Democrats and the gender issue

I have been sitting back and listening to Hillary Clinton whining about the "sexist" path this political race has taken against her. Well, now I have to speak. I am a 62-year old woman who is a Barack Obama supporter. Before the primary in my state, I received calls from both campaigns looking for my vote. The caller from the Clinton campaign was "horrified" that as a woman, I was not going to support Senator Clinton. NOW, that is sexist! I was really very upset at the tone of that phone call. In my view, it is sexist to pidgeon-hole all woman by saying that we should be backing a woman for president???

I received a phone call from the Hillary Clinton phone bank and the women that ask me would I vote for Hillary and when I said no she became very upset as well. She went on, and on about Hillary qualification without letting me voice my opinion about the race. After she said all these negative things to me she asked me again would I vote for Hillary. I said "No" and hung up. The caller was rude and voicetress.

"Since March, when I was accused of being racist for a statement I made about the influence of blacks on Obama's historic campaign, people have been stopping me to express a common sentiment: If you're white you can't open your mouth without being accused of being racist. They see Obama's playing the race card throughout the campaign and no one calling him for it as frightening."

"Perhaps it's because neither the Barack Obama campaign nor the media seem to understand what is at the heart of the anger on the part of women who feel that Hillary Clinton was treated unfairly because she is a woman or what is fueling the concern of Reagan Democrats for whom sexism isn't an issue, but reverse racism is." Two examples of the same problem.

--and this is where you lost credibility with me. If YOU can't see your own comment's racist undertones, you have the same problem that Obama supporters have when they use sexist slurs or stereotypes. (And often Obama supporters can't open their mouths without being accused of sexism, I might add.)

Physician, heal thyself!

Nevertheless, I applaud the push to establish some facts AFTER the campaign and possibly to set up ethical guidelines. The problem with that being that sexism and racism are so subtle and ingrained that trying to "police" this with rules doesn't usually work. What works is to become familiar with the unknown or the "Other" as some put it.

And good for Ellen Goodman. I think, unfortunately, that were Obama to do a speech on sexism he would immediately encounter furious vitriol from Clinton supporters that he dared to consider himself a credible voice on the issue.

More helpful for Ellen Goodman to do it. Now if Sen. Clinton had prepared a speech on sexism that managed to leave out her personal campaign issues and goals, that also would have been helpful. And when I say leave out her campaign, I simply mean not use it to galvanize her base or to claim the role of victim. Sen. Obama's speech certainly incorporated his run for the WH, but attempted to go beyond that and to address more universal concerns. Sen. Clinton's comments on sexism have all been about her personal experience of sexism primarily in the context of HER CAMPAIGN. It is this focus on using sexism as a campaign issue that has annoyed so many feminist Obama supporters. I do not say that all her supporters have done the same, however. I just wish she would occasionally consider that both racism and sexism have had an impact on this race. (And before I hear the outcry, she specifically was asked if she had seen racism and said she had not. She had framed this conversation as a discussion of sexism in the press in advance. Personally, I have seen plenty of racism on the part of the press, but she is entitled to her "opinion."

Thank you Ms Ferraro! I am a lifelong Democrat who has never voted for a Republican in more than 30 years of voting. I will NEVER vote for Obama IF he is the nominee for 2 reasons:
One: the man has a resume as thin as the paper it's printed on and shouldn't even be considered presidential material; and
Two: I want the DNC, the Obama campaign and the media--both main stream and so-called progressive bloggers to realize that their sexist misogynistic behavior and their totally biased reporting of the "news" worked against them and their desired candidate.
We're not playing the part of the little lady and "getting over it"

Geraldine Ferraro does not speak for me. I am a 37 year old white female, mother of two and college educated and I am voting for Obama. I am tired of Ferraro lumping all women into one category, I do not feel Clinton has been treated unfairly at all in this campaign. She felt she would be basically coronated as the democratic nominee and when that did not happen she resorted to pulling every card she could, namely race and sex. Ferraro is dividing the party as much as the Clinton campaign continues to do, I am not willing to let Geraldine Ferraro speak for me as a woman, how dare she assume that all women think Obama is a sexist....I just think Ferraro is a sore loser.

When Hilliary Clinton was the presumed front runner early in the campaign, there were no complaints of sexism, but now we hear all this whining about sexism, media bias, Florida and Michigan votes, etc., etc. That's right WHINING!!! I don't care male or female, whining is whining. Instead of facing the fact that she ran a poor campaign, which is in debt, and accepting her fate, she continues to think of only herself and engage in any divisive trick she can play. And here's Ms. Ferraro, even after making that assinine statement about Obama, spewing more ridiculous comments about unfair play. Ms. Clinton needs to just take her loss, go home and maybe, if she hasn't alienated enough people, she can run again in the future. Although, after this, she would never have my vote. And I voted for her husband twice.

As a white woman in her 50's, I resent the fact that Geraldine Ferraro claims to speak for all of us. Her comments are indeed racist and they are damaging to the Democrat party and the country as a whole. In my opinion she has done more harm to Hillary's campaign than any comment made by Bill Clinton could possibly do.

Clinton communications director Howard Wolf-man statement today suggests that both he and Ferraro have a lot of explaining to do. They, themselves have gone far past repudiation. The Wolf- man is a hypocrite and a loser. How dare he not advise Hillary to apologize to Barrack for suggesting assassination; especially at a time of rising racial tensions . It is more divisive and hateful when language that suggests assassination is used. To suggest assassination is beyond racism and division; it’s almost criminal and atrocious.

What are totally counterproductive in our efforts to bring our party together are the Clintons unrealistic goals, false claims of racism, sexism, and alignment with Karl Rove, and McCain.

Father Pfleger's comments said volumes about the truth. Hillary does think she is entitled because of her husband’s coat-tails. It’s unfortunate color was mention.
Obama has repudiated this behavior; therefore I see no need for a speech.

Ferraro should state exactly what she means by racism. As far as sexism is concerned, the Clintonistas have set the feminist movement back to the Stone Age and was first introduced by Hillary herself by labeling any and everything sexism.

I would love to have a progressive woman for president; only it needs to be the right progressive woman. Hilary is not the right progressive woman.

A year ago I was interested in what Hillary Clinton had to say. She never gave a straight answer in last Autumns debates, and I began to doubt how much of a change she would represent beyond her gender alone. I am a white male and I am sensitive to the issue of "reverse discrimination", but over the past 7 months I have come to the conclusion that Barack Obama is the best person left in the democratic party to be nominated to run for president.
The Clintons have run a strange campaign, and the recent allegations of sexism and reverse discrimination are making it even stranger. All I can do is to shake my head and walk away dissapointed that identity is taking preference to important national issues

As a woman, I find Hillary Clinton and Mrs Ferraro a disgrace and taking the women movement backward. If I can't win then no one will attitude is disgraceful.
Their use of gender and attacks has been deplorable. If there is a need for an apology, then Mrs Ferraro and Mrs Clinton should lead.. Why is it okay for a woman to cry sexism when they are losing, I didn't hear it when she was the inevitable winner. Disnissing anythng that is not to your advantage is not being good role models to women who are truly being oppressed with sexism. Lead by example.

I really have admired Geraldine Ferraro since the days she ran for VP. Lately, I'm so revolted by her spewing backward and divisive ideas of race and gender to help her candidate win the nomination...blech!!!

I have watched EVERYTHING the Clinton campaign says be jumped on and Obama can say or do anything and it was not reported and if it was, it was not what he meant or he should not be held responsible. The newest preacher problem is not his fault either and yet I am offended, and believe if this was someone from the Clinton campaign the media would have condemmed her and her supporteres as being uneducated and racist. I will not be voting democrat this year and I have always voted democrat, I never could understand how peolple could let their emotions out weigh their best interest. Now I do.

Ferraro, as usual, is too far out and is a fear monger. With her as a Democrat, who even needs Republicans for our enemies?

Geraldine Ferraro should be careful about sitting across from Sean Hannity and feeding him the drivel that he so likes to build his shows on. Does she think that if Hillary Clinton was the nominee that he would be fair to her?