Some more thoughts on the Democratic Primaries

Last week I wrote about why I was voting for Hillary Clinton and my final point was about the disparity in media treatment between Hillary (a woman) and the rest of the candidates for President (all men).

Since then I've been doing some more reading and seeing some stories that talked about this issue and I thought it made sense to share a couple of them:

 

• In Ohio, CNN brought this issue up with a group of women voters in the context of a discussion over sexism and racism. 
• It seems to me that their conclusion is that sexism has been and continues to be acceptable in popular culture in ways that aren't tolerable for racism.
• Nicholas Kristof writes for the New York Times that:
• "in democracies in the television age, female leaders also have to navigate public prejudices — and these make democratic politics far more challenging for a woman than for a man."

Additionally, Paul Krugman writes much more elegantly than I did that the Obama campaign is in danger of becoming a "cult of personality". As I wrote last week, I respect Obama. I'm not angry with him and I certainly don't view him or his supporters as "the enemy". The fervor that exists around his campaign is at the same time inspiring and worrisome. I wonder why so many supporters of his seem intent on saying things that imply that it's their candidate or no one.

Additionally, he uses a phrase that I've been struggling to describe - Clinton Rules:

What’s particularly saddening is the way many Obama supporters seem happy with the application of “Clinton rules” — the term a number of observers use for the way pundits and some news organizations treat any action or statement by the Clintons, no matter how innocuous, as proof of evil intent.

I'd like to reach out to anyone who supports Obama and say this to you:

We're both in favor of some very similar things. We have differing approaches, perhaps. We think that the Presidency means different things, it appears to me. But don't, not even for a moment, forget that what we're really talking about here is the promotion of the core Democratic values and goals. We're not just about one candidate. Because if your candidate wins, I'm going to be by your side, frustrated with the application of "Clinton Rules" to Obama. I hope that you'd be big enough to do the same if the situation is reversed.

Technorati Tags: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Clinton Rules, 2008 Presidential Election, 2008 Democratic Primary

Comments

[Ben Hoyt]

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'll certainly get in line supporting Hillary if she wins the nomination, and I'll do so pretty enthusiastically. She is a very impressive woman. Unfortunately, I think that there are quite a few Dems, however, ho are "rubbed the wrong way" by her and who may not be so eager to support her.

One thing that she needs to be very careful of, as well, is the possibility of her winning the nomination on the back of Super Delegates. If that happens, it could undermine much of her support from previous Obama supporters...

[Mark]

I think the reason some Obama supporters have an "Obama or nothing" attitude is actually pretty simple: they've been so inspired by him that Hillary and everybody else seem like they'd be such a let down. That's what happens when people get really excited about something, particularly as significant as a presidential election.

Personally, I think what's most interesting is the fact that Obama and his campaign aren't trying to fan this kind of cult following. Obama is himself, in my opinion, an example of open-mindedness. The irony of course being that people become so pro-open-mindedness that they become closed minded. I think that's what we're seeing, to some extent. And I think ultimately that will go away. Because Obama does not represent that kind of thinking and if folks really want to "follow their leader" then they'll have to lose their negativity and fear. That's what the Obama fans who truly get it are doing. I think for the most part he's a role model that's helping people better their attitude toward politics and the cult factor is relatively small, though it makes for a great read and reminder of human tendencies.