06/08/08 - HILLARY AND THE GLASS CEILING
So, Hillary Clinton believes that the reason she did not win the nomination for the Democratic party is because ... she's a woman. She slammed into that "glass ceiling" with sufficient force to put 18 million cracks in it. From my perspective, that whole mindset is pre-nineties, and we don't need a leader who lives that far in the past. African Americans face significantly more discrimination, more stereotyping and more barriers than do today's women, but Barack made it. And if he hadn't I doubt he would have blamed it on race. I know why Hillary didn't win the nomination, and it has nothing to do with any "glass ceiling" ...
I have talked to many many people and read hundreds of blogs on the subject of Hillary Clinton and I'm convinced that she lost in part because of her husband. We, as Americans, have short memories, but it seems everyone still remembers all the drama of the Clinton presidency. With rising gas and food prices, a housing "crisis," mounting credit problems and uncertainty in the stock market, the last thing we need is flippant drama in the White House. Bill, in his advancing years, is turning into a nasty caricature of himself, and that has dogged Hillary's campaign from the start. Additionally, Hillary is a militant advocate of her platform and beliefs. In the past eight years, many Americans have become suspect of "militant" approaches and personalities. And finally, as silly as this may sound, there is a lot of basis in the fact that Hillary sounds like every man's ex-wife. She doesn't talk to the American public, she screeches. Like a parakeet in a cage, she flaps around the podium, screeching and, possibly, doing more than just that. Toward the end, as the campaign became more desperate, Hillary reminded me more and more of Paris Hilton or Lindsey Lohan - out of touch. I am just thankful she didn't resort to a panty-flash or clothing malfunction in order to get more press--and I think I speak for us all on that one.
Put an intelligent, calm, rational woman in the race--one with no political baggage--and I suspect she would fare much better. Condoleeza Rice, for example, barring any surprise skeletons in the closet, could likely have gone all the way. I can name many more. And if Condi didn't win, she wouldn't come out blaming any "glass ceiling" or blaming her association with President Bush, or blaming it on her skin color.
Hillary gave it her best. Unfortunately, that wasn't good enough. And that's all that it ever was about.