Robert Reich -- Hillary "cannot run on being the first woman to be president..."

[kentuck]

"A presidential candidate cannot run on being the first woman to be president, because that is not a platform. It does not tell the nation what she will do to respond to the nation’s needs. It also contradicts the underlying premise that a woman can do the job quite as well as a man and therefore gender should not matter. If gender should not matter, then, logically, a campaign cannot be based on gender. Hillary Clinton must make the case for why she should be president based on where she wants to lead the nation, and why, just as any man running for president must do. And that case must be made starting from the moment she declares her candidacy.

What do you think?"

[cantbeserious]

1. Agreed - The HRC Cheerleaders All Seem To Overlook This Obvious Point

eom

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. What's the obvious point?

The suggestion that Ms. Clinton can offer no more rationale for her candidacy then that she has a vagina. That suggestion is patently offensive.

[cantbeserious]

15. That Being The First Female President Is A Campaign Platform

eom

[DemocratSinceBirth]

18. Can you cite the evidence that suggests...

Can you cite the evidence "That Being The First Female President" Is (Hillary Clinton's ) Campaign Platform" ?


Thank you in advance.

[cantbeserious]

23. Seen Often At DU And In the Press - Comments On How HRC Would Be The First Female President

As if that fact alone is enough to justify her coronation - just the point the OP was making.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

40. Most folks seem to believe her gender makes it no more or less likely they will support her

Does the idea of electing the first woman president make you more inclined to vote for Hillary Clinton,
less inclined, or does it not much matter to you?
More inclined to vote for her 12%
Less inclined to vote for her 4%
Does not much matter 83%



http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/polls/bloomberg-22004

[cantbeserious]

50. Can Only Speak To The OP - Which I Happen To Agree With - Your Opinions Are Your Own

eom

[DemocratSinceBirth]

55. His premise is flawed...It's a logical fallacy: The straw man.

You ascribe to someone a position he or she doesn't hold, only to ridicule and dismiss it...I am surprised a man of his reputed inestimable intelligence would make it.

Maybe he was sleeping during Logic 101.


But yes we are free to believe in logical fallacies.

[tularetom]

95. How does anyone know what positions Clinton does or doesn't hold?

She hasn't been very specific about her platform, she's spoken only in generalities and platitudes.

So since she won't say, speculation as to her policies and plans is understandable.

As far as I'm concerned, being a woman is about all she has going for her, so I get it if she wants to emphasize that.

She has zero charisma or personal charm, she's a poor public speaker, her veracity is more than a little questionable, she has had some questionable past associations with persons of dubious character (including at least one known war criminal), and she has zero executive or managerial experience.

So if she wants to run on a platform of "Vote for me, I'm a woman", I say go for it.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

107. Charm and charisma are subjective...

And if a person was as deficient in those areas as you suggest he or she would be a hermit and incapable of winning a seat on a city council, much less a Senate Seat and receiving some 19,000,000 votes in a Democratic presidential primary.

[indivisibleman]

122. all she has going for her?

I consider her to be one of the most qualified persons for president in a long while.

[emulatorloo]

139. I bet you a dollar Clinton will have a website tomorrow (Sun 4-12)

Which will highlight her plans/positions/qualifications

[QuestionAlways]

119. Hillary being the first female president is not a platform

and would not get her elected if it was. But she is experienced (active First Lady, Senator, S of S), resides in the center of the political spectrum, and stands up for equal rights for all. While she would not tear down the economic structure of the United States, she would rebuild the economic safety net. She is my kind of gal.

[Smithryee]

170. Since you claim to know everything about Hillary....

What are her stances in TPP?

What are her stances in Citizens United?

What are her stances on standing against Wall Street?

What are her stances on the 99%?

Etc... etc... etc..

she doesn't have anything to stand on besides her corporatism and her Third Way attitude.

I'm ready for Bernie, and ready for him anytime, because just one debate in the primaries - will destroy Clinton as she does not have stances to the key issues before us.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

171. Another straw man

I don't presume to know "everything about Hillary"


I don't even "know everything about my girlfriend" whom I have known for fifteen years and lived with the past five...


Bernie isn't running, for the same reason I don't walk up on the biggest guy in the gym and hit him; because I know I will get a good whuppin.

[Smithryee]

172. Ok so you dismiss my questions

as "strawman".

Except for one thing: Hillary is nowhere near progressive. She is too far to the right, and to the right of Obama.

She is a corporatist Third Wayer. Say it with me. Corporatist Third Wayer.

With your admission that she is not a progressive, then we can move forward.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

177. Hillary is 45, say it with me, say it with me...

With your admission that she will be our forty fifth president,then we can move forward.

[indivisibleman]

209. very good argument. I'm gonna use this. n/t

[zeemike]

204. That same poll about the first black president would reveal the same results.

For some reason few people want to tell you how they really feel about things like that.
it's like asking if you are a sexist or racist bigot.

[riversedge]

51. Papers were awash with "Obama as the First Black President"

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

58. Actually that strategy works against Hillary due to her close relationship w/ countries & foreign leaders who abuse women.

[2banon]

73. statement she made a few days ago.

shown on last night's News Hour (PBS) paraphrasing: "isn't it time we had a woman for president" made with a rallying cry ... it was jaw dropping to me at this point in time.

[boston bean]

78. "jaw dropping" the thought of a woman president???

A woman who will be running for president to say it out loud???? To a group that specifically helps elect progressive women to office.....

HOW DARE SHE!

[2banon]

88. No. NOT MY POINT AT ALL.

I'm a old feminist fighting for equality for decades,, envisioning women at the helm in all seats of power, naively assuming that would bring about a complete paradigm shift especially wrt to war and peace.

However, the past 15 years have disabused me of such disillusions. (I considered Margaret Thatcher an anomaly to what I considered the rule of the natural instincts a Woman in that position would take on matters of war and peace for example) ..


That veil has been forever lifted from my eyes since the invasion of Iraq.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

102. Human beings are complicated

However, the past 15 years have disabused me of such disillusions. (I considered Margaret Thatcher an anomaly to what I considered the rule of the natural instincts a Woman in that position would take on matters of war and peace for example)

You can not assume folks will react a certain way because of their gender, race, sexual identity, what have you...

Being a man or a woman and being strong, being weak, being empathetic, being selfish, being selfless, are not mutually exclusive. They can be all of them or some of them.

[2banon]

112. Exactly my point. Which is why I agree completely with Reich's analysis.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

114. Except being a woman is not at the foundation of her candidacy.

Hence my vigorous dissent

[2banon]

174. have you seen that news clip yet?

she highlights her gender as a campaign rallying cry in one of her campaign release vids " target="_blank">here.

Scroll to .55 seconds into the vid. for that statement.

Obviously not actually a platform, per se but I believe this is what Reich is actually referencing.

It's certainly what I am referencing.

[qazplm]

169. women are human beings

they span the same gamuts as men.

They are neither superior nor inferior to men. Any idea that the "World would be better if women ran it" is silliness.
Now, the world would be better if more women were in office because that would mean more diversity and more respect for half the population, but individual women leaders can be as stupid, war-mongering, or what have you as any man.

Having said all of that, as an AA, I have no problem saying having Obama as President is a pretty big deal and it motivated a lot of AAs to come out to vote that might not have. I am not a woman, but I think it's foolish to think having Clinton as President will not motivate a lot of woman to come out and vote for her that might not otherwise have voted, and that's going to be a real advantage for her because there are a lot more women than AAs (and of course nearly all AAs who vote will vote for her as well)...and there is nothing wrong with that either!

She isn't going to run just on having a vagina, but having a vagina matters in this instance, and the fact that she's going to be a better choice than anyone the republicans put up there will matter as well.

[2banon]

175. In agreement completely, except.. I'd argue that Elizabeth Warren would motivate and inspire more.

I know she isn't running. If wishes were fishes and all that..

[Demit]

100. What's jaw-dropping is that this country acts like it would be an avant garde act.

When we would merely be playing catchup to other countries, who have long had women presidents & chancellors & prime ministers.

It's embarrassing that Clinton would stoop to say it. As if she is buying into the premise that women have yet to proved themselves, as if this is the 1960s. It makes her sound dated.

[boston bean]

103. Have we had a woman president, I am unaware of....

[DemocratSinceBirth]

81. The first 43 presidents were white males...

In a nation as diverse as ours I believe we can do better...

And that's a little difference than suggesting Secretary of State Clinton's entire rationale for her candidacy is that she has a vagina instead of a penis.

[2banon]

98. It seems you're missing the point.. and you're preaching to the choir.

I think we're past that old meme at this point in time.. don't you?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

120. The point is ascribing positions to folks they don't hold and then dismissing or ridiculing them...

In the working class milieu I grew up in it was referred to "making shit up about me"...

[2banon]

129. Coming from the working/poor class, myself..

I'll apologize if something I said offended you, but I have to say I'm not clear on how that was interpreted..

[DemocratSinceBirth]

160. You didn't offend me...We're fine...

I believe Robert Reich is ascribing to HRC a position she doesn't hold; that being a woman is the sine qua non for being president or the primary reason for her candidacy.


This is what I believe is up...The Republicans beside focusing on scandals, real or imagined, are going to try to portray Ms. Clinton as old and out of touch...By emphasizing the fact she is a newly minted grandmother Hillary can portray herself as heavily vested in the future. That also has the benefit of being true.

But it would work the same for a newly minted grandfather.

I also believe that Hillary has a problem that male candidates and males in general don't face...Society is much kinder to the aging man than it is to the aging woman... That's why Sean Connery was allowed to be a sex symbol into his seventies when there are few or no women that are granted that license.... Hillary faces the double whammy of sexism and ageism.

[indivisibleman]

125. I agree with her statement.

It is way past time for America to have a female president. Furthermore it is time we got away from the white male presidents of which many were awful.

[2banon]

126. Ok. Since intellect, positions on foreign and domestic policies is secondary

if the race were between Carly Fiorina and say John Kerry (just as a hypothetical obviously) Carly gets your vote because she's a woman and it's time for a woman to be in the white house.

The point for me is about policy. period.

I'd like to see someone like Elizabeth Warren as the first Woman. She's where I am and what the country needs on policy which impacts my life personally.

Hillary has the wrong policies. So, to me she's the wrong woman to be the first..

[AgingAmerican]

152. It was obviously an off the cuff remark

...and not a policy statement. I don't understand why people run around with their hair on fire over nonsense like this.

[indivisibleman]

208. Exactly! n/t

[indivisibleman]

210. Just because I say it is time for us to

move away from white, male presidents doesn't mean the positions on foreign and domestic policies is secondary. I am only saying that the time for us to value women equal with men is long overdue. I am waiting to hear more from HRC on her official positions and I am hopeful that she will be forthright in her answers.

[pnwmom]

181. Jaw dropping to imagine a woman President. Wow. n/t

[2banon]

80. she made that statement captured on news feeds. per last night's PBS News Hour

I saw and her heard her make that statement in the form of a rallying campaign cry..

[sabrina 1]

143. Put 'first woman president' into the DU search engine. Personally I am with the 83% who want good

president and are not concerned about his/her gender as much as about issues.

It could be that the small % who do push that as reason, are just louder and more prolific than the majority.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

154. All things being equal...

All things being equal I will vote for the candidate from the oppressed group. That's my personal affirmative action plan.

When I was in the position to hire people that's the standard I used as well...

[sabrina 1]

158. Really? You would hire a substandard worker, simply because of their gender, ethnicity etc to make

a statement of some sort. Do you realize that doing so doesn't help the oppressed as a group at all? If anything, it HARMS them.

There are plenty of qualified people who are minorities. Barbara Lee eg, is far more qualified imo to be the Democratic Nominee for the WH. Mainly because of her courage and convictions which she stands by no matter how her enemies react to her.

And she is generally on the right side of the issues.

So, being we are the employers, I am looking for someone with great qualifications, someone like Barbara Lee, Warren, Sanders for the sake of ALL those who will either suffer as a result of the policies of the nominee, or benefit from them.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

161. What part of "all things being equal" don't you understand?

All things being equal I will vote for the candidate from the oppressed group. That's my personal affirmative action plan.

That's the foundation of every affirmative action plan; that if two people have the same qualifications it is justified to give the nod to someone from a oppressed or previously excluded group.

[sabrina 1]

162. Okay, you are correct, I did miss that. So ignore my other comment and I apologize.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

164. No problem...

I am a proponent of affirmative action as a general principle... The challenge is how much you can put your finger on the scale, if you can at all. But that's a discussion for another day...

Diversity serves practical purposes...

As an aside, if police forces looked more like the people they are policing they would look more like folks who are there to help and protect , and not an occupying force.

Cops usually patrol in duos..I would try to have a minority in every one of those duos as much as possible.

[sabrina 1]

165. I agree with you. Wrt the police, I would go back to community policing where cops are from the

communities they are policing. Today's policing, take the NYPD eg, is very different, most members of the NYPD do not live in the city, they live on Long Island, NJ etc and do not know the people for the most part, that they are supposed to protect.

That's probably true of most major cities. Smaller towns may be different but definitely there needs to be a whole lot more minorities on these police forces.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

166. In L A they have police sponsor after school athletic activities for kids...

In L A they have police sponsor after school athletic activities for kids in predominately minority areas...At first the residents were suspicious as many of the coaches and sponsors were white but they came to like and embrace them. It also made it easier for them to police the community...CNN did a special on it...

It was nice...

[sabrina 1]

178. That is a good idea! Getting to know the people they are there to protect.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

197. It doesn't take a PhD in Criminology or Sociology

It doesn't take a PhD in Criminology or Sociology to deduce that when the police are seen as an occupying force it doesn't make their job easier nor does it help the people they are there to protect and serve.

[TheKentuckian]

214. Seems like an out of date observation, I don't recall the last time I saw two cops in the same car.

Used to see it all the time but it seems like it has been years. Now, typically one pulls you over and then you get the swarm roll in to back them up/show force.

Maybe this is a local thing but the same goes no matter where I've been that I noticed anyway.

I'm pretty sure the only time I've seen two cops rolling together other than on TV or the movies was at least five years ago. The last specific sighting that comes to mind was closer to 25 years ago now and it was the veteran/rookie combo out harassing and targeting to drum up business.

I like the idea though except that at least on duty, all cops are of the blue race and never felt once like I was getting any better a shake from a black cop and on a few occasions actually considered them to be more the problem in those particular situations than the white one though in general the worst of the worst have been white and usually mid career or later.

I firmly believe the problems are far deeper than racial balance, so deep they substantially reduce the benefits of such a consideration.
Still worthwhile, particularly perhaps from a targeting point of view but less so I believe than what many might hope.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

215. In L A whenever I see a cop car there is always two cops in it...

Maybe the LAPD is different from other departments.

[haikugal]

203. Yes! I like your thinking here, she would be a great addition! Thanks... nt

[Buzz Clik]

33. Um. No. That is a silly comment.

[lewebley3]

138. Cantbeserious, you over look an obvious Point: Hillary is the most qualified person running!

Robert Reigh has been living off the Clinton's: trying to make himself
relevant.

If you think Reigh's opinion is important, just remember most of his career
has been trading of his labor cabinet position he received from the Clinton's.

Remember their campaign was putting people first, and they did , the middle
Class grew, and we had fantastic economy.


Hillary is the most qualified period!!

[leftofcool]

2. Because she is a woman she needs to make the case as to why she is as good as a man.

Got it!

[djean111]

10. Because she is a candidate she needs to make the case that she is as good or better than any other

candidate. As a woman, I am outraged that being a woman candidate is being presented as some sort of reason to vote.
Especially when I think of candidates like Palin and Fiorina.

It does seem, well, either stupid or arrogant to make being a woman part of the campaign message - and then to demand that no one will say or do anything referencing the fact that she is a woman. Of course, when one has that much money, I guess one can have one's cake and eat it, too.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. When did Ms. Clinton say she should be president because she is a woman??NT

[djean111]

21. Her supporters are pushing the meme that it would be all swell and historical and shit if she was

the First Woman President!!!! America is ready for The First Woman President! Women will turn out in droves to vote for The First Woman President! Women are ELECTRIFIED! Just because it does not come out of her mouth does not mean she is not using this as a campaign feature. And only things that come out of her mouth count - then all of her supporters could just, you know, STFU.

Seems like a huge part of her platform is Being The First Woman President and Raising an Insane Amount of Money.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

29. Maybe she should get gender reassignment surgery so she wouldn't face that pesky problem...

BTW, do you oppose the efforts of Emily's List whose raison d'etre is to elect female candidates?

[boston bean]

30. It would be swell and historical for Hillary (a democrat) to be the first woman president.

Republican women do not support women like Hillary, so please stop making false comparisons.

And guess what... whoever wins will have to raise and insane amount of money. It's called reality.

[rhett o rick]

193. I have heard her say it. It's out there. nm

[2banon]

104. Well Said... this may come down to HRC vs Carly Fiorina .. I don't want either.

How about Warren INSTEAD?? !!!!!

[djean111]

110. I would rather have Warren as the candidate - and I have never read or heard of anyone

wanting her to run because she is a woman. It is her policies, her ideas, the way she speaks out and engages people.
Her gender is not referred to.

[2banon]

134. Agree completely, exactly what I said in a different post.

I don't understand why this is so hard for others to comprehend and agree with actually.

I think the past 15 years has been the most eye-opening to me in terms of deep policy making and the dynamics involved.

There are more Women in Congress, (not near enough) but it seems far too many of those are astonishingly stupid (in both parties) dismally inarticulate , or ideologically repugnant that do disgrace to the cause, if not actually do harm in terms of furthering equality and other policy issues/concerns.

There are many that are fabulous, but not nearly enough.

[boston bean]

3. Did Robert Reich write Obama should deny being black, try to hide it, not

relate and have black persons vote for him?

I don't think so.

Robert Reich... disappointing.

[kentuck]

6. ???

I don't follow your logic?

[boston bean]

12. First off Hillary has said no such thing... secondly, would Reich have ever written something like

this in regards to Obama's candidacy? Me changing it up a bit to help you understand:

Robert Reich -- Obama "cannot run on being the first Black man to be president..." [View all]

"A presidential candidate cannot run on being the first black man to be president, because that is not a platform. It does not tell the nation what he will do to respond to the nation’s needs. It also contradicts the underlying premise that black man can do the job quite as well as a white man and therefore race should not matter. If race should not matter, then, logically, a campaign cannot be based on race. Barack Obama must make the case for why he should be president based on where he wants to lead the nation, and why, just as any white man running for president must do. And that case must be made starting from the moment he declares his candidacy.

Barack Obama did not run on being the first black male to be president. However, it was recognized by his supporters. Robert Reich makes it seem like Hillary is going to run based on her sex alone and he has not one iota of proof to offer in making that statement.

[Autumn]

32. I think Reich is merely talking about its opinion on the snippet of Hillary's

speech to Emily’s List. I didn't watch the speech just saw a clip of that on the news this morning.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/mar/04/hillary-clinton-to-democrats-dont-you-want-to-see-a-woman-president

[boston bean]

36. OMG, she spoke at Emily's List... saying wouldn't it be nice to have a woman president!!

Holy hell, she's gonna run solely on being a woman!!!!!

[Autumn]

39. You know if Hillary's supporters are going to get upset over

people discussing what she says and then actually post it on a message board, you know a message board that people post things on for discussion you are all going to have ulcers before she even wins the nomination.

[boston bean]

42. Who is upset? Me???

I'm going to write my opinions on a message board. Please don't read or tie emotion into it.

[Autumn]

43. Whatever.

[boston bean]

44. Should I read some emotion behind that one word response?

[Autumn]

61. Not at all it's a one word response I just saw no reason for a sarcastic reply

[boston bean]

63. Don't worry, I didn't.

[arcane1]

151. Its hard not to read emotion in a post that used 7 exclamation points in two sentences.

Especially when "OMG" and "Holy Hell" are included.

[boston bean]

156. That means I'm upset? oookayyy....

[DemocratSinceBirth]

48. Emily's List exists to elect female candidate, albeit progressive ones...

I don't see how one can logically support their efforts while taking exception to HRC telling them it would be nice to elect a female president.

[Autumn]

57. Got it, no opinions allowed on what Hillary says

[DemocratSinceBirth]

66. Is that the inference you drew from what I said ?

If it is there is nothing i can do to disabuse you of that notion.

[Autumn]

77. I never draw any inference from anything you say. I only responded to you because

you posted to me. You could never say anything to disabuse me of any notion because I have never bothered to read anything you have to say.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

87. "... I have never bothered to read anything you have to say...."

Your passive aggressive attacks are neither convincing nor becoming. It's not that you don't care what I say but that you care too much.

[treestar]

62. Blacks are a minority who vote Democratic anyway

and women are likely to vote Dem anyway too, or more so.

It's hard to say though. So many women might turn out for that. And women aren't a numerical minority. So it just might be very effective to hint at, at least.

OTOH, there are right wing women who would be horrified too, but they'd have been voting R anyway.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

13. For someone who matriculated at Oxford...

For someone who matriculated at Oxford I am disappointed Mr. Reich doesn't know what a straw man fallacy is... Secretary of State Clinton's rationale for her candidacy is not based on the fact she is a woman. To suggest it is only to ridicule and dismiss it is a classical straw man fallacy.

[kentuck]

17. I'm sure Hillary will have a platform...

when she announces her candidacy. But, it is difficult to pinpoint where she stands on a lot of issues at this moment. She will take a stand, I am sure.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

22. She said becoming a grandmother...

She said becoming a grandmother made her more aware of the kind of world children will grow up in and that she wants every child to have the same opportunities as her granddaughter... But a newly minted grandfather could express the same sentiment. It's gender neutral.

[boston bean]

35. maybe she should have said "grandparent"

Would that have satisfied the criticism??



comment not meant specifically for you, just a riff..

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

65. Fair point, but don't think it works quite as well in Hillary's favor. Indeed, that strategy could very well backfire.

[TheBlackAdder]

70. I took a "Woman in Politics" course, there are a lot of factors Reich is right about.

Women are at a disadvantage in any election, with Republicans only holding about 20% elected officials, where Democrats are in the 30's. Women are higher in statehouse offices, but on the national scene they are at a disadvantage.

Identifying as a woman, as a primary selling point, lowers a female candidate's electability, as many men will counter vote.

In a national setting, women have twice as many obstacles to overcome, especially in rural and evangelical centers of the country. Many areas of the country do not believe a woman should be president. Just look back at the ERA and how it was the female vote that defeated it!

Also, highlighting appearance, femininity, etc. shows at least a 5% drop in electability. This is even if something POSITIVE is mentioned about a candidate, any mention of clothing, hair, appearance, femininity NEGATIVLY impacts a woman candidate. Expect a whole pile of 'Gee, she looks nice" statements from FOX about this... because they know the impact of femininity in a national election.

The emphasis has to be on doing the job, the qualifications, the sharpness of mind, and NOT exposing any feminine traits, such as crying, etc. If men cry, it might be seen as a positive, for a woman--it's ALWAYS a negative. Criticism about being a shrew, emotional, impulsive, etc... are ALL negatives that are used against women running for office.

Like it or not, that's the reality of the nation's only women's political research center, at Rutgers-Eagleton.

[boston bean]

74. Wow, you would think someone like Robert Reich wouldn't be using it as a bludgeon..

I assume the same could be said for black male candidates as well, no?

However, somehow we all came together and dispelled this bigoted crap in at least two elections. The problems are still there, but it wasn't used against him by people who were democrats.

[TheBlackAdder]

82. Regardless of your thoughts, decades of research support Reich's position-Stay away from gender.

Your assumptions are wrong!

Gender is such an influence, notice how the CRA gave blacks the right to vote, but the gender war rages on?

===

There is NO WAY the ERA would ever get ratified in this country, even today.

[boston bean]

83. She can't hide her gender... She can't stay away from it.

Embrace it, I say!

[TheBlackAdder]

105. If she embraces it, she'll lose.

You really don't want her to win with such a narrow concept of politics, do you?

Instead of espousing such a populist view of politics, you need to step back and make reality-based decisions. Hillary has political consultants who protect her and will advise her on everything she says, does, wears, etc..


==


She has to acknowledge it, she can't hide from it. BUT, she cannot make it a central issue in her campaign.

She can let other 3rd-Party people say things, but it cannot be from her or from within her camp.


===


Women have to be leery about introducing their family, their children, not coming off as a 'bitch' or shrew, because JUST ONE mistake will drop her electability. These are not concerns that men face--this is a female phenomenon in politics.

If she were to embrace her femininity or gender in her campaign, it would reinforce over 50% of the country to vote against her.

Like it or not... THAT'S THE POLITICAL REALITY FACING NATION WOMEN CANDIDATES.


The closest we saw were Geraldine Ferraro (and all of the sexist jokes) and Sarah Palin's sexist jokes. Both were VP candidates.

(Luckily, my favorite candidate, Shirley Chisholm, didn't go through that, but that was in the early 1970's before Phyllis Schlafly energized the Moral Majority and other evangelicals during the ERA ratification process. Her struggle was both race and gender, even within her own camp.) The same thing will happen to Hillary, but moreso since she is running for a position that is male-identified, that people's conceptions demands a strong masculine figure. Gender would be the third rail topic.


Perhaps that's what you want.

[boston bean]

108. So, because society is a sexist pit hole, she has to run away from the clearly

visible fact she is a woman..

So... people can say she is running away from being a woman.... That she isn't being herself.

Do away with the double standards, please....

We did it twice... we can do it again!

[TheBlackAdder]

127. Sucks, doesn't it? But they are just some of the parameters/double standards that she is faced with.

The position of president drove mostly male character traits. The Eagleton site has a lot of public reports you can search through. Such as how the media centers on women's clothing more than their positions. Another thing that separates men from women in politics. If a woman wears too flashy of clothing, too expensive, the same outfit more than once, etc... they are hammered for it. Men can wear the same suit every day and no one cares. Here's a 2008 thing that identified who had an easier time running for office:

http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/fast_facts/elections/documents/08-PresWatch_LifetimeNetworks-ReactiontoHistoricElection_12-03-08.pdf

===

Characteristics of a President (Can't find the traits one publicly):
http://www.gallup.com/poll/12544/values-seen-most-important-characteristic-presidential-candidates.aspx

http://www.gallup.com/poll/28693/Which-Characteristics-Most-Desirable-Next-President.aspx

===

Most women have to run for office as married, when their children have left the house. Being a mother, while running for office is seen as a negative by many voters, that's why women candidates who have young kids will not publish that fact or downplay it, so they aren't seen as shirking in their traditional family role.

===

Here's some of how women still face hardships.
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2015/01/14/women-and-leadership/

===

While people are leaning towards a female candidate, in a poll,any emphasis on gender drives negative results.

===

Here's the polls of accepting a woman president:
http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/fast_facts/elections/preswatch_polling.php

===

88% of world leaders are men:
http://iwl.rutgers.edu/documents/njwomencount/womenHeadsofStates.pdf

===

Here's a partial overview, most of the research requires a student EDU account. As a older, continuing ed English & Poli-Sci student, I have acces to most docs, but cannot publish them or report them.

http://tag.rutgers.edu/teaching-toolbox/classroom-resources/lesson-module-women-and-the-presidency/

[boston bean]

205. Yeah, these hurdles are too high.. she ought not run.

You've convinced me, not.

[TheBlackAdder]

218. The Doctor of my Women in Politics class is one of the Top 5 W.I.P. researchers in the country.

I think she knows more about the subject than you.

She publishes and contributes to various books, journals, media, and various other sources in the country.

[2banon]

135. that's a very weird question. not your making case very well.

[rhett o rick]

195. I think you are misunderstanding. Obama didn't try to sell himself as the first black president.

Robert Reich is saying that HRC shouldn't try to sell herself (run) as the first female president. If you believe that gender shouldn't be an issue then you can't use as an issue. In fact I would think her female supporters would be upset if people thought HRC would or should get the job because she is female.

[boston bean]

198. I am not misunderstanding anything.. but thank you.

[mmonk]

4. Yep. It's not about gender but ideas and convictions.

Case in point, Sarah Palin.

[davidpdx]

217. Yes, good point

[Autumn]

7. Agreed, there are many issues she's going to have to address

and some of them she's going to lose on. I saw her "don't you want to see a woman President" clip on the news this morning and to tell the truth, it irritated the hell out of me. My immediate thought was, that's not going to work this time Hill, it's not enough.

Women are struggling to feed their children. Women are struggling with the loss of their Husbands or Sons to wars of choice. Women are struggling with many things at this time, electing a wealthy woman President just because she is a woman isn't enough.

[NV Whino]

8. Not a Hillary fan, but

I don't believe that has ever been part of her "platform"

Of course, since she doesn't seem to have any platform, it might be a moot point.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. I don't base my vote on gender, sexual preference, wealth, race, ethnicity, or ability to dance.

I vote for (or against) policies and principles.

I vote FOR Peace.

I vote FOR the environment.

I vote FOR women's rights.

I vote FOR abortion rights.

I vote FOR LGBT rights.

I vote FOR civil liberties.

I DON'T vote for Maybe.

I DON'T vote for Later.

I DON'T vote Not As Bad

I DON'T vote for Democratic politicians who collaborate with Republicans

[99Forever]

28. ^^^This^^^

[DemocratSinceBirth]

34. All things being equal I always voted for the black candidate, the female candidate...

All things being equal I always voted/vote for the black candidate, the female candidate, the gay candidate, et cetera... Call it DemocratSinceBirth's personal affirmative action plan.

[cascadiance]

94. So... Then you would have voted for Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, or Herman Cain...

... if Democrats had a white male candidate against of them for president?

Now, then you would qualify that "all things being equal" that you'd only vote for one of those candidates as a Democrat? Then you are stating what Reich is saying. That a person's gender and skin color, etc. isn't enough for us to base our vote on. And many of us here would also say that the label of a person's party isn't enough as well. We want a Democrat that also espouses progressive ideas that traditional Democrats have espoused, and want that as the criteria to determine who we vote for in the primaries.

The last election the corporatist PTB tried to manipulate our final two choices to really be geared towards identity politics, in having people debate whether they should vote for the first woman as president or the first candidate of color, rather than look more closely at what they stand for. Some of us tried when looking at Edwards, who I believe we were manipulated as those looking for a candidate with stances on issues to go to someone that they knew behind the scenes they could pull the plug on at any minute, and did right before Super Tuesday.

Now they're trying to decide our primary before the election by anointing a woman of the PTB's choice instead of welcoming/encouraging others with more ideas contrary to the PTB's wants, like an Elizabeth Warren, who might actually set a decent template for women in politics as being who we want down the road that also will provide us a candidate that governs by the values we want in that person too.

Obama and Hillary (if she doesn't shift from what she's been a lot in politics and personal life), have provided us examples of where just picking a woman or a person of color is not enough to get the FDR moment this country so sorely needs at this point. It will hurt us in subsequent elections trying to appeal to others who aren't as keen on helping women or people of color to get elected then. If we get a woman, perhaps someone like Elizabeth Warren, elected that really helps transform our country in to something that tackles these issues and makes our country a better country, THAT will help women candidates get elected in the future. And it will also motivate future women candidates to follow in the footsteps of what Warren or someone like her would do then too, and be good for all of us, in addition to being good for women as well. I think that is the underlying message of what Reich is trying to say here.

[tazkcmo]

140. You missed "All things being equal..."

Or maybe you just didn't understand. They mean that if 2 candidates have the exact same positions on issues then they would vote for which ever is not a white male in order to gain more diversity in our congressional membership. Hope that helps.

[cascadiance]

180. I was I guess interpreting what some people having "being equal" meaning they are Democrats...

... without further defining what kind of Democrats they are and what positions they take.

Many here only vote for people using Democrats as a criteria. For some of them they feel that candidates like Clinton, Warren are equal, and Sanders might also be equal if they are just looking at party affiliation.

In my book these candidates are all NOT equal, with Warren and Sanders being more similar in terms of being equal, with the positions and stances they take.

I will probably choose to vote for a Democrat though, until we have the wisdom to put in place something like instant runoff voting, where we won't be helping a Republican (lesser of two evils in some instances) win, by not voting for a Democrat in a race. Sanders knows this, which is why I don't think he'll run unless he does so as a Democrat in the primaries.

I really wish we could get enough Democrats putting in place something like Instant Runoff Voting, which may in a few instances help a very strong independent candidate win where they couldn't now, but in most cases will serve to keep mainstream candidates, especially Democrats, more honest in their serving the needs of their real voter constituents, and not just those that try to buy them with a lot of money, since it would be harder for special interests to "buy the field" with instant runoff voting in place than the way it is now.

I'd like to think that in the rare instances we get an independent over a Democrat winning office, that we'll still be better served then, but in most cases, it would help avoid any problems with spoilers keeping a solid majority of voters vote for stronger Democratic candidates that will campaign more directly to them.

[cali]

11. It's a subtext

And she's not running on her gender.

As most of DU is aware, I'm not a supporter, but this is sexist shit- suggesting that she's only running on her gender.

[mmonk]

19. Many pundits believe she is going to use it this time.

They may be wrong. We'll have to see.

[cali]

20. why shouldn't she? but it's hardly her platform.

[mmonk]

24. I agree and frankly, could care less.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

52. One of the criticisms of her 08 campaign was she was running away from her gender by acting tough...

I don't even know where to begin with that criticism but being female and acting/being "tough" are not mutually exclusive...

[mmonk]

72. I agree. A person's personality determines that.

[MineralMan]

14. It's going to be very obvious that she would be the

first woman President. She needn't mention it at all, and I don't believe she will. Instead, she's going to talk about substantive issues. She has no reason to point out the obvious, and that won't be her campaign strategy.

Some of her supporters may bring it up, but I doubt that she will. She will continue to champion women's issues, though, as she has always done.

[Nay]

41. Yeah, I agree, and I'm not a Hillary supporter. The fact that she's a woman is just an

obvious fact and cannot be a campaign strategy. I wonder what the heck Reich is talking about? And did he say the same thing about Obama being the first black president? It's just weird.

[treestar]

59. Of all women to be the first woman president

it's pretty perfect that she would make Bill Clinton the first male FLOTUS.

I'm voting for her if she's the Democratic nominee anyway, so that's not my reason, but I really love the idea of how the right wingers will suffer if she's elected. An extra bonus, if you will.

[Surya Gayatri]

25. Seems to me she has something besides her gender to run on.

[still_one]

26. she doesn't have to, just as President Obama didn't have to run as being the first African American.

The reality is that if Hillary wins she will be the first woman president

[99Forever]

27. A truth that some won't acknowledge.

Gender, isn't relevant. The candidates history and loyalties are.

[1StrongBlackMan]

47. A truth that some won't acknowledge ...

Gender, for many IS very relevant.

But that said, there still remains nothing that would suggest that her gender will be the basis of her platform ... though it will be the basis upon which some will vote for her or not vote for her.

[mainstreetonce]

31. She has experience

both domestic and international experience.
She is obviously more intelligent than any in the GOP lineup.

What she needs is an outstanding VP choice.

[kentuck]

37. I think the underlying point is that America has a lot of issues and problems..

From income inequality to campaign finance reform to Middle East wars to race relations to the minimum wage to trade agreements, there are many issues that need to be addressed. I don't know if Hillary has talked about any of these issues yet but I'm certain she will if she wants the nomination...

[1StrongBlackMan]

49. If you haven't heard HRC speak to each of these issues ...

but HAVE heard her speak to her Gender, as an election/campaign issue ... I would suggest you are listening/not listening for a purpose.

[kentuck]

53. Where does she stand on Citizens United?

Where does she stand on campaign donations from Wall Street?

I must have missed them or I wasn't watching TV that day?

[1StrongBlackMan]

64. She opposes Citizens United ...

since she was the defendant in that case.

She supports donations from wall street, as do all 1st all first tier political candidates.

[DCBob]

38. It certainly helps.

[bahrbearian]

45. Listen to her glass ceiling speech, She used it then in 2007,

[DemocratSinceBirth]

75. I want to shatter glass ceilings and open locked doors to opportunity...

I can think of no more noble endeavor...

[boston bean]

89. Wow, you would think that acknowledging she was a woman

and that women haven't shattered the glass ceiling was akin to murdering every male on the planet!

I jest.... LOL

[DemocratSinceBirth]

92. I feel emasculated already...

I feel the need to do something screamingly, stereotypically, and overtly macho... Maybe when I get on the bus later today I will burp as loud as I can...

Seriously, I don't know where folks get the notion that being a woman will be the centerpiece of her campaign. Of course her gender is going to inform her as is a lot of other things.

When Sonia Sotomayor was nominated to be a Supreme Court justice she said being the first Hispanic justice on the court would inform her views.

I have no problem with that...

[bahrbearian]

96. Not really a good campaign slogan

when you represent Wall street

I wonder if Warren ran if that would be her campaign slogan.

[JayhawkSD]

46. Maybe she wan't, but...

Thousands will advocate for her based on, "it's time we had a female president."

[SheilaT]

54. While it's true that she doesn't have

First Woman President as an actual plank in her platform, many of her followers, including those here on DU, seem to think it's a very important part of her campaign, if not the most important part.

There's an assumption that there's a huge yearning for a woman President, and that if she's nominated, millions upon millions of women who would otherwise vote for the Republican candidate will miraculously cross over and vote for the woman, for Hillary. You'd think that the way Wendy Davis and Alison Lundergan Grimes both went down in flames would have cleared that up. In both cases there was a strong assumption that vast numbers of women who normally vote R would instead vote for the woman with the D after her name. For one thing, there are a lot of people out there, many of them women, who do not believe women belong in political life at all, let alone in the top job.

Hillary Clinton is not going to coast into the Presidency, even if she gets the nomination. At this point, all of the potential Republican nominees are seen here on DU as complete jokes, but we often forget that plenty of Republicans are as single-minded about their party as we are about ours.

[treestar]

56. For those who consider it to be no difference between Republicans and Democrats

Then it is a good reason. At least that good would come of it, that a woman can be proven to get elected and handle the job. If they are all banksters and corporatists and that's all you are going to get, then making that point should be worth it to that person.

[B2G]

60. I agree completely. nt

[2banon]

67. As a Woman, I completely AGREE with Robert Reich's analysis.. WELL DONE!

[Enthusiast]

68. Embrace populist policies or lose.

[salib]

69. Wow. Reich really stepped in it this time.

This is one outspoken American who is desperately in need of some consciousness raising.

Highly disappointing. Unfortunately still not surprising.

[PatrickforO]

71. Good point.

Obama never ran on being the first black man in the presidency. He ran on what needed to be done to clean up Bush's mess.

[Novara]

76. ^^ this ^^

She needs a progressive platform. Unfortunately, it isn't Hillary who will run on a progressive platform.

[Agnosticsherbet]

79. Women's rights are an important issue to Democrats. She isn't running on being the first woman

President. One of her important policy stands is that women's rights are equal rights. They should have equal pay for equal work. They should have the right to determine what is done with their own bodies. They should have equal opportunity.

Though I agree in general with what he said, I think the way Hillary Clinton is characterized in this quote is bullshit.

Of course, he may have said more but you did not give a source.

[kentuck]

84. To be honest, it is probably a double standard...

...to ask that a woman put forth a platform that meets the needs of this nation, when male candidates do not either. They talk about "taking this country back" and "tax breaks" and "freedom" and "opportunity" and such crap and never really address the real problems of our country.

[hrmjustin]

85. How dare she mention she is a woman and would be our first woman president.

look she will give her positions in the next few weeks.

[cascadiance]

109. It should be a secondary reason and amongst the primary reasons she should get elected...

Yes, I want a woman to be a president too. I wouldn't be advocating for Elizabeth Warren if I didn't!

But a person's gender or skin color isn't what is needed to run this country. Yes, we shouldn't be excluding those women and people of color that would have the positions on issues and the skills, etc. to run our country just because of their gender or their skin color. That is a barrier that we've started to overcome and still need to work on. But we still need to make sure that who we elect to the most powerful job in this world is someone who can do it effectively and work for all of us, not just get the job because they are a woman or a person of color.

That is why we shouldn't have to wait for "a few weeks" to know what kind of things Hillary would do before we should "anoint" her as our candidate, which so many have been trying to do already for over a year now.

[hrmjustin]

111. She is not running based on her gender.

She is running to make a difference.

[cascadiance]

115. Just about everyone in America can run on "making a difference"

without defining what that difference is, and relying on people looking at her gender (and in many places reporting that aspect of her) as a reason to vote for her.

As I noted, if she has ideas that she feels are important on why SHE should be elected, then why should we have had to "wait for a few weeks" as you claim she's doing to know what they are? She should have stated them a year (or YEARS) ago so that people would be on her bandwagon for solving those issues that people could gravitate for. Just gravitating to her because "she's a Democrat" isn't enough for many of us now, who've seen the corporate Democrats fail us for too long now and put our country in the poor position it is for the 99% of us that it is now.

[hrmjustin]

124. Well you have the right to your opinion but the people of our party appear ready to nominate her

[cascadiance]

182. They were "ready to nominate her" in 2008 and look what happened later then...

People have felt pushed in to supporting something that "isn't as bad" if they don't have time to understand it, or feel like they don't have much control over it other than pushing one button or another. I think it is way too early to conclude from corporate media polls that the race "is over", the way some people try to present it as when trying to make it sound like she's "inevitable", so we don't have to look at her VERY SORRY record on issues that challenge the 1%'s control over our monarchy.

[hrmjustin]

184. Corporate media polls? Are you sayingvthey are lying?

[cascadiance]

186. Nope, they just aren't reporting anything that means anything and trying to make it sound...

... like it does.

Name recognition can distort what people "want" in polls done way too early before they are more informed on the topic that most by the nature of elections will be a lot more informed on and familiar with later. They may be accurately reporting "poll numbers", but what it is based on is a meaningless statistic that really doesn't have much accurate bearing on the future if you look at past history of such similar polls.

[hrmjustin]

187. Well good luck defeating her.

[cascadiance]

191. If it happens, it will and should only happen in the primaries...

Yes, I'm not wanting a president Cruz anymore than anyone else here! But I want a system that allows us choice to vote for someone that really works for us and not the 1% in Washington!

[Mike Nelson]

86. Agree, and she won't highlight that...

...just as Obama didn't focus on his "race".

[people]

90. If Robert Reich said that . . . .

He sounds like a sexist and he sounds jealous that he can't run for president as a woman. Guess what, Robert, you have always had an advantage she has not had and that is that you are a man. I do not particularly like Hillary - too close to Wall Street for me, but I really was surprised at Reich's comment. Why would he say such a stupid, insulting thing? Say want you want about HRC but she is NO DUMMY. It looks like Reich should keep his mouth shut in terms of commenting on the topic of why and how women run for office. This comment changes my opinion of him substantially.

[Demit]

128. Robert Reich is 4'11" tall. He would face a distinct disadvantage running for president.

[Novara]

91. However, it's one of the strongest things she's got going right now.

Until we know more about where she stands on issues, one of her biggest strengths is that she may be the first woman US president. And as a feminist, that excites me. I know where she stands on women's issues and they are vital to me personally.

Obviously, being a woman isn't her only issue. We'll know more in the days ahead.

I still would like to see Bernie Sanders get in the race - if nothing more, to change the narrative and challenge her ideas on progressive issues other than women's issues.

[MaggieD]

93. Great strawman argument

I like Reich, but he blew it here.

[boston bean]

97. It's disappointing, that's for sure.

Expect a lot more of it, from all flanks...

[emulatorloo]

117. Pure desperation is what it is.

[ananda]

99. Really??

Clinton might have her problems with adhering to the liberal agenda,
but one thing she is not is stupid.

That admonition is so beneath her and all women.

[boston bean]

106. It really is. To have your sex used against you in this way

..someone with her lengthy record on the issues, be diminished that her only reason for wanting to be president is her sex, is insulting..

Robert Reich has really disappointed me here. Didn't expect these type of fallacious arguments from him... yet here we are with it the day before she announces...

[Martin Eden]

101. Absolutely!

It will be interesting to see how her campaign unfolds, and how DUers characterize/respond to it.

Hillary forever lost my Dem primary vote (as did John Kerry, Joe Biden, et al) when she voted to give GW authority to invade Iraq, but I will vote for the Dem nominee in the general election.

[Mass]

113. I like Reich, but this is beyond stupid. Being a woman is part of who she is. It is going to be an

issue some of her opponents will make. So, obviously, she should be running in part on that: Yes a woman is AS QUALIFIED AS A MAN to run.

This said, if she runs ONLY on that, she will lose, and she knows that. She needs to define what she is for and against, and Robert Reich probably does disagree with her on some issues. If this is the case, he should make his point, but his comment here is at best condescending. She will not run as a woman (ONLY) anymore than Ted Cruz (substitute by the name of your choice) will be running against her will run as A MAN (frankly there is more chances he would be than the opposite).

[MaggieD]

118. Maybe it's a "man" thing with Reich

I, personally, am skeptical we will ever have a female president - because of statements like his that try to reduce a female to her gender instead of her ideas. The media will do this non-stop as well. Just as they did in 2007. Lots of men appear to be threatened by a female leader - democrats, liberals, republicans, conservatives alike.

[TheBlackAdder]

131. See my posts above.. it's part of political reality.

I have three daughters, one is politically active.

This is a reality that she is keenly aware of. If gender were not such a hot topic, the ERA would have been ratified.

There are too many 'old school' men and evangelicals who believe that women should not hold high office.

Also, surveys show that the traits of the President mostly all align with male-gendered character traits.

===

It doesn't help that men candidates get more air time in the media and while politics are discussed with men, female candidates must deal with topics such as their clothing, appearance, presentation, family, or female-gendered topics.

===

I took a college course of this last fall and it was a stunning and traumatic eye-opener of reality from the CAWP center at Rutgers-Eagleton. The country's only Women and Politics research center.

In January, I met with one of the top officials with the Girl Scouts in my state, and when I left the meeting, I am resolved to pull all of my funding from their organization. That was another eye-opener, initially brought on by this article:
http://wonkette.com/562154/science-center-teaches-boys-rocketry-girls-makeup-internet-certain-to-be-pleased

[TheBlackAdder]

136. Please read my posts on this thread. Reich refers to well-known institutional gender biases.

Mass - this is political reality.

There are go many gender limitations that women confront that men don't have to, such as having kids in the house while running, whenter they have worn the same outfit twice, whether they come off as a shrew, harpie, or bitch... if they are too feminie, they are seen as soft, if they are too masculine, they are seen as butchie... not to mention the imbalance in network air time.

Anytime a woman is faced with questions about sex, looks, or gendered presentation, their poll scores drop by up to 5 points. This is a reality, because any mention of female-gendered topics, emphasizes female traits--directly in conflict with the traits expected of a president.

The more emphasis on gender also influences the 'old men' and evangelical beliefs that a woman should be at home or under a man's control. You'll see many discussions about how PW'd Bill Clinton will be, since cartoons were already out from the 2008 cycle.

[emulatorloo]

116. Really dumb thing to say. Reich is better than that.

Only an idiot would predict Clinton's platform will be that she has a vagina.

She has a fucking record in the Senate which is indicative of what she will run on.

Obligatory disclaimer that I won't support Clinton in the primary.

But DU needs to grow the fuck up and stop these idiotic smears

[bigtree]

132. I'm totally with you about the primary

...but swipes like this are an irresistible appeal to me to rise to her defense. That's the dynamic I see which I've argued plays into her favor in the long run. If you want to defeat Hillary, it needs to be done on the merits of her political positions and record. This type of stuff only serves to draw decent folks to her defense.

I very much like and appreciate the way Bernie Sanders has treated her as a potential rival; with respect and substance.

[emulatorloo]

163. Agree with you 100% on both counts.

Sanders is a real role model for Democrats on so many levels.

[Cryptoad]

121. WEll there are two more in the race

Cruz and Paul,,,, so which one of those are you supporting?

[stonecutter357]

123. you seem desperate!

[bigtree]

130. he sounds almost resentful on that point

...even though he knows well that her campaign will be about much more than that. It will certainly be an underlying appeal, but it's almost as if he's demanding that she deny her femininity and ignore the historical significance and import of such an achievement (if it happens). Should Democratic women not recognize and respond to that prospect?

[Beacool]

133. I'm sure that Hillary needed Reich to tell her that since she's never been involved in a campaign.

She hasn't even officially announced yet. How about letting her present her platform before everybody starts offering their 2 cents?

[Lil Missy]

137. She doesn't need to. She is highly qualified in her own right. n/t

[sabrina 1]

141. He's right. Issues, that is what voters want to hear about!

[emulatorloo]

149. pretty sure HRC will have a website up tomorrow, don't you think?

She's announcing tomorrow, so I bet we will see a campaign website which will elucidate her positions on issues.

That is why I see Reich and/or kentuck's posturing that she is only running on her gender to be absurd. I honestly don't see any point to jumping on Reich's silly bandwagon.

[sabrina 1]

153. Well, here's the problem with Hillary. I know, eg, where Warren stands on important issues. She has

spoken without hesitation on her views. I know pretty much where Sherrod Brown, Bernie Sanders and several other Dems stand on the TPP eg. I know where they stand on the DP, on Torture, on cuts to SS/Chained CPI.

But I do not know where Hillary stands on many of theses issues despite being so much in the public eye for so long. I don't know, eg, if she has changed her views on what she called our 'proxy wars', or how she views prosecuting Wall St criminals.

If she puts up a website tomorrow, I hope she will not make vague statements such as 'we need to do something about economic inequality'. That isn't a policy, that is an opinion.

But we'll see.

Reich is right, too much emphasis on her gender, which means very little to the average working class person as opposed to where a candidate stand on important issues.

[BlueCaliDem]

142. For YEARS I've heard people wailing that if women were in power, things would be better

but now that a woman - a strong and qualified woman - decides to run for the White House, we get all these "being the first woman to be president isn't a platform" criticisms. You know what? Hillary Clinton isn't just running on being the first woman to be president. She has been the first FLOTUS to run for the Senate (and won), the first FLOTUS to run for president (lost), and the first FLOTUS to be appointed Secretary of State (and won easily) by, imo, one of the best presidents our country has seen in a LONG while. She is, by far, THE MOST qualified person to be President of the United States.

Believe it or not, not many people give a good god**** what she says she'll be running on in this day and age of fluff reality teevee like the Kardashians and Duck Dynasty. It's all about appearances.

Sure, if she's for peace instead of war in the M.E., hoorah! If she's for the PPACA and wants to expand it, more power to her! If she's for more investment in this country, GOOD. If she's more for cutting taxes on the already obscenely wealthy - as her husband has been - I'm all for it!

But let's be real. Not everyone is as politically informed as most people on DU. Most barely even pay attention to politics, hence the poor showing in midterms compared to presidential election years.

Whether we like it or not, we have to come to terms with the sad fact that people will congregate around a candidate that gets their juices flowing. And they will vote for Hillary Clinton because she can be the first female president in our country, just as they congregated and voted for Senator Obama who was poised to become the first Black president of the United States (and his peace talk helped a LOT, too). The good news is, she's a Clinton, and although her husband could've been more progressive during his two terms (and I'm certain he would've been had the American people not given the Republicans the Congress for twelve friggin' years), he did give us some great justices (Bader-Ginsberg and Breyer), 22 million newly created jobs, a 2.4% unemployment rate, and peace.

We could've done worse.

[JoePhilly]

144. My generally non-political wife is planning to get very active for Hillary.

She's a Dem, and she's always voted, but she's never become active in any political campaign.

I think that's going to happen, a lot.

[lewebley3]

148. JoePhilly: I will be out there working for Hillary too!

Three Cheers for Hillary!!!

[kentuck]

145. This country has some severe problems...

...not the least of which is the permanent warfare state, income inequality, the environment, jobs, trade treaties, and saving our democracy. Other than that, we can pretend it is only about a vagina or a penis...

[lewebley3]

146. Robert Reich is sexist: Hillary is not running because she is woman: She is qualified!!!!!

These comments Reich make me sick: if it weren't for the Clinton's
we would not have much of a career.

Hillary: has spent the last 30or so years working for this country and
for the democratic party;

If Reich has a more qualified person to run for the nomination then let
him work their campaign, if he doesn't then maybe he should stop living
off bashing the Clinton's;

Reich with all his bashing will not put himself out and run for an office,
he should support the people who are willing to go out and fight for
the democratic party and this country,

[DemocratSinceBirth]

168. He hitched his star to Bill Clinton at Oxford...

Not the other way around...

[Cleita]

147. I agree. That should be at the bottom of her resume not the top.

It should be an:

"Oh, by the way, if you elect me, I will be the first woman to hold that office."

[AgingAmerican]

150. I don't recall her exploiting that as an issue in 08

Does anyone else?

[Starry Messenger]

155. I like him, but that was stupid.

Perhaps he thought he was diffusing the issue by bringing it up first. That's the most charitable gloss I can put on that.

[The Blue Flower]

157. Couldn't agree more

I saw a clip yesterday of her selling herself to a cheering crowd, saying, "Don't you want to see a woman president?" Nothing about her gender tells me what her vision is.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

167. Her vision is to have a world where every person has the same advantages as her granddaughter.

Since she was born into great privilege that's a laudable goal.

[bvar22]

194. a laudable goal, but a vision based on a fantasy.

Only the children of the 1% will enjoy the "great privilege".

[DemocratSinceBirth]

196. My pops died when I was fourteen and I lived in what folks call a shotgun shack.

But it is a vision...

[bvar22]

199. Odd, I grew up in a "Shotgun" too.

Do you really believe 1%Hillary will fix that for your children?

You know, after thinking about living in that "Shotgun", I can remember how MY parents told me that if I worked hard, studied, and stayed out of jail, I would do better than they did,
...and they were right.

Can you sincerely promise YOUR kids the same thing?
NO..not even close, and Bill Clinton is responsible for much of that.
I expect Hillary to do the same.

[craigmatic]

159. She'll run as being the second Clinton to be President.

[Doctor_J]

173. I am not sure. something analogous was a big chunk of Obama's allure in 2008

I think voting for the first female president would be invigorating and satisfying. But actually voting against wall street would be even moreso

[OKNancy]

176. Coming late to the thread... but Robert Reich is a big Hillary fan

Facebook Post earlier this year:

I've known Hillary Rodham Clinton since she was a college freshman 48 years ago (Hillary Rodham, then). I have no doubt she'll run for president in 2016, nor do I have any doubt that she'd make a fine president. Regressive Republicans will, of course, do everything in their power to prevent her from becoming president. Their continued obsession with the attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, news stories now being floated about State Department disarray under her watch, rumors of Department officials consorting with prostitutes -- all of this, and much more can be expected over the next three years. Our presidential campaigns are almost permanent, the regressives' venom is unfathonable, and their scorched-earth partisanship is worse than ever. But HRC is by now well-accustomed to their attacks. Her skin is much thicker than it was when they began going after her in the Clinton Administration (remember Whitewater? Vince Foster?). She knows how and when to respond forcefully. She will not formally announce until she absolutely must, which will help, but she will be a visible and compelling presence between now and then nonetheless. I hope she takes good care of herself. The nation needs her.

and article published yesterday:

Which brings me to Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Some wonder about the strength of her values and ideals. I don’t. I’ve known her since she was 19 years old, and have no doubt where her heart is. For her entire career she’s been deeply committed to equal opportunity and upward mobility.

Some worry she’s been too compromised by big money – that the circle of wealthy donors she and her husband have cultivated over the years has dulled her sensitivity to the struggling middle class and poor.

But it’s wrong to assume great wealth, or even a social circle of the wealthy, is incompatible with a deep commitment to reform – as Teddy Roosevelt and his fifth-cousin Franklin clearly demonstrated.

http://robertreich.org/post/116045764740

[SidDithers]

179. And with this post, you absolutely destroy the tripe that was in the OP...

Well done.

Sid

[Autumn]

190. The "tripe" in the OP was from Robert Reich's FB page, Robert Reich's words not the OP's

[kentuck]

202. Thanks for the post OKNancy!

Worthwhile read...

[guillaumeb]

183. So the apologist for William Clinton has defined the HRC candidacy?

Reich is being ridiculous. If HRC had declared as the official candidate whose qualification was being female he might have a point. But she is not a candidate at this point and has not mentioned that her gender gives her special qualifications.

Reich is a very intelligent man, but he still defends William Clinton and defines him as a good President. He has his blind spots and biases.

[fadedrose]

185. She speaks for women's rights

and gender equality. Like she's the first one, not.

Gloria Steinham stands out - and the women in Congress already who have been there for years, - Barbara McCulsky, Pilozzi, some of the R's are really old and have been there for ages.. Many of you have a favorite woman achiever.

And they're having trouble deciding which of 4 females will be the first on a $20 bill. My personal favorite is Eleanor Roosevelt who didn't use her sex as a way to get attention and ask for equality.

Ladies have been busy for a long time if anyone's been paying attention.

[cascadiance]

188. Personally I think Frances Perkins should be considered to be on our currency someplace...

She was the brains behind FDR's "New Deal" on his cabinet that wrote most of the details of it. I think a lot of credit should be given to her for fixing our government then, and providing us hope that someone could do it again when we so sorely need it now.

I do think that we need a strong voice for women's rights, but I think we can't leave it there. The country so needs someone that can stand up to the 1% that is funding so much of the corruption that has so many politicians only look at social issues instead of the fundamental issues like wealth inequality, voting rights, domestic spying, outsourcing and crappy free trade deals, "corporate personhood" and "money is speech" related issues, that they are fighting a lot harder and being more successful at keeping off of both parties' agendas in ways that serve us the people.

I want a woman like Elizabeth Warren that can pave the way for women AND work on these other fundamental issues that should be prioritized over everything else at this time so that we can deal with the other issues far more constructively later and not just in ways that look more like "window dressing" the way the PTB want them to be dealt with now.

[bvar22]

189. Michele Bachmann is a woman.

Sarah Palin is a woman.

"Mean Jean" Schmidt is a woman.

Katherine Harris is a woman.

Gender has absolutely no place on my list of qualifications for President.
Like Hair color, it is meaningless as a qualification for President,

[cascadiance]

192. Yep, Bernie Sanders is a man, and Ted Cruz is a man, but that choice is VERY simple...

... and has nothing to do with either man's gender! Bernie Sanders gets my support in most races, except against EW perhaps, who I think pragmatically might have a better shot at winning a general election than Bernie for a variety of reasons, even though I'd love him as president.

I think if the Democrats are smart, they'd encourage Jennifer Granholm to enter the Democratic primaries. If she gets challenged that she can't do so because "she's a Canadian'", then challenge right back and say then why do we have a double standard and not question the Canadian Ted Cruz's qualifications on the same basis? Maybe because he's a man? A Republican?

[dsc]

200. Let me be blunt here

If in 2008 anyone had said this replacing woman with black the person posting here would have been tarred a racist as would have the writer of the comment. But since it is only sexism it is all good.

[Warpy]

201. Correct. Obama didn't run on being the first black man, he ran on being the most competent

Kennedy didn't run on being the first Catholic, the Baptists and other Protestant sects screamed about it. He ran on his competence.

So it should be for any other "first."

Let the GOP go for the stardust and moonbeams. Let the Democrats run on competence, the ability to do the job instead of leaving it to a bunch of paid party hacks in the background.

[yellowwoodII]

206. I Voted for Obama

On what I perceived as his generally "antiwar" stance. He has fulfilled my expectations on his avoidance of several conflicts that the neocons wanted to get us into. Also, his actions on Cuba. His attempts to ease the conflicts with Iran.

Hillary, on the other hand, voted to get us into Iraq.

I think that voting for her because of her gender would be stupid.

[indivisibleman]

207. I have started to see this argument

made against Hillary that she can only run on being a woman because her accomplishments are really not that good. Total fiction but that is where they are going. They are trying to make the debate about her being a woman in order to diminish her serious qualifications for the job. Just because she makes a statement about bringing a woman into the White House for the first time doesn't mean she is running on this idea.

[Beacool]

211. It's a sexist argument and they know it.

Hillary has many firsts in her life, a lot more than many male politicians. A simple Google search would prove it.

Even without taking into account her 12 years as an activist first lady in AR and the 8 years in the WH, she served as NY senator for 8 years and SOS for 4 years. That alone qualifies her to be president more than most of the Republicans who are in the running.

[indivisibleman]

212. completely agree.

What a wonderful president she would be. Will be, I hope.

[Beacool]

213. Keeping my fingers crossed.

[loyalsister]

216. I assume he's saying she can not build a platform around being woman

Not insinuating that she already has. It's sexist to make the assumption that she would.