Apr 14
In case any of you have been wondering, I allowed Mr. PL to move back in even after he betrayed our entire household by volunteering for the Obama campaign during the Texas primary. But since we’ve stopped discussing politics, civility has been restored. However, I can’t stop thinking, once a cheater…always a cheater.
The next time he’s attracted to a candidate, our relationship may not survive. The late-night phone calls, the endless excuses (Blockwalking? I was out getting coffee! “The Audacity of Hope”? I’ve never seen that book in my life!) — ohhhh, what a tangled web we weave.
Turns out I’m not the only one. Very interesting article in Salon by Rebecca Traister on women and Hillary and Obama and men.
I received e-mails and phone calls from women voicing various strains of frustration: They told me about the sexism they felt coming from their brothers and husbands and friends and boyfriends; some described the suspicion that their politically progressive partners were actually uncomfortable with powerful women. Others had to find ways to call me out of earshot of their Obama-loving boyfriends. Some women apologized for “sounding so feminist.”
Interviewees expressed vexation at not being able to put their finger on what it was about Obama-mania that creeped them out so badly, while maintaining a deep assuredness that something was not quite right. Perhaps most surprising was that the majority of the women I spoke to were not haters: They were Obama supporters, or at least Obama-appreciators…
Perhaps it is thanks to the admitted cool factor that among educated liberal voters, the assumption is that you’re for Obama, that he is the more “progressive” choice. Obama loyalty, like white masculinity itself, has become normative -– if you’re not for him, you’d best be prepared to explain your deviation.
Have I mentioned the number of times I’ve been cornered and asked about how I could possibly be supporting Hillary for president? As if I’m just this idiotic woman blinded by gender who doesn’t know anything about the issues and can’t possibly comprehend the awesomeness that is Obama. Sometimes I feel like throwing my glass of wine in their face but then I think better of it and throw my husband’s glass of wine in their face.
Now, if you read the article, you’ll notice that many of the women she interviewed are Obama supporters, but, BUT, they are still able to see that there is indeed sexism in this campaign and in media coverage. And that’s an insult to all women, not just the ones who support Hillary.
The trackback URL is here.
I think you are an idiotic woman blinded by gender who doesn’t know anything about the issues…Pink Lady, you ignorant slut!
Why is sexism the only explanation for Obama fanaticism? I understand the criticism of the Obama supporters that they often don’t have logical reasons for supporting him beyond the “He’s inspirational/ hope for change mantra” and with that inability to rationally explain their support comes a concomitant inability to explain their hatred for her, but that doesn’t make it sexism. They have decided they are for Obama and against Hillary and won’t be swayed so they aren’t receptive to logical arguments the other way, It is what’s the matter with Kansas.
I think it’s more a product of the divisive politics of the past 20 years that makes it ok to tear down your opponent, openly loathe them and vilify them as a strategy to win an election.
Yikes! MattyD, you don’t realize just how difficult a job it is to spin for Hillary Clinton at this point in her campaign and career. I mean, every time she gets some momentum, Bill steps in and botches it. Every time Obama gives her an opening, Hillary overplays her hand. The internet and online organizational tools have totally advantaged Obama and he now eclipses her and McCain in volunteers and money. Bush has screwed up things so bad that change is actually on most minds, and Hillary is, in spite of being the first woman in line for the high office, mired in the establishment. Bummer.
Pink Lady, as the best spokesperson for Hillary in Texas today, has a hell of a job. I wouldn’t want to be carrying the water for the Clinton campaign right now. Let’s give her some respect.
:)
Re: 2. The Other Guy
Word.
Re : 1. MattyD
Bill says “chill out.”
Re: 0. Pink Lady
How far does identity politics go? Would women support Condi because of gender? if BO gets the nod, would a McCain/Rice ticket attract democratic women because of the gender issue? Ain’t this fun?
Re: 1. MattyD
I get the satire, but most folks prefer to go for the knees.
Re: 3. WTH
Identity politics would have me alligning with McCain, if we ignored the R/D part. That’s just wrong.
Hillary without Bill would be a semi-tolerable candidate. Just because I don’t support her doesn’t mean I wouldn’t vote for a female candidate…sort of like I didn’t support Jesse Jackson, but I support Obama. I’d like to at least think I vote the candidate and not the gender/ethnicity. I will admit to being rather tired of boring white men, though.
http://www.inthepinktexas.com
Re: 3. The Other Guy
No, he’s right. I am an ignorant slut.
Re: 6. Pink Lady
Every comeback I can think of would surely land me in the ITPT Human Resources Department for sensitivity training.
/That’s what she said.
“Have I mentioned the number of times I’ve been cornered and asked about how I could possibly be supporting Hillary for president? As if I’m just this idiotic woman blinded by gender who doesn’t know anything about the issues and can’t possibly comprehend the awesomeness that is Obama.”
PL, you know I love you, but with all due respect, didn’t you just ask me not too long ago why I supported Obama and if I’d ever even given the matter much thought, or looked into the issues? Yes, yes you did, right here in the comments. You suggested, with that question (and we dealt with it, so it’s cool), that I was a brainless Obama follower who didn’t have any real reason for my support of him. One of our Pink Mafia friends, as I recall, sprang to my defense and pointed out that I was a former Clinton supporter who had changed camps.
I remind you of this because this kind of attitude that you’re describing here is prevalent on both sides. You may get picked on for your support of Hillary as “just some idiotic woman blinded by her own gender.” Obama supporters, on the other hand, get picked on for blindly following “the cool factor” without giving any thought to the issues. Please. How is that not extremely insulting? We’re both being called mindless for supporting our particularly candidate.
Neither side deserves the pity party.
And yeah. What Lefty said.
“On Economy, 70% Disapprove of Bush”
Washington Post, today.
Just so we all remember the game. Whoever wins the Dem. nomination gets to talk about this, and Iraq, etc. I’m still not anywhere near worried. It’ll take about a week to remind everyone that McCain is a third Bush term. I really don’t blame Hillary for throwing every Hail Mary she can until the clock stops.
From the article:
“… a growing number of young women are struggling to describe a gut conviction that there is something dark and funky, and probably not so female-friendly, running below the frantic fanaticism of their Obama-loving compatriots.”
A growing number? Really? Where’s she getting this?! I don’t see any polls cited here. I don’t see numbers, ZERO evidence of this so-called trend.
Re: 10. Lurkette
“…something dark and funky, and probably not so female-friendly…”
Bros before Hos.
Re: 11. JohnCornyn’sBoxTurtle
You do know you’re going to hell, right?
http://www.showlush.com
Re: 11. JohnCornyn’sBoxTurtle
Did Lush Jr. feed you that line.
http://elizs.tumblr.com
PL, I thought of you when I saw this article: http://nymag.com/news/features/46011/
The Feminist Reawakening: Hillary Clinton and the fourth wave.
“Hillary Clinton declared her candidacy, and the sexism in America, long lying dormant, like some feral, tranquilized animal, yawned and revealed itself. Even those of us who didn’t usually concern ourselves with gender-centric matters began to realize that when it comes to women, we are not post-anything.”
I’ve just started the first page, but thought you might want to check it out. . .