Cold, Calculating Hillary

Super Tuesday is upon us. So, let's just get ready for the polls to be wrong, the media to be loud, and Rush Limbaugh to have an aneurism when McCain sweeps the Republican side.

One more thing we can count on is our sexist cultural undertones to continue. Let's take a moment to talk about the megalomaniacal Hillary Clinton. Clearly, she could only be in the race because of calculated political ambition. Hers is a power-grabbing exercise. The men running for president are just exercising leadership.

In fact, Obama just happened upon his multi-million dollar campaign. He hasn't shoved his political career into overdrive because he has ambition, geez, what do you think he is, a politician?

Obama uses a teleprompter, but indeed that's not disingenuous. It's part of presenting his image to the public. It's what some people do when they make major speeches. But can you imagine if that same night in New Hampshire, Hillary's speech had been teleprompted? It would have given fodder to the media for days. "Is she too weak to speak on her own, is she too scripted?"

So yes, Hillary is calculating. She's calculating how many times she has to ignore mainstream news anchors and commentators using the word "witch" to describe her or say only white women support her. She's calculating exactly how carefully she has to say things not to be construed as a bitch or a nag by our stereotyped gender lens. She's calculating how to communicate complex ideas while not coming off as overly aggressive.

In a normal world, we should be calling her approach diplomatic, pulled-together, and smart.

As Stanley Fish's New York Times blog entry "All You Need Is Hate," and Jason Horowitz' GQ article "The Hillary Haters" point out: she's damned if she does and damned if she doesn't. I wonder if any of those slinging around their "hatred" of Hillary really thinks they'd last one day in her world.

And just like the swaggering guy who calls me "little lady" at the gas station and then offers up some unsolicited nonsense (or common-sense) advice -- I'm tired of hearing the likes of Chris Matthews and Bill Kristol among others implying that women are voting for Hillary because of our own gender. Some young women are scared of voting for Hillary for fear of being accused of voting with their vaginas.

Reverse that argument and see if it still sounds as 'sensible.' In this iron-clad logic, if men vote for a male candidate, what are they voting with? Come on, we're all using our brains here, not our reproductive systems.

I wrote last month about being genuinely undecided between Barack and Hillary. Clearly I've decided -- and I got a t-shirt. If Obama wins the nomination, I'll change my shirt and campaign for him. But instead I hope my new shirt will read: "Clinton/Obama '08." Because we need to win this election and that's a winning ticket.

Kim Mance is a writer and women's advocate; she has launched a new blog in anticipation of her book "Religiarchy."

Comments

[clr2]

Clinton is using her husband. Why do you think she didn't leave him after Monica and all the others? It was for just this moment in time when he would be worth his weight in gold. She hasn't done anything on her own. She ran for the senate in NY because any democrat could have won it. She is a user and a liar. She will never get my vote.

[MenForHillary]

Hi All: Over at www.MenforHillary.org (www.HillaryNowObamaLater.org), I have been writing about the rampant sexism related to Senator Hillary's campaign efforts.

The idea that " Nobody on the left is just running around in a fog of woman hating" as noted in DickTater's comments (hmmmm¦. No significance to that screen name, I am sure¦), is, of course, a gross overstatement meant to assure us that sexism just doesn't exist in the primaries, since those on "the left" are so, I guess, evolved.

I learned many years ago growing up in LA in the 60s that you can't play by the rules of the "establishment" (in this case, sexists) if you want to bring about a balance of power. The whole point of the "rules" is to keep the "status quo" or even disguise the "status quo" as an "advancement." Men can vote for men (and do in droves), but are never accused of "reverse sexism." Blacks can vote for blacks in droves (and recently have) and are NOT accused of reverse-racism.

Women who do NOT get it about bringing about a balance of gender equality will be more-or-less "damned" to their own unequal hell. If you think that playing fair means not voting for a qualified woman BECAUSE she is a woman, welcome to the world of "men." That's what they want you to believe.

As for younger woman who "rationalize" their distaste for Senator Hillary under the guise of the so many so-called "rational" reasons, such as her "equivocating" on certain issues, etc., I don't for a second believe that there has NOT been a generational backlash among younger women who aren't, for a moment, going to allow themselves to take the advice of older women.

To all women, I say, exercise your power to bring about a new balance of gender power -- don't feel guilty about voting for a qualified woman BECAUSE she is a woman. (The key word is "qualified" -- not just any woman¦.)

[mclarke15]

It's time for Obama to make the right choice: to choose patience over impudence; to choose humility over ambition. After eight years as vice president, he'll have complete and unequivocal support for his Presidential campaign. Because he'll have gained global experience and wisdom by the fistful. This is not 1960. The world is a subtle and dangerous place. We don't need another rookie with rousing rhetoric. We need wisdom and the experience to navigate the nuances - to hear the real questions being asked by and of this country, not just the contradictions within public comments. Clinton/Obama '08 mobilizes women and minorities. It mobilizes the establishment and the next generation. It unites the experience of the past with enthusiasm for the future. It is the only ticket that beats the Republicans.

[LyricalLexicon]

I am not a Hillary supporter (I would rather Obama win) but I challenge anyone to name a politician that doesn't calculate most of their moves? All politicians do it, why is Clinton the only getting nailed for it?

[sarah99]

right, and she's being "gang raped" by a "nazi march" in an "ultimate betrayal" too.

[DickTater]

yeah, all the bad news for Hilary is someone else's fault.

I am more likely to go for obama, and I got to say I am getting disgusted with the Hilary lovers. Like I never thought I would be disgusted with other dems. Ms Mance is roaming around, taking every fault of HRC and blaming men and the media for some nebulous anti hating men loving blah blah blah.

Please. Nobody on the left is just running around in a fog of woman hating. Maybe the media is. We all have seen how profoundly unfair the media can be in the last 20 years. Ms Mance, please stop blaming other dems and all men for your candidates weaknesses, poor record, and horrible media coverage. If she had been a champion for the poor, for the average, and for women her entire 1st Lady and Madame Senatorial career, I might have been solidly in her camp. But she has been a corporate shill, and she has done nothing for women or working people since she actually got a chance to cast votes. As first lady, she got no vote so she has no record.
She could have been the hero of millions and the solid LOCK of a contender for the presidency if she had stood up and fought for women under bush, fought for working families under Bush, fought for our military under bush....but she did not.

[Lon]

I am more bothered by the degree to which she was calculating in giving cover for the Iraq war. She can use a dozen teleprompters for all I care. I do wish she wouldn't pander on flag burning either. The first Amendment is kind of a big thing to give up in order to get a woman president.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Huzzah.

[jessica23667]

I'm sure you have seen the statements by NOW and some other feminists about why women should vote for Hillary. Its no wonder Chris Matthews et al claim women only support her because of their gender. I am a women and consider myself a feminist but I do not like being told I should vote for a candidate simply because she has a uterus.

[knosiswar]

She was POLITICALLY calculating when she gave BUSH/CHENEY BIG OIL the license to shore up physical assets with an invasion, and authorized the use of FORCE in IRAQ. She did it to give the appearance of strength on National Security and thought she could take cover under the umbrella that so did every body else, but she never figured on running against a heads-up outsider like Barack. So, if she is elected, and BILL KRISTOL is shouting from the pages of Time to go to WAR, will she go with the Hawks and cave to political pressure from Big Oil Lobbyists. She lacks the combination of grace and backbone that Barack brings to the position. Everything seems to be calculated with her. Is that what you really want?

[bbln]

thank you Kim - for posting in the Obamapost - it takes guts to do that here. thanks for telling it like it is - and to kramskoi - yes, I'm sure there are legit reasons to be for Obama over Clinton, but the overwhelming one the established media is pushing is swept up in sexist double standards, wrapped up in the "objective news"

[ndolomar]

identity politics is not a best-practice measure. the "a woman at all costs" voting may backfire. not saying hillary isn't a good candidate, just recommending you vote for her because you like her, not based on the historical disenfranchisement you've felt as a woman.

[camb94]

You have actually been called "little lady"? I find that hard to believe. I haven't been called that since I was about 5. I realize that sexism exists, but let's not exaggerate reality to the point that it seems unreal.

[LAcarlito]

Why do I keep reading these HuffPo blogs that endorse Hillary by saying that those of us who choose Obama are against Hillary for "surface/bias reasons." This is really sad.

For most of the people I talk to, who are voting for Obama, it came down to:

1) the Iraq war vote

2) Obama can build a bigger base in November, and

3) Hillary can't admit mistakes, a big personality flaw for a President (see: Bush).

Please accept that we respect your decision making process. Respect ours.

[hopeless277]

Where are the female pundits? CNN has lots of pretty girls reading the news but not so many giving opinions. MSNBC the same. Fox, well, nevermind. Anyway, why not get the girls together for knitting and maybe type some letters to, you know, the networks. Telling them that you won't watch their shows unless they cough up some dames to do some dissin'. I'm really not trying to be disrespectful, but jeebus, ladies, you've had 30 years to get in the door and you're still outside in the rain. Girl Power, remember?