That, essentially, is the argument that Gloria Steinem makes in today’s New York Times:
Gender is probably the most restricting force in American life, whether the question is who must be in the kitchen or who could be in the White House. This country is way down the list of countries electing women and, according to one study, it polarizes gender roles more than the average democracy.
That’s why the Iowa primary was following our historical pattern of making change. Black men were given the vote a half-century before women of any race were allowed to mark a ballot, and generally have ascended to positions of power, from the military to the boardroom, before any women (with the possible exception of obedient family members in the latter).
Only someone with ideological blinders as severe as Steinem could come to a conclusion like this. People aren’t voting against Hillary because she’s a woman, or a mother, or whatever. They are voting against her because she represents what a lot of people, Democrat and Republican, recognize as what’s wrong with this country. And, quite honestly, because she just doesn’t come across as a nice person.
And, so why is Gloria supporting Hillary ? Well, let her tell you:
I’m supporting Senator Clinton because like Senator Obama she has community organizing experience, but she also has more years in the Senate, an unprecedented eight years of on-the-job training in the White House, no masculinity to prove, the potential to tap a huge reservoir of this country’s talent by her example, and now even the courage to break the no-tears rule.
Yes, that’s right, Hillary is qualified to be President because of who she’s married to. So much for being qualified by virtue of her own accomplishments, huh ?
