Why Didn't More Women Vote for Hillary?

[RamboLiberal]

Interesting analysis. Also shows it's not true that Hillary holds big majority of women which seems to be the myth the media is peddling.

-----

One of the Democratic campaign's great misperceptions has been that Clinton held an overwhelming advantage among women voters. But that isn't the case. As expected, Clinton captured the over-65 vote, and Obama won over younger women. But women in the middle split almost evenly between the two. And while both Senators boasted historic candidacies, Obama's seemed to resonate more deeply, translating into 70%, 80% and even 90% of the black vote in primary contests. No one expected Clinton to sweep 90% of Democratic women voters, but 60% wouldn't have been an unreasonable accomplishment for the first woman to have a serious chance of winning the presidency. Instead, Clinton won just over a majority of women's votes.

So what does that mean? Clinton and her supporters have charged that sexism is responsible for her loss of the nomination. But it seems more likely that women themselves cost her the nod. The reasons more women haven't voted for Clinton tell us something about the evolution of feminism and what the future may hold for female politicians.

Clinton's run has exposed a divide between what could be termed optimist and pessimist feminists. It's a split between those who see Clinton's candidacy as groundbreaking--as the first of many serious runs by strong women--and those who count backward to Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 and conclude that this kind of opportunity comes along only once in a generation. For this latter group, Clinton's candidacy took on a pressing urgency: If not now, when? If not her, who?

What unites the pessimists--many of whom are older women or women who don't work outside the home--is the persistent belief that women continue to face sexism and barriers in the workplace. Some may have an outmoded sense of the obstacles women face on the job, while others may well have left a workplace that made it hard for them to maintain a work-life balance. In both cases, they're more likely to place value in the symbolic power of electing a woman President.

Optimist feminists, on the other hand, don't question that a woman can become President or that it will occur in their lifetime. When these women look around, they see themselves making up half of business- and medical-school classes. They are law partners, CEOs and university presidents. And they don't want to rally behind a female candidate simply because she is a woman.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1812050,00.html

[hedgehog]

1. Maybe Obama was just a better choice? nt

[billybob537]

2. Because most women aren't sexist.

[LeftyMom]

3. In my case, because I didn't think she'd make a good president.

Not because she has ovaries, but because her attitude sucks. In particular, I really didn't think she's likable enough to carry out the needed "charm offensive" to win back international good will, or that her personality is well suited to diplomacy.

[glowing]

4. yes..

thanks to those before us, it is not a question that we can achieve what we wish to put in motion.. yes, there are inequalities and there are times that is sucks.. but normally employees are treated like shit.. no matter what..

The idea that a woman or that Clinton is entitled.. and that she's going to give us or allow us to have what she deems appropriate from her govt is ridiculous.

[femmocrat]

5. Because we could see right through her theatrics...

and we didn't fall for them.

[AtomicKitten]

6. The Clinton campaign was always a dog and pony show fueled by bullshit and hubris.

[hokies4ever]

10. Now tell us how you REALLY feel

:rofl:

[AtomicKitten]

12. It was puppet theater with dissemination of daily bogus talking points.

Much of their rhetoric has been flat-out false, but it was lapped up by her most ardent followers nonetheless. Clinton is singlehandedly responsible for her supporters' warped view of the status quo.

[Cha]

20. Definetly didn't instill

trust.

[JVS]

21. WOW. That belongs in the history books of the future.

[Triana]

7. Odd - I'm both. I believe women do continue to face sexism and barriers...

...and that there are still obstacles for them on the job.

I ALSO though, will NOT vote for candidate simply because she's a woman. If I don't feel he's best-suited for the office she's running for, she does not get my vote. And I do believe there will be other female candidates. Whether or not that occurs in my lifetime, I have no idea -- but I will NOT vote for a woman based on the premise that it may not. If I do not deem her suited for the office she's running for - or if I think someone else who's running will be a better leader - she doesn't get my vote.

So, by the author of this article's standards, I'm BOTH a "pessimist" feminist and an "optimist" feminist.

That is to say, I'm not sure those lines can be so cleanly drawn. But I do believe that Hillary didn't get so much of the female vote as the media tries to say she did.

To me, too much of the media is like a funhouse of mirrors (only NOT fun - rather, exasperating). Most often, there is a good bit of stuff going on you won't see or hear about - because somebody's agenda wants it ignored (most often members of the owner class/plutocracy) - so they turn the mirrors the other way so you can't see it. Some stuff you will see and hear about - but you won't get the whole picture or the whole story and/or it will be distorted based on somebody's agenda - be it the writers/newspeople themselves, or their corprat bosses/owners who arrange those mirror just so to blow up or minimize the issue according to how THEY want you to see it.

Eeep. Take it all with a truckload of salt.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

11. Yeah, I think the article sets up a false dichotomy too.

I hate when the MSM pigeonholes me because I'm in a certain age or demographic. Whether they believe it or not, I'm actually capable of thinking independently and doing my own research. I also fervently reject this notion that Hillary was our "last chance" to see a woman president. Please. Not unless you are 90 years old, and nothing against the 90 year olds, but them wanting to see a woman in the White House before they die is not sufficient justification to put up a flawed and compromised candidate like HRC. Beyond that, I frankly have more confidence in the members of my own gender than a lot of Hillary supporters do. It's downright creepy to hear them talk about how she was "the most qualified candidate EVER!" or how "we'll never see a woman president in our lives!" Talk about a cult!

[Barack_America]

8. Actually, my medical school class was 52% female.

And yeah, I fall into the "optimist" feminist mindset.

;)

[demokatgurrl]

9. It's very simple, really

I voted for Obama because I thought he'd have the best chance of winning the General Election. I did not think about gender, or race very much (but I can't say not at all- I think it would be healing four our country to have a Black president).

But I am an "odd" kind of woman- I never pick a woman for anything based on gender- I made it in situations where men dominated, so I think other women can too, on their merits. I don't join women's organizations, I join organizations based on my interests.

Substance-wise, I felt, and still feel, the candidates are very, very close. But perception counts more than reality in this country, and I saw that there was a perception among many Democrats that Obama was more different, more progessive, more exciting.... so that told me more people would vote for him, and thus, he should get the nomination.

[eissa]

19. Yup, what she said

I want to win in November.....desperately......seriously, you have no idea! And although I live in California, I live in a rather conservative area and I know the level of hate the conservatives have for the Clintons. I talk to these people all the time, and what I heard repeatedly was
(1) they were not crazy about McSame
(2) they would not be thrilled with Obama, but they could live him
(3) they hated Hillary and would RUN to the polls to vote for McSame if she were our nominee

Plus, I genuinely like the guy, his authenticity and his positions. I think he'll be an amazing president.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. My 69 year old, white, working class, wife can tell the difference between ice-cream and bullshit.

And, and as far as she is concerned, the Hillary = Feminist meme falls in the latter category.

[melody]

14. I'm not going to vote for Eva Braun simply because we both are "innies".

And hell no, Hillary Clinton is far, far from Eva Braun -- it was an exaggeration to make the point. I see a woman running for President ground-breaking. But I'm not going to vote for someone because of her genitalia anymore than I'm going to vote against someone for that reason.

These questions (leave it to Time to ask a damned big dumb one) are so infantile -- talk about over-thinking the obvious.

[SmokingJacket]

15. Her being a woman might have been a point in her favor for me...

but it wasn't enough to overcome the fact that she voted for the war in Iraq, had a health care plan less effective than Obama's, had crummy old-connections advisors, is far less charming and persuasive than Obama, etc.

I'm a feminist, but it doesn't mean that I'd support a woman over someone I perceive as a better candidate! That would be, well, sexist.

[housewolf]

16. It's a success of the women's movement that women so many women feel free to be independent enough

to vote for whomever they choose, regardless of gender or race.

The women's movement taught us to look beyond society's stereotypes of race and gender and to consider the PERSON, who he or she is, to think independently and to make independent choices.

Those who advocated that "women should stick together" and vote for Hillary simply because she's a woman have forgotten the real aims and goals of the women's movement.

[polichick]

22. Well said! :)

[NashVegas]

17. Women Were Divided With the "Don't Vote With Your Vagina" Strat

It was a tragically brilliant strategy.

Far more women were told by the media that female Hillary supporters demanded all women vote for Clinton, than there were women who actually told others they were traitors if they voted for Obama.

The author of the "I'm not voting with my vagina" essay was given national airtime on network television.

There were a few African-descended Americans who weren't into Barack Obama, but I don't recall seeing any "hey black people, don't vote your melanin" essays, let alone whose authors were selected for national TV.

[Cha]

18. That's what the US media does..

it peddles myths.

And, I look for the best candidate for me and that is Obama, Barack Obama

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

23. Because her negatives amongst women and ALL people were already high!

She came into the primaries with high negatives and she left the primaries with high negatives. That's why the Repugs want her on the ticket. That's why so many in the media are trying to use psychological blackmail to force Obama to consider her. They want McCain and Hillary being on the ticket or anywhere near the White House would energize and galvanize the Republican base. They couldn't get their first choice: having Hillary as the Dem nominee, so they're trying to get the next best thing--her on the ticket. That's the LOSING ticket!!