With a credible candidate at the top of the Republican race for the White House, and others waiting in the wings to vie for high office, women are on the move for campaign 2000.
Mark Mueller of the Boston Herald writes that Elizabeth H. Dole's possible presidential bid "marks the gravest threat yet to the glass ceiling." Even if Dole fails to beat Texas Gov. George W. Bush for the GOP nomination, Mueller notes, she "could land on the ticket as his running mate." (Boston Herald, 2/28)
Other women making national news and moving up the political ranks: first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, New Jersey GOP Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Arizona's "Fab Five," elected in 1998 to the state's top five posts.
Early indicators are that voters are more eager than ever to back women at the ballot box.
Deb Riechmann of the Associated Press wrote, "At one time, a considerable number of men--especially blue-collar workers and older men--said they would not support a woman for President; that's no longer true." Democratic pollster Celinda Lake: "A lot of older, blue-collar men want their daughters to be President." (Associated Press, 2/28)
Chris Matthews of the San Francisco Examiner wrote, "America is poised to make some needed correction. . . . We seem intent on electing more women to high office." Matthews believes the uproar over Bill Clinton's personal life is causing "this overnight attraction to women candidates by both political parties." (San Francisco Examiner, 2/28)
Christie on the Run
New Jersey Republican Gov. Christine Todd Whitman appears to be the early favorite to win the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Frank R. Lautenberg, even though she hasn't announced her candidacy. Liz Trotta of The Washington Times reported that few in Democratic or Republican circles would be surprised if Whitman runs. Because of term limits, Whitman will be out of a job in January 2002. She has said she will give serious consideration to the race.
"Christie clears the field on the Republican side," said state Sen. Richard J. Codey, a potential Democratic candidate for the seat. But Codey noted that Whitman has run in three statewide elections--once against then-Sen. Bill Bradley, a Democrat, and twice for Governor--and never attracted 50 percent of the vote. Codey and other Democrats believe Whitman is vulnerable on the issue of New Jersey's property taxes, which are the highest in the nation. (The Washington Times, 3/1)
City of Sisterly Love
Women are making gains at the local and state levels as well. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on the city's mayoral race, noting "the growing influence of women--as candidates and donors, campaign workers and voters." For the first time in the history of Philadelphia, "a well-qualified, well-financed female candidate"--City Councilwoman Happy Fernandez, a Democrat--is seeking the mayoral nomination. While it's "difficult to predict what effect" the city's 386,122 female registered voters will have on the elections, "the simple truth is they are the voting majority in Philadelphia" (The Philadelphia Inquirer, 3/1)
Looking for Company
Even where women have made dramatic inroads, they have a long way to go. The Texas Legislature now has 32 women senators, but with 149 men in the state Senate, women are still outnumbered. And there are other diversity problems, according to state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, who was the first Hispanic woman in the chamber when she was elected 12 years ago. She is still the only one. Zaffirini: "All I can say is that I'm disgusted that it took so long to elect a Hispanic woman to the Senate, and I find it even more disgusting that we don't have more Hispanic women in the Senate yet." (Abilene Reporter-News, 3/1)
Slaughter Unplugged
WomenCONNECT Politics Daily, a Web site produced by The Hotline and womenconnect.com, recently interviewed one of the most powerful women in Congress, asking her some lighthearted questions about her personal life. Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, D-N.Y., sits on the House Rules Committee and serves in party leadership posts. She answered the following: Favorite TV show, past or present? Monty Python's Flying Circus.
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? Scarlett O'Hara.
Name your favorite vacation spot. Never had a vacation.
Name the last book you read and one word to describe it. Why Not Me? by Al Franken. Why not him?
Would you describe yourself as a feminist? You bet.
Is political correctness a good or bad thing? I'll take grammatically correct over politically correct.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what CD would you want with you? Any Nancy Wilson.
Who is your favorite dead politician? Mo Udall. (womenconnect.com, 3/1)
Clift Notes
Give Eleanor Clift of Newsweek credit (or blame) for being one of the few liberal commentators, male or female, to take a firm stand on the subject of Juanita Broaddrick, the Arkansas nursing-home owner who accused President Clinton of raping her 21 years ago. Unlike many feminists, Clift pulled no punches, starting with the day after The Wall Street Journal broke the story with a Broaddrick interview.
Clift: "Where is this going to be resolved . . . in Judge Judy's court?. . . . These allegations go back more than 20 years. This woman made no charges at the time. It is my understanding that she couldn't even recall, initially, the year. Investigative reporters for major publications have looked at it since 1991. Ken Starr passed on it. Where is this going to go, except among all of the Clinton- haters and the right-wing conspiratorialists? It's great fodder, but, you know, you've proved the guy is a cad--you're not going to prove he's a violent criminal." (McLaughlin Group, NBC, 2/20)
After Broaddrick's NBC interview aired and the story began to subside, Clift was gentler, but still on message: "If that event occurred as she describes it today, and if she believes it occurred, I sympathize with her not coming forward because probably she would not have been believed. But there were numerous points along the way where she could have come forward in a more solicitous climate, and she chose each time not to do it." (McLaughlin Group, NBC, 2/27)
Not Enough Edge?
Oliver North has already lost his liberal partner on MSNBC's Equal Time. Columnist Vaughn Ververs of National Journal's Web site, Cloakroom, reports that Cynthia Alksne was "relieved of her duties" immediately after a commentary on Juanita Broaddrick's rape charge against President Clinton.
In her final appearance on Feb. 25, Alksne said: "The way the feminists have sort of jumped on this and attacking her is a big mistake, and we need to be very careful. This woman should be treated as a crime victim, and respectfully, and let's not be knee-jerk about this."
MSNBC executives said Alksne's departure had nothing to do with her failure to take a firm stand opposite North on the Broaddrick issue.
"Cynthia is a highly regarded legal expert," MSNBC Vice President Erik Sorenson said, "and we are very pleased that she will continue as an important member of the MSNBC team." (Talking Heads, cloakroom.com, 3/1)
Like, Forget It
With interest in politics still lagging among adolescents, only 17 percent said in a recent poll that they would want to be President of the United States. Among the reasons are cynicism about the political system, the job's lack of privacy, "an eroding emphasis" on public service, and the job's high level of responsibility. Another trend that researchers have noticed is a shift in focus, away from national and international issues to local issues that are perceived to affect people more directly. (The Christian Science Monitor, 3/2)
Quotables
"I was chosen to bring this man to light, because I was the strong one who said no." --Paula Corbin Jones, referring to Bill Clinton, in a paid interview with the British magazine OK! Jones will soon have her own psychic line, charging $3.99 a minute (New York Post, 3/1)
"The 11th Commandment, `Don't speak ill of other Republicans,' is obeyed just about as often as the other 10 Commandments." --USA Today's Susan Page (Late Edition, CNN, 2/28)
"If you're going to be a rapist, be pro-choice. That's for sure." --William J. Bennett on feminist handling of sex charges against President Clinton (Meet the Press, NBC, 2/28)
"Well, they've been shooting at me and I'm still standing. I'm sitting right now, but I'm standing tall." --Dan Quayle, asked about Democrats who think "a Quayle is something you shoot" (Fox News Sunday, 2/28)
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