In 1995, a Florida Wal-Mart pulled a t-shirt with the slogan, “Someday a Woman Will Be President,” citing customer complaints and asserting that the shirt’s message ran counter to traditional family values. Now, as we watch another two pair of rich white men vy for the White House, a movie premieres about the backlash faced by a woman who’s been nominated for vice-president. Vice-president. Y’all, we’ve already crossed that road, and now we’re acting as if giving a vice-presidential nomination to a woman is taboo-breaking enough to warrant a blackmail thriller!
I don’t know about you people, but I find it profoundly disturbing that no woman’s been seriously considered for the presidency or vice-presidency since Geraldine Ferraro. Yes, I understand that it wasn’t too long ago that women didn’t even have the vote, and more recent still that American females were confined largely to domestic and pink-collar work. But good grief, we had women running for president in the 1870s! Why in the world is the idea of a female executive in the U.S. such an astonishing one, in these ostensibly enlightened times?
I’ve got two questions: First, how long will it be before we see a U.S. president (or even major-party candidate) who is not a white male? Second, is the idea of a non-white/non-male presidential candidate distasteful to the bulk of the American public? If so, why? If not, why does it seem that way? Lack of viable candidates? Lack of institutional support? Sheer inertia?
Wasn’t Mrs. Dole considering running for President? You think Hillary might have it in the back of her mind? I think she does.
So, ‘traditional family values’ means women cannot hold positions of responsibility beyond that of ‘homemaker’. I thought thats what it meant. And ‘several’ complaints of offensiveness are all it takes to make Wal-mart nervous? Ninnies!
Several other women were considered for vp. When I was a delegate for Henry “Scoop” Jackson, we actually were kicking around the idea of that black congresswoman, umm, shirley, umm. Well, anyway, some others have been thought of. Mrs Dole was considered, I heard, for this shot.
But, who would YOU pick? Feinstein?- too liberal, but would carry CA. Who else?
I don’t think Fienstien will get re-elected here in sunny California. I think her on a ticket would only hurt the demos. However, I think former Gov. Ann Richards might help. Assuming, of course, she is a democrat and still alive. I should research, then post.
Sheer Inertia. They’ve been pushing Colin Powell to run for awhile, and he won’t. Even ‘Stormin’ Norman got asked, but declined.
Personally, I don’t have a problem with women being VP or President. I mean, they are all politicians at the core, they’ll all act the same once in office anyway.
Family values = Woman in kitchen, barefoot & pregnant, I guess…
We have a long way to go, baby.
Yer pal,
Satan
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If you removed the word “seriously” from this sentence, it would be more accurate. Mondale/Ferraro didn’t stand a snowball’s chance in 1984 (unless in the summer of 1983 the economy would have slumped into recession a la 1991). I haven’t heard of this movie before, but maybe the backlash is because there’s actually a prospect that she’ll see the VP mansion?
I agree that’s mostly BS. I am quite sure that if there were a woman who had the right qualities, the Republicans would go nuts supporting her. If Maggie Thatcher were eligible to run over here, I think we would nominate her. I’m not sure about the Demos, just because I don’t know anyone who admits to being one.
FWIW, I was reading a couple-of-issues-ago Jane magazine. They said that some survey was done (I don’t have a cite, but I can get one tonight if anyone requires it), that 17 percewnt of men wouldn’t vote for a woman for the office of president. What I found even more amazing was that 16 percent of women wouldn’t either. So, before there’s a huge hue and cry against the “white maile patriarcy,” women should probably get their own ducks in a row.
Personally, I would have voted for Liddy in the primary, if she had still been running at the time, and would have voted for her for president if she’d been nominated.
There’s nothing wrong with white males running for office, but it would be nice if they were competent, intelligent, and honest white males who knew what it is like to work for a living.
What on earth is controversial about a woman running for president? Or, for that matter, a non-WASP male? Unfortunately, in our system, the only way to pay for a campaign is to sell your integrity one PAC fundraiser dinner at a time.