The women of Iowa, particularly but not entirely younger ones, just sent Hillary a wake-up FYI. It basically states: "While we might love to see a woman president, it isn't going to be you if you don't start telling us precisely where the pain and gain will be should you win the election." Women are too smart, informed, and astute at reading between the lines to back a presidential candidate who isn't being straight with them -- especially when she is a woman.
Vague generalities about change -- absent clear evidence that as president she'll take on powerful corporations intent on retaining the status quo -- are killing her candidacy.
From her website page on Iraq:
"Our message to the president is clear. It is time to begin ending this war -- not next year, not next month -- but today.
It's NOT clear! What's this "begin ending the war" and "begin" to bring the troops home? When? How? And, how long will it take?
From her website page on the issue of comprehensive government reform:
"Well, how about this for a new approach? No more cronyism, no more corruption, and no more deception. And here's an old-fashioned idea: let's start appointing qualified people to positions of power again."
Great! But how? What will be different? And don't give us that 10-point list exercise in obfuscation found on the same page as the quote.
She needs to give women CLEAR, CONCISE reasons other than gender to vote for her. Barack Obama is simply too appealing to do otherwise. And Edwards is not far behind when he is behind. Hillary needs to wake up or walk away. And this is from a woman who'd like to see a woman president someday.
I'm willing to wait, though, because she'll need to be one worthy of it. She'll need to be honest and clear about where she stands. And while I grew up a few state doors down from New Hampshire, my sense of the people there is that they'll feel this way too.
We got to know the real Al Gore long after he lost the election. I don't know many women who'll waste their vote on a repeat of that scenario. Let's see if Hillary reads the FYI or allows herself to be over-managed, continues to send the same vague messages, and plays it safe in a world that is anything but safe. If so, she should start working on a Nobel Prize because this country needs answers now.
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