30 August, 2008 | Leave a Comment
I will write about my trip to Paris soon, but I have to weigh in on the election news!
My, my, my … what an interesting week. Both Obama’s convention and McCain’s VP pick proved one thing: Hillary’s supporters — you know, the ones kicked and trashed by Obama’s campaign and the Democrats — now hold quite a bit of power in our little hands.
Howard Wolfson in WaPo:
“Both campaigns seemed to have decided that Hillary Clinton’s 18 million voters represent a key swing bloc in this election — both Barack Obama’s speech and John McCain’s pick were at least partially aimed at them.”
It’s amazing to me that Obama & Co. were not able to foresee the predicament they’ve found themselves in. But then I guess winning the primary was all that mattered to them, regardless of who they had to trample and alienate on their way to victory.
As for McCain, he thinks he is going to win over disillusioned Hillary voters™ with his choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate. He may well win over a few of her supporters, but he’s not winning over this disillusioned Hillary voter™. I wouldn’t vote for McCain if Gloria Steinem were his running mate.
That said, you know, I’m sick and tired of the way those Hillary supporters who are voting for McCain are being attacked — the so-called PUMAs. Once again, the Dems see fit to engage in sexism. I keep reading and seeing [in columns and on blogs and news clips] that those Hillary supporters who are now voting for McCain are insane, hysterical and irrational. [Some of this is even coming from panicked feminist supporters of Obama, which is inexcusable.] Yes, this is the way to heal the party and get people to vote for Obama. More sexist rhetoric and insults and personal attacks. If we were talking about a group of men, such language would never be used. I am not one of those Hillary supporters who will vote for McCain, but I feel that as a Hillary supporter, I am being defamed and degraded with these comments as well. We are not all a bunch of bitter irrational women. All of this rhetoric just confirms that for me, abandoning the Dems was the right choice. I don’t want to be part of this group.
Just as an aside, I’d love to know just how many Hillary supporters are actually voting for McCain. According to the media, the figure is sky high. I really doubt that. You cannot be a supporter of Hillary and her policies and also be a supporter of McCain and his policies. It’s just not possible. My guess is that Hillary voters who are pissed off will just stay home and not vote at all, which will prove disastrous for Obama anyway.
I wish I could sit out this election, but in good conscience I cannot do that. Women have not even had the right to vote for 100 years and I can’t repay all those women who fought for me by not voting at all. I have decided that I will not write in Hillary’s name as planned. I am going to cast a real vote, one that counts. I didn’t watch the convention (I couldn’t watch it from where I was), but I followed the coverage and nothing I read persuaded me to vote for Obama. I don’t have anything against him personally. I view him as a clever politician, nothing more. All of these people who think he’s going to change Washington will find themselves disillusioned rather quickly if he’s elected (that’s a no-brainer). I am not voting for him because many of his supporters have offended me in ways I cannot and will not forgive anytime soon. More importantly, I will not support the Democratic party after the sexism I saw on display during the primary campaign from the DNC leadership and members.
I am going to be voting for Cynthia McKinney and the Green Party. I will write more about this in another post, but I feel happy with this decision for a variety of reasons I will explain later.
Just a few notes about McCain’s choice of Palin in closing. It’s funny how people are outraged that McCain is pandering to women by choosing Palin. Yeah, what a shock — a politician who panders. Duh.
McCain is clever and daring, I’ll give him that. This could all very easily blow up in his face, which is why this campaign just got interesting to watch. Not only did McCain steal Obama’s convention thunder in a big way, but just when Obama and the Dems thought the issue of gender would die down, it takes center stage once again. For me (and I suspect many others) it reawakens that heart-breaking sense of disappointment at the way Hillary Clinton and all she represented were cast aside and tossed into the dustbin. Major opportunities were lost and seeing Palin on the stage just reminds me of that. I think McCain’s pick is intentionally targeting those lingering feelings. On a more practical level, why didn’t Obama choose Hillary as his running mate (which right now seems like a pretty stupid move)?
I am glad McCain chose a woman, but I am concerned. I’m glad because although I personally find Palin’s views to be stomach-churning, we need more women to run for high office across the board. Women are so underrepresented in American politics that there aren’t many women out there to choose from, which is probably why McCain picked someone who is by all accounts rather inexperienced. [Though how much experience does Obama really have? How much experience did Dubya have?] My main concern is that Palin may crash and burn. This will be bad for McCain, but I don’t care about that. More importantly, it’ll be bad for women. Because there are so few non-white males in politics, anyone who doesn’t fit this description becomes a symbol and representative of everyone else “like them.” If Palin gets ripped to shreds by Biden in the debates, which is quite possible, then many people will use this as proof that women can’t run for high office, that women aren’t smart enough or qualified. Because while a guy like Dan Quayle can be a moron and it doesn’t reflect on other white men at all, if Sarah Palin screws up, it won’t just be Sarah Palin screwing up. It’ll be a blow to all women of all races. I will watch the next few months with a knot in my stomach, that’s for sure.
Link:
NYT: Can You Cross Out ‘Hillary’ and Write ‘Sarah’?
Anglofille said @ 8:44 pm | feminism, news & politics |
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Hey there–
I didn’t blog it yet, but I couldn’t agree more. I’ve decided that the only vote of conscience for me is a vote for McKinney/Clemente. I am so disgusted by the misogyny in this year’s election. And, I think that McKinney/Clemente have the platform I most believe in. However, I do think more Hillary voters are going to stay home than vote McCain for the reasons you outline. What a horrible, horrible mess. Bah. -
I’m glad you have come to some of the same conclusions. It’s nice to feel a sense of solidarity, especially when those of us who feel this way are being discredited and attacked so much these days.
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Kristin Says:
August 31st, 2008 at 4:43 pmAfter a post-convention discussion the other day with my smart old aunt, in which I received quite the withering glare when I casually tossed off “I’m just not gonna vote,” I opted for less casual petulance and did a moment of investigation, and I too found a vote I can live with in McKinney.
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Greig Says:
September 1st, 2008 at 4:26 amVoting can be the antithesis of democracy, sometimes not voting is a truer indicator of the popular will, not voting says a lot.
That’s why you can go to jail for not voting in some countries, it is scary for the status quo when contempt finds expression.
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I have a little bit more confidence in Gov. Palin. I actually think she’s a decent candidate. Not someone I would vote for based on her ideological stance, but a reformer and capable.
The VP debates will be interesting. Biden, as a long serving Senator and as a presidential candidate himself, clearly has a lot more debating experience. On the other hand, if he gets all nasty (like with Anita Hill) or gaffe-y as is his natural wont - things could backfire on him.
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Daniela Says:
September 1st, 2008 at 9:54 amAs I said to somebody - I guess that worse than under-representation is a wrong politics of presence. I mean, she is a woman but a woman who stands for patriarchal values. I am not American so I don’t grasp the whole scenario but one thing I know - as a woman I would not feel represented by
Hope you had a great time in Paris again! I know you find it difficult to keep up with the post-holiday happiness but maybe, just maybe, you don’t have to, not in that obligatory sense. I guess the break is the break, a pause to give you perspective.
Anyway, hope you are well! -
soraja Says:
September 4th, 2008 at 8:31 amWith all possible respect to you, have you actualy read the Pumapac or any of the various “NoBama” web sites? The sentiment there really is hateful.
But I could never see the point of tuna and sweet corn...
