Posted on 01/08/2008 6:24:20 AM PST by jdm
How desperate have Hillary Clinton's backers become? One of the more prominent supporters, Gloria Steinem, takes to the pages of the New York Times to complain about the ascendancy of Barack Obama because black men have had an easier time than American women. In doing so, she inadvertently makes the Republican case against the entire slate of choices on the Democratic side:
THE woman in question became a lawyer after some years as a community organizer, married a corporate lawyer and is the mother of two little girls, ages 9 and 6. Herself the daughter of a white American mother and a black African father — in this race-conscious country, she is considered black — she served as a state legislator for eight years, and became an inspirational voice for national unity.
Be honest: Do you think this is the biography of someone who could be elected to the United States Senate? After less than one term there, do you believe she could be a viable candidate to head the most powerful nation on earth?
If you answered no to either question, you’re not alone. Gender is probably the most restricting force in American life, whether the question is who must be in the kitchen or who could be in the White House. This country is way down the list of countries electing women and, according to one study, it polarizes gender roles more than the average democracy.
Be honest with yourself. Does anyone here think that gender is the disqualifying agent in this scenario, or motherhood? Or wouldn't most voters be suspicious of handing the reins of power over to someone who had ten years or less in any elective public office? Steinem makes the argument that Republicans could make against any of the top three candidates in the Democratic race, and does so rather effectively.
Instead, she goes on a strange rant about how a female Barack would never have had a chance in this race, and how women are "never front-runners". Oddly, though, Hillary spent most of 2007 as the front-runner, both in terms of polling and in terms of fundraising. She raised more than Obama did, and far more than Edwards, and vastly more than any of the Republican males. She only stopped being a front-runner when she made a serious of unforced errors that caused everyone to question her ability as a candidate and a politician, including making Obama's kindergarten essays a point of criticism.
What Steinem demands is that voters stop considering Hillary as Hillary, and instead think of her as Generic Woman. Steinem doesn't want equality of opportunity; she wants grievances addressed. And she makes it clear that Women come before Black Men on the grievance agenda, writing "Black men were given the vote a half-century before women of any race were allowed to mark a ballot, and generally have ascended to positions of power, from the military to the boardroom, before any women[.]"
It's time for Generic Woman, not Black Man, on Steinem's dance card. Sorry, Barack. You're not scheduled to be Generic Black Man until 2016.
Hillary had a lot of advantages coming into this race, something Steinem fails to mention. Besides the identity politics angle Steinem pursued, she had a lot of goodwill left over in the party from her husband's administration, a big political machine waiting for her, and money raining all over her for a year. At some point, however, Hillary had to show that she was the best candidate for the job -- and she's been failing miserably at that task.
Steinem shows everything that's wrong with identity politics. It's crass, it's irrational, it assumes that people should get "turns", and in the end it's anti-democratic. Obama hasn't played that game like Hillary has -- and that may be why Obama's beating Hillary like a bongo drum in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Steinem is a liar. Women of both races have done far better than black men in this country in the last 35 years. “Victim group” politics just ain’t going to work in a Presidential campaign, Gloria. Nice of Pinch to give you the space, though.
One of Hillary’s biggest mistakes was to focus on her gender. She has rejected 50% of her potential pool of voters, and Steinem isn’t helping her at all by further alienating them.
Wow, it’s the Emperor Palpatine!
Absolutely. My sensitive feelings are still hurt that the ultimate authority on race relations, Don Imus called ALL the people of my state 'abject racists' because we didn't elect Harold Ford Jr.
How is voting for someone because of their skin color any different than voting against someone because of their skin color? What happened to "by the content of their character"?
Hey Don.. Hey Gloria.. YOUR BIASES ARE SHOWING. You are the worst kind of racists and sexists.
Give me the best PERSON for the job.. genitalia and melanin are not factors for me.
Dean Martin got it right. ;)
Holy mackeral.
I think this is a very good example of someone who has been at the forefront of political correctness having it turn around and bite her in the butt. If one lives by political correctness, one may very well end up experiencing the consequences of it. In this case it is just like Rush Limbaugh’s politically correct football picks where he selects which team should win the game based on which team has greater claim to “victim” status. When victim statuses compete, it is always interesting to see which will win. In this case it is women vs race. Gloria Steinem is not happy that race is winning out. If hillary was not running in this election, I am sure she would be supporting Obama and accusing those who don’t vote for him of racism.
: )
Well, at least now the articulate anti-male neurotic counties have been heard from.
Yet another atrophied old Baby Boomer wearing out her welcome on the stage of life.
OK! You're a proud sexist, too!
Hey Gloria,
Something stinks around here..
Get back on your bike you rotting old haddock!
The Democrats have ALWAYS kept you on their Plantation and now one of your own is trying to break free and they are sending DOGS like Steinem out to bring you back!! WAKE UP!! You have been USED and ABUSED!!
Sit down Gloria Stinkem!...you old skank!
I don’t think that argument is going to fly in a year with a black Democrat ahead in the Presidential race for the Dems. It’s true that they are turning lose their attack machine through surrogates like the hack/hag Steinem on Obama. But that’s the “old” Democratic party, not the new Obama led party, which is now cleared magically of its racism.
Old and bitter definitely doesn’t preserve well.......
I’m totally a sexist!
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