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Hillary's XX Factor
The following piece was produced by HuffPost's OffTheBus.
This piece is also published on Witness L.A..
The best line of the night in Thursday's Las Vegas debate--in terms of zinger value, anyway--came when CNN's Campbell Brown asked Hillary Clinton about a recent speech that Hil gave at Wellesley College. Evidently, Hillary told the crowd at her alma mater that Wellesley had "...prepared me compete in the all boys' club of presidential politics."
"What did you mean at Wellesley when you referred to the boys' club?" asked Brown.
It was, frankly, a really stupid question. What the earnest Ms. Brown clearly meant to ask had to do with this month's slew of accusations coming from Hillary's camp alleging that the male presidential contenders had been mean to poor HRC at the at the last Democratic debate....because she was a girl.
But instead Brown unintentionally handed Clinton the perfect opportunity to exploit the gender-specific element of her candidacy, an opportunity she could not have otherwise managed without Brown's soft ball. If Hillary wins, it may easily be this very gender-specific element--let's call the XX factor--that provides the added edge needed to propel her to victory.
Clinton first responded to the question with an artful riff about the historic challenges women have faced, and the "...great movement of progress that includes all of us but has particularly been significant to me as a woman...."
Then she spoke about mothers driving their daughters hundreds of miles to meet the person who might be the first woman president, followed by a heart-tugging story of a grandmother, born back when only men had the right to vote, who told Hil, "I want to live long enough to see a woman in the White House." Yeah, it was cheesy, but it worked. I even got kind of teary. (Hey, we have come a long way, baby, even in my lifetime.)
Finally Clinton wound up for the pitch: "I'm not playing, as some people say, the gender card here in Las Vegas, I'm just trying to play the winning card," she said, smiling her most perfect, cat-ate-the-canary smile. "I understand very well that people are not attacking me because I'm a woman..." (pause for effect) "They're attacking me because I'm ahead."
Oh, SNAP!
Was it disingenuous? Yes, of course. But nobody cared.
For the past two weeks, Hillary and her proxies had been playing the gender card in any game that would have them. The proxies ranged from Bill-the-huz, to the head of the Feminist Majority, Eleanor Smeal, who, in all seriousness said that when the other Dem candidates' played hardball with Hillary at the October 30, Philadelphia debate, it was reminiscent of the Congressional Republican attacks on ...ANITA HILL!
(Elie, honey, that's exactly the sort of idiotic claptrap that persuades young women not to call themselves feminists.)
But, here's the deal: Hillary plays the girl card because, every time she does, it has a very good chance of resonating with half the American population. Heck---as I said above--it worked with me, and I don't much like the broad. So, let's not kid ourselves, if Hillary wins the Democratic nomination it will not be in spite of the fact that she's a woman, it will be, in a weird way, because of it.
All things being equal, that isn't such a bad thing. As a country, we are more than ready for such a gender breakthrough. I just wish the person with the best shot at smashing that "highest, hardest glass ceiling" she mentioned in Las Vegas, was someone other than poll-driven, hawkish Hillary Clinton.
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Listen, in case I haven't made it VERY clear in this column....I DON'T want Hillary as the nominee. (If you must know, I like Obama.
I'm just pointing to the very real fact that one of the most powerful elements Hillary has going for her is her gender. A lot of the women I've interviewed---particularly, by the way, inner city women--- are so busy coping with the slings and arrows of their own lives, that they haven't had the time to read the details of her positions, but simply go with a gut reaction that adds up to: I Think It'd Be Great to Have A Woman, so Let's Vote for Hillary.
And Hillary is---quite understandably---playing this for all it's worth.
I would love to have Hillary as president especially to make a shift in politics where women are as influencial as men.
I had a horrible mother, but besides her, I have found that women are far better at managing than men. Yeah, I hear the word leader thrown around in politics, but that's not a job, that's a result of having people follow you.
I do think that Hillary would lead many women to pursue political service and many men to stop being assholes to women.
BUT... she makes me nervous when she does things like she did with the whole $97k tax thing. That was not honest. That makes me very nervous about her.
I admit that I have been supportive of Hillary maybe more than I would because I want a woman president. But she's making it hard. I wish she wouldn't.
I am supposed to be that part of the population that falls for Hillary's crap. I am also suppose to be part of all of her demographics. married, white female, 50 and middle class.
Guess what. I cannot stand her. She is not only an embarrassment to all independent women but, also to democrats.
Unlike those who willingly drink the koolaid, I see right through her spin and phoniness. I know her lack of stands on most issues and those she has a record on show me a republican in democratic clothing.
Nevermind the sleaze, corruption, secrectiveness, ect.
I am so sick of pundits putting me in that box where I am suppose to support Hillary simply because she has a vagina.
I'm voting Obama.
Hillary is such a poor example of a femminist.
She has NEVER done anything on her own.
She rides on the Clinton name.
And has the LEAST experience--I can't think of anything notable that she has done!!!!
I think everyone is in for a surprise when we get the results of the Iowa primary. The polls only reflect the thoughts of Registered Democrats with Land Line Phones. That discounts young people with cell phones and Independents, two groups that strongly support Obama. There are even Republicans that are switching to Democrats to vote for him. He is very well liked across the board, and don't discount the Anti-Hillary movement. Not to mention the fact that he now polls better than her in head-to-head match ups with Republicans.
Obama Statement on Reports of Clinton Campaign Tactics
Below is a statement from Barack Obama:
"During our debate in Las Vegas on Thursday, we heard Senator Clinton rail against the politics of 'throwing mud.'
"At the very same time, in Washington, Robert Novak was publishing a column in which he reported the following: 'Agents of Sen. Hillary Clinton are spreading the word in Democratic circles that she has scandalous information about her principal opponent for the party's presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama...'
"The item did not identify these 'agents,' nor did it reveal the nature of the charge. It was devoid of facts, but heavy on innuendo and insinuation of the sort to which we've become all too accustomed in our politics these past two decades. If the purpose of this shameless item was to daunt or discourage me or supporters of our campaign from challenging and changing the politics of Washington, it will fail. In fact, it will only serve to steel our resolve.
"But in the interest of our party, and her own reputation, Senator Clinton should either make public any and all information referred to in the item, or concede the truth: that there is none.
"She of all people, having complained so often about 'the politics of personal destruction,' should move quickly to either stand by or renounce these tactics.
"I am prepared to stand up to that kind of politics, whether it's deployed by candidates in our party, in the other party or by any third party.
"The cause of change in this country will not be deterred or sidetracked by the old 'Swift boat' politics. The cause of moving America forward demands that we defeat it."
If Hillary Clinton wins the presidency with liberal and women votes because she is a woman, when she is so obviously a pro-war, corporate-owned politician (do you need any further evidence than her chief strategist, Mark Penn, whose PR company, Burson-Marsteller, is now the image maker for Blackwater?) - it will be a tragedy for this country and a disgrace to every woman who allows her vote to be used by these corrupt and cynical hucksters.
We have to do better than this.
Surely we aren't stupid enough to be conned by Mark Penn and Hillary Clinton into voting for the romantic notion they are so shrewdly and stridently selling - ooo, wouldn't it be nice to have a woman president???
Yeah, it would be nice to have a woman president. It would be even nicer to have a progressive president, or even a moderate one. But this particular woman promises us more of the same suicidal path this country is on - government of, by, and for the corporate power structure.
Here's the real deal...Hillary will get elected because she IS poll-driven and hawkish (although I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "hawkish". To get elected, for anyone to get elected, there is a play book to follow, like it or not. She who plays best wins. Politihal from A Blah Blah Blog.
Does the fact that Obama goes to black evangelical mega churches and speaks in patois count as the same kind of pandering? You never hear about that -or that his wife is says that once black woman wake up they will vote for her husband? As a woman of the same age as Hillary -I can tell you -we've come a long way baby- and it's pretty exciting. If Hillary had just been the First Lady of Arkansas and the U.S. then I would have to say -where's the beef- but she has a lifetime of public service- check the bio- She is the first First Lady to come into the White House with multiple graduate degrees and a job- Of course they tried to neutralize her-and managed quite well with millions of dollars of smear money. She is now becoming the woman she has always been- Strong, intelligent and bent on fixing the problems of healthcare, education, environment etc. etc. Let's not encourage bad behavior by those running against her-The Clinton "machine" has run a positive campaign because they have the candidate that is best qualified-they don't need to put innuendo and false talking points out there to disguise inexperience or lack of record.
This is a plea to all the Hillary supporters out there, please pick another candidate. I have my favorite, but at this point I'm not picky. Here's why, there are a lot of Dems and Dem-leaning independents out there that just can't stand her. Can't you muster up some sympathy for us? You take the wind out of our sail by nominating her. You also open up the possibility of a third party candidate. I know some Republicans that are actually considering voting for a Dem as long as it's not HRC. We could make this a landslide year. Let's pick someone the whole country could support, not someone who will boost the careers of Limbaugh and Hannity.
Good! When one considers the incredible mess which the collective male presidents have wrought to our country it might be high time to try a different gender. That would also dovetail nicely with Obama's mantra of "change in Washington". From male to female, how can there be a greater change than that?
Oops, I meant disingenuous phony spiel.
God, how could you be impressed by her ingenuous phony spiel about not using the gender card? I think it actually backfired on her. From what I'm reading, most women were turned off by it, many who had (inexplicably) felt some sympathy for her being 'picked on' in the last debate. You're right, the gender factor could influence 50% of the population but I think most women would rather see a woman make it on merit, not just gender bias. At least I'm sure hoping most women are smart enough to figure it out.
Some men will not vote for a woman to be President and CIC. Do men exploit a father figure image Reagan? or MACHO immage Bush?
Rememering his father's short lasting (short war) approval rate in the high 80's, Bush wanted to be a "WAR TIME" president. This is certainly not Hillary,s ambition. Health Care President?
Are women less confrontational, less "in your face". Was the Nation's interest helped by designating Iraq, Iran, N.Korea "Axis of Evil" . Women police officers usually find a way to avoid using force. Bush is "my way or the highway". Hillary talkes about compromise with Republicans.
The Nation is on the wrong path. It is time to try something different. We know that at least in one way she will be different from any other president.
It is too bad this is the woman the Dems send up. The one with the highest negatives and whom more than half the country would never vote for.Goody we get more of a divided country all for a woman who wants power more than anything. Please tell me where she comes in for womens values--when she plays with the boys and is as corrupt and bought as the best of them.Some glass ceiling and this is not what I have been waiting for. She only brings tears to my eyes as I watch her evade,lie, mislead,plant and play the gender card.Not to mention all the things that she supports-war, greed, and power at all cost.
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