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Last night, when Hillary Clinton won the New Hampshire primary, my life got more complicated.
Until then, it seemed to me — perhaps naively, but hey, I’m a busy working mom with not a lot of time for in-depth political analysis — that her campaign was floundering and her chances of remaining a front-runner for the Democratic nomination were small. I hadn’t decided who I’d vote for, but I felt relieved that I would not have to face the tough question of whether I would vote for her.
I don’t normally talk about politics or blog about my political views — Pundit Mom does it much better — but I’ve been thinking about this issue so much that I feel it would be wrong of me to not share it here with all of you.
I am not a big fan of Hillary Clinton. I don’t feel she is authentic or honest, and those are qualities I care a lot about. I did have the chance once to be in a room with her and about 10 other women, and what I saw there only confirmed my feelings. I wasn’t a great fan of her husband, and if she is elected, he is going to be a big factor for policy and direction.
But even more than that, what really bothers me about the potential of her winning is the fact that the United States, the greatest democracy in the world, keeps electing Presidents from the same two families. We had Bush 1, then Clinton 1, then Bush 2, and now we’re faced with a real chance for Clinton 2. I think this sends a dangerous message to the rest of the world and I am not aware of any other great Western democracies which have had the same two families in charge for this long. Is our pool of qualified Presidential candidates truly this narrow that we have to keep going back to the same family?
On the other hand, for the first time in history, we have a front-runner for the Democratic nomination and possibly for President who is a WOMAN! That is absolutely, incredibly, amazingly exciting, groundbreaking and important. Hillary Clinton stands a really good chance of breaking the highest glass ceiling there is and the impact of what that would symbolize is pretty incredible.
And here I come to the question which is occupying me more than I’d expected:
Should I vote for Hillary Clinton BECAUSE she is a woman?
I’m certainly not the only person who thinks that this might be a good enough reason to vote for someone for President. Last night I read this op-ed by Gloria Steinem and it has stayed with me. This morning on NPR I heard an interview with several women who voted for Hillary Clinton last night even though they had previously supported other candidates; each of them said that having the first-ever woman President was what drove their decision change.
When I was in high school, our English teacher talked about being a feminist. I’d told her that I wasn’t going to be a feminist when I grew up because we now live in a modern world and women are on equal footing with men. I was an idiot. Whether or not I am a feminist, I am someone who thinks that we have a very long way to go until we can say that women are on equal footing with men in the US. As I’ve gotten more involved in the issues affecting working women and mothers, I’ve unfortunately, re-affirmed this to myself.
Will having a woman as President change the way things are for women in the US? I believe that it will have an impact and perhaps a significant one. Perception guides a lot of our decisions — seeing a woman in the highest public office is an important image for all of us, men and women, to see and to get used to.
I know we’re a long way until the nominations are decided and until the general election is underway. But I think Hillary has a real shot at it and I am consumed by trying to sift through my own thoughts and reasoning about whether I will vote for her if she is nominated.
What do you think? I am really eager to hear your thoughts and perspectives. Do you think it is important to have the first woman President? How does this play into your decision about which candidate to support? Do you think there is something right or wrong about voting for a woman candidate primarily because she is a woman?
This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 9th, 2008 at 9:58 am and is filed under Working Mom Issues, Your life.
Tags: feminism, Hillary Clinton, President, primary, woman President
January 9th, 2008 at 10:15 am
I won’t be much help in your decision making process since I am a conservative and won’t vote for anyone running on the democratic ticket. However, as a woman this interested me. At some point there may be a woman front runner in the Republican party and I may face this decision as well. In thinking about this I really think I could not vote for her soley based on her being a woman. I have to vote for the candidate that most closely matches my views on certain issues whether they are old or young, black or white, male or female. Now if the candidates were closely matched in every aspect except for the fact that one is a man and one is a woman then maybe I might pick the woman. Even then I don’t know. Picking someone for such an important position just based on gender seems very dangerous to me. I want the best person for the job.
January 9th, 2008 at 10:46 am
I can’t help but think the same about Hillary, that she’s not genuine or honest. Those things alone mean I don’t vote for her. Being a conservative doesn’t help any, either. So if your political leanings take you in the direction of the democratic party, and you feel the need to vote for an oppressed minority, Obama isn’t a bad choice, from the look of things. But I agree with Someone Being Me, that I have to vote for the person who I thing is best for the job, not a symbolic gesture on the country’s part to prove that we are all equal. I hate giving opinions on this kind of thing. But you asked.
January 9th, 2008 at 10:55 am
While I love the idea of a woman president, I would not vote for Hilary based on the simple fact she is female. It is discrimination. Normally, discrimination is thought of as choosing a white male over a minority of either gender. But one can just as easily discriminate against a white male in order to give preferential treatment to a minority. It is seen as helping out and making things right…but does it really do either of those things if that person isn’t the best for the job? And with a job as important as president, I think it is more important to vote based on the person’s ideas and ability rather than any other quality.
Also, voting based on anything other than the person’s ability to do the job makes it into a high-school-style popularity contest.
One more thought, would having Hilary as our first woman president help or hinder other women from getting elected later?
January 9th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I hear what you’re all saying about being genuine and honest, but here’s a question — are we holding Hillary to a higher standard than the other candidates? Do we wonder whether Mitt and Mike and Barack are genuine? I have the same concerns about Hillary, but all of a sudden I’m wondering whether there’s a political double standard for a woman to gain entry to the White House?
January 9th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Well said, PunditMom, and way to make it even more difficult than Nataly did!! NH didn’t help decide a thing for me, either, it just made it so confusing that I know I’m not going to make the final decision until I step into that booth and fill in the oval.
If you’ve ever been close to a campaign (and I have with many, including the one here in MA when Mitt sadly won governorship), you know that there is an element of, lets just say, lack of honesty.
And while I’m not the biggest fan of Hilary, I know that she’s a woman of power and we certainly need someone powerful, who knows her own self well enough to stand up for the rest of us. She’s also smart and understands the way that position works.
That being said, I’m still not deciding yet.
January 9th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
First off, no we do not vote for anyone based on their gender alone. I’m about 70% conservative and I think Obama would be the better choice of the democrats. He’s a minority as well, not that it matters. I agree that we DO need to see more women in power positions in our nation, but I think Hillary may taint that more so than help other women join the upper ranks of the government. She comes off as unpersonable. I take into account the enthusiasm the candidates have combined with their platforms. I also like to see how they interact with other people. Do they seem too stuck-up to even talk to someone? Do they actually look at the people rather than keeping their heads in the podiums?
Overall, I think Obama seems like a very good choice for us as the country stands right now, but I haven’t determined 100%.
January 9th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
I will not be voting for Hilary, and it is not because of her gender or whether she is “genuine” or not.
I will not be voting for Hilary because she is inextricably linked to a contentious past. A past Administration that despite its successes, will forever be remembered by a large chunk of the population for the polarizing circumstances of the impeachment. Links to the past, hanging on to what was, is also the reason I will not be voting for John Edwards.
We need leadership to come forward and leave the past behind. Learn the lessons to be learned, but bring a fresh outlook and a fresh approach.
Voting for someone because of their gender is no different than voting against someone because of their gender. Hilary is a smart and capable person, but she is not, in my mind, what this country needs right now.
January 9th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
I’ve been wondering the same thing myself. I’ve been so out of touch though that today I decided to make a point to educate myself on each issues so I can vote in the primary. I always think the safe way to go is vote your conscience (sp?) because then you can’t regret it.
January 9th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
I know that there are a couple of quizzes floating around online that ask for your preferences about different issues, then give you a list, in ranking order, of who most closely matches your preferences. That might be the most expedient way to go about determining who you will research first. I found this one on USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/candidate-match-game.htm
As to the other candidates not getting the same scrutiny as Hillary when it comes to her scruples - I have a really tough time with that. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to trust any politician, but she has quite a track record.
January 9th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Amen, Nataly! You eloquently summed up everything I feel about Hillary. (media coverage aside, yes, I’m sure I’m not holding Hillary to a higher standard just like I’m sure I’m not supporting Barack simply because Oprah said to.) Like most that are seeking real change in Washington, I’m looking for someone who can not only fix the enormous issues we face as a country, but someone who can rise above and see beyond the cesspool of vitriol and nastiness that exists inside the beltway. If we don’t do something radically different inside the political system, change on all of the other issues will likely only be incremental. To me, the Clintons — both Bill and Hillary — embody politics as usual. If they don’t partake in it, they certainly inspire it.
The good thing that came out of New Hampshire is that voters now do need to pay closer attention to figure out which candidate to support. Just like we shouldn’t support Clinton because she’s a woman, we shouldn’t support any candidate simply because they’re the front-runner.
January 10th, 2008 at 6:11 am
By this logic, you have to ask yourself, “Would I vote for Barak Obama BECAUSE he is black?”, and “Which is more important, to advance women or to advance racial equality?”
I disagree with the premise. You should look at all the candidates, and choose the one you think will do the best job for the country. Period.
January 10th, 2008 at 7:22 am
No you should not vote because of someone sex. I personaly can not understand why anyone would vote for Clinton. I think that this country had enough of that family in our White House. Lets get A fresh face in there an see what they can do for us. The one thing this country does not need is more tax’s an more free grograms that going to coast the tax payers an they will do both. I feel that we all should take care of our self’s an not wait to see what we can geta off our goverment. I feel if you work for what you get or have it just means more . Remember to take A good look at all the candidates not A party an make your decisions who you think will do the best job for this great country we live in.
January 10th, 2008 at 11:29 am
I’ve thought about this issue, too, Nataly. You summed up exactly how I feel about it — wow, it would be GREAT to have a female president, but man, I really don’t think I like HER. And I hadn’t thought about the 2 families, and what kind of message that sends to the rest of the world! Hi, we’re democratic and the most modern, progressive political system in the world… and we have 2 dynasties running it. Interesting! (I always hated when people in Florida, where my parents live, were mentioning Jeb Bush as a possible candidate a few years ago. NO! Enough!)
But I think everyone’s right — if her policies and methods aren’t what you’re looking for, you can’t in good conscience vote for her. Bummer.
January 10th, 2008 at 11:46 am
You see, I knew I was asking the right people for ideas — you guys have given me a lot to think about and have shared some great perspectives, thank you!
I might have worded this unclearly in the post, but what makes it tough is that if I were to vote for Hilary, I would not only do it because she is a woman — but her being a woman is forcing me to look at her more carefully as a candidate than if she were not, and that’s what I am wondering about. Is that a double standard or something that is natural and even necessary.
BWT, check out an interesting post from PunditMom on a similar issue on her blog.
January 10th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
I think we (meaning all of us Americans) are looking at Hillary with different eyes than we look at the male candidates. We’re more interested in whether she is “nice” or “approachable”, and I hear more comments about her likability. We’re trying to wrap our heads around what it would be to have a woman in the Oval Office, with the “finger on the button” and all that.
A U.S. president must make tough decisions and must know how to work with the whole political system in this country to get things done. The job is ENORMOUS, and as we’ve seen with W, the people the president appoints can do a lot of damage or a lot of good. When we vote for one person we are actually voting for an entire administration.
I don’t think that “nice” is what I’m looking for in the next president. I’m looking for someone whose views and priorities match what I think is needed to solve some of our most pressing problems and steer us in the direction I want to see us steered in. That all takes grit, depth of knowledge, political prowess, the right friends, decisiveness, and all of that.
It’s less important to me that our next president be a woman, and more important that it be the right person. Gender won’t sway my vote.
January 10th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
I just want to agree with Amy: that was very eloquent, Nataly. Thanks for this. I have to agree with you that the more I think about it, the more I’ve realized I feel sort of protective about Hillary because she is a woman. We don’t even necessarily prefer her as the Dem nominee, but it pains us to see her being attacked in the media and beaten at the polls. She’s a tough woman who has succeeded in politics and I just admire that despite the fact that she is less than genuine, as far as I’m concerned.
PS - Please don’t stay away from politics. I think we should probably discuss current events more than we do in a Web environment like this.
January 19th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Well I have to say I don’t watch politics to much but the bits and pieces I’ve seen Hillary would NOT get my vote. The fact she’s a woman doesn’t enter into it I simply don’t trust her. I’ve watched some debates and there’s a look on her face that says “I can’t be trusted” she’ll turn as quick as a snake.
Personally I don’t care if the next President is from Mars as long as they actually DO something to improve our economic environment, deal with the escalating healthcare costs, save Social Security so maybe I can get some of the money I’ve put all these years when I retire and so on and so forth…
But I’m in a dilema because I don’t know who I’ll vote for. God I wish this was easier.
January 20th, 2008 at 10:07 am
I think every woman in America should vote for Hillary. It is our duty to respect and support each other. Women have lost respect for each other and we need to stick together at all cost. We have tired the men candidates for 200 years and no change has come !
We are in some very trying and dangerous times and it is time to elect a woman and see what can be done to correct the problems of our nation.
We do not need to be “touchy” over her cold side, we need her to have the fortitude and be tough and make the command decisions. I will be voting for Hillary for these reasons.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Pat, here is one woman who will not be voting for Hillary. Her universal health care plan would raise unemployment and cause our taxes to increase exponentially. And putting someone in the White House with Washington Experience is no way to bring about change.
I don’t think anyone could honestly agree that no change has come in the last 200 years. The fact that we are even discussing this topic shows that change has come. Every hear of the 19th amendment?
Voting for a person solely in the basis of gender is sexism, as others have already pointed out.
January 30th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
I am really struggling with this.
There is no doubt in my mind that Clinton is being held to a double standard and being judged more strictly that other candidates. And it seems to even come from other women, very much as it may come from coworker women in the workplace.
It is way past the time for a woman president and it would set such a wonderful precident for our daughters! Imagine telling our daughters they could grow up to be president - and actually believing it!
Still, I continue to wonder if she would be the right one…
February 25th, 2008 at 9:40 am
all i can say is VOTe FOR OBAMA!
maybe he can fix what Bush messed up!
Dont look at the skin color just look what he got in heart!
To me, he seem like he is dedicated to his work
March 5th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
I am a Republican, (or at least that is what I always thought), I was a John McCain for president person before he announced his candidacy. I will say that I am normally conservative in my approach to social issues, but I think things have gotten too conservative in our country. I have been learning toward the mindset that I would vote for a more moderate republican. Then today came along, and I starting to really think about what would change if Hillary became President. I feel perplexed, as a woman and a mother of a young daughter, I believe that Hilary becoming President would move improve many womens issues beyond where they are currently and move them forward in a way that will not happen if we don’t vote Hillary into office. I am tired of the old boys network in our country. So I am left with the feeling that eventhough I don’t agree with her politics in a lot of areas, I am opening my mind to consider voting for her. I am wondering if compromising my conservative approach on social issues might be worth having the glass ceiling shattered for me and my daughter. If I vote for her, I would be voting for her because she is a woman not because I agree with her politics. So I totally agree with you.
May 6th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Don’t vote for Hillary because she’s a woman, vote for her because she is the only presidential candidate with the experience to handle the problems our country is faced with. Look at it as a job interview, you may not LOVE the person to death or want to be their best friend but she will get the job done better than anyone else.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:12 am
if this lady is really going to do what she is sayin why not vote for her. (si es lengua larga que se joda)
June 1st, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Hillary being a woman isn’t the only reason to vote for her. I’ve been a fan for may years, due to her fight for healthcare, families and education. But, hey, let’s face it: does the presidency require multi-tasking? Do you know many men that can actually multi-task well…without a computer??? Hillary’s had my vote for a long time, for many valid reasons, but it certainly doesn’t hurt that she’s one of us!
June 10th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
I know I’m late to this discussion, but I think at the least, Hillary’s really opened the door for the next woman to run. I’ve always considered myself an emancipated woman, but I didn’t vote for her in the primary and wouldn’t do so just because she’s a woman. That’s not enough for me. I’m voting for the person that I think is best suited for the job.
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:07 pm
I didn’t vote for her in the primary either, but I can see her in a Cabinet position. GO OBAMA!! Obama is the kind of man who is smart enough to solve the problems that Bush and his minions have dumped on our country.
July 6th, 2008 at 1:11 am
Bit late entering this discussion but voting for Hillary because she is a woman is definitely out. I agree that there has been enough of the Bush, Clinton, Bush families dominating the Whitehouse.