11 January, 2008 | Leave a Comment
I’m already sick of election coverage and it’s only January 11th. Sigh. I’m also…sick, but then who isn’t sick right now?
Most of the election coverage on both sides of the Atlantic has been barf-inducing and breaks down roughly as follows:
Obama = America’s only hope for change, an Oprah-endorsed modern-day Jesus, the answer to all of our prayers
Hillary = bitch
I think that about sums it up, at least observing it from over here. It’s been sickening.
Yesterday the Times, also known as The Misogynist Times, featured a front-page headline about Hillary’s New Hampshire victory that said ‘Liberated’ - Women voters seize the day. The print version featured a very unflattering and creepy photo of two fiftysomething white women embracing in happiness. The headline and cover image had the feel of a horror movie about it and you know what, I love it! There’s tons of coverage like this all over the place and what it represents is the worst nightmare of The Patriarchy™. It’s fun to watch them squirm. The fact that women might use their collective power as voters — finally — is scaring the hell out of them. They dreaded this day and they are wetting their panties in fear. This is why a vote for Hillary is so great. It’s a vote to f–k them up.
The other night on ITV news, Dick Morris [Incompetent Media Whore] was being interviewed about why he and all the other pundits had written off Hillary and gotten it so wrong. Morris said that what ended up happening in New Hampshire was that lots of single mothers who rely on government subsidies (read: lazy tramps looking for a handout) came out to vote and they chose Hillary. I guess these women were never polled because they don’t register on any scale of importance. I’ve heard other pundits state that those women voting for Hillary are “radical” older women. It’s like those voting for Hillary are not real Americans, like their votes don’t carry as much weight as everyone else’s. The demonization of women voting for Hillary reminds me of the demonization of feminists. Pretty soon we’ll see campaigns against Hillary claiming that if you vote for her, you’re nothing more than a man-hating hairy-legged lesbian who likes to drink the blood of infants and strangle kittens. GASP!
The Patriarchy™ that is attacking Hillary is also racist (though patriarchy does, of course, transcend all racial and ethnic lines), but it seems that if given the choice between a black [male] president and a [white] female president, The Patriarchy™ prefers the touchy-feely non-confrontational cuddly Obama. Or at least, they prefer him given what the other choice is. After all, the female candidate is…Hillary Clinton. There ain’t nothin’ The American Patriarchy™ hates more than Hillary. She’s their favorite target. [Yet another important reason to vote for her.]
This election is interesting, of course, because we have two candidates who could potentially shatter the white male stranglehold on power in the United States that has existed for hundreds of years. While this is something for Democrats to be proud of, it also has the effect of people feeling the need to pit different groups against one another, claiming that this group or that group has suffered more and making gender and race issues compete for superiority, which is too bad. My support for Hillary has brought me face to face with this numerous times.
I’ve been quite open about my support for Hillary amongst work colleagues and friends over here. Their reaction is almost always one of shock. So many times people have said — but what about Obama! He’s black! To the people of various nationalities that I chat with daily, it’s clear that they think having a black president is important but potentially having a woman as president isn’t. My question is, why can’t they be excited about the possibility of either barrier being broken? Wouldn’t either outcome be exciting? Some people have acted like I’m racist for not voting for Obama, which is absurd. Yesterday someone pointed out to me that there are a couple other female presidents out there already. What — 4 or 5 on the entire planet? I guess the quota is filled then. I better vote for Obama.
This ignorant behavior makes me sad and it makes me want to rip my hair out. The people who make these comments are always white and it leads me to believe that many white people are themselves engaging in a form of reverse racism. Maybe some of them feel that voicing support for Obama makes them somehow morally pure. It’s like…’See, I’m not racist. I’m cheering for Obama!” I think this attitude is actually undermining Obama. I’ve read many reports in the press putting forth the theory that the reason the polls in New Hampshire were so wrong was because many white voters said they were supporting Obama but then once they got into the voting booth, chose someone else. Talk is cheap.
As it is, I’m supporting the candidate who isn’t cool. It’s not hip to be for Hillary. Perhaps that’s another reason the polls were wrong — people who were planning to vote for Hillary were too ashamed to admit it.
I’m not voting for Obama because I’m not convinced he is qualified to be president. He has star quality, but that’s not important to me. I think his time will come, but he’s really an unknown quantity at this point. What’s the rush? He’s only been in the senate for three years. Obama risks becoming the next John Edwards if he’s not careful. I worry that if he is the nominee, he will not be able to win the general election after being held up to intense media scrutiny (which he has not experienced thus far, which is part of the reason why he’s so appealing). Hello President McCain.
In closing, has anyone else noticed that virtually every front-page photo of Hillary Clinton over here is terribly unflattering:
Unintentional? I think not.
Anglofille said @ 8:38 pm | feminism, news & politics |
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SpliceGirl Says:
January 12th, 2008 at 6:49 amAt first I really didn’t think I would vote for Hillary because I find her slightly insidious. But now, I will. I cannot stand the media coverage on Barack Obama. He is completely inexperienced in my opinion. I also think that a lot of the white people in the USA who plan on voting for Obama are doing it out of white guilt.
This comment you made: ’See, I’m not racist. I’m cheering for Obama!” is 100% true. No one I have talked with can tell me a damn thing they really like about Obama or what the hell his plan for ANYTHING is, they just feel if they vote for a black man it will cleanse their irrationally stupid guilt. Ridiculous. This is a country of complete morons.
And you’re right also about the unflattering pics of Hillary. They purposely photograph her from low angles and bad lighting positions to make her appear heavier, older, and matronly. I wouldn’t be shocked to see a picture of Obama posing with kittens and puppies in a flowering meadow while they Photoshop an image of Hillary having an abortion on a burning flag. But seriously, did you expect anything less? I’m surprised we haven’t heard about what she’s been eating and how she plans to lose a few pounds for the upcoming year. I guess we’ll get her diet plan and clothes designer picks if she gets the nomination.
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Caroline Says:
January 13th, 2008 at 6:10 amOh, come on. I do not believe the media is deliberately publishing rotten pictures. Hillary Clinton is a woman in late middle age. She doesn’t always look great on camera — hell, I am slimmer younger & arguably cuter than Hillary & still take a lousy picture.
It’s called getting older & it isn’t much fun or very attractive despite what people like to say to make us feel better about it.
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Fred Blogs Says:
January 13th, 2008 at 6:45 pmAnybody voting for policy, or is it just down to black or female? God help us all . Also, please do not generalise the British according to the people you hang out or work with. Many of your posts have this ‘over here they think…’ flavour based on nothing other than your small circle of acquaintances, or a selected report from a newspaper that just happens to fit your agenda.
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Here is a quote from my post:
To the people of various nationalities that I chat with daily it’s clear that they think having a black president is important but potentially having a woman as president isn’t.
“Various nationalities.” I did not write that it was exclusively British people acting this way, though virtually 100% of the British people I talk to express this view about Hillary/Obama (including one guy I met tonight). I assume most of my readers understand I do not know every British citizen personally.
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Rebecca Says:
January 13th, 2008 at 9:45 pmYou don’t? Anglofille, you have mislead me. I am ashamed of you.
PS: Hillary’s response to the “IRON MY SHIRT” people was made of win.
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Rebecca Says:
January 13th, 2008 at 9:46 pmer, misled. See? I was so upset that I typoed my reply.
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Gregory Says:
January 17th, 2008 at 12:50 amI’ve thought about this a lot, I know people on boths staffs, I don’t like them,
I think a lot of people on Anglofille’s new media venture are very unfair to Republicans,
our track record on job creation is exemplary, India, Thailand, or China immediately spring to mind.
We also did our bit for green house emissions by removing armor plate from the gas guzzling Hummers.
We were also within weeks of giving the boys and girls in Iraq a viable papiermache APV before the democrats killed the project.
With this in mind, I don’t think Senator Clinton should wear yellow, she needs to go for that Time Magazine look.
She also looked great at the federal funding for PBS hugfest in 2005, she wore like an Indian dress/suit thing in red. I think that was for an evening reception, I can’t find it on the http://WWW.
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I saw Hillary Clinton speak about 16 years ago when Bill Clinton was first running for President. It was a small room in one of the best restaurant venues in Knoxville - overlooking the Tennessee River - the room was not full and they had to offer bbq to get people there.
She was electrifying.
She got my vote right there, right then. And even as a student I gave her some money. And if I had to vote for her husband as a proxy, well - I’d be happy to do it. And I did - in the primary and in two general elections.
And now I’m happy to finally be voting for her.
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Anta Says:
January 31st, 2008 at 2:17 amI’ve joined the ranks of the undecided.
But I could never see the point of tuna and sweet corn...
