Posted on 10/24/2007 5:28:28 PM PDT by Libloather
Clinton: Iowa a "special burden" for campaign
BY GLENN THRUSH
October 24, 2007
WASHINGTON - Hillary Rodham Clinton is adopting a unique strategy to tamp down expectations she'll win the Iowa caucuses - suggesting that sexism will create a glass ceiling in the Hawkeye State.
In an interview with The Des Moines Register, Clinton singled out Iowa and Mississippi as two states that have never elected top officials who are women. She called Iowa a "special burden" for her campaign and said it was her "hardest" state.
"I was shocked when I learned Iowa and Mississippi have never elected a woman governor, senator or member of Congress," she told the paper Monday. "There has got to be something at work here."
Dianne Bystrom, director of the Catt Center for Women and Politics at Iowa State University, says Clinton's statement was accurate - but probably an attempt to deflate expectations she'll take the state easily.
"Politics is an expectations game and Hillary's not the only one playing it," said Bystrom, whose center hosts Clinton today.
Clinton has jumped out to a slight lead in Iowa in recent weeks after being locked in a three-way tie with John Edwards and Barack Obama.
Iowa also has never elected an African-American to any of those positions but Obama hasn't highlighted that fact.
Asked how she could compare Iowa to Mississippi, Clinton told the paper the environment for women in Mississippi was clearly worse.
"How can Iowa be ranked with Mississippi?" she asked rhetorically, adding that the Magnolia State lacked "the communitarianism" and "openness I see in Iowa."
Mississippi GOP Chairman Jim Herring predicted the statement would create "huge problems" for her in moderate Southern states like Arkansas, Virginia and Tennessee.
"I think it will hurt her," said Herring.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
1959, Gandy was the first woman to be appointed Mississippi’s Assistant Attorney General, and in the same year, she was elected Treasurer for the State of Mississippi, the first woman to be elected to a statewide constitutional office.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evelyn_Gandy
I knew she has been around for along time. Met her once, briefly. Nice lady.
What I meant was it about 40 years ago when
I first I heard her name and started pay attention.
Hey, hill, the reason you're in sad shape is no one, NO ONE wants to look up and see you standing atop the glass ceiling. Eeeeeegads, I don't even want to think about the sight.
Agree completely. I know she has had to lower her expectations in Iowa but she has to be really stupid to think that insulting Iowa voters will get her more votes. I’ve got to believe that Iowans are smarter than that!
It is clearly obvious that Mississippi women are different than Ms Rodham-Clinton.
Can I have an Amen?
That sexism door swings both ways. What a witch.
Well, THAT will certainly endear her to the good folks in Mississippi.
OT, but I’ve been wondering about her polling numbers.
There was recently a straw poll in Sunriver, OR.
Obama won, followed closely by Edwards.
Clinton was a distant third.
If she’s so behind among the base in Oregon, how the heck can she be so far ahead nationally?
I know...it’s probably a stupid question. ;o)
I don’t recall a woman ever running in a primary for governor or congress. Let’s leave it that way. Many of the men are bad enough.
Amen. I also noticed she didn't include Arkansas - where sexism may include rape...
How many times are we going to have to hear that statement repeated on FR? Getting a little sick of it myself. I suppose you’re for Rooty or The Massachusetts flip-flopper?
We didn’t call it the Catt House in Ames for nothing.
We didn’t call it the Catt House in Ames for nothing.
Rest assured that I have the least bit of interest in teaching the GOP a lesson like many of the conservatives who refused to vote in the last election. If the GOP surrenders it's morals by selecting a social liberal as their candidate, they are no longer the Party of Lincoln but simply a party of greedy jerks looking for a name and a home.
We are still very much a patriarchal society that protects our women but I doubt that Hillary as President will be forgiven every one of her mistakes. We probably shall see.
Good one, hill! Insult a whole state as “sexist”! I hope this bites her fat ass.
I am in Mississippi this very second, on business, and the MS women are a hoot! I have been laughing all day!
As a matter of fact, no. But you already knew that.
How many times are we going to have to hear that statement repeated on FR? Getting a little sick of it myself.
Go ahead and be sick of it. You're going to keep hearing it from me as long as there are pig-headed statements about not voting.
You have every right to cut off your own nose to spite your face. But when you start cutting off my nose, I've got a right to complain.
Live with it.
It depends where you are. I worked for a man in Texas and he claimed that he could go to Walmart in Natchez and see more beautiful women than he could in Houston. Of course mileage can differ.
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