Posted on 11/15/2007 9:41:09 AM PST by KingofZion
WASHINGTON -- We all knew that gender would inevitably be the subtext of New York Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. But the surprise is that the issue has erupted so early, with so much venom.
It may actually be a good thing to get it all out in the open right away. The candidate herself says she thinks her rivals are attacking her because she is the runaway Democratic frontrunner and therefore the fattest target -- not simply because she is female. She is both accurate and generous. This is not a picnic. She cannot be patronized, the fate of previous female presidential aspirant such as GOP Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C.
Hillary Clinton is tough and must be confronted. And she fights back. Like a man.
It all surfaced dramatically in an Oct. 30 Democratic debate, during which her male rivals and one of the moderators singled her out for attack, ignoring Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and other competitors on the stage.
The men were over the top and their complaints about her vague answers not particularly useful. She muffed a question about a proposal of New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer to grant illegal immigrants in New York a special class of driver's licenses.
It was not one of her better performances. But the political tempest! Nobody noticed that Obama, asked the same question later, didn't answer it directly, either. The Republicans, of course, have no problem with this issue because they have no sympathy for illegal immigrants (except when they want to hire them, on the cheap) and are happy to deny them licenses, services and everything else.
That set off a boys-versus-girls fracas. Clinton referred to the presidency as an "all-boys club," perfectly accurate but not terribly politic. Her rivals and some whining females complained she was unfairly playing the gender-victim card. GOP candidate Mitt Romney, who is increasingly the meanest candidate in the game, put out a commercial claiming that Clinton was so inadequate she had never "run" anything like a business, a city or a state and would therefore be only an "intern" if she reached the White House again. He failed to mention she is a second-term U.S. senator.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the GOP class act, noted after the GOP's latest debate that "what resonated most was going after Hillary." But her husband Bill, who remains the most popular figure in the Democratic Party, wasn't very helpful himself when he observed, "Those boys have been getting tough on her lately." Men don't like to be called boys, and women don't like to be called girls. It is demeaning in both cases.
The media and her rivals tried to make a big deal of the fact some Clinton staffers suggested questions that those attending Clinton rallies could ask the candidate. CNN, normally a sensible news outlet, labeled it "plant-gate," slyly elevating it to Watergate-scandal proportions and feeding the perception that she just couldn't handle unscripted questions.
Oh, for pity's sake! The Bush White House regularly controls those who get to see the president. He never goes anywhere that is not a military installation or an otherwise protected, pre-screened environment, and unexpected questions are never asked. Why doesn't CNN call that coward-gate?
The recent Newsweek issue has a long cover article about the success of women in a variety of powerful professional fields -- especially high government positions -- more governors, senators, legislators, university presidents, statewide officials, even police chiefs than ever before. Countries such as Germany already have strong female leaders. Only in America have we yet to test whether the road stretches all the way to the very top.
There are several new books examining female leadership issues. One, "Through the Labryinth" examines the view that women are stuck with two labels -- one is nice, inadequate and warm, the Laura Bush model, and the other is competent but unpleasant, the Clinton model. The former can never lead -- the second can but at the price of seeming cold and uncaring.
Another book, "Women for President" by Erika Falk, contends the male-dominated media is biased against female candidates. But things aren't so bad, considering how far there was to go. When Jean Westwood became the first woman to head a national political party (the Democrats) in 1972, the Republican National Committee official newsletter dubbed her "national chairthing."
Well, that was a quarter of a century ago. So now, at last, we have come to Hillary. And her critics portray her just as the book predicts -- chilly because she is professional, politically cagey and efficient. Just the qualities we look for in male leaders.
Yes, Hillary fights back like a man by saying “Don’t hit me! I’m a woman!” Please. Hillary is trying to immunize herself from criticism by hiding behind her gender. This is what the Seattle PI calls “Fighting back?”
Is this author implying hillary is a woman or a man? Since the author appears to imply hillary is a man, why can hillary not "Take It Like A Man"? Could it be hillary is a female dog? Yep, I think that is what the author meant. So this author believes hillary is a female dog. The author is ________ (fill in the blank)
“Hillary is trying to immunize herself from criticism by hiding behind her gender. This is what the Seattle PI calls Fighting back? “
My brother is a Democrat. He’s also a sexist and a racist, but calls himself a progressive. I saw him over the weekend, and he was singing the praises of Hillary!. I found this quite amusing, since there was a point in time where the mention of Hillary! for president made him laugh.
The point is, Democrats have no problem with inconsistencies in themselves or their parties. They simply cast the world as they wish to see it. Democrats even have the abilty to acknowledge facts that contradict their beliefs, and still cling to said beliefs.
Democrats are evil, and dangerous.
Marianne Means drank the Democrat Kool-Aid back in her youth and will die clinging to her belief that only the Democrats can lead this country.
As the Lefty bloggers say, “Facts don’t matter.”
Does s/he?
Check out the terminal smoker lines on her face... vertical indents on her upper lip... major wrinkles... chicken skin neck...
The Hildabeast is on record for allowing her husband and her campaign staff to stand up for her every time she is unable to answer an unscripted question or one of the contenders makes a valid but dissenting point about her ideas and values. She, her husband, and campaign staff have even played the gender card. She's weak. She needs babysitters. She should just drop out. She's already proven that she isn't a leader.
Stupid article written by an utterly delusional idiot who writes the news as she sees in her dreams. Disgusting beyond belief.
Freudian Slip?
Hillary hasnt taken responsibility for anything in the last fifteen years. Shes pure as the driven snow.
The buck stops with her staff, other democrats, the media, the republicans in Congress, the VRWC or the American public.
The smartest woman in the world hasnt had any effect on anything that took pace around her for the last 15 years.
Who better to lead...
Kids say the darndest things.
Anyone who actually embraces reality is pretty sure to be identified as "mean".
“My brother is a Democrat. Hes also a sexist and a racist, but calls himself a progressive.”
Typical DemoCrite. But you nailed it. Dems. are so full of hatred for Bush for what they call his dishonesty, but he has been a pillar of consistency and knowing where he stands compared to the Flipper in Chief Hillary Clinton, who only a week ago called driver’s licenses for illegals a plan that “makes a great deal of sense” and now is against it. Now the latest inconsistency they swallow is the idea she’s a “fighter” even as she cries uncle using her gender.
Hillary said “....I’m your girl”!! I thought women didn’t want to be called girls, Marianne!
Hey Marianne....do MEN plant questions??? Title..”For College Student”....8 Okayed questions to ask Hillary cause she’s got an ANSWER the sheeple will like. Maybe MOST girls are sneaky pete’s.
Rush reading this now...RUSH: Fights back like a MAN??? She sends her husband out there to defend her!
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