01.21.07
The 800lb Gorilla Has Entered the Ring
Saturday morning, Hillary Rodham Clinton officially announced her candidacy for President.
This is big. There’s been loads of speculation over the past few months, but now its not idle speculation, she is a serious option. For the first time in my life a woman is a major Presidential candidate.
She’s not a running-mate, she’s not a third-party candidate, she has no problem raising funds or getting news coverage, and she’s not the idle dream of a small grass-roots movement. The mainstream media, and the blogs, and the alternative media sources, and all of the people I personally meet are all at least seriously considering her as the next Democratic candidate. She’s the freaking front-runner. The 800 Pound Gorilla, so to speak. She looks impossible to marginalize.
Which means people are going to try as hard as they can.
So, I’m finally starting a political blog, so I can follow the media coverage and the public reaction to Hillary Clinton’s campaign, and examine the sexist attitudes that surface during the Democratic primaries (and beyond, should she get the nomination). I’ll also probably blog about how people regard other women in American Politics.
If no sexist attitudes surface, this should be the last post of the blog.
More likely, though, there will be way too much sexism for one person or one blog to analyze. Especially since I’m not limiting this to the mainstream cable networks, but to the blogs and the online news sources, and the other candidates, and the opinions in the office, on the street, in the comic book store and anywhere I find people gathering to exchange information.
I won’t get everything, so I’d love to have some help with this. If you have any links for me, please comment or email me.
Better yet, if you want to help as a co-blogger, then please email me. I am completely open to making this a team blog.
This isn’t an endorsement site, non-Clinton-fans are welcome to contribute as are Clinton-fans. I’m just interested in analyzing the reaction to her, not her positions. Personally, I’m undecided until the ballot is in front of my face.
Official Shrub.com Blog » Blog Archive » New Blog: First Woman said,
January 21, 2007 at 12:48 pm
[...] want to help out with the blog, she’s requested that you get in touch with her. More details here. [link] Filed under Gender issues; Politics; USA; Shrub.com Related; Media and [...]
Sage said,
January 21, 2007 at 9:18 pm
This is an excellent idea. I typically don’t get all the coverage in Canada (not from the papers I tend to read, anyway), so I’ll be sure to follow along here.
Katie said,
January 22, 2007 at 6:17 pm
1) Sounds like a good idea, but I feel like it’d also be interesting to have some little out-of-the-way place (maybe a single post that you go back & edit?) with criticism & praise of her that is NON-SEXIST. I know, I know, it’s totally outside the scope of this blog, but it’s practically impossible to make change happen without providing examples of what it’d be like to live in a world that had incorporated those changes! (And, of course, I’m thinking of this partly because I just wrote such a post over on my feminist blog!) Anyway, just like a lot of feminists have pointed out how much of Pelosi’s criticism had nothing to do with her gender and everything to do with her perceived “San Francisco Liberal Who Will Ruin This Country!” status (which actually is a relevant fear when talking about policymakers) and said that this predominance of “liberal” vs. “woman” dislike of her was a great step forward that we could pause to celebrate! That it was a good thing we should stop and remember so we could get a better idea of what the country would be like if it were even better!
What do you think?
2) Another thing that I think you’ve got down but I want to throw in my support for is reporting of gender essentialist praise for Sen. Clinton as a prospective president.
Ragnell said,
January 22, 2007 at 11:27 pm
Sage– Glad to help!
Katie — 1) I was thinking of including some things that were open to discussion, I might make a tag for non-sexist, clear-thinking opinions.
Also, with Pelosi in mind, another for vague bias. Like, when compared to McCain, is the difference because of gender, political party, military service, or some combination?
2) *Nod* That really grates on me, a way to shove people in little boxes even as they try to break out of them.
Leisha said,
January 28, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Ragnell this is great! I’m surprised that no one has thought of this sooner actually… I am so interested to see how Hillary does but I think she really has an uphill battle. Is the U.S. really ready for a female president? (much less presidential candidate?)
Empowerment4Women - First Woman - Blogging Analysis at Inside the Box said,
January 28, 2007 at 5:22 pm
[...] her first and explanatory post “The 800lb Gorilla Has Entered the Ring“… “She’s not a running-mate, she’s not a third-party candidate, she has no [...]