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."
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.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.