Now, I hadn't decided which candidate I hoped would be the Democratic nominee for president. I like the front-runners for different reasons. John Edwards supports women's rights, he understands the needs of the poor, and he has a strong, smart wife whom I admire. Barack Obama is a fresh (minority!) face, with good ideas, a smooth presentation, and a strong, smart wife whom I admire. Hillary Clinton is tough and smart, but I've been concerned about her vote for supporting President Bush in the Iraq war and about her inside-the-beltway connections that seem a little too cozy.
However, the "how do we beat the bitch" question posed to John McCain by a white-haired woman has fired me up. A woman runs for president in the United States, and she's called a "bitch." And John McCain doesn't flinch from the language--using it, instead, to raise a lot of money for his campaign. Then Clinton gets tossed that "diamonds or pearls" question. !!!?
My mind is now made up. It's way past time that the United States had a woman president. I mean, good god, Chile has a woman president; Argentina just elected a woman president; Germany has a woman president--among others. Hillary Clinton for President!
4 comments:
Well, I was grossed out by the question about diamonds vs. pearls, and had I been in Hillary's position, I don't know how in the world I would have answered it. I don't think I could have taken it as lightly as Hillary did, and I have to admit that I was at least a little disappointed in her for having taken it so lightly. My distantly related question is this: WHEN Hillary wins, how are we women going to CELEBRATE? I myself am thinking about dressing in pink and singing the national anthem on the steps of my hometown courthouse.
I think that if Hillary had taken the questioner to task, she might have been accused of being "pedantic" or "humorless." At least she turned a criticism on its head ("I've been accused of not making up my mind.....") in what I think was a graceful reply. "I want them both," she said, and in that reply she echoed the desires of many women--for whom the question of pearls or diamonds is irrelevant-- who want both a family and meaningful, non-marginalized work.
I've been thinking of how we could turn that "bitch" comment on its head. Should we have pink bumper stickers made up with the phrase: I'M voting for the BITCH?
Well, I hope all who vote for president do so not on account of gender or race, but on who is the best person for the job based on past experience and current conduct.
Well, I hope that when Americans vote for president it is based on the candidate's past experience, record, and current conduct rather than gender or race.
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