Trumping the witch factor
WHEN IT comes to the b-word, we've come a long way, baby.
In 1984, Barbara Bush described her husband's opponent, Democratic vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro like this: "I can't say it, but it rhymes with rich." Her words stirred so much controversy that Mrs. Bush later telephoned Ferraro to apologize for referring to her as a "witch."
Compare that with what transpired at a recent campaign event after a female supporter of John McCain's asked the Arizona senator, "How do we beat the bitch?"
Replied McCain: "May I give a translation?" The room erupted in laughter, and McCain said: "That's an excellent question." Explaining that polls show he is the one Republican candidate who can beat Hillary Clinton, McCain went on to tell his audience, "I respect Senator Clinton. I respect anyone who gets the nomination of the Democratic Party."
When CNN reported on the exchange, the McCain campaign didn't issue any apologies to Clinton. Instead, Rick Davis, McCain's campaign manager sent an e-mail to supporters arguing that CNN owed McCain an apology for its reporting of the story.
McCain told the Associated Press, "She made a comment, I made light of the comment, and then I said very seriously I treated and continue to treat Senator Clinton with respect and I've said that many times. . . . I can't dictate what other people say - that's not my business."
That answer from a presidential candidate who is often lauded for his character is disappointing.
McCain's presidential campaign in 2000 was killed off in South Carolina when he and his family were attacked by vicious slurs. He was angry and hurt when it happened to him. Now, when he could take the high road on behalf of an opponent, he chose to take a less-than-courageous middle road. He condoned the slur, even as he expressed respect for Clinton.
What if the woman who questioned McCain used a racial or religious epithet to frame the query? Would it still be an excellent question and its phrasing none of his business?
It's hard to imagine McCain offering a similar rationale if the questioner used a racial slur to describe Barack Obama. Some lines can't be crossed. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden had to defend himself after he called Obama "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy." Biden's comment was parsed for racial insensitivity.
But the witch factor is a valid line of attack against the only female in the presidential race. Opponents may be counting on it, more than waffling, to surface as Clinton's ultimate vulnerability in the race to the White House.
It's no coincidence that Clinton's laugh is routinely described as a cackle. Earlier this fall, the Drudge Report featured an image of her dressed as a witch.
"I don't even pay attention to it," Clinton said, when asked about it as she walked out of an Oct. 10 sit-down at the Globe. "It's not working," she said of the harsh caricature put out on the Web. "People are more and more saying, 'She's not as bad as I thought she was.' "
Many women have walked in Clinton's shoes, trying to ignore the insults as they strive to strike the acceptable balance between mushiness and aggressiveness. As a presidential candidate, Clinton has to sound strong, not shrill. She has to look in command, not manly. And no matter what she does, there always will be men and women who look at her and see a witch.
Marginalizing women is an accepted part of American culture, from the hip-hop recording studio to a meeting of McCain supporters in Hilton Head, S.C.
Imagine the outrage if a Clinton supporter used a slur against men in a question posed to the candidate? What would happen if the candidate laughed and replied, "That's an excellent question." It would be war against the so-called Feminazi.
Clinton is criticized when she plays the victim and complains that the boys are piling on, as her campaign did after the Oct. 30 debate. Too much pandering to women runs the risk of turning off women who don't like pandering in general. For a woman, courting the women's vote is no easy task.
But, the question, "How do we beat the bitch?" - and McCain's response to it - are reminders of what a female presidential candidate is up against.
There's still a long way to go.
Joan Vennochi's e-mail address is vennochi@globe.com.
