(And this is serious.)
Why does everyone hates Hillary Clinton so much? Okay, she wants to be the president of the United States. Maybe desperately so. But who the hell wouldn’t?
I can’t believe I am saying this but I am beginning to believe that there is a subtle sexism behind the way she has been run down. Drinking Obama’s Kool-Aid is all good, but why object so vehemently to her staying in the race? Okay. Maybe she is a bitch. Leaving aside what exactly maybe wrong with being one, let’s face it: Politics remains male-dominated and only women who are tough, thick skinned and vicious can hope to come to the top. Granted that Obama is running his campaign playing the nice guy. Why does it mean Clinton has to do the same? They are both running to their strengths: Obama as a relatively unknown Washington outsider and Clinton as some one who knows how to work the system.
No?
Filed under: Musings
I think American media is just happy painting pretty picture of a black president, especially one who was an underdog. The media is carrying over the Clinton baggage from yesteryears. So it has not stopped being tough on Hilary. And also the McCain baggage from the straight talk express era. So they mollycoddle McCain as one would a grampa. Since there is no one then to really back – Obama has become the new wonderboy.
Hilary has done everything to win the bid. I hope she leaves gracefully when the time comes to leave the field – more points if she campaigns for the wonderboy.
I too wonder sometimes. I think main reason is people don’t like her and think she is manipulative and dishonest. What makes it worse is she is prolonging the democratic primary while John McCain is establishing his narrative (for example his needling of Oh! bama! wrt Iraq). The sexism is mostly a marginal issue.
And this is serious. indeed…
Why does everyone HATES Hillary Clinton so much?
This could be a reason for such campaign-hatred!
The mythical beauty Huma Abedin, born to an Indian father and a Pakistani mother, Hillary Clinton’s “body woman”, the “indispensable right hand,”and whose relationship with Ms Clinton could be above the ordinary….huh!
http://in.news.yahoo.com/ani/20080530/r_t_ani_wl_us/twl-love-blossoms-for-pak-indian-beauty-37e466c_1.html
Obama is a good guy fortified with religious food, though handsome, quite a boring guy. he is a great speaker who could move the crowds (especially the younger gen), n does not have the modern age bloody politics profile – “cry,wipe n smile glamorous artists”, endearingly suave yet manipulative and ability to thrive on scandals (could be of any kind, which includes sex). And above all, let’s not forget the ability blend with “Multi-ethnic world”
Sakshi,
Why do you believe she has to leave the field? Maybe she won’t! But yeah, you are quite right that her chances are pretty bleak now.
I think she will leave graciously; she can’t force the party to select her!
Gaurav,
Well, McCain won the primary fair and square. It can’t be her fault if Obama can’t close the deal…
Jyo,
Indeed. Very serious.
The sexism is mostly a marginal issue.
I disagree. That’s probably the central issue in how media has reported on her. Basically, if the media reports on certain issues (looks, laugh, dress etc.) for a female candidate that it would not for a male candidate and gender becomes a factor, I call that sexism. And there’s plenty of evidence of that. Not that I support Clinton.
As for why Hillary is still in the race, welcome to democracy.
@ Politics remains male-dominated
do we really care for dirty, mundane Politics..huh!
To be on the top of those pachyderms political players is the challenge…we women really do focus our energies in bringing down the rulers/leaders of all kind, we women love to create delirious scandals all over so that the mundane landscape acquires some colour n becomes juicy
anyway..let’s look at Huma Abedin, Vogue model and ‘mythical figure’, the body woman of Hillary Clinton
…she could be th reason behind the campaign-hatred
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/05/28/2008-05-28_yes_im_hot_for_hillary_clintons_body_wom.html
There might be hints at sexism from the media (Matthews, Tucker, or even Olbermann) but people who want her out do not want her to damage Obama’s chances in the Fall. Given how the Presidential elections are structured and how close they are in recent years, Democrats don’t want Hillary to dig up dirt or impugn Obama thus spoiling his chances against McCain. Sorta like, let us stop internal squabbling and fight against our common enemy.
Huckabee also had received ridicule for staying too long esp.since he was winning in the South. But if Republican primaries were conducted on lines of Democratic ones, then we would be seeing a similar struggle among them as well. But the winner-take-all (not exactly democratic) settled their race quicker. McCain routinely gets 70% or less in current Republican primaries which is low considering all his opponents (except Paul) have endorsed him and are campaigning for him.
Ah Rohit, we are so on the same page. The NYT had a good article on this issue of sexism. More here –
http://shripriya.com/blog/2008/05/18/the-first-female-president/
I don’t believe it is all b/c it is Hillary. I really do believe they would find almost *any* female candidate a complete bitch. And what does that say?
I also want Hillary to become the President, but somewhere in the campaign journey, I bent down towards Obama. I now feel he is better suited to become the President.
Hillary has every right to fight the race till the end, but from the party perspective, she better give up instead of stretching the band till it breaks… she atleast will be regarded as the bigger person around!
Jyo,
Politics is important. Dismissing politics as dirty is counter-productive.
Patrix,
Well, you can’t just ask a candidate who is still competitive to leave just like that. I mean she is still winning states with large majorities. Maybe Obama should try and cut a deal with her. Afterall, as the presumptive democratic nominee, he should be taking the initiative.
Shripriya,
Thanks for the link. I had actually read that. I think there is some belief that female candidates should be nice especially if the guy opposing her is…almost as if ..why you need to be a bitch now? As far as finding any female candidate a bitch, well, any woman who reaches this position would be a tough nut, I think a lot of people confuse that with being bitchy.
Ms Taggart,
As I said to pat, then Obama should try to cut a deal with Clinton.
Viral Communication by Obama fans
Hillary-ious
http://adsoftheworld.com/watch_hillary_clinton_falling
I’ve been wondering about this for quite sometime. Hillary has got every right to fight till the end. Its a democratic election, everybody has got the right to go till the end. Besides someone commented that Hillary is dishonest and manipulative,. Come on! Grow up! Who is not manipulative in politics? It is actually a vital tool that politicians possess. But I think this whole thing comes from the belief that women are supposed to be nicer than men, have more integrity and character etc. Besides, concentrating on a women’s looks and clothing especially one who is standing for the elelctions when you don’t do the same for male candidates is definitely sexism. I am a Hillary supporter mainly because I wanted to see a woman occupy the most powerful position in the world. I defintely don’t understand why females in U>S> don’t think this way.
Well, one clue might come from how she’s behaving even AFTER the end.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/06/the-clintons-th.html
” The speech tonight was a remarkable one for a candidate who has lost the nomination, though not remarkable for a Clinton. It was an assertion that she had won the nomination and a refusal to concede anything to her opponent. Classless, graceless, shameless, relentless. Pure Clinton.”
Okay there’s a lot of hate in that litany of attributes, but the non-concession, and apparent pressure tactics to get on to the no.2 spot (without yet conceding the no.1 spot) is in rather poor taste.
Her camp seems to be hunting for the max they can get on the theory that Obama needs them to win. In Indian politics this is ‘normal’ groupism that will exist even after the party comes to power. I dont know if this is how things go in the US.
rgds,
Jai