If Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, I believe America is ready for a woman president.

[rodeodance]

Forum Name General Discussion: Politics
Topic subject If Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, I believe America is ready for a woman president.
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3978352#3978352
3978352, If Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, I believe America is ready for a woman president.
Posted by Skinner on Mon Jan-07-08 11:03 AM

(Reminder: The DU Administrators are officially neutral in the Democratic primary, and we will continue to be neutral throughout this process. This is a narrow response to a particular issue, not an endorsement of Hillary Clinton.)

After I posted my thread yesterday about whether America is ready for a black president, a number of people have asked me -- both publicly and privately -- whether I thought America is ready for a woman president. In my opinion, this is actually a more difficult question. And, to be frank, I don't think many people here on DU are going to like my answer. In short:

America is ready for a woman president. But I believe many progressives do not fully appreciate the complex challenges a woman faces in order to be a viable general election candidate.

The map seems to support a female presidential candidate.

If you look at history, it looks like a woman's chance of winning the presidency is pretty good. Clearly, a woman has a chance of winning high-level statewide office almost anywhere:

Throughout history, a total of 29 women have served as governors in 22 different states, while 35 women have served as US senators from 22 different states. Women have been elected from all parts of the country, including many culturally conservative southern and mountain states. Some of the most conservative states in America, like Utah, Texas, and Alabama, have all elected women to high-level statewide positions. Taken together, there are more than enough electoral votes to put a woman in the White House. This is good news for Hillary Clinton.

Compare that with African-Americans, who have held three governorships (two since Reconstruction) in three states, and five senate seats (three since Reconstruction) in four states.

So the map favors a woman candidate.

But there's a catch.

Obviously, we are talking about enormously complex issues, here. Reducing the vast challenges faced by Clinton and Obama to one or two issues does not do them justice. Nonetheless, I want to try to get to the heart of the matter.

For an African-American man trying to be a viable general election candidate, I think the basic approach is something like this: Look at what all the white male presidential candidates have been doing for years, and then do the same thing. Only do it better.

For a woman trying to be a viable general election candidate, I don't think it is quite so simple. She can follow the do-what-white-males-do approach, and to a certain degree she should. I think a woman running in a general election for president probably has to show herself to be as "tough" as all the male candidates, to compensate for lingering sexist stereotypes. I suspect that this toughness factor is more of an issue for a presidential candidate than a governor or senator, because the president is the commander in chief of the military, directs foreign policy, and is responsible for the security of our nation. No governor or senator can send the US military around the globe to drop bombs on our "enemies."

But I think we all know that doing-what-white-males-do is fraught with peril for a woman. If she is not careful, then she runs into more lingering sexist stereotypes: She's not likable. She's cold. She's shrill. She's a b----. She wears pantsuits. Or (God forbid!), she's a lesbian.

Senator Clinton knows this, probably as well as anyone. She does not have a blueprint or template to follow as she runs for president. Instead, she has to figure it out entirely on her own, balancing toughness with femininity. She has to try to find that middle ground that makes her an acceptable president to general election voters, while not alienating Democratic primary voters who want someone with reliable progressive credentials. While I do not consider the vitriol that progressives heap on Senator Clinton to be overtly sexist, I do wonder if it suggests a lack of appreciation for the complex situation she faces.

I believe that Hillary Clinton has done a tremendous job pushing boundaries and redefining the role of women in public life. I believe she has all the necessary skills and qualities, and has successfully positioned herself to win the presidency if she makes it to the general election. I believe that the map shows that America is ready for a woman president. But, unfortunately for her, I think many progressives are not willing to let her do what may be necessary for a woman to win the general election.