A quick note to all Clinton supporters who are currently blaming sexism for the fact that your candidate has almost certainly lost: sexism had nothing to do with it. In fact, it was anything but.
Sure, Hillary was the victim of some sexism, just as Obama has been the victim of some racism and McCain will be the victim of some ageism. But that's not what spiked Clinton's chances. Bill Clinton would also have lost this year.The truth is that there is a quiet battle being waged for the soul of the Democratic Party. Your candidate was on the wrong side of that divide. It wouldn't have mattered if Hillary had been male, and Obama female. What mattered here was ideology.
In column #1, you had:
In column #2, you had:
The simple truth is that the candidate who staked themselves out in column #2 was probably going to lose--and if wouldn't have mattered if they were black, brown, white, male, female, neuter, or space alien. The time for that ideology at the head of the Democratic Party has passed.
It is deeply unfortunate that the historic candidacy of a serious female contender for President had to get swept up and moved aside because she chose the wrong side of a party realignment and ideological divide. But that's just the way it went.
The conservative establishment was just not going to win this one--and Hillary chose to make herself the comparatively conservative, establishment candidate. She did that partly because she believed that no one would take her seriously otherwise because of her gender. That was a mistake--she didn't need to do so.
Soon we will have our first woman President. But it will be a woman who is unafraid to stand in column #1 and declare herself an anti-DLC, anti-triangulation, Progressive Democrat looking to embrace change not only from Republicanism, but from the very sort of Stockholm syndrome that led so many Democrats to believe that this is an unassailably conservative country.
The time for a woman president is coming--it is inevitable. But there were larger forces at work here than race or gender, and it would behoove those who want to see a woman elected president to recognize that fact. A conservative Dem like Dianne Feinstein will never be President; an unashamedly progressive one like Barbara Boxer has a solid chance.
In a historic battle between the first legitimate African-American and female contenders for the presidency, one long oppressed minority had to end up disappointed. But the decision was not made on the basis of race or gender, but rather on ideology and perspective.
In many ways, that should be a solace and comfort to Hillary's many well-meaning supporters: electing a woman president is possible. You just need the right candidate.
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