( – promoted by buhdydharma )
For the last two years, younger women listened to men explain how cold, calculating and manipulative Hillary Clinton actually is; older women made dinner for their families, sat with their knitting, or worked the late shift, and sometimes watched and listened, too.
Professional and working moms balancing infants on one knee and a bag of groceries on the other while watching Tweety and other six-figure earners explain to them how Hillary didn’t really deserve an equal place at the table. Men, as well, watched and listened to the spew.
And then, on January 8th, 2007, these women and men voted.
When the dust cleared the first woman in American history with a serious shot at winning the White House had won the nation’s first primary. Pundits reeled and moaned.
‘What about Hillary’s negatives?’, they asked. ‘Everybody hates Hillary’. Few even now have a clue what all this Hillary hate actually means, which is simply:
99% of the people around Hillary would happily take a bullet for her.
All that hate over the years has built up an enormous sense of loyalty, in many. And the reason the talking heads don’t understand that is simple: many of these fighters are women.
In Tweety’s world courage always wears a cod-piece and sounds like John McCain.
Susan B. Anthony would understand.
Chris Matthews, Andrew Sullivan and the like, dedicated only to their own careers, never will.
When the talking heads figure that out, the news may once again be worth watching.
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women in my life for inspiring me and teaching me about courage.
All of them.
Hello. Lawyer?
It has been a puzzlement to me that people can’t see how much the hatred of a strong woman has influenced public conception of Senator Clinton.
There have been so many thumbs on this scale that I fear seeking fair play is a fool’s errand. But I will continue to be that fool.
Pakistan had a woman leading its country before America reached this milestone last night. I believe Argentina just voted in a woman president.
the one person i wanted to be president was Barbara Jordan. She was the real deal and far superior to any candidates we’ve had since Nixon. And that includes Bill Clinton btw.
but i find myself defending her on principle. and chris matthews and the ‘iron my shirt’ types only reinforce that. she’s not my first choice, but i’ll defend her right to run on as level a playing field as we can create…does that make sense??
…of women in leadership roles, which is why they made daughters their heirs, and why Boudicaa almost beat the Romans, who refused to accept women leaders.
The Iroquois knew the worth of women leaders, and gave women veto power over war-making decisions. And while some say the U.S. Constitution cribbed some elements from the Iroquois, it certainly avoided giving women any say in things.
In the 20th Century, we’ve had women prime ministers or presidents (both real and ceremonial) in 40 countries: Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Sri Lanka, 1960-1965, 1970-1977, 1994-2000; Indira Gandhi, India, 1966-77, 1980-1984; Golda Meir, Israel, 1969-1974; Isabel Peron, Argentina, 1974-1976; Elisabeth Domitien, Central African Republic, 1975-1976; Margaret Thatcher, Great Britain; 1979-1990; Maria da Lourdes Pintasilgo, Portugal, 1979-1980; Lidia Gueiler Tejada, Bolivia, 1979-1980; Dame Eugenia Charles, Dominica, 1980-1995; Vigdís Finnbogadóttír, Iceland, 1980-96; Gro Harlem Brundtland, Norway, 1981, 1986-1989, 1990-1996; Milka Planinc, Yugoslavia, 1982-1986; Agatha Barbara, Malta, 1982-1987; Maria Liberia-Peters, Netherlands Antilles, 1984-1986, 1988-1993; Corazon Aquino, Philippines 1986-92; Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan; 1988-1990, 1993-1996; Kazimiera Danuta Prunskiena, Lithuani; 1990-91; Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, Nicaragua; 1990-1996; Mary Robinson, Ireland 1990-1997; Ertha Pascal Trouillot, Haiti, Interim President, 1990-1991; Sabine Bergmann-Pohl, German Democratic Republic President, 1990; Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar (Burma) (1990, but never seated because of military); Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh, 1991-1996; Edith Cresson, France, 1991-1992; Hanna Suchocka, Poland, 1992-1993; Kim Campbell, Canada, 1993; Sylvie Kinigi, Burundi, 1993-1994; Agathe Uwilingiyimana, Rwanda, 1993-1994; Susanne Camelia-Romer, Netherlands Antilles, 1993, 1998-08; Tansu Çiller, Turkey; 1993-1995; Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge, Sri Lanka 1994 (PM), President, 1994-08); Reneta Indzhova, Bulgaria; 1994-1995; Claudette Werleigh, Haiti, 1995-1996; Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Bangladesh, 1996-08; Mary McAleese, Ireland 1997-08; Pamela Gordon, Bermuda, 1997-1998; Janet Jagan, Guyana, 1997 (PM), President, 1997-1999; Jenny Shipley, New Zealand, 1997-1999; Ruth Dreifuss, Switzerland, 1999-2000; Jennifer Smith, Bermuda, 1998-08; Nyam-Osoriyn Tuyaa, Mongolia, 1999; Helen Clark, New Zealand, 1999-08; Mireya Elisa Moscoso de Arias, Panama, 1999-08; Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Latvia, 1999-08; Tarja Kaarina Halonen, Finland, 2000-08.
here as a woman and anti Hillary supporter. I feel manipulated from both ends. While I deplore the talking idiots and their codpiece worship, I also feel that people, including women, are caught in a catch 22. We have attacks stupid ones, coming from all candidates or their ‘consultants’, ones that are not based on issues but rather that insanity called electability or like able.
After years of hearing how like able Bush was I have to say it’s not high on my list of what draws me to a candidate. My issues with Hillary, and Bill for that matter, (they are a two for) have nothing to do with gender. It has to do with her highly touted experience. It takes a village. The Clinton’s policies are neoliberal and do not really in imo benefit women of the world, but embrace a geopolitical landscape that is irreconcilable with true feminism.
to slap the shit out of all the pundits especially Tweety for those blustering sexist comments about her night after night and the realization that she is not my number one by a long shot. However, there is no way anybody can claim she isn’t’ “tough enough” let’s see how the male candidates would hold up under a constant assault about looks, their laugh, being too cold, being too warm being this this that and the other thing. She breathes wrong and somebody attacks her. Never mind all the crap about how women age. Jesus, have you seen the male Republican candidates???? If we are going to get petty, a few of them have not advanced very gracefully. Why do guys get a pass on unattractive neck lines, droopiness, and bad hair?
A lot of women who are supporting her are probably thinking fuck you middle aged women are pretty damn cool.
I think I am am on occasion. Where that is a reason to support a candidate is debatable, but this blindingly stupid assumption that middle aged men are competent without even examining them and middle aged or young women are automatically not competent unless they prove themselves over and over and exude some unattainable standard of perfection has got to go.
But my support for Hillary was not in reaction to the “hate.” The hate for Hillary that has been out there for the last 15 or more years is so ridiculous and so bigoted. I’m sorry, but that’s how I see it. The Hillary haters are just not rational. I’m not saying that there are no rational reasons to oppose Hillary, because there certainly are. But the Hillary haters that I know are irrational partisans. It is ridiculous.
I know that lots of women hate her, and the argument that she’s cold or whatever completely baffles me. Her getting choked up was not a revelation to me. I always assumed she was human. I think it is baffling that people are even saying that–admitting that it was her emotional moment that “showed” them her human side. I think it is more that the Hillary haters ENJOY seeing her “cry,” or showing vulnerability. It helps them figure out how to hit her harder the next time.
I’m a cynic. I think she’s going to win. But she’s going to have to fight the Romney clan, and it will be a brutal fight.
she’d hammer them. Right now. In front of everyone. As respectfully as warranted. There’s no reason in the world to walk on egg shells around her, but many do. In reality, she’s one of the sweetest and most honest people around, but she doesn’t tolerate abuse. If she worked near Chris Matthews, he’d be looking for a new gig waiting on tables.