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Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Talking about presidential candidates as if they were erectile tissue

Tennessee Guerilla Women comments on a recent poll...


86% of Americans think women are "tough enough to be President of the United States." And 85% have "a willingness to cast a ballot for a well qualified woman presidential candidate."

When the choices are Clinton and Rice, thankfully Hillary Clinton comes out ahead.

Fully 58% say Clinton is 'tough enough,' while only 46% feel that way about Rice.

I'm happy to hear that more people are comfortable with the thought of a woman president than they have been in the past, but can we please reframe the question?

If we're going to use yesteryear's stereotypes to assess a woman's chances at the White House, then how about a little gender fairness in the stereotypes?

Can we please have a poll asking if the male candidates are 'soft enough' not to strut around the world stage in macho dress-up insulting and ostracizing everyone who disagree with them?

Can we please have a poll asking if the male candidates are 'soft enough' to be above making enemies and insulting girls, women and others by calling people names like 'girly-men'...


TGW also links to a Washington Monthly article by Carl M. Cannon, making a compelling case for Hillary's electability. There's also a counterbalancing article by Amy Sullivan. I haven't read it yet, but I've had a lot of love for Sullivan pieces in the past.

Side note: Cannon starts with a vignette about his father, Lou Cannon, the author of several books about Ronald Reagan that are definitive and well-worth reading. I'm not saying that only from a left perspective--Cannon's third book on Reagan was produced in association with the Ronald Reagan Library and Museum, and contains a CD of his speeches. And I'm still recommending it. If that's not a ringing endorsement, I don't know what it.

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