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KATE MICHELMAN BYPASSES HILLARY ... AGAIN.
When the lifelong feminist and former president of NARAL endorsed John Edwards over a year ago, she was careful to give Hillary Clinton her due as the first woman to have a serious shot at the presidency. Indeed, in an interview with Salon, Michelman admitted she had been tempted to support Clinton:
Hillary's run is historic. And there was a certain part of me that said, "How could you not be a part of this given all you've worked for?" And I do think it is really exciting and important and Hillary is a very fine candidate. But, again, for me, John's vision was very compelling. And women are not going to vote only because we have a woman running, but rather look at who will do the most for women and families. That's not to say that Hillary or Barack or Bill Richardson won't do good things for women. I just don't think it's an automatic vote [for Hillary] because you're a woman, though many women [may] feel they have to support the first woman candidate. Women will also be looking at the candidates' views, and at whether the candidates will lead them in the way they want to be led. I've never been known to do the expected, I suppose.
That's why it's all the more notable that in her new endorsement of Barack Obama yesterday, Michelman doesn't mention Hillary Clinton, or women's leadership, at all. Indeed, she hardly mentions any specific feminist issues, with the exception of these paragraphs:
When I endorsed John Edwards for president, I did so because I was confident he would help lift women out of poverty and protect a woman's right to make her own decisions about if or when to have a family. I was confident that if John were in the White House, the single mother, who was working two jobs, living paycheck to paycheck, and worried about health care and child care, would have more influence than the well-healed corporate CEO armed with a team of lobbyists.And when I endorsed John Edwards I also knew that Barack Obama shared every one of these concerns, and over the course of Barack's own campaign, the nation has come to believe in him just like I always have as well.
It seems like over the course of this primary, Michelman has become more and more comfortable with supporting a man with a woman in the race.
--Dana Goldstein
COMMENTS (4)
Or less and less comfortable supporting Hillary. They are people, not symbols or avatars or gladiatorial champions.
Posted by: Mimikatz | February 4, 2008 4:44 PM
Bottom Line:
Like all of you. I know that health care is the most critical, and important issue facing the American people. Now, and in the coming elections. And like the vast majority of the American people, I want HR 676 (Medicare For All) passed into law NOW! "Single payer, Tax Supported, Not For Profit, True Universal Health Care" free for all as a right. Like every other developed country in the world has. See: http://www.house.gov/conyers/news_hr676.htm
“HR 676:
For church goers: less money to insur. companies and more to the church- lots more.
Srs on Medicare: save way over $100/wk. Because no more medigap, long term care & dental insur. needed. No more drug bills.”
But if we the American people fail to bring enough pressure on our current politicians to get HR 676 passed into law before the elections. We will have to identify, and replace all the politicians standing in the way of passage of HR 676. And, I think the best first place to start is with the politicians that blocked the bipartisan SCHIP bills for the kids. Passed by congress twice.
But what about the President. It was Bush after all that blocked the bipartisan SCHIP bill passed by congress to assure more health coverage for Americas kids. So which of the presidential hopefuls do I think will be most supportive of implementing the demand of the majority of the American people to have HR 676 (Medicare For All) passed into law immediately!
We have some very fine presidential candidates who would make good presidents. But none of the top Presidential candidates directly support HR 676, the only true Universal Health Care plan. So I am supporting Hillary Clinton. She is the only top candidate that has ever actually fought for universal health care before.
I have enormous admiration, and respect for Hillary Clinton. She fought a pitched battle against overwhelming odds back in 1993. To prevent this disastrous health care crisis that is now devastating the American people, and America. She fought so hard for the American people that she risk almost completely destroying her husbands presidency. I haven't forgotten her heroic effort. If any Presidential hopeful for universal health care deserves my support, it's her.
Also, if we the American people fail to bring enough pressure on our government to give us HR 676 which we all so desperately need NOW! Then we will need the most skilled politician we can get on our side to broker the best health care plan for the American people that we can get. Though it will be less than we need, and less than we deserve. The politician I think to best do this is Hillary Clinton. The Clinton's are probably the most skilled politicians in American history.
The insurance industry, and medical industry that has been ripping you off, and killing you has given Hillary Clinton so much money because they fear her. They have also given Barack Obama so much money because they fear Hillary Clinton. They think they can manipulate Barack Obama against the best interest of the American people better than they can manipulate Hillary Clinton. There is no race issue with Hillary Clinton. The Clinton's are the poster family for how African Americans want white people to be towards African Americans.
As always, African Americans are suffering, and dieing in this health care crisis at a much higher rate than any other group in America. The last time there was any significant drop in the African American death rate was when Bill Clinton was president.
My fellow Americans, you are dieing needlessly at an astounding rate. In higher numbers than any other people in the developed world. Rich, and poor a like. Insured, and uninsured. Men, women, children, and babies. And we the American people must stop it. And fix it NOW! Keep Fighting!!! Never! give up hope. There are millions of lives at stake. Bless you all... You are doing great!
Posted by: jacksmith | February 5, 2008 1:00 AM
Over the course of this primary, I have become increasingly convinced that it was a grave mistake for women to allow themselves to get boxed into the assortment of "women's issues" that liberals allowed women claiming the right to speak on behalf of other women to claim as their own.
I suspect there is at least a little bit of a protest vote against this illegitimate narrowing of interests out there somewhere.
And, as Michelman seems to suggest, the vast majority of women should be fed up with the economic powers that be around here, and the way that they have illegitimately seized our government.
Posted by: Anonymous | February 5, 2008 7:07 AM
wow, reading this out of the blue, not knowing exactly who the author is, this post comes off as just purely bizarre, and not just a little scary. how McCarthy-ass are women going on their fellow women who don't support Clinton's candidacy? you know, there are women who are offended by the essentially non-feminist manner in which HRC is running her campaign...
Posted by: itsbenj | February 5, 2008 3:54 PM