Something struck me the other day as I was contemplating the governor's race this year. So many reasons have been brought up to suggest exactly why we lost, but the absence of one reason shows me there is at least one culture war we won. I have heard nobody, not one person, suggest the reason Alex Sink lost is that she was a woman.
Is sexism dead? I think it's a little too soon for that conclusion. But consider that just two years ago, it was totally acceptable to attack Hillary Clinton on totally sexist grounds.
Rick Scott called Sink a debate cheater, an SBA screw-up, and an Obama clone. But not once can I recall him using gender-derogatory language, and I can't find it on Google either.
This seems to me a pretty big accomplishment after such a sexism-tinged election just two-and-a-half years ago. And sure, our candidate kind of had a guy's name, but this was a very high-profile race, and one that was a real squeaker.
So the fact it was not considered fair game to attack her based on gender, and as far as I can tell no one in the Scott camp even considered doing it, I think some pretty good stuff was accomplished this year.
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Dont worry sexism will be abundent in the 2012 campaigne should Sarah be running.
ReplyDeleteI think that gender is becoming much less of an issue in American elections as there have been a number of distaff governors already. Personally, I hope that the first female American President is in the mold of Brtain's first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, rather than being a Geraldine Ferraro or Sarah Palin type
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I expect sexism to be more muted in 2012, even if Sarah Palin runs. Not entirely gone, mind you, but muted from what Hillary, or Palin, experienced in 2012. I don't expect big stories on Palin's wardrobe this year, and I don't expect nutcrackers to be sold in airports.
ReplyDeleteAnd why resort to sexism when you have someone with such poorly-delineated policy positions and apparent character flaws? Palin is an extremely divisive figure, and perhaps some of that is because of background sexism the same way latent racism drives such intense derangement about Obama within certain circles. But frankly, I see her lack of leadership experience and her bumper sticker debate skills will be much bigger problems.
I would hope to see qualified women running for higher office. So far only Hillary Clinton was really qualified and she was better qualified than Obama (but not better qualified than McCain).Neither Ferraro nor Palin would have made good VPs
ReplyDeleteI was a Hillary supporter two years ago, and would support her again if she ran in '12 (though I am pretty sure she will not). I think the problem is that you can go ahead and shatter a glass ceiling, but it will take time for people to build up the qualifications. Honestly, Obama is the most qualified black candidate to make a serious run for the White House (Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Alan Keyes are all primarily political personalities, not experienced public servants). I agree Hillary was much more qualified, and really think she was more qualified than McCain, but much of that is ideology.
ReplyDeleteAlex Sink was qualified to be governor, and we have had several other women elected to statewide office in the past who are qualified as well. But 10 years ago, fewer had the resume to make a run that would be taken seriously. I think today, a significant number of women within both parties have solid resumes on which to run.
But the big question remains whether voters in certain parts of the country would still hold a female candidate's gender against her. I remember being stunned by a CNN interview with a woman in Kentucky, one who was working at a diner to support her family, say Hillary was defying the Bible by seeking the presidency instead of staying home to raise children (never mind Chelsea was out of the house by then). I hope seeing gender be a nonexistent issue in the governor's race this year is a good portent.