I didn't start out as a Hillary Clinton supporter.
John and Elizabeth Edwards were my presidential couple of choice. In fact, when it became clear, lo' those many years ago, that Hillary was crafting her White House strategy I said to anyone who would listen that she would never be able to be elected -- partly because of her Clinton "baggage" and partly because I didn't think this country was ready yet for a woman president.
Uttering those words felt like feminist treason.
But as someone who grew up in a rural community and who has lived in some fairly red areas, I had a bad feeling in my gut that America wasn't ready.
Many have argued that such a notion is nonsense, After all, plenty of other countries have had women leaders, so surely it was time for the US to join those ranks.
But America lags in so many things that benefit women -- reproductive rights, numbers of women involved in government (we're behind plenty of countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Argentina just to name two), and maternity leave benefits-- that I doubted whether we as a country possessed the basic amount of respect toward women that would be needed to put one in charge of the whole country. If lawmakers won't acknowledge women's value to our economy or that certain rights should be permitted under the law, how can we be at a place where voters can see one pulling up with the moving van to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue?
When the Supreme Court pronounces that women are incapable of making decisions about their own reproductive rights, saying that their decision in Gonzalez v. Carhart was for "[women's] own good," what hope is there that our country is in a mental place where it can imagine someone who wears skirts (or pantsuits) making decisions about everyone?
Sure, we've come a moderate way, baby, but not far enough to take that last step.
I wanted to be wrong. I really did. So when John Edwards dropped out of the race, I decided to support Hillary over Obama, in large part, because her health care plan was essentially the same as Edwards' -- real coverage for everyone -- whereas, Barack Obama's is not. Yes, it's WAY better than what the Republicans want, but it's still not health care for everyone.
I also became the teensiest bit excited about the possibility of being able to show my second-grade daughter in November that girls really could be anything, and thought it would be special to make plans with her to watch as Hillary took the oath of office as the first woman President of the United States.
Clinton is in campaign shut-down mode and I'm a bit depressed. Not because I thought she was the best candidate to be our next president, but because of what it says about our country and its views on women and how much longer that road is than I had thought.
We're not ready for a woman president. So if not now, when?
Given the treatment Hillary has received as a candidate, I fear it will be a long time before another woman is ready to subject herself -- and her family -- to the meat grinder of American presidential politics.
While she's pondering who could really be the first woman President of the United States, you can also find Joanne at her place, PunditMom. Joanne is also an original MOMocrat and a Contributing Editor for Politics & News at BlogHer.
Follow Joanne Bamberger on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PunditMom
You are needed now to get over your depression, not act like Harriet Christian, and work with the rest of us to stop "no choice", "bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb Iran", "100 years in Iraq against the itnerests of the United States", "vote against making Martin Luther King Day a national holiday" racist, sexist, warmongerer, John McCain.
You are needed now to get over your depression, not act like Harriet Christian, and work with the rest of us to stop "no choice", "bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb Iran", "100 years in Iraq against the itnerests of the United States", "vote against making Martin Luther King Day a national holiday" racist, sexist, warmongerer, John McCain.
For your information, the 3 longest monarchs as all the monarchs do in British history, came to the positions of power by birth, murder and mayhem; not a vote of confidence by the Parliment or a popular vote such as what we have. AND, none of them would tolerate the badmouthing and disrespect that is often shown to women in American culture. (With the current royal family being the exception to the rule).
Because that's NOT what this race is about. It's what Hillary has MADE it out to be, but it's not what it's about.
It's about the fact that we have been mired in an illegal war since 2003...the economy is in the toilet and gas is over $4/g. I want the best person for the job...someone who can work well with others, who is open to creating dialogs between people that might not be considered savory - but as they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Hillary is all about her...Barack is about all of us.
So, while I hate the fact that it's about race and gender - i really hope that you convey to your young daughter that an extraordinary candidate has won the nomination...her generation will benefit greatly from this.
The next time a woman runs for the presidency - it will be the RIGHT woman (and i don't think that will be too far off)
Clinton baggage had far more to do with this election then her being a woman. Take for instance the "iron my shirt guy." Given the evidence, it's far more easy to believe that guy was planted by Clinton and not real. That's the exact kind of crap a Clinton would pull off.
The evidence is overwhelming that the country is far more ready to elect a woman than it is a half white, half-African guy, with a Muslim name. Hillary did not have to deal with an underground campaign the likes Obama has already been facing. He's been called Muslim, the anti-Christ, ultra-liberal, etc in smear campaigns. Hillary didn't face any of that. Plus, the representation of Woman in government far exceeds the representation of blacks. Woman make more on average then AAs.
All the evidence shows, that if this country can elect a black man, they can elect a woman. To say Hillary was not a seriously flawed candidate that got to where she is because of her Husbands connections is not dealing with reality. The simple fact is that Hillary had her fund-raising machine handed to her on a platter by Bill.
Please don't be discouraged.
I sincerely do believe we should still be teaching basic logic in our public schools.
Was it not her that thought it would be over in early Feb?
Weakness causes people to make arguments about the last hope for anything.