Watch Out For 18 Million Pieces of Falling Shattered Glass!

You've got to give her credit, as the final performance of the Hillary Clinton Reinvention Tour was absolutely show-stopping. While she was talking about the woman in the hospice who died trying to vote for the first female president, I sort of forgot the fear-mongering "3am" and Osama ads, the not-so-subtle racial attacks, the "change you can Xerox" mudslinging and the "fun" part, quoting Karl Rove, and cheating in Florida and Michigan to "win" the popular vote. This Obamamaniac even cried a little, the same way I did on the day I graduated from UCLA, when I took a walk alone on the campus and thought of all the people who had sacrificed for me to be there.

Unfortunately, just being there isn't enough, and I wish I could be proud of our first viable female candidate's tactics as much as I begrudgingly respect her results. Any pride I had in seeing a woman narrowly miss the Democratic nomination was diluted by the knowledge that her hard-fought brand of equality is of the lowest common denominator. Today the end of Hillary Clinton's candidacy proved that a woman can be just as sneaky and misleading and desperate as a male politician faced with failure and the implosion of a chance at power. I wanted to be wooed by her lovely words and the momentous accomplishment, but as her supporters love to point out, rhetoric without action is moot.

Candy Crowley said in her post-game commentary on CNN that after the New Hampshire primary HRC realized she needed to gain traction with women under 40, who didn't appreciate the battle of old wave feminism and were leaning towards Obama. She noted that the campaign succeeded in educating the members of this group about the history of the struggle to break through glass ceilings. This comment was particularly incisive because it touches on the New Feminism that has prevailed in Obama's victory and explains why some of us young women are not doing cartwheels today to celebrate HRC's historic triumph.

By all calculations I should have been an HRC supporter. I was her passionate devotee as a teenager. I read any Hillary news I could find, went on a pilgrimage to DC and cried in the Sewall-Belmont House, and in AP Government I argued with pride defending the First Lady who didn't bake cookies. She was my hero because there were so few women role models in high-profile positions and I was still intellectually immature enough to make identity politics the foundation of my political platform.

But then I grew up and built a career and fell in love a few times and dreamed bigger than the various compartments of my life can ever seem to balance. Every day I don't know whether to put on my lipstick and look for one of those rare supportive men or fall asleep cuddling my BlackBerry, and no matter which I choose it seems like the other is going to pass me by. I watched my mother and my mentors try to do everything at once, and I'm not sure if it's worth it. I do know, however, that I don't want to wait my turn behind a pseudo-feminist man who sleeps with interns and degrades the values I proclaim to stand for. I would not parade him around on stage, flanked by my daughter and mother on the most historic day of the women's movement, a silent endorsement of another man who had a different concept of how executive power should be used.

So many Hillary supporters want to talk about misogyny these days, but no one wants to talk about the Clinton family's female empowerment issues. If we're going to write this day as the crescendo to parity in our history books, we don't get to ignore this aspect of their public life. We can all forgive them and admire the way they rebuilt their lives and continued to contribute to American society in the face of self-inflicted adversity, but can we trust them?

If you've ever seen the way Barack Obama looks at his wife and children, even for the minute they're on stage with him before a major speech, you can see his genuine love and admiration for them. Not only do I believe he truly respects women, it reinforces my confidence in his judgment and personal constitution, and thus his ability to govern with a moral compass and transparency. As a young woman making decisions about the future, this is a model that inspires me to hope for balance and equality.

We hear all about how hard it will be for Clinton supporters to get behind Obama, but it will also be very difficult for us to welcome her supporters into Obama Nation. Let's not let her excellent speech distract us from her record; I don't understand how any real progressive thinker or activist could respect the way she ran that campaign. We're going to need to stir up vats of Obama Kool Aid for these Clinton supporters because we don't want cheap shots, selective truthfulness and Microtrend Multiple Personality Disorder to seep into our organization.

For at least the next few days, it will remain hard to rally around her lovely, well-delivered words. We'll be waiting to see how many people become PUMAs and who makes the effort to extend or accept an olive branch. Perhaps I will overcome this emotional, knee-jerk reaction as the much ballyhooed "healing" process begins. Fortunately, I've met a rogue HRC supporter or two who seem capable of playing nicely with others, and I'll do my best to not push them off the monkey bars.

After all, girls wear pink and we're good at compromising.

Comments

[YahYah]

It isn't this article that I find so striking in its analysis, right or wrong, it is the number of comments that seem so filled with hate that I find disturbing. Given the way so many of you have described Senator Obama in the way he connects with people and his caring for them, I can't believe that he would approve of his supporters spouting such venom. Many of your comments do not appear to reflect what you seem to consider one of his most positive attributes - staying above the fray. Clinton is gone, a loser. This over the top bashing of her and the former president serves no useful purpose. It would be far better to concentrate on what you feel are the genuine and positive attributes of Senator Obama and why he is a candidate far superior to Senator McCain. It seems to me to do otherwise only undermines his potential support among people like myself who remain undecided and it potentially damages his campaign's credibility. Many, like me, (a 62 year woman and life long Democrat) don't look just at the candidate, but also at the people who support and surround him. Just something to think about...

[maidenofdforest]

A well written plot from the young patriots of this country.

I have just the ample thought that a lot of these productive youths have much on their minds when they run with Obama in his quest for the presidency.

Sault to this generation.....they have much to hope for!

[Liberoservative]

"If you've ever seen the way Barack Obama looks at his wife and children, even for the minute they're on stage with him before a major speech, you can see his genuine love and admiration for them. Not only do I believe he truly respects women, it reinforces my confidence in his judgment and personal constitution, and thus his ability to govern with a moral compass and transparency. As a young woman making decisions about the future, this is a model that inspires me to hope for balance and equality."

You nailed it my dear sister.... we love men who love and respect their family... it is not sexist and it is not non-feminist... a woman can be proud of being who she is and believe in strength through her femininity. She does not have to act like a man and have testicular fortitude in order to shine as a smart and excellent human being... when I am confronted with sexism (which does happen in the military) I just ignore it or confront it and then continue on my path... this has worked.. I have not compromised my ethics or my morality and I have been promoted on my deeds... not because I am a woman.. but because I was the best in my field...

[strangelet]

It looks to me like HuffPo may have to open a new section, dedicated to ex post facto Clinton bashing. Hard to give up, isn't it?

As for Ms. Carberry's reluctance to admit former Clinton supporters to the Obama party -- luckily, you are not the candidate. I have voted straight Democratic longer, I suspect, than you have been alive. I'm afraid I'll insist on doing it again even if you're afraid I will somehow contaminate the movement.

[harriscrl3]

Well I'm sceptical as someone said once: It's just words.

Carol

[RichLiberal]

There will be no reconciliation between the camps. I expect there will be a small time here where some attempts are made to build some bridges, but any self-respecting Hillary supporter will sooner or later find that the arrogance of Obama and his most visible supporters is so thick and embedded that the only recourse is to oppose his nomination and to change the Democratic Leadership in Congress.

Obama talks about moving "beyond the past", but if you look at his campaign you will see the "past" is the Clintons, and that the time before that "past" of Ted Kennedy is ok. i.e. the only past these Democrats are looking at is the successful Presidency of Bill Clinton and their wish that it didn't happen.

Well it did happen. And the 18 million Hillary voters know it. And they know it was the Ted Kennedy and the rest of the Obama backers who were the past that the Clintons had successfully moved beyond. Now they are coming back to haunt us with their legacy of failure.

[Liberoservative]

Rich person who calls yourself a Liberal...
There will be reconciliation...... name me your reasons on calling him arrogant? and when you do, make sure you contrast your candidate at the same time..... and "self respecting Hillary supporter" would listen to Hillary and unite behind the Democratic party...

[El]

Ms. Carberry, you start your post with "you've got to give her credit." Well I think we've given her the credit she's due by now. And now that that's been done, it's time to move on.

[MaureenS]

Megan, I couldn't agree with you more. I consider myself a 40 year old pro-choice feminist. And although I never understood her decision to stay with Bill Clinton, I was willing to over look it ( by the way nothing Feminist about that decision). But the method by which she campaign during the Primaries, worried me, "her win at all cost" made me wonder about her integrity and the message she was sending to young women. Once Hillary got the nomination what would she do to hang on to power? Would the causes that most effect women be on the bargaining table(the pictures of her drinking shots, the embrace of Rove). As someone who has worked with women in leadership position, we all know sharing the same gender does not mean they have my backs. Hillary Clinton's campaign is not the example for women cracking the glass ceiling, but the example of what happens when you are welling to sell you soul(integrity) at any cost; whether you are a man or a woman.

[Jazione]

Here - Here. I agree with every word you wrote. Thank you.
A 50 Year Old Gal

[texanna]

Sweetie, you missed the point of the original version of feminism. It wasn't to have some unisex society, dearie, it was to have equality and choice. Choice to have a career or not, but not to have that choice made for us. Choice to have babies or not, but not to have that choice made for us. Equality seems to be still a hope for us, or haven't you seen the statistics regarding women and equal pay? And, while we have choice about reproduction, it's tenuous and under constant assault. The choice about career or no career has actually been made for us, because the Good 'Ol Boys Club, which does exist, has made such a mess of the economy that we pretty much have to work outside the home. So, Honey, do you really think that there is an "old feminism" and a "new feminism"? As to your last remarks, well, they have noting to do with feminism, they're a tad self-important, don't you think? Politics is no tea party, so grow a new layer of skin, because the Repugs are coming!

[letuckerchicago]

Hmmm...you tout the notion that feminism is about equality and choice, yet Ms. Clinton indulged in the most retro of racial coding and fear-bating. Women who supported Obama were branded traitors, Black Obama supporters were labeled stupid and/or going overboard with "identity politics" and Black women Obama supporters were ignored. Nowhere in that narrative is the equality and choice of which you speak. Clinton lost because she too often appealed to the worst in people and it often doesn't work. She should have learned that from Bill!

[texanna]

Actually, it was the coproratist media who ran with the racism thing. I don't know of any instance where Sen. Clinton branded anyone a traitor, or stupid for supporting Sen. Obama. So, take your passion and go out and get your guy elected in the only election that counts -- the general.

[JoyceBains]

Sweetie? Dearie? Honey? Yup, she's a feminist.

The sooner you whiny little entitlement brats are out of my party, the better.

[limocro]

Let's be real here, Hillary did not offer a total concession to Obama on Saturday. If you listen closely, every plea of support for Obama was cloaked in her being by his side. She was giving her Vice Presidential Stump speech a trial run. She didn't get off the ladder, but merely stepped down a rung. She is still keeping her angry mob in reserve, and they will surely erupt again if he doesn't offer her the Veep slot - a move that would be, in my opinion, a disastrous mistake. Too much praise for her, too early - she can still do a good deal of harm.

[soundfury]

He cannot offer her the veep slot. That would be his most fatal mistake.

[soundfury]

He cannot offer her the veep slot. That would be a serious mistake.

[stevesw2674]

Wow. What an ungracious winner. You are going to have a hard time accepting HRC supporters into the fold? Wow.... that about says it all. I'm trying to be a gracious loser.. but you guys.. (the unity camp right?) are making it very hard. I bet Obama is disapointed in you guys right now... I bet he is against any negativity towards the loser now... as HRC said "we are a family". How about accepting me into the fold as a brother... ok? Afterall it is the winner who know is calling the shots and will decide how and even if HRC is going to campaign for him. I little humility please.

[BlueAsh]

Excellent article--you pretty much captured all the nuances in the Hillary-Obama-women triangulation. I agree with you that, though we are not privvy to the Barack-Michelle relationship, it does appear that to me that their relationship is more than a political alliance, let alone an alliance of convenience.

Hillary touts that her female supporters are women who are disadvantaged and discriminated against, as if Obama's female supporters all came from privileged background, as if we didn't count. I know we don't count in her book, much like the caucus states don't count for her either. And that bugs me still.

And her insistence on being respected--that's what I imagine a queen would demand respect.

[globalcitizenlinda]

For years I defended and admired the Clintons and they "inclusion". This primary has been an eye-opener for me about who people are behind the facade.

Here is one feminist woman who say this election for what is and this is the case in which powerful and rich women were co-opting the less-fortunate women in the "sister act" ONLY thsough lip service. These women will now retire to their gated homes and high-powered lunches and not think much about those low-income women who voted fot the candidate they blindly pushed just because she is a woman.

As a woman, I take no pleasure in a campaign that " shttered the proverbial glass-ceiling using racial baiting, innuendo, religous bigotry, and by calculating divisions through playing the fear card.. This kind of campaign does not represent gender-equity in my books and I cannot support it.

[SeriousBlack]

Nicely said. Hilary Rosen should have had some conversations with bright, involved young women such as yourself; it might have given her pause when formulating ideas such as HRC's concession speech "cementing her place in history".