Saturday, February 27, 2016

King of the Hil


As the former secretary of state gave her victory speech this evening in South Carolina -- her most moving and eloquent to date -- it became clearer to me than ever that I REALLY want Hillary Clinton to be our president. I want it because I think she is by far the most qualified candidate. But I also want it for my 74-year-old mother, who tells me as a woman she's spent her life feeling like a second-class citizen, from needing a husband in order to have her own credit card, to having a judge tell her she was being "hysterical" when she calmly asked that my father -- who had never properly provided for us and physically abused her -- not be allowed inside our home for his visits, because that's where his abuse took place. (She's the strongest woman I know.) And I want it for my niece, Ally, and all the other young girls, so they grow up never realizing that not having a woman president -- just like not having a black president -- was ever a possibility. No one is saying identity politics are the most important factor is the race. But in 2016 -- after 227 years of XY chromosomes in the Oval Office, an ovary or two at the con would go a long way toward shattering the glass ceiling. And a woman's touch might just be what Washington needs to get things working again, 'cause God knows in my experience it's always been the women who get shit done. 


4 comments:

Bob K said...

For your Mom -- we can add that until at least 1970, a married woman was "Mrs. George Smith", never "Alice Smith", so she did not even have her name.

However, I want Hillary because she is the most qualified -- and in comparison to the current repubs, it's like a Jaguar vs a Hyundai that is missing a spark plug. Thank God for Bernie bringing up all those issues and dreams (most of which have zero chance of passing our bought and paid for Congress), but she is the better executive. I pray that the young voters he has brought out will stay and vote for her.

Meanwhile, Trump and Christie are appearing together -- the Ham and Cheese sandwich.
And Snarko Stupio is drowning, in his attempts to sound adult.

etc.

John Brett said...

I've wanted a woman to be elected to the presidency for many years, mostly because I'm a guy who hates our country's macho stance about being the world's cop (which we can do because our bombs are bigger than anyone else's bombs). And I have resisted the idea of Hillary being elected because she's pretty hawkish. But you're right, it's time that we elect a woman, if only to prove to the rest of the world that we acknowledge women are equal to men (and they are, if not superior to men). And it's not like all the guys we've elected have been perfect. I mean, if I didn't leave the country and renounce my citizenship when Bush was re-elected for his second term, I can put up with almost anyone, right?

Dave in Texas said...

After Hillary's victories on Super Tuesday, it should be even more apparent that she will be, and deserves to be, the nominee. I'm so excited for the campaign. I hope Bernie doesn't drag it out much longer.

Dame If You Do, Dame If You Don't said...

I agree with the optics and the long overdue access they will provide, but in the end all this candidate will prove (like Thatcher or Merkel) is that gender differences are meaningless. She will show that a woman, just like a black man, just like anyone, can still be a war waging, front office, corporate shill. She will not bring back the middle class or actually effect income equality in any significant way. When people see that, that is the beginning of true equality. That is when the two party system will begin to crash. That is when America will begin to heal itself.