am dreaming.

[tess08]

yes, you are. wake up it's 2008 not 1968.

[prithimp]

And Sweet Lord..divi­ne interventi­on..just before an important primary where a majority of the democratic voters are AA ,the man nicknamed the first black president and the woman who has worked for AA rights since she was a student revealed as racist! solidifying the black vote (divided pretty evenly between them until then) and allowing Barrack to win big .
Obama's campaign first played the race card when they DELIBRATELY MISREPRESENTED now infamous " fairy tale comment"!
The comment and this phrase was CLEARLY referencing the myth that Obama "did not support the war"..and the fact that there was absolutely no difference in their voting record since his entering the senate .
Obama's campaign played the race card when they decided to claim that he was calling Obama's entire campaign a fairytale .
Ref Jesse Jackson, he replied to a specific question about candidates who had won in landslides earlier..t­he only other being himself..h­e chose to mention Jesse Jackson!
Obama's campaign played the race card when they chose to quote him out of context and make it look like Clinton was calling Obama the "black candidate!"

Obama's campaign played the race card when Jesse Jackson Jr took a CHEAP SHOT saying that Hillary shed no tears over Katrina.!
Hillary had everything to lose and Barrack everything to gain by playing the race card post which an avg 90/10 vote split carried him to victory in state after state .

[VivaZapata]

Obama did not play the race card. He was doing better when race was not an issue. The Clintons got desperate when they saw they had real competition and Bill Clinton used a variety of codes and the outright South Carolina-Jesse Jackson reference. Just recently, Hillary echoed Mainstream McCain Media' constant looping of racial polling reportage. The Clintons aren't as racist as the media, but they used this disgusting practice to their own advantage.

[Bozwellian]

SURELY you are attempting a jest in asking WHAT racially tinged campaign the Clintons have run question for if not , you really are in need of a VAST reality check ! AM here an OLD, WHITE HARD WORKING BOW(b*tch on wheels) and have been APPALLED by the Clinton and their shabby campaign which INDEED infused "race' as well as abused Hillarys "gender" standing in regards to how they played GENDER CARD so way over the top and even acknowledged early on, part of HER "inevitibility factoring" was HOW THEY PLANNED TO USE THE SISTERS to garner support all the way to their avenging return to 1600 Penn Ave !!! Bill himself was so arrogant and actually thought he had built enough "credi/points" that he could be RISKY and FRISKY as he inserted it as well as other key insiders as surrogates set out and about to doo the damage when the upstart black guy from Chicago came full force onto the stage and upset their inevitibilty apple cart...the Clintons deserved to be CRUSHED, they are a true insult to any with a shred/chard of integrity !!!

[LollieDotCom]

I think if you'd review their records, actually look at them, you'll see he's the one that's left the biggest mark on our government with the lobby reform bill he and Tom Coburn got made into law. He's the one that's ran the best campaign. She's the one that's chosen people based on loyalty instead of competence and it's those, Rovian choices of hers, that kicked her @ss. He did a better job in the senate, he's done a better job at running his campaign. I'm a woman too, but dammmit, we gotta have someone we can trust.

[yeswecancan]

I'll be happy to arrange a wake- up call for you, but no, you're not dreaming. You're simply experiencing the effects of an infusion of hope replacing fear. Congratulations.

[PhoenixWmn]

Ipsas Loquitor. Anybody this phenomenally, abysmally stupid needs only to be read to declare himself for what he ( "Inspire") truly is.

Homophobic and jealous ??? Are you insinuating the HRC is gay ?? And even if she were, who really gives a rat's ass ?? And what exactly would all us women out here be jealous of ?? That she is nearly $20 million in debt or that she can't turn her back on her husband ???


Puhleeeeeeze. Barbara nailed it; new lows in bad behavior for women in politics is hardly progress.

I will be SOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy when all this divisive bullsh*t is over and we can get on with the business of electing a President to heal our nation, get us all going in the right direction once more.

[justanobserver]

This article offends at so many levels.
Love Hillary or hate her she has earned the grudging respect of millions.T­his is one tough lady who made lemonade when served lemons.And despite the scorn of many so called feminists she stayed in her marriage.
And now when the race is almost over,she will finish it even though she is not winning.Am I old school in thinking that it is honorable to finish a race and congratulate the winner if it isnt me?.
She's inspirational.

[Rockerbabe]

I couldn't agree more. Her behavior is no worse than anyone else's and a lot better than most. She may not get the nomination, but she will have my write-in vote on election day in November.
No more holding my nose and voting for another member of the boys' club.

[Triangle1]

Let's face it, Hillary didn't come THIS close to snagging the Democratic nomination had it not been for the fact 49% of the voters cast a vote in her favor. Insulting Hillary is insulting to those 49% of Democratic voters who may, or may not, cast their vote for Obama in the general election. His candidacy depends on it. You'd think Hillary was a Republican judging from the mudslinging. The good thing about having virtually no experience is that you haven't accrued negatives. I've never seen anyone in politics who didn't sooner or later earn a certain amount of hatred from a large percent of the population. We're mostly just passing the time waiting for the negatives to surface. If in fact Hillary is the monster you suggest she is, Obama should be hardened up and ready to wage war against the Republican party this fall.

[NJBOOMER]

Hillary got to where she is because her name is Clinton and people long for the good old days of Bill's presidency. They had jobs, the economy was good and they think Hillary is going to bring that all back. She would not have made it to super Tuesday if she had been Hillary Rodham and had no association with Bill Clinton. It is sad that they have sunk to this level, a former President and first lady.

[rinpochet]

Come close????? That is so funny. I believe it was about six months ago she was the presumptive nominee with the brand name, money and support.

She squandered it all in a lack luster campaign and the ONLY reason that she has not been shown the door is because her name is "Clinton". If the roles were reversed, Obama would have stepped down after her 12 straight wins.

I can't believe I originally supported her. The difference between me and a lot of the current Clinton supports is that they blindly ignored her slimy campaign tactics and her lying. I will never forger her standing before the cameras and declaring, "Michigan was a fair election." My jaw hit the floor. In what universe would that be? And of course how can we forget her harrowing Bosnia experience with sniper fire and her role in the Peace Talks in Ireland!!

I guess you have to respect someone who can lie so blatantly without turning a hair. Must have picked it up from Bill. Although at least his finger wagging gives him away. With her, there is nothing! Just your brain and experience with this woman.

You are right in one respect. Obama's battle with this woman certainly hardened him up enough to take on the Repubs.

[DonnaDarko]

Obama split the women's vote, not Clinton.

[530Rose]

Right, women were already voting for Obama. At least Democrat women! We don't need any more sabre rattling from the whitehouse!