2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumAmericans Are Ready for a Female President. Finally.
by Eleanor Clift May 4, 2013 4:45 AM EDT
A new poll from Emilys List shows an overwhelming number of voters now support the idea. Its a movement the group hopes someone in the sisterhood is about to inherit.
With polls showing Hillary Clinton holding a formidable lead over all other potential candidates for president in 2016, a press conference to promote the idea of a woman president seems a little behind the news, a treasured dream catching up with a new reality, or perhaps a stalking horse for Clinton.
Stephanie Schriock, president of Emilys List, which raises money and works to elect pro-choice Democratic women, said she has no inside knowledge of what Clinton is likely to do, but there is widespread acceptance of a woman as president, and 72 percent of voters surveyed think its likely to happen in 2016. While Clinton gets mentioned most, theres no guarantee she will run, which is why Emilys List wants to ignite the conversation around an idea whose time has come, and build a movement that Clinton or another in the sisterhood can inherit.
Ellen Malcolm, who founded Emilys List in her basement 28 years ago, looked on like a proud parent as pollsters unveiled the latest numbers showing overwhelming support among voters across gender and party lines for a generally well-qualified woman. Those numbers were always strong, says Malcolm, but when voters were asked about their friends and neighbors supporting a woman, they werent so sure. These days, theres no hesitation, the country is ready. What a waltz! Malcolm exclaims. Twenty years ago, no pollster would have predicted the dramatic shift in attitudes toward a woman president, or marriage equality, or even immigration, that we see today among the general public, says pollster Lisa Grove, who adds one caveat: voters still think its harder for a woman than a man to get elected president.
Malcolm recalled the days when womens groups had to look outside of the political arena for role models that could be taken seriously as presidential candidates. Remember Sally Ride for president? she asked. The first American woman in space, Ride, who died last year, was periodically courted to run, but valued her private life too much to get into politics. The paucity of women on the front lines of politics was evident when Emilys List was founded in 1985. The previous year, womens groups had pressured Walter Mondale, the Democratic nominee, to name a female vice-presidential candidate. When he chose New York congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro as his running-mate, critics skewered him as weak for bowing to a special-interest group, namely women.
full article
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/05/04/americans-are-ready-for-a-female-president-finally.html
gopiscrap
(23,765 posts)one of the things that the re-election of Obama did was unconsiously (spelling, I know) validate in many folks minds who can't think outside the box, is that a person of color could, can and did leasd this nation and do a good job and even be re-elected. Now that in some ways will transfer to a non-male president and pretty soon (a few decades) when we vote hopefully we won't even notice if they are male, female, black, hispanic, native American, asian or what ever and who knows at point we'll have our first openly glbtq pres.!
southernyankeebelle
(11,304 posts)together much better and are willing to compromise. Maybe a woman president is what we need. I like Hillary and I think she would be good. The dems really a many good women who could run for president. It is time for a woman.
no_hypocrisy
(46,202 posts)Rosa Luxemburg
(28,627 posts)but not human
antigop
(12,778 posts)MALE OR FEMALE. Doesn't matter. nt
Beacool
(30,253 posts)This is a dance thats been going on with the American people for some time, and whats made the difference is Hillary Clinton. These last four years have sealed the deal, says Wilson. Theres credit to go around, more women on the Supreme Court, more women in top jobs, three female secretaries of State before John Kerry was sworn in this year. Still, its the visual image that sticks of Clinton meeting with presidents and prime ministers all around the world, and looking like she belongs. This is mostly embodied in the person of Hillary Clinton. She frames the discussion, says Wilson.
We are more than 50% of the population. It's more than time that one was elected president.
DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)Kathleen Sibelius, Janet Napolitano, Kristine Gillibrand, Elizabeth Warren, all are great candidates, with the added bonus that all of them are NOT Hillary Clinton.
Beacool
(30,253 posts)Although I doubt that any of those four could win the nomination in 2016, even if Hillary doesn't run. If Hillary runs, I doubt that these ladies would even seek it. Ditto for Biden.
DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)Because while Hillary would be a juggernaut, she also has some built in wounds that were already front loaded back in 2008, not the least of which is Bill himself. If Bill had shut his mouth and let his wife take the stage, she might have won, but he kept talking, and people went walking, as people were afraid he would go for that de facto third term. He has already taken positions for the Keystone pipeline, hamstrung Ashley Judd's candidacy, and supported Blue Dogs nations wide, none of which will warm him up to the already starved base.
And yes, I will say this, if Hillary wins the nomination, I will be working to support her. However, our base has been abused, starved, and spat on, and as base as a president jeb or Marco will be, we cannot keep telling them to shut up and keep picking cotton. Yes, I know, as a Florida resident, how bad a president Rubio or Jeb would be: they would give this nation the death blow. I also think the GOP will lose, because they are still in the Peter Pan phase, a pouting tantrum of "I do not have to grow up!" fueled by money from kids like the Koch Brothers, who never had to grow up! However, the last thing we need is Bill smiling again, knowing no matter what his wife says, people will listen to him.
Granted, you can say Hillary is her own person, and she may be, but frankly, she needs to tell her husband to shut up, and she never has. It is bad enough he used her as a cigar ashtray, but the Keystone Pipeline fracas shows a lack of tact.
BobbyBoring
(1,965 posts)I thought America was ready for a black president that's actually only half black. Boy.......... was I wrong about that.........
It's a shame we can't go down the "road that wasn't traveled". It would be interesting to see if the country would be as whacked as it is today if Hillary was POTUS. My guess is yes, it would. Ever since Reagan, rethugs have believed that only they could rule.
Beacool
(30,253 posts)They were ready for him. The problem is that the first time around they voted more for the idea of having an AA in the WH than for the actual man. The second time around, they had a better knowledge of the real person, but the thought of voting for the extremists that now populate the Republican party was unthinkable to the majority of the country.
Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)Not because of his race, solely. You need to get over 2008 because your vitriol is not helping Hillary Clinton.
Suggesting that Obama won because he is black is as wrongheaded (and racist) as suggesting Hillary would win because she is a woman. That would be sexist. I expect better from you!
Stop the vitriol!
Whisp
(24,096 posts)but I am very glad to see things changing and that women who are qualified are now considered somewhat equal in the run for Presidency.
It's been a long wait and hopefully the first U.S. woman President will make us all proud and not act like all the mostly white warmongering males before her for the sake of being 'tough'. Who needs that shit - ask the fans of Thatcher what 'tough' really means.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)forestpath
(3,102 posts)Though George McGovern was a real Democrat as well - the only real Democrat I've ever voted for.
truebluegreen
(9,033 posts)The only "real" Democrat in our lifetimes, IMO.
winter is coming
(11,785 posts)truebluegreen
(9,033 posts)Testosterone-deficient humans are probably better for governing.
OTOH, is there anything besides her sex that indicates Hilary will be a game changer?
You know, like Barack Obama?
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)But it doesn't necessarily mean it would be Hilary Clinton. South Korea is much more conservative than the US and elected its first woman president last year.
Blame the media for the inevitability meme, but it's being pushed hard here on DU.
Beacool
(30,253 posts)Hillary hasn't even said whether she wants to run or not. It's the media and their pundits who are pushing this meme. I fervently want Hillary to run. I think that she would be a great president. For one, because I think that she would kick some Tea Party ass in Congress (just as she did during the Benghazi hearings); but this early push to try to force her to make a decision before she's ready may backfire and it makes me nervous. Bill has already said that she won't talk about it until after the 2014 mid term election. I wish that they would stop pressuring her. The pundits keep looking for any little sign that she may run, from a new hair cut, from her speeches, etc. Let the woman breath, for crying out loud!!!
Besides, I don't trust the media. The last time around they kept pushing the inevitable meme and then they dropped her once a new shining object caught their attention. After the IA caucus, they dropped her like a hot potato for Obama. Some in the leadership of the party who backstabbed her are now literally "praying" for her to run. As Pelosi put it. The same Pelosi who backed Obama in 2008 and kept telling reporters that it would be a bad mistake if Obama chose Hillary as his VP. So now Hillary supporters are supposed to trust the media and political hacks? No, we don't trust them.
AtomicKitten
(46,585 posts)Beacool
(30,253 posts)Not years before anyone else was running.
B.S., yourself.
Response to AtomicKitten (Reply #21)
davidpdx This message was self-deleted by its author.
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)And I still hold to the point that those who are posting the articles are contributing to the media meme of inevitability on DU. No one forced them to post them, so logically if HC supporters don't trust the media, then why would they post them?
People who grumble over the constant barrage of articles posted on DU are lambasted for pointed out the inevitability argument is being used again. So really who is contributing to that?
Beacool
(30,253 posts)davidpdx
(22,000 posts)But there are about a dozen who do post an onslaught of articles. They are pushing the meme by posting them.
antigop
(12,778 posts)and the one in the OP.
These are the two new memes. I guess they grew tired of the original "inevitability" meme.
treestar
(82,383 posts)Would this female President get the amount of obstruction that a black President does? I'm assuming we're all assuming this female president will be white.
The obsession with the Presidency is a bit annoying. There are plenty of women in the Senate and House now - women governors, etc. It's like the Presidency is some sort of prize and means the winner will rule over us all. I'll take a man over a woman if he is more liberal or better for the job.
Beacool
(30,253 posts)It's equivalent to a woman becoming CEO of a Fortune 500. Yes, there are women near the top of many corporations, but there are only a handful of women CEOs. The same applies in politics. They may be more women governors and senators than in the past, but we are more than half of the population of the USA and we still haven't had a woman president. In my opinion, it should have happened in 2008 and Obama in 2016. But, I guess late is better than never.
truedelphi
(32,324 posts)tularetom
(23,664 posts)Maybe she wouldn't be so quick to fuck with Social Security and Medicare or restore the sequester funds to the defense budget.
I don't think Hillary Clinton would be any better than Obama when it comes to helping the middle class in this country. But there are others who would.
madrchsod
(58,162 posts)if she runs i`ll vote for her in the primary . i won`t vote for hillary because she has no new ideas. she`ll continue the same shit we have now.
Nay
(12,051 posts)perfect. I can hear it now. "First we had a BLACK guy, and then a damn FEMALE, and look what's happened to the country!!11!!111!
karynnj
(59,504 posts)with a movement to elect Hillary or Elizabeth Warren or Kirsten Gillibrand - or ANY specific woman. I don't like the idea of selecting a candidate by gender, color of skin or any other criterion. This is the PRESIDENCY.
antigop
(12,778 posts)We have:
1) the "inevitability" meme
2) the meme about the "inevitability" meme: the "inevitability" meme is "media-driven"
3) and now the one in the OP.
Jamaal510
(10,893 posts)how there are actually people who would refuse to vote for somebody just because they happen to be a woman. Personally, I could care less what a president's gender, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, etc. is. None of that stuff is really relevant to the typical duties of a president. What I care about is whether a candidate is well-qualified for the tasks at hand because Heaven forbids America ever elects Bachmann or Palin as president...we'd probably have so many enemies worldwide and unemployment would be so high, it wouldn't be funny. Those two make Reagan and Bush seem competent.
BlueDemKev
(3,003 posts)After electing a black president, electing the first female president doesn't seem like such a big deal now.
Let's just make sure that first female president is a moderately-progressive Democrat and not someone from the likes of Kelly Ayotte, Nikki Haley, Deb Fischer, and--(let's stretch it)--Sarah Palin, or Michelle Bachmann.