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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

Maurine H
PJ - until you get your “facts” straight, you’d best stick to quilting.
By Maurine H on 05/26/2008 12:40 am
cat  lord
There is a BIG LIFE after the facts! LOL
By cat lord on 05/26/2008 6:56 am
Buh- Bye
WHY I WANT HILLARY Aside from the fact that Hillary and Barack have almost virtually the same platforms, it obviously comes down to which candidate you like. My reason for choosing Hillary is personal. Frankly I am sick and tired… SICK AND TIRED… of watching accomplished women work diligently for something their whole lives only to have their moment snatched away by a young turk with minimal experience who is backed by the old boys network.
By Buh- Bye on 05/26/2008 5:18 pm
cat  lord
My Alias I love the young turk comparison! lol You said it so well! So I WANT HILLARY TOO!
By cat lord on 05/26/2008 7:48 pm
~ countrywoman ~
Why I respect your opinion, but fail to understand your logic: This was, without a doubt, HRC’s moment to COMPETE, and yet her supporters allege that her RIGHT to the nomination was “snatched away.” That is the part of the argument where you lose us. We perceive that she did not compete well. She has not proven herself to be the RIGHT woman for the job. Her cries of unfair treatment sound like a sad litany of invalid excuses. We are embarrassed for her. What message does this send to our daughters……….the only measure of success is winning? There is no shame in being the runner-up if a competitor can step down with grace and dignity. That action on her part would definitely command respect, and be a worthy tribute to her loyal supporters. To do otherwise just shouts to the world: “I CARE FAR MORE ABOUT MY ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO THE OFFICE THAN THE BEST INTEREST OF MY COUNTRY!” To some of us, this is just indefensible, and damages our struggle for gender equality. Obama emerged as the person the majority of us genuinely believe we can trust to lead us out of the past 8 years of darkness and shame. For us it is not about race OR gender, it is all about the qualities of leadership and who is the best PERSON to represent us in the White House. The “young turk,” as you label him, looks to some of us as one who possesses very credible experience and judgment, and who brings a message of hope and unity that resonates with us. And re the “old boys network,” if it appears to you that they are supporting Obama, you can bet on the fact that they are doing so with trepidation. They may not be comfortable with the turk’s new policy of ethics in government.
By ~ countrywoman ~ on 05/26/2008 8:03 pm
cat  lord
You just sound like a real countrywoman! LOL LOL Try travel or the city sometime! LOL
By cat lord on 05/26/2008 8:57 pm
Buh- Bye
Well, you’ve heard all my arguments before I’m sure countrywoman. But for what its worth, here we go again. Hillary is actually winning the true Democratic vote. Basically she wins in the states Democrats take (and need to take) in the general election to win. Barack is winning and grabbing delegates in the states Republicans will win in the general election. He is losing the true Democratic vote. His “majority” is being affected in a large way by the Super Delegates (can you say Old Boys Network?) And they have also managed to disenfranchise two states that Hillary took, and would have taken anyway, had Barack campaigned all over those states. They are Clinton country! Barack’s “winning way” is totally manufactured. First by Super Delegate counts, second by the influx of supposedly newly registered voters (many of which are Republican shills,) third by discounting two states Hillary won and fourth by the relentless negating media. Again, I recommend that EVERYONE ON THIS BOARD read THE APPEAL. There is no “Change” coming our way with Barack. Barack Obama is backed by the old boy, old school, old political machine. They will dance him around like a puppet on a string because he is so unseasoned… IF (and that’s a big IF) he can beat McCain. They knew with Hillary they would actually encounter a real leader. That strikes fear in their hearts. I am shocked that so many people are blind to this. It’s real numbers. Real states. REAL math. WHY YOUNG PEOPLE BACK OBAMA Now, why do young people, especially young male college graduates? Here’s my theory. The young turks want a young man in there. It’s one of their own. A guy on the team. Barack has proven himself to be quite the little elitist lately and I have read dozens and dozens and dozens of posts from male supporters of Barack who strut a superior attitude to working class Americans. These guys aren’t for the common everyday man either. I believe young women back Barack because they identify more strongly as being young, not female. They still think the world is their oyster. They haven’t had their hearts broken yet by the sexism they will encounter in the years ahead in business. Give em twenty years. Then let’s talk.
By Buh- Bye on 05/26/2008 11:58 pm
Marcella  Mitchell
America needs to wake up, and most of All Women, I can recall my mother working hard, setting an example for her daughters. What I see now is unbelievable, their is an old saying, that WOMEN do not know what they want. We complain, when we are looked over in the work force, also how we are treated by men, and now we can’t come together as Women, I think the time has come for Women and most Women are supportive, but i find the others very puzzling, The treatment of this Presidential Race towards Hillary has been UNACCEPTABLE, As a Candidate for President it should be who can Lead America, and get the Job done. Not about Race or Gender, but Thanks to the Media and the Historical Build UP this is what it has come to. As a Women I am very proud of Hillary, and yes she has flaws and so does OBAMA, YET America continues to get it WRONG. I know Hillary will fight for America, somehow the Washington insiders, the ones OBAMA talks about, WELL! its funny because he is one of them, WASHINGTON D.C. is a system of GRIDLOCK Americans must wake up. Look at the Gas Crisis we are in and the recession Washington keeps denying, well I have news for All. Those same Ccngressmen that have been their for ever and Congresswomen, and Senators, they all want to be apart of a PROCESS FOR AMERICA, and has failed us. OBAMA, LATEST JOKE IS CHANGE IS COMING TO AMERICA WELL!, I’m tired of the TALKERS, if Washington can’t come together how in the Hell do he think Change is coming. Americans need to step up and take back America, All votes should be counted, and Hillary should not be forced out of the Race this is suppose to be AMERICA. The rules for superdelegates should be changed, and Term Limits SET of being a Congressman, or Senator, should be enforced, WASHINGTON D.C, is the Problem. Tell me Since when has GRIDLOCK STOPPED. Lets Wake UP. America is in trouble, all I See is the BLAME GAME. Remember charisma and charm is why Americans had 7 years of GEORGE BUSH. AMERICANS CONTINUE TO GET IT WRONG. It is shameful, what Americans are enduring. As for Women if we allow this treatment to continue against Hillary and do not take a stand, you can expect the same for the next Woman Candidate. mit mar ALL THE OTHERS HE OWES FAVORS. IS HISTORY GOING TO BE WORTH SUPERDELEGATES, AND WASHINGTON D.C. INSIDERS TRYING TO
By Marcella Mitchell on 05/27/2008 11:41 am
Jennifer Daley
I’d be interested in hearing what percentage of voters would ONLY vote for a woman, regardless of qualifications…
By Jennifer Daley on 05/27/2008 2:29 pm
Renata
A good chunk of the WoWers — which is very interesting and something I am fascinated about since it is clear this divisive Campaign may result in a 3rd Bush term - and the overturn of Roe v. Wade, privatizing SS and Medicare-to the detriment of senior/boomer women and making them even more dependent than we will be on Millenials than we already will be thanks to the Clinton/Busy dynasties — and continued WARS we can ill afford. In fact, the entire way of American life is at stake and… they don’t care. Fascinating, since one would think this site represents the best and brightest women’s community. Sobering.
By Renata on 05/28/2008 9:14 am
cat  lord
What a small and rigid spirit one must have, to be fascinated and think this site represents the best and brightest women’s community! lol
By cat lord on 05/28/2008 4:21 pm
cat  lord
You have been watching too much of Oprah sister!
By cat lord on 05/28/2008 4:25 pm
B. Harris
The male equivalent of “Sweetie” is “Buddy”…it is used so as not to sound stuffy and stuck up, not in a condescending way, but simply to show a non-threatening intent…relax ladies.
By B. Harris on 05/27/2008 3:44 pm
cat  lord
Why should the intent be threatening anyway? Maybe only amoung “machos”? Relax your muscles Dude!
By cat lord on 05/27/2008 6:37 pm
Renata
By Renata on 05/27/2008 10:50 pm