NY Times: The Huge Enthusiasm Deficit: Why Boomer Women Don't Like Hillary Clinton

[amborin]

Why Don't Boomer Women Like Hillary?

THERE is nothing more sexist than wanting Hillary Clinton as president because she’s a woman.”

snip

Mrs. Clinton, 68, has always counted on women of her generation as her rock-solid base.

Polls don’t quantify doubts, but anecdotally, enthusiasm for her is anemic. Ambivalence is seeping in about her authenticity and the power of her symbolism as a woman.

Once again, she has been caught coasting on inevitability.....

snip

It figures that:

Mrs. Clinton’s latest gain appears to be among moderate Republican women who are revolted by the extremism of Mr. Trump.

snip

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/opinion/campaign-stops/why-dont-boomer-women-like-hillary-clinton.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-right-region®ion=opinion-c-col-right-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-right-region

[Baitball Blogger]

1. If Hillary loses, I will at some level feel bad for her.

At some point she will recognize how close she came and she will understand that she lost it because she didn't represent herself as an independent woman. All this criticism she is receiving all boils down to the concerns that she is too close to the organizations and people that the American people want nothing to do with. She is intelligent, she is experienced but she is not independent. And that's what the feminist movement was all about.

[senz]

48. If by "independent" you mean principled, authentic, and firm, I agree with you.

[CharlotteVale]

2. *GASP* Republicans are for Hillary?!?!?!

I thought it was supposed to be such a bad thing if Republicans were to vote for Bernie, but now it looks like some might vote for her?

Oops! Back that meme up!

[libdem4life]

19. The "pretzeling" and Rovian attacks are phenomenal...phenomenally bad.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

31. A lot of people have a hard time telling what party she's in.

[SammyWinstonJack]

33. I don't have a hard time. Seems pretty clear too me.

Republican women for Hillary.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

52. who knew that Goldman Sachs has its own party?

[senz]

55. LOL - So true!

[jillan]

3. Excuse me - this Senior Citizen is of her generation & supports Bernie.

And I am the youngest in a group of women that support Bernie - lol.

Of course we all want to see a woman elected to the White House while we are still here on earth BUT Elizabeth Warren decided to stay in the Senate.

[libdem4life]

20. Me, too. Looks like we'll have the first Jewish President, then the first Woman President

one that will not embarrass the crap out of us...and yes EW would have fit the bill. There will be another come along.

I take immense hope with the motivation of the formerly non-participants or clothespin participants in our Oligarchy at this point. It's time.

[DinahMoeHum]

36. I turn 60 in March, and I still think there will be a woman POTUS

. . .in my lifetime. Just not Hillary Clinton.

Sometimes the dice just don't roll your way.

[libdem4life]

39. I'm of SS age, and I agree. I think it was more than the dice...it may be the intensity

of coveting that job and willingness to do whatever necessary to get it. And for women of our generation, that was often necessary...especially in a man's world.

At some point, that comes through and I think that's her negative rating. The culture has changed. I was for her before Obama came along. Not this time, even before Bernie.

But now, in my lifetime, I can vote whole-heartedly for a candidate that can actually win. For a Liberal, that's a big deal. I've spent most of my life having to compromise my deeply held beliefs...that used to be the Democratic Party when I joined.

If it takes an Independent to bring us back to our roots, then sobeit. My tent is no longer big enough to accommodate the Corporatist Democrats.

[djean111]

53. I am exactly with you.

I turn 70 in a month and a half (yay!) and went through the Feminism wars while working.
I had some fantastic female bosses, and some really really shitty ones.
We wanted an equal playing field, not PREFERENCE just because of gender.
I supported Hillary in 2008, support Bernie now, and would be/would have been thrilled to support Liz Warren.

[senz]

59. Absolutely.

[frazzled]

4. NOT the NY Times, just a crazy op-ed by a pop writer

And completely unsubstantiated. According to the most recent NBC poll (Jan 27), Hillary Clinton's support among women 45-64 and 65+ is 63% (compared to Sanders's 25-26%).



http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/where-sanders-clinton-are-dominating-n505381

If you want to know what the NY Times think--about Sheehy, not Clinton--here's a review of her book from two years ago

Gail Sheehy’s memoir is extremely effusive, mostly about herself. Some of that takes the form of writerly self-congratulation. Some attests to her wild sexual allure. Some consists of exaggerated claims for the importance and originality of her work. And the worst involves editorial choices that could easily have been avoided. Memoirists, you need not include every flattering remark that anyone ever made about you, even in the interest of full disclosure.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/19/books/daring-my-passages-by-gail-sheehy.html

[amborin]

6. LOL; but how many of these female supporters are Republican??? Quite a few, apparently!!!!!!! nt

[frazzled]

10. "LOL," this is a measure of Democratic voters

Why is "LOL" even a response? I know I've been effective when all people have is "LOL" followed by a hypothetical question.

[DURHAM D]

9. Sheey Mehe

I have been concerned about Gail's fixation on Hillary for a long time now. Its creepy. Sheehy is creepy.

[amborin]

12. that's ad hominum

[Beacool]

15. No, it's not if you have read her book on Hillary.

[libdem4life]

24. Is the book creepy, or just your reaction to it. Taking it you are in the David Brock fan club.

Or Karl Rove, for that matter.

I see nothing wrong with someone writing an article about someone they admire. Why do you? It's called an Editorial and I'm sure that before it was published, some level of fact checking was done.

The "polls" are insane...from both sides. Remember that's Liberal, listen and respect everyone, then make up your own mind. Conservative is...thinking what someone else thinks is the best.

Sounded like a negative attack to me.

Creepy...to describe a human person? Maybe even a personal attack.

[treestar]

13. It is strongest among Boomer women!

People need to learn to speak for themselves.

[cali]

17. Gail Sheehy is a prominent and influential journalist

though I think it could be argued that her influence has waned, but calling her some crazy pop writer is inaccurate. Personally, I've never been a fan. I don't care for her arch, self conscious writing style- but that's another story.

[kcjohn1]

5. Same reason as millennial men

At its core they don't believe a word out of her mouth. Not just her but all establishment politicians. Its hard to believe you will fund your campaign with special interests and than stand with the average voter.

Older voters are less idealistic and basically have resigned to the system corruption whether its conscious or not. Younger voters tend to vote for something or not vote at all. If you don't believe Hillary, why vote at all?

[in_cog_ni_to]

7. This boomer doesn't support her and neither does my boomer sister or my boomer friends.

All females. We vote on issues.

PEACE
LOVE
BERNIE

[bkkyosemite]

8. I'm the first of the baby boomers 1946....and

being the age I am (1 year older than HRC) I am a good judge of character. Have followed the Clinton's through the years. Have watched her body language and what she has said and done. I will be voting for Bernie.

[SamKnause]

11. This female boomer does not support her.

[Greybnk48]

23. This one does not either.

I think of her as a Goldwater girl. I WILL, however, support her if she's the Dem nominee.

[farleftlib]

26. Another boomer female

definitely not supporting her.

I don't see the reason for the hate on this thread for the editorial. It was pretty balanced from start to finish.

[Beacool]

14. Meh, Gail Sheehy wrote this column.

She has made money by writing about Hillary and her life "choices". I put her in the same category that I put MoDo and Camille Paglia, all Hillary haters.

[cali]

18. I don't think Sheehy fits in that category

[AlbertCat]

30. all Hillary haters.

Yes I'm sure they're up all night, night after night, just a-hatin' Hillary.

[dsc]

49. Dowd and Pagula most certainly are

even a cursory reading of their writings would show that.

[Nedsdag]

42. I have never read an "Anti-Hillary" book or piece from Gail Sheehy.

I don't know what you are talking about.

[frylock]

16. Of course Republican women are flocking to Hillary. That's what Bill cooked up..

by urging his buddy Trump to run in the first place.

[senz]

61. Interesting.

I've heard a number of credible observations that Trump entered the race as a spoiler. Some said he was in to knock out Jeb Bush (which he did), some said his rude utterances are designed to garner sympathy and support for Hillary, whom he admits is a friend. Plus, Jeb Bush was originally considered her most formidable competitor for the GE, and he's gone. But I never heard the Republican women angle, although it ties in perfectly with sympathy and support for Hillary.

So far, he doesn't say much about Bernie.

[zentrum]

21. All the older women in

...my family support Bernie. They're insulted by the notion that a woman should vote for a woman because she's a woman.

And all the young women in my family support him too!

[DiehardLiberal]

22. Another Female Boomer Supporting Bernie

I vote on issues and integrity. Would love a woman president but one who would help us all. That isn't Hillary unfortunately.

[jalan48]

25. "Ambivalence is seeping in about her authenticity ..."

Ya think?

[Faux pas]

27. Two words

'goldwater democrat'.

She turned me off when I found that out 20 something years ago. Never have warmed up to her and never will.

I'm a female Boomer.

[pandr32]

28. "Boomer women"

...do not want HC for President because she is a woman, but because of how much she has done and will do for women...and children, and all kinds of families, and communities.

[eridani]

66. Like the ones in Iaq and Libya? n/t

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

29. My wife is a pre-boomer and won't vote for Hillary.

She will, however, vote for Bernie.

[Vinca]

32. I'll be 67 in a few days and for some reason I just can't stand her.

It's not that I don't think she's smart or can't do the job of POTUS. I guess she comes across as really, really phony to me. She doesn't seem to have convictions that can't be swayed if the price/number of votes is right. If she's the nominee I'll vote for her, but it will be a vote against the Republican, not for the Democrat.

[grasswire]

37. it's her haughty and fake air that bugs me

there is no authenticity or humility in her. It's all an act.

[Fumesucker]

41. Every now and then Hillary opens up and seems genuine, like this time for instance

[Purveyor]

51. You mean like this?

[senz]

62. Yep, chilling. Every time.

[farleftlib]

44. I get that too, my gut tells me she's fake

Not a sincere bone in her body, and then there's the huge sense of entitlement.

There have also been a few occasions when someone dares to ask a serious question, when you see the rage flash for a second behind the fake smile.

Instinctively I recoil from her.

[livetohike]

34. This boomer woman and all of my boomer women friends are voting for

Hillary Clinton.

[senz]

63. Many Boomer women volunteering for Bernie in my area.

[LiberalElite]

35. I'm another female boomer 4 Bernie nt

[beltanefauve]

38. Another Boomer

for Bernie here. Husband too.

[avaistheone1]

40. I am a boomer, a woman and a feminist

and I am proudly and solidly for Bernie Sanders.

[kath]

50. Same here. i find HRC to be repulsive.

[bread_and_roses]

65. Same here - 65, Bernie supporter (n/t)

[Nedsdag]

43. Late stage female boomer.

I'm not voting for her either.

[catbyte]

45. I turned 60 in 2015, and I've never really liked her. I cannot point to one, single,

concrete thing. It makes no sense, it's just a gut feeling. Her overly-defensive crack about "I'm not the little woman baking cookies" during the 1992 election rubbed me the wrong way, and she's mildly irked me ever since. She was arrogant presenting her health care plans in 1993-94. I was disappointed in her Iraq War vote because Iraq had NOTHING to do with 9/11. It seemed like she was just showing how "tough" she was, even though it made no sense in relation to retaliating for the WTC attacks. Her ties to Wall Street and that weird prayer group thing in Washington also bugs me.

I'm not a big Bernie fan, either. I love his domestic policy positions, but he really needs to get up to speed where foreign policy is concerned. He seems naive and out of his depth at times.

However, I will wholeheartedly support whoever the nominee is, because the alternative is unthinkable and would be an absolute disaster.

[k8conant]

46. 49er finds gold in Bernie...

I campaigned for Eugene McCarthy in 1968 (before I could vote).

I am a 66-year-old woman who has only voted Republican twice in my life (against Clinton in 1996 and against a county clerk (big mistake--but the Democrat wasn't very good either).

I vote with my head AND my heart so I support Bernie Sanders because his dreams are my dreams and he has consistently supported those dreams and ideas. Hillary has not.

[sadoldgirl]

47. It makes sense that the older generation,

generally speaking, tend towards HRC.

With a certain age you look for continuity, and
may be very suspicious of change. That is the
reason why most younger people prefer Bernie.
jmo.

[SheilaT]

54. Yet another Boomer woman saying she does not at all support Hillary.

I realize that DU is in no way representative of the population at large, but it's almost amazing how many here do not support her.

[Blue_In_AK]

56. I'm another boomer woman (first wave) not favoring Hillary.

She annoys me. I'll probably vote for her if I have to - although how I vote in Alaska in national elections makes not one bit of difference - but I'd really rather vote for someone who shares my long-held values, and that would be Sen. Sanders.

[Zen Democrat]

57. Boomers for Bernie!

I was straddling the fence saying I would vote for the nominee (and still will), but I've determined that Bernie will get my support during the primaries. We'll go nowhere with the status quo, and Hillary offers nothing but watered down Bernie proposals. Every reason people give for Bernie being unable to get his agenda past the Republicans goes for Hillary with her tepid proposals. Why not go for what this country wants and needs?

There was a political revolution in 1980 that swept Reagan and the Republicans into power. It's time WE took back our country from Reaganomics, and ended the oil depletion allowance for once and for all, and stopped with big bankers being Too Big to Jail. Hillary will have no effect on the gross income equality in America.

A political revolution is long overdue and I'm on the Bus for Bernie.

[senz]

58. Hillary is the Wall Street candidate and I am a female boomer Democrat.

The women quoted in the article definitely represent my sisterhood. I would have loved for Elizabeth Warren to run, but since this election is extremely important, I do not have the luxury of voting for a woman whose history shows her to be anathema to the well-being of the American people and nearly everything I care about.

I am so grateful that Bernie Sanders is running, a feminist man whose principles, history, and vision match my own. He is an exceptionally good candidate for president, a proven winner who means what he says.

But I can certainly understand why Republican women in my age group would support Hillary. They are, after all, Republicans.

[Oilwellian]

60. I'm another Boomer female for Bernie

I was a flower child during my teen years with this poster in my bedroom. Hillary is the epitome of what was wrong then, and still is today.

[Juicy_Bellows]

64. And boom(er) goes the dynamite. Nt.