STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

halleybird · Hermes

Let's talk about a female president.

bumblebee · Coach

i think we're ready for a female president, but i don't think hillary clinton will be it. i think there are many reasons that people will not get behind her as a candidate (not saying how i feel about her one way or the other, just a general observation).

Maddie · Coach

I think there's all this drama about a female president when there really shouldn't be. The United States is a way better country for women than most including a lot that have had female leaders (India for example). I don't understand America's hang up about a female president when women hold a much better place here than most countries. My guess is that it's just cause it's the first one and in an actual election it wouldn't make much of a difference.

I think what would matter more is what kind of women it was. I don't think Margaret Thatcher would ever be elected in the US, she's not good looking enough. Hilary is good looking, but defintely not sexy, which I think is just right. However, I think for a lot of other reasons she's a tough sell.

-- Edited by Maddie at 20:36, 2005-11-01

honey · Gucci

interesting point maddie, i'd never really considered it from that perspective. however i do think there's a lot to be said for the fact that it's an important symbolic guesture. and while it's true that everything is relative, american women still have a lot of huge leaps to make before we close the gender gap, and i think a female president would be a tremendous step in the right direction.

i don't think that it's going to be hillary. the thing with her is that the people who dislike her, really, really dislike her. and imo (this is not based on statistics or anything) a lot of those people are moderates, not hardcore extremists. so that's a huge hurdle for her to overcome.

additionally i think she'll be hurt by the fact that a lot of people already anticipate her running. sure it's not unusual for people in politics to aspire to become president. but with her it seems like every move she's made in the past couple of years has been calculated with that as the ultimate goal. again, i don't think there's anything wrong with that per se, but with her i think she'll have to struggle to prove that she is genuinely interested in improving the country, and not just satisfying her own political ambitions.

gosh, all that being said, i actually like hillary. but i doubt she'll be president.

eta: i posted this b/f i read the article, but he essentially points out hil's biggest problem a lot of dems & moderates don't care for her.

eta (again): i'm almost sure that we'll have a male minority president b/f a female one. if colin powell had decided to run i think he would've been elected. and that guy from illinois (barak obama sp?) stands a decent chance if he runs in 2012.

-- Edited by honey at 20:16, 2005-11-01

-- Edited by honey at 21:53, 2005-11-01

lynnie · Chanel

I can't see a female winning the 2008 election. I think our country needs to get back on track first before shaking that up. Theres so many other important issues right now that need to somewhat be resolved before that. Our country is too divided right now.

jen · Kate Spade

I think instead of really thinking about the person, there will be MANY people out there who vote for her just because she's a woman or against her just because she's a woman. I think it would take a few female presidents before people look at the person, regaurdless of sex. That being said, I'm longing for a female president!

halleybird · Hermes

honey wrote:

eta (again): i'm almost sure that we'll have a male minority president b/f a female one. if colin powell had decided to run i think he would've been elected. and that guy from illinois (barak obama sp?) stands a decent chance if he runs in 2012.-- Edited by honey at 20:16, 2005-11-01 -- Edited by honey at 21:53, 2005-11-01

I agree with this. I had a very long argument with one of my husband's friends about this exact subject.

blink · Coach

I think the chances for a white female or a male minority being elected president are about equal. I do not think the chances are good for a minority female right now, but I can see it in the next thirty years.

hotcocoa · Kate Spade

i don't think this country will elect hillary as our next president but it will be a giant leap in the right direction. by her running for the office of president (weather she's elected or not) will break down so many barriers and pave the way for a woman to win the office in the future... although i think it would have to be the near future so that momentum isn't lost and unfortunately i don't know that there are any potential candidates out there right now.

i'm not sure about a minority either. as honey mentioned i think barak obama stands a good chance of becoming a candidate. but again... it may just be the first step. breaking down some barriers and paving the way for candidates of the future.

hillary has my vote though. that's a sure thing.

-- Edited by hotcocoa at 15:04, 2005-11-02

poptart · Coach

Ooh, good topic, halleybird.

I also think that odds are good that we will elect a male minority before we will elect a woman. Barak Obama seems like a likely candidate eventually. But, that being said, I think that Hilary stands a much better chance of being elected than people give her credit for -*especially* if women's groups mount a serious "get out the vote" campaign to get women to the polls. I agree with Jen that many people (primarily women) would vote for her simply b/c she is a woman and it's high time we had a woman (and a minority male and a minority female - but don't get me started) in the oval office. And given that I think women outnumber men at this point, it's definitely possible if women go to the polls.

Like hotcocoa and others, she has my vote if she runs. I really like her and feel she has handled herself with dignity and thoughtfulness for most of her public life. (Which is more than I can say for Bush, Bush Sr. and Mrs. Bush Sr.)

Her constituents in NY certainly seem to like her, and that says a lot too, I think. NY girls, can you comment?

atlgirl · Gucci

I dunno, Lisa...I think Hillary is really polarizing...and that can really work against her. It's easier to sway the fence-sitters than it is to try and change the mind of folks who are dead set against someone, and Hillary is actively disliked ;by a lot of folks...it will be interesting to see if she really does run. I def. think she wants to.

feel she has handled herself with dignity and thoughtfulness for most of her public life. (Which is more than I can say for Bush, Bush Sr. and Mrs. Bush Sr.)

They are the classic example of how money cannot buy class, IMO. I wholeheartedly agree with you!

honey · Gucci

while i'm technically not a ny'er i think i can add some insight on hil. i wouldn't necessarily count her "popularity" in ny too much. imo ny is very different from the rest of the country and is one of those places (like MA) that generally tends to swing liberal (in regards to presidents & senators) regardless of the candidate. also, and i'm not 100%, sure but i believe the candidate she ran against for the senate was not a very strong candidate, so i don't think her victory was any great feat (though this could be totally wrong).

like atlgirl said hillary is polarizing. if she runs against a strong republican candidate who can appeal to moderate dems like mccain, or even --dare i say guliani (though i despise him) she'll get trounced.

tina242 · Kate Spade

A lot could happen in the next few decades...and it's tough to say how the public will vote, esp. since 1/2 the US voted for Bush in the last election, which was surprising.

I also agree that a male minority will probably win before a female, but that would also be a step in the right direction.

Is this for real? www.walken2008.com/

Elle · Hermes

This is a very interesting topic - thanks for starting it Halleybird.

Even though I would love to see a woman and/or a minority president in the white house, IMO it's not as important as getting an extremely qualified, balanced candidate whose primary concern is the wellbeing of the country and it's inhabitants. The country is on very unsure footing right now (IMO of course) and I don't think a 'risky' candidate would have a very good chance in 2008. If we can get someone into office that can get us going in the right direction again, then I think there would be a brilliant chance of a woman or minority getting elected in 2016, assuming of course that a talented woman or minority deserving of the position actually runs.

I think Hilary winning would absolutely depend on who she was up against since many people do have a love or hate opinion of her. But I would really be disappointed if a woman got into the white house by being the lesser of two evils, rather than being a solid candidate. If it were to happen under those circumstances, I don't think we'd have another female president for a looooooooong time. And there would be plenty of sexist 'I told ya so!' shit flying around I'm sure.

So anyway, I guess I'll be voting for whomever is the best for the job, regardless of race, gender, or political affiliation .

-- Edited by LMonet at 18:31, 2005-11-02

blubirde · Chanel

I wish Hillary WOULD run for president. I think she'd be great. I think the biggest hurdle is not the American people but the Democratic party. The Democrats (for years now) have refused to stand up for anyone or to anyone, so I doubt they'd choose anyone less lame than Kerry or Gore (although I liked both candidates, they were the epitome of lame).

So if Clinton can get past the primaries, I think she stands a real chance. But Howard Dean couldn't get past the primaries so I doubt she can. And say what you will about Dean but he's an excellent Democratic role model and a lot of Dems could do a lot worse than listen to what he's got to say.

halleybird · Hermes

LMonet wrote:

This is a very interesting topic - thanks for starting it Halleybird. Even though I would love to see a woman and/or a minority president in the white house, IMO it's not as important as getting an extremely qualified, balanced candidate whose primary concern is the wellbeing of the country and it's inhabitants. The country is on very unsure footing right now (IMO of course) and I don't think a 'risky' candidate would have a very good chance in 2008. If we can get someone into office that can get us going in the right direction again, then I think there would be a brilliant chance of a woman or minority getting elected in 2016, assuming of course that a talented woman or minority deserving of the position actually runs. I think Hilary winning would absolutely depend on who she was up against since many people do have a love or hate opinion of her. But I would really be disappointed if a woman got into the white house by being the lesser of two evils, rather than being a solid candidate. If it were to happen under those circumstances, I don't think we'd have another female president for a looooooooong time. And there would be plenty of sexist 'I told ya so!' shit flying around I'm sure. So anyway, I guess I'll be voting for whomever is the best for the job, regardless of race, gender, or political affiliation .-- Edited by LMonet at 18:31, 2005-11-02

I think this is an interesting point. I mean, if we are truly in a place of equality in this country, a woman would win the presidency not because she's a woman, but because she's the best candidate, at least theoretically. What's sad is that I think we're a very long way from that place.

Hillary won't win because she's too liberal, at heart anyway. I happen to live in a "red" state, and people here can't stand her (and I don't think it's because she's a woman -- three of our last 4 governors have been women, and all very popular). I do love her, though.

Oh, and tina242: Walken2008 is a hoax. A hilarious one, though.

asf · Kate Spade

i definitely think we'll have a minority male elected president before we have a female of any race elected. that said, i think we *need* a female president. women and men have different approaches to problems, different ways of looking at things - and i think that would be good for our country, especially right now. things are bad, and obviously the male-only rule we've had up til now isn't working. time for change!

i go back and forth on whether i think hillary could do it. i guess i don't think so - she is polarizing, but i also think the majority of this country is still too sexist to elect a woman president. but i hope she can, and she has my full support.

ILoveChoo · Hermes

I Hillary (used to work for her) and would love if she ran, but I don't know that we're ready for it. Some people in this country are still so closed-minded and she is especially disliked, so I don't know that she would have a decent shot.

I think that new show Commander in Chief (with whats her name as prez) might shake up some of that though. I'd love to see if anyone did a poll on attitudes toward a female candidate before and after the show began...I think it might ease peopel into the idea. I don't think we'll be ready in 2008, but maybe 2012...

nunzi182 · Kate Spade

I definitely think that in order for a female president to be elected, we will have to have a few or several elections arise where women are even candidates to become president. What I mean is, the first time we have a woman run for president, I highly doubt that she will win the first time around.

Do I think we're ready for a female president? I think we're ready for any individual that can get this country the right track, regardless of gender. I don't think that by electing female president we will be shaking things up to the point that real issues won't be taken care of, but I think it will change the way people look at politics.

If we wait for a male president to straighten things out before a female president takes the position, I think we will be waiting a long time because there are always going to be priority issues that need to be taken care of. It's just the world we live in.

kisa · Dooney & Bourke

All the former presidents have been freemasons and since women can't be freemasons I don't think it's gonna happen.