The most selfish voters of all.

[denem]

RANT

All voters are selfish, whether they are voting for their pocketbooks, or the sort of country or world they would like to live in.

But here "A woman president but not this woman" has been denounced as sexist. After 232 years of male presidents, 'it's our turn'. 'I want to see a woman president in my lifetime'

For women over sixty, Hillary's core constituency, life is getting shorter, the argument more compelling. Over 70, Hillary leads Obama 3 or 4 to one. In my lifetime, after all I won't be around overly long to deal with the consequences.

Still a woman president is an unalloyed good. Break the mold, shatter the highest, hardest ceiling of all, women can do anything, an inspiration to young girls and women alike.

Women over sixty have had to fight very hard. Yes, sexism continues and is pervasive, all be it in a slightly more subtle form. But 'with or against us' is a hallmark of second wave feminism. In our lifetime. You have no idea how hard we fought for you. We are entitled.

It's our turn. Hillary is indeed an second wave ideal. She WILL fight.

The right woman. I lived in England in the Thatcher era. Maggie inspired or empowered no one, other than perhaps those who lived in council houses. But hells belles was she a fighter.

Vote for a woman because she's a woman. If you are over seventy, it may be your last chance.

END RANT

A woman but not this woman. Everyone's right to make their own choices. A woman who votes for Obama is a gender traitor? - THAT is sexism. How can liberation mean swapping one set of heavy orthodoxies for another?

Yes, I am a man. I believe part of the reason Obama does well with men, is that Hillary is an unappealing candidate, and some women are prepared to give her a free pass.

POSTSCRIPT: If only this sort of urgency was devoted to poverty.

[CountAllVotes]

1. I loathe Margaret Thatcher

Maggie the Thatcher as she's known as around here.

As for age - an old friend of mine (86+ years) has voted for OBAMA. }(

[denem]

3. Maggie did more damage than Reagan

and that's saying something.

[CountAllVotes]

7. she is a vile excuse for a human being

what she did to the Irish is absolutely UNFORGIVABLE and I hope she rots in hell! Lock her up in one of her famous prisons! Let her reap what she has sown. :mad:

[redqueen]

11. Hear hear!

[CountAllVotes]

15. the Irish NEVER forget, NEVER!!!!

[denem]

16. Northern Ireland. Looks life a miracle from this distance.

Remember 1690!

[CountAllVotes]

22. 800 years of occupation

800+ years of war!

Erin go braugh!!

[bluestateguy]

2. My mother is a 60 year old middle class white woman...for Obama

She is the core of Hillary's base, and for a time she seemed ready to support her, but she disliked Hillary's patronizing attacks on Obama in the debates and she was not convinced that Hillary could win in November (the real election; the only one that counts).

So on February 5, she voted for Obama in the Arizona primary.

[denem]

4. I'm criticising a mindset.

Evveryone has a right to make their own choices. The polls say 3 to 1 plus for women over 70. Who really knows.

[Hepburn]

9. I am a 60 year old (this summer), white, middle-class female....

...and I support Obama and detest the queen...er...Hillary. She is all about everything I fought against in the 1960s as a war protestor and libber.

[denem]

14. We focus for the middle class. Thats were the votes are.

I will always respect Edwards for putting poverty front and center. There's not many votes in it, as he said. But as he asked, when did the Democratic Party stop caring about poverty?

[Vinca]

5. I'm a 59 year old white woman and I'm for Obama, too.

There are all kinds of qualified women out there. It's not like this is the only time in the history of the world a woman will have a good shot at the presidency. The same "woman" argument could be made about people of color.

[bain_sidhe]

20. "not the only time in the history of the world...

a woman will have a good shot at the presidency."

True. But I suspect it's the only time in my lifetime that one will. That matters to me on a personal level, but not a political one. I'm one of those dying-breed fence sitters. I am essentially sitting this primary season out, because I can't decide between the two remaining contenders. Both have strengths that might win us the White House in the general, both have weaknesses that might cost us the White House. And my goal is not to have "a woman President" or "an African American president," but a DEMOCRATIC President. In analyzing the two candidates in light of that goal, I'm right on the bubble.

But, back to the "in my lifetime" thing. You say:

There are all kinds of qualified women out there.

And I agree, but when I look at the "bench" of potential future women candidates, I see not a one that has the particular advantages that Clinton has had--i.e. the initial support from "the establishment" (in terms of money, endorsements, and "machine"), the connection to only popular and successful Democratic president in my lifetime, the advantage of actually *seeing* the job "up close and personal" (I don't agree that it gave her any real "experience" at it, but she does KNOW what the job entails better than any other candidate). I'm disappointed beyond words that it looks like she might blow it... (Although, I remind myself, she didn't blow it alone. MSM coverage really has been biased against her, and that played a role, too, IMHO. It's not all of it, but it's part of it.)

Yes, she has flaws--again, part of the calculation/analysis that leaves me unable to decide which would be the strongest candidate in the general. But I'm willing to bet that the male-dominated MSM will find that any potential female candidate has equivalent (though different) "flaws" to pounce on, highlight, and flog to death in their coverage.

So, no, if it's not Hillary, I don't expect to see a female president in my lifetime. That's a personal pain, and it hurts... but it shouldn't, and for me, doesn't, interfere with the more important goal--a Democratic President.

[CreekDog]

6. do that and we don't break the glass ceiling or the color barrier

when choosing amongst different races and gender, the place we want to be is that we can see those differences, yet choose among their qualifications (which they can control) and not their gender or race (which they cannot control).

don't elevate or denigrate one's position based on gender or race. choose the best apart from those things and you will get the diversity everyone seeks in the process.

[denem]

10. I believe a woman president is way overdue.

I am just not prepared to give Hillary a free pass. I want to move beyond a strict 'with us or against us'.

[CreekDog]

12. I believe it's overdue also, however...

...if she isn't the best candidate, supporting her because she is a woman is doing none of us any favors.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

8. My 72 y/o Mom said this was a very difficult choice. She is voting for Obama.

She could not align herself with Hillary's policies on war and her ties to the DLC.

[denem]

13. Thatcher, Merkel have/had an appetite for conflict

including military conflict. It's tempting to go for a fighter after the spinlessness of recent years. I think Hillary's appetite for 'fight' goes beyond showing some backbone. As she said, 'Now the fun begins'.

Your Mom is entitled to her opinion, IMHO.

[Fredda Weinberg]

17. Liberation means I get to make my own choices

It's not orthodoxy to note that HRC is the best qualified female candidate in my lifetime ... and I've seen some fine attempts. She may be unappealing to you, but I suggest that's your problem.

Win or lose, she remains my senator and I'm proud to have contributed to her campaign.

[denem]

18. I agree completely.

It's ;your choice. And a woman who does not choose to vote for Hillary is not a 'gender traitor' either. That's liberation. Not towing the line on any orthodoxy.

[Fredda Weinberg]

21. You have to be pretty insecure to call someone a traitor n/t

[ima_sinnic]

19. I'm a white female slightly over 60, & I'd rather eat ground glass than vote for HRC

Sometime a woman will run who really will be the best candidate. But that isn't this time.