Hillary Clinton is this countries first serious female candidate for President. Because of this she is holding the dreams of a lot of little girls in her hands. “Yes Sally, you to one day maybe President.” But what is Hillary Clinton teaching Sally about how get to the office of the Presidency?
Lesson 1 Marry Well: Sometimes it can be difficult for a woman to become a high ranking political official and it is even harder to get the media attention that is needed to later become President. To become President you have to be good at your job, but you also have to have a lot of cameras pointing at you. Hillary Clinton found the prefect way to obtain all that, marry well and become first lady. By becoming first lady she got to have unlimited access to the candidate (her husband), she got to have influential jobs that the first lady often gets (think more humanitarian stuff) and she got lots of media attention. I’m not saying Hillary doesn’t love Bill, but even Hillary’s close college friends admit that one of her major attractions to Bill was that Hillary was sure Bill would become President someday…
Lesson 2 Its Not Nice To Pick On A Girl: We all have to admit that fact is still there. Most people feel that it is not right for a man to be “mean” to a woman. You can bet Hillary and her staff know this…they saw the results of it in her first Senate race. During the debate of that race, Hillary’s male opponent strongly challenged her on some issues. So much so that he left his podium and walked over to Hillary and tried to get her to sign a “Pledge.” Well that man lost the election. What’s more is many analysts believe he lost that election in that one moment. Studies show that many people saw that “in your face pledge” as an invasion of Hillary’s personal space. It was too mean, too confrontational, and something that is not acceptable to do to a woman. That Senate race was a dead tie before the debate and then after it, Hillary was in the lead.
To me this reinforces the old stereotype that woman are different than men. And we are…don’t get me wrong…I would be turned off if a man was openly “mean” to a women. But being challenged on a political issue is not “mean,” it is what is meant to happen. And it is wrong for any woman to hide behind it. This is what Hillary is doing. Hillary after losing this Tuesdays debate released a e-mail to all her supporters stating that debate was nothing more than, and I quote “the politics of pile-on.” She is saying that the men decided to go after her and that was wrong of them. Well I’m sorry Hillary, they went after your stance on the issues, not after you. If you stop voting for war with
Lesson 3 If it’s not Nice To Pick On A Girl, Act Like A Girl: Anyone notice that ever since Hillary decided to run for President she got a lot girly all of a sudden? Hillary chose as her campaign theme song “You and I” by Celine Dion. Now I like Celine Dion’s music…but I’m a woman, and I like it because her music tends to be mushy and sentimental…and is that what you want your campaign song to be like? Normally they are about hope (such as “Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow”) and they are normally the type of song anyone can sign…can anyone reach the high notes on Celine’s Titanic song…I don’t think so… Also has anyone noticed that Hillary laughs a lot more now? It isn’t even so much of a laugh than it is a giggle. Whenever someone asks her a hard question Hillary laughs them off. As if to say “how funny you think that way, now go away.” She does really challenge people on the issues…she just giggles…and smiles…
All I have to say is: ok Hillary, I get it you’re a woman, just like me, giggles and Celine Dion in all. But you are meant to be more than that, you are a Presidential candidate. Don’t laugh off the hard questions, answer them! Don’t tote out your experience as First Lady as an advancement for women’s rights. Marrying well and getting power is not the same as getting your own power. Queen Elizabeth was ruler of
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