Barack owes Women BIG

Email Print posted by hazmat 04/25/2008 02:47:05 PM EST

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I went to volunteer for the Obama campaign yesterday for the first time, and I was a little surprised by what I found there. Roughly 90% of the volunteers and staff there were women of all ages, mostly white. They were energetic, passionate and excited.

Much hay has been made about how important the youth vote and volunteerism is to Barack's overall success, but my experience at the phone bank came as a huge surprise to me, because one of the most persistent narratives in the campaign has been about Hillary's advantage with women.

And yet, if you think about it, it is surprising how little support she enjoys given the enormous drive among women to see a woman elected president. Almost everyone I spoke with in Obama's office told me they either supported or leaned to Hillary at the beginning of the campaign. What misgivings must they have had to overcome to choose Barack over the first viable Woman Candidate?

Of course I have my own reasons for supporting Obama, that I can't get over the credit card bill vote, or her sponsorship of the flag burning amendment (generations of boy scouts are greatful that it didn't pass), or her war on the base. But I am really curious as to how Hillary lost 35% of the most passionate and pro-female sector of the democratic base (females). It's a staggering number.

Of course that's just one campaign office. I would love to see statistics on the breakdown of activists by race and gender in the two campaigns. I think the contribution of women may be one of the great untold stories of this campaign, and Barack would be wise to sieze on it somehow (in a way that is promoting women in general but without reference to Hillary).

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Barack owes Women BIG | 4 comments (4 topical, 0 hidden)
good examples (none / 0)

"that I can't get over the credit card bill vote, or her sponsorship of the flag burning amendment"

Man, did you hit the nail on the head with these two examples.  That credit card vote was basically congress keeping the sheep in the pen for the credit wolves.  Notice no legislation followed to control predatory practices.  The flag burning bullshit - and it is bullshit to any person who understands what American strength really is about - was nothing more than a blowjob to the Republicans. Add to that her votes on Iraq and Iran and she was finished in my eyes.

by bfaul on 04/25/2008 05:10:43 PM EST

I should explain about boy scouts (none / 0)
every scout knows 1) the proper way to fold the flag 2) that old glory never touches the ground and 3) the proper way to retire her is by burning.

by hazmat on 04/25/2008 06:29:59 PM EST

My take (none / 0)

Hillary is the tough bulldozing fighter candidate. In a male-dominated world of politics, she believes she has to be tougher than her male rivals. She's very much like Maggie Thatcher in that regard.

Obama embraces a political style and philosophy far closer to Angela Merkel. Mediating, consensus-building and less confrontational.

Ironically, I think Obama's style is closer to female instincts whereas Clinton fully embraces the rambo macho style of politics.

I think a lot of women find the latter thoroughly offputting and Obama offers an approach especially younger women are more comfortable with.

Older women might have themselves have had to adopt the rambo approach in their professional careers and have fought similar battles like Clinton. I think that's part of the reason why that demographic strongly supports Clinton.

 

by charlesf on 04/25/2008 10:19:35 PM EST

Barack responds (none / 0)
He thought you said, Barack owes Big Women!

big women 4 Barack

by tiggerporn on 04/26/2008 08:22:50 PM EST

Barack owes Women BIG | 4 comments (4 topical, 0 hidden)
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