Different Rules When a Rival Is a Woman?

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Different Rules When a Rival Is a Woman?
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and PATRICK HEALY
Published: November 5, 2007

DES MOINES, Nov. 4 — A critical question in this campaign — how to run against a female presidential candidate, or as one — has burst into the foreground in the aftermath of a Democratic debate last week at which Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was repeatedly challenged by her rivals and the event’s questioners. Some of Mrs. Clinton’s supporters are accusing rival candidates and the questioners of “piling on,” to use the words of the Clinton campaign, at the debate, which rattled the Clinton camp. They noted that John Edwards had been especially critical of Mrs. Clinton.

“John Edwards, specifically, as well as the press, would never attack Barack Obama for two hours they way they attacked her,” said Geraldine A. Ferraro, the 1984 vice presidential candidate who supports Mrs. Clinton. “It’s O.K. in this country to be sexist,” Ms. Ferraro said. “It’s certainly not O.K. to be racist. I think if Barack Obama had been attacked for two hours — well, I don’t think Barack Obama would have been attacked for two hours.”

Mrs. Clinton’s opponents, and some prominent women, countered that Mrs. Clinton was resorting to using her sex as a shield against substantive criticism in a hard-fought race.

“It’s outrageous to suggest that it’s sexist for the other candidates to ask her tough questions or criticize her,” said Kate Michelman, a women’s leader and a supporter of Mr. Edwards. “To call it sexist is to play the gender card. Any claim of sexism is just a distraction from the fact that she did not do well in the debate, that she did not answer important questions on Iraq and Iran.”

In a campaign in which a woman is leading the Democratic field, it was perhaps inevitable that the question would arise: would or should she be treated any differently from her rivals? The situation is that much more complicated given that second place in most polls goes to Mr. Obama, who is black. It means that both race and sex have been added to the mix of substance and imagery that makes up presidential politics....

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/05/us/politics/05memo.html?hp

[BootinUp]

1. Seems this debate is just getting warmed up. n/t

[MADem]

5. Well, without getting into a big brouhaha over the merits of this particular argument, I think that

it's better to deal with the issue NOW rather than in the general election, should Senator Clinton prevail in the primaries.

And even if she doesn't prevail, it'll break some ground for the next female candidate.

That 'being first' or close to first (others have run, none have gotten her poll numbers, though) thing can be a pain in the ass in some respects, certainly. It's also a situation that can be ripe with opportunity.

[Guaranteed]

2. I'm sorry, but Edwards' comments were not only spot-on, but NECESSARY.

Sen. Clinton NEEDED to get slammed. WAKE-UP CALL.

[CK_John]

3. Looking at the bright side, after she wins the nomination she'll be 1 on 1, that guy is in trouble.

[AndyTiedye]

11. No, She Will. It Would be HRC vs the Ghoul and the Mighty Slime Machine

[CK_John]

12. That is why she needs Gov K Sebelius as her VP and backup. n/t

[Sparkly]

4. I don't think she was "piled on" because she is a woman.

And I don't think she SAID she was "piled on" because she is a woman.

She was "piled on" because she's a frontrunner. I believe she did say that, as well.

This ALWAYS happens. And the frontrunner then ALWAYS points it out. Howard Dean did the same thing, even suggesting McAuliffe should tell the others to back off. (Imagine if Clinton had done that!)

The difference here is that when Hillary Clinton pointed it out, the rightwing, media, and many DUers complained that she was "playing the gender card," "playing damsel in distress," being a "disgrace" to women, yadda yadda yadda....

(Likewise, when she appeals to women voters, she's attacked; yet other candidates appealing to various demographics are not. Only when it's about a woman appealing to women.)

Those are the problems as I see it.

[illinoisprogressive]

6. I'm a woman and I say, quit feeling sorry because you are a woman and stop.

crying and suck it up. this is about the presidency. Not about some local meeting where the men are being mean. if they are, hit them. but, for a presidential campaign. ferraro needs to quit making Hillary look weak and asking for special treatment. All credibility flies out the window for her candidate if she keeps this up.

[CyberPieHole]

8. Obama lost all credibility when he had McClurkin emcee and spout out bigotry...

But I guess that type of bigotry, you can live with.:eyes:

[Bitwit1234]

7. I don't think that anybody should attack Obama for race but by

the same token it is not fair to attack Hillary because she is a woman. But that doesn't seem to bother the macho men who attacked her right and left. I think it shows the class and character of men who attack a woman for her sex. And I think it shows that Hillary has more class and character in the sweat of her brow, which some supporters were making fun of, than either of the people who attacked her for her sex.

It just goes to show that the main reason that most of the hate and vile on this site is from sexist.

[maximusveritas]

9. If Obama had been attacked, who in their right mind would call it racist?

In the first few debates, Obama was the one being attacked by all the other candidates. Some of the other candidates even said he wasn't ready to be President. I don't remember anyone even suggesting that those attacks were racist. It just wouldn't make any sense to say that. Just like it doesn't make any sense to suggest the attacks on Hillary were sexist.

[mystwoman]

10. Hillary prejudice

I am hearing GOP talk show callers in speak as though electing Hillary is electing a pre 9/11 white house. Yes Obama is much more protected by race than Hillary is by gender. and she has been First Lady. If Dubya's cupcake education czarina Laura was disrespected that way today, without ever serving as Senator, black and not white water would flow.

[MonkeyFunk]

13. yes, there are...

not saying it's fair. Not saying it's right. But yes, there are different rules about how to appeal to the electorate.

I just started a thread on this without seeing this one.