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Conversation | 05/21/2008 8:35 am

Percentage of Voters Say They Would Never Vote for a Woman, Regardless of Qualifications

© AP

Editor’s Note: Featuring Kathleen Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, a professor of communications and the former dean of the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania.

LESLEY: Well, what about sexism? Yeah, let’s talk about the second “ism.”

LIZ: Can I say something?

LESLEY: Please.

Click here to read Part One: At a Table in So-Called Liberal NYC, Woman Announces: I’ll Never Vote for a Black Man for President.

Click here to read Part Three: Who Says Older Ages Equal Serious Health Problems?

LIZ: I want to preface my remarks now by saying I’ve always been a really lousy feminist and Gloria Steinem once said that I was the worst because, she said, “Liz, you want to be the only Jew in the club.” And so I got the message then. I tried to repent. But now sexism is coming late to this discussion. I think it’s probably too late. And I think the sexists mostly all say they just don’t like Hillary. But they don’t have anything against women in office. I think if you look at the statistics, 13 percent of voters say they would never vote for a woman no matter how qualified she was. And our friend Cynthia McFadden spoke this weekend at Bryn Mawr and she said the world economic forum in Davos assessed gender equality in 93 percent of the world population, and the United States dropped from 23rd on the list in 2006 to 31st in 2007. So only 13 percent of Congress is female. Women make 77 cents for every dollar men make. I just think sexism is really alive in this world. And The New York Times had a wonderful piece in the magazine Sunday, by Peggy Orenstein, discussing this.

LESLEY: You know what’s really interesting to me? That this bubbles up at a time when Hillary Clinton won virtually half the primary votes, from lots and lots of white men, who essentially were saying they could see her as a commander-in-chief. She raised a whole lot of money; people said women would never be able to raise a whole lot of money. I mean, there is some kind of disconnect here.

LIZ: Yeah. Well, I think these discussions are too late to be of any use to her. But it all leads back to us being reminded that black men were given the right to vote in America 50 years before women received it. So nothing much has changed.

KATHLEEN: But it’s got to be possible in this kind of discussion to say that Hillary Clinton’s campaign was not the campaign that could have been waged on her behalf — there are failures in the campaign. There were failures in its assumptions about how to deal with the caucuses. One can’t say that Clinton’s candidacy faltered because of sexism; one can say that — gender and race out of the equation — tactically the Obama campaign ran a much better campaign. It figured out how to get the advantage of higher numbers of delegates in caucus states. It figured out how to go to those districts that had essentially more votes; more capacity to produce delegate strength. And it concentrated there, while the Clinton campaign was off in those areas — that had less capacity to generate the delegates — with the same amount of effort. And the Obama campaign figured out how to raise money. So, I think that sex and race are at play this year and I think that they are playing in ways that are both obvious and subtle. But, there are also all the other dynamics that come into play when campaigns do well and do poorly, regardless of race and gender.

To another point on this subject, the amount of sexism on the Internet is just appalling. And that young people will put their own names and their own identities up on space on the Internet, such as Facebook, attached to demeaning comments about women in general and Hillary Clinton in particular. And then when someone comes onto the site to object, that person will be subject to what we would call ad staminem rather than ad hominem. We should find attacks that are vulgar in the extreme disturbing, regardless of whether or not we are Hillary Clinton supporters.


LESLEY: So the idea that racism is a taboo, but sexism is fine, is alive and well on the Internet?

KATHLEEN: I believe that sexism is alive and well on the Internet. And the productive piece is that recently, after Tina Fey’s segment on "Saturday Night Live," a couple of groups have emerged to try to fight what they see as misogyny on the Internet and misogyny in mainstream broadcast.

LESLEY: And when you say on "Saturday Night Live," what misogynist —

KATHLEEN: Tina Fey. When Tina Fey went on with the segment that concludes that “bitch” is the new black, a site emerges on the web that basically plays out of that segment and produces commentary about it. And a second site emerges as well which basically takes on the concept that these sorts of attacks in broadcast and on the web, against Hillary Clinton but on misogynistic grounds, are inappropriate.

269 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

lawrie taylor
Some people, even women, just have a negative reaction to HRC, and I am one of them. I have no problem with a woman occupying a position of power, even the American presidency. I do have a problem with HRC, and I am not a sexist, especially when it comes to my own sex. My ideal president would be the fictional president from Wisconsin played by Michael Douglas in “An American President,” and the activist and love interest of the president, Sidney, portrayed by Annette Bening, would have made a great president, too. However, they are both fictional and if they were flesh and blood candidates they would be too liberal for the mainstream.
By lawrie taylor on 05/21/2008 12:16 pm
Elizabeth Bennett
13 percent would never vote for a woman? I think that is unlucky.
By Elizabeth Bennett on 05/21/2008 12:48 pm
Mugsy Peabody
Well, normal curve….13% are bound to be totally stupid, ignorant, and ridiculous in their opinions abot anything, actually. It is one of the great misreadings of our system, I think, that just because we are entitled to our opinions, some people feel they must espouse an opinion on every subject under the sun, regardless of whether they have a clue about the subject at hand.
By Mugsy Peabody on 05/21/2008 2:05 pm
CAROLINE MuLVEY
well I would vote for a woman if she would fade out the war,provide health care, help the economy, provide for education, help those in of food ,and shelter. But see the problem is Obama has the right answers and I will vote for him not because of anything else except for my position on the aabove.
By CAROLINE MuLVEY on 05/21/2008 1:01 pm
My Two Cents
We won’t know what a women will do unless we give one the chance. Why is it women are so hard on other women ? Why do we have to like her in order to elect her. On HRC’s worst day she would have to better than our current president. I’m not sure if Obama has all the right answers or he has all the answers we want to hear. He comes across well on TV, he speaks well, does he really have the experience needed for the job of president ? Mr. Klein isn’t this Women on The Web ?
By My Two Cents on 05/21/2008 1:28 pm
Bella Mia
If it is only 13% then it is most likely not due to general cultural indoctrination but rather due to individual neurotic beliefs possibly based on legitimate experiences with individual dysfunctional women. I don’t see a problem with that because the contrast would be a much high percentage of people who wouldn’t vote for a woman based on indoctrination - like in Saudi Arabia where women are seen as 1/2 of the value of a man. People still have a right to individual thoughts and beliefs in this country - and I think it speaks well that such a small percentage lack faith in women as leaders. Maybe it could be smaller in the future.
By Bella Mia on 05/21/2008 1:55 pm
Mary Lou From Maine
The founding fathers did not include women or blacks when they said, “All men are created equal.” That black men got the vote before us is unfortunate, as it would have been ideal if we’d all been included at the same time and as a feminist whose mother was born before women had the vote, it angers me that women were last and had to fight harder. THAT SAID, can we really complain that those who had been ENSLAVED were first in line (even though they were the males of the enslaved race)? I willingly stand behind someone who has had to live as a slave anyday.
By Mary Lou From Maine on 05/21/2008 2:13 pm
Deni G
mary Lou, The founding “fathers” o.k. that means men. All “men” are created equal…not all people, not men and women…men. The point is not who was first or second. It is that men are always in every race, the ones who are “equal” and women are always, not. And please note the fact that African American “men” were allowed to vote. African American women were not. 1867 Fourteenth amendment passes Congress, defining citizens as “male;” 1868 Fourteenth amendment ratified. Fifteenth amendment passes Congress, giving the vote to black men. Women petition to be included but are turned down. It is not about complaining about who was first. It is about trying to make people understand the depth and breadth of sexism. After all, African American women who were slaves, were not granted the right to vote, when the men were.
By Deni G on 05/21/2008 4:04 pm
Mugsy Peabody
Okay, then, what do you know about women enslaved in the sex trade in the United States in 2008? How can we stand behind them?
By Mugsy Peabody on 05/21/2008 2:27 pm
J. Stephens
Thank you thank you thank you for bringing this up. I am in absolute amazement @ how many WOMEN have said they would NEVER vote for Hilary b/c she didn’t divorce her husband when he had an affair!!! I have also been just stunned @ the amount of women who said they HATE Hilary. How can you feel so strongly about someone most of them have probably never met in person!! Why is it so difficult for people in this country to hear a strong powerful woman and not call her a bitch or see her as masculine. It’s demoralizing quite frankly. What really gets me going is when women bash other women - it is truly beyond me. Nothing has done more to shine the light on how very little our country respects women than this campaign. Sadly, I have come to sort of expect it from men! I agree completely with Geraldine Ferraro when she says it is acceptable to be sexist in this country (almost expected) but to be a racist or even go NEAR THAT is taboo. In reference to Obama’s campaign management being better than Hilary’s - did you hear that Obama’s campaign called up ALL the black senators and congressmen on Capital Hill threatening them and basically saying if they didn’t support Obama they would be keeping the first black President from being elected. Well if that isn’t RACISM I don’t know what is. I am sick and tired of all our focus always being about the “race” card. I’m not racist nor am I am “feminist”. But I sure as heck am in utter shock @ the sexism that exists in this country and even more in shock about how very little it is being discussed!!! Is it too late for Hilary because this is just being brought up?? What is too late? She is I think a brilliant person. She fights for what she believes in. She is willing to put herself out there for what she believes is the better good of her country. She has got to be exhausted and utterly dismayed by the venomous attacks on her person - not in respect to her beliefs or her intelligence - but because of her gender. I think it is really disgusting and here we are in the year 2008. Too late? I doubt very seriously given who she has proven herself to be that Hilary Clinton is going to fade away if she does not receive the nomination. She clearly cares about this country and maybe if she doesn’t get the nomination she can devote a little of her time to asking the question of our country - why are you so afraid of strong, powerful women!!!
By J. Stephens on 05/21/2008 2:36 pm
Bonnie Oliver
Last evenings newscast with Britt Hume, ended with a little comic relief, usually taken from one of the late night shows. The clip shown was beyond sexist, it was appalling. I wish I could remember if the clip was from the Letterman or the Leno show. The still photo was of Senator Clinton with exaggerated large breasts, a low cut blouse…the caption read something to the effect that this is the only way by which Senator Clinton could draw the interest of the remaining super delegates. I doubt very seriously if I could vote for Senator Clinton under any circumstances, but I am spitting angry at the type of sexism that is still considered harmless in our society. Disgraceful!
By Bonnie Oliver on 05/21/2008 2:39 pm
Elizabeth Bennett
I am no expert, because I gave up in exasperation years ago trying to get actual news from Foxnews, but that may be the trouble. Of course, most tv news is in trouble these days due to various corporate insanity in cutting news staffs, but I agree with you that showing that sort of lowbrow comic relief is beneath the dignity of any sort of news show. If you want some comic relief, I thought this was pretty good: http://www.gregpalast.com/hillary-removes-bill-clinton-as-first-husband/…
By Elizabeth Bennett on 05/21/2008 4:30 pm
Kay Sara
Bonnie, why were you so compelled to add that “you seriously doubt that you could vote for Senator Clinton under any circumstances”? Why do women feel a need to bash other women even if it has no value to the point they are making? I can’t help but feel so many women bash other women to prove to everyone- mostly men- that they are not supporting other women.
By Kay Sara on 05/21/2008 5:03 pm
Bonnie Oliver
Kay Sara, It is not a “bash” against Senator Clinton to say I doubt that I could ever vote for her. That is a personal opinion. But it does not erase my sense of justice if I see her image distorted to such an extent, especially in a sexually explicit manner, that does not compel me to speak up on her behalf. That was a dreadful image and either Letterman or Leno should be ashamed as should Fox News. And, you know what, the panel didn’t have a clue as to the offensiveness of the characterization.
By Bonnie Oliver on 05/21/2008 7:12 pm
Kay Sara
Bonnie, and these “clueless” people will be the first ones to say sexism had no role in Hillary’s lack of success to be named the nominee. People who don’t see it can’t attribute it to a woman’s glass ceiling.
By Kay Sara on 05/22/2008 6:32 am