I Am Woman, Hear Me Snore

I think the problem stated in this article can be explained quite simply. The "good 'ole boys" can't stand the idea of a high-powered capable, intelligent, well-rounded, respectable woman running this country. While feminists say they would love for this to happen, their natural evolutionary adaptations make it a hard idea to accept. Women are inherently jealous and territorial. Baird notes that none of the critiques of Sen. Clinton in the book have anything to do with her ability to act as president. They're simply jealous jibes at a powerful woman, Mrs. Clinton. Unfortunately, many women's instinct is to perceive power as a threat. This is the same reason so many women have trouble making female friends. In the words of the famed author, Kilgore Trout, "Men are ***. Women are psychotic."

To: carmen63

You listen to too much Rush and Hennedy. With your time as a lawyer I wonder where you find the time or your husband have you tending the house 24/7?

Great self-observation about phoniness of American women.

My favorite example: Elizabeth Dole. When the media fawned over her big convention speeck... ohmigod...that was the most impressive display of American female annoyingness ever. You could make a long living on Saturday Night Live spoofing that lady.

Yep. Mrs. Dole giving a convention speech shows just how soothing fingernails on a chalkboard can be. Everything is relative, it seems

Hillary, not so annoying. Meaning: only phony sometimes. Like everytime she is on a dais an seems to see, again, her best long lost friend for 40 years ago as eyes bug out of her head in emoting-connected amazement. C'mon. Who ya fooling, Hil?

I don't think you can blame men for women's phoniness. Dianne Feinstein was like Hillary's good side all the time. And her name was one of the first of women bandied about as a presidential candidate. Condi and Madeline don't go in for that hokiness. Though one does wonder what, if anything, Nancy Pelosi is smiling about. Or did her face get stuck in that pose after a bit of surgery?

Mainstream US women seem to have a strong need to show false enthusiasm. Phony, phony, phony. And so these writers no doubt cringe when they see Hillary do it.

Look at Mia Hamm's generation of soccer teams. Beaufiful, intelligent, respected women who didn't run around with absurd figure skating smiles posted on their faces. The choice to don the figure skating 'smile' is yours alone. No male forces it.

False smiling is not all Hillary does. And when she not cheesing it up, she's darn solid. Though I guess she knows that women want to see her be phony...so she keeps it up.

American women, knock off the excuses and stop blaming maledom for your uncertainty. Act in a way that reflects what you are feeling and thinking inside. I'lll bet you find women goes just as far, probably further.

It sure beats the alternative.

Wait though -- we do judge cantidates on thier looks. The media constantly recognizes and critiques "attractiveness" -- it seemed at some points that this was Edward's biggest selling point. Hillary is a woman, yes, and she will be judged on her looks/manner...just as Bill was, and Obama is, The women raise a valid point -- our gut, instictive reaction may not be the one we're most proud of, or the one that we discuss with our boss over lunch, but it will shape our actions. And the reality is that there are many voter -- both women and men -- who struggle to connect with Hillary. Hillary, as a woman in particular, is expected to connect, to resonate, and personify warmth. And, though she may have slept in the White House before, she is difficult to connect with. It's not about success or experience, it's about an innate sense of relationship that all great political leaders have. And unfortunately, Hillary lacks that.

Women who wrote this book failed to express Hillarys stand on the issues, as mentioned. The exact reason intelligent women do not like women like this, they can't write intelligantly. Smart women are not intimadated by other smart women, they resent it when a seemingly smart woman says nothing of substance and lies about her qualifications. The louder the voice the less is actually said.

Julia Baird's observations are dead-on. No one dislikes a successful, strong, intelligent woman more than another woman. However, not all women hate Hillary Clinton and those who do also resent these characteristics in women in their workplaces, their neighborhoods, and everywhere else in their lives. It's a symptom of self-loathing that tells far more about them than it does the women they hate.

"The problem is that many of the authors seem unaware of how much support Hillary actually has among women. Roiphe declares, "I have yet to meet a woman who likes Hillary Clinton." How, then, to explain that polling has consistently shown blue-collar women have rallied to Clinton's campaign, along with older women?"

Good point. Really, I'm trying to figure out why Sen. Clinton has so much support among women. It???s as if women think they should vote for Sen. Clinton because she is a woman. As a woman I find that shallow.

I disagree with the whole stupid concept of the book. However, at least they were trying to answer the question. No one wants to give a real answer. Do you have to vote for a woman candidate because you are a woman? I don???t think Sen. McCaskill or Gov. Sebelius think so. I don???t think if the Republicans had a female candidate they would feel compelled to vote based on gender/sex.

The problem/answer is Sen. Clinton leads with "older women." As a woman of a new generation I don't have all the feminist anger. I think this is true of other 30somethings and especially young women. We appreciate the generations before us, but didn't they struggle to free us from being tied to this? Men take us seriously as coworkers and in whatever roles we take on. Older women think this is na??ve of our generation, but guess what??? Boy and girls grew up side by side learning that we are to respect each other based on our talents, skills and what we bring to the table as individuals. Is it perfect? No, but it has changed. Please recognize this or you risk falling into the trap that gender/sex is always an issue. That is so binding.

As a mother raising three daughters, I certainly don't want the fact that they are female to decide what they can and can not do. I don???t want them bound by demographics or categories, ever. I don???t support Sen. Clinton for President, however; I think Sen. Clinton is definitely qualified to be President. The decision for me has nothing to do with her being a woman. She's not the candidate I support. Let's move past these divisive gender, race, and demographic categories and on to the issues.

Before you can move a group of people anywhere, you must first be able to passionately communicate the need to move. "We choose to go to the moon", "Mr. Gorbachoff, tear down that wall", "The only thing we have to fear.." "it's the econonmy, stupid" Sometimes, planting the dream in people's heads is all it takes... then sit back and watch the magic. Watch 401ks skyrocket again. Watch smart people invent new low emission vehicles. Watch how easily concensus can be reached on a health plan that meets our needs at affordable costs. It's amazing what a true leader like Barack Obama can do. All we need to do is grab for that ring before it is too late. Some people are foolishly thinking they can have their Hillary now and their Obama later. Not so. No more than voters could have their Adlai Stevenson later, election after election. If you think Obama will be useful at some point but not now... think again. It is now, while the iron is hot that we must strike. Don't be foolish. Don't settle for bronze now and let gold slip through your fingers. We can't afford bronze right now.

Hillary Clinton is an educated woman who has her own thoughts/opinions and isn't affraid to express them. She obviously has goals, hopes, dreams etc and these qualities are important for all women to have. Remember "People with no hopes are easy to control."

Liking Hillary has less to do with her lack of clothing style and the brashness of her speaking voice than it does with her politics. I simply don't like her politics - period. If she were a man - and had the same political viewpoints - I wouldn't like him either.

Clinton's campaign is exciting, pure and simple. She is making history, and for that she will assuredly be villified. If it is true that other successful, powerful women are threatened by her (and I don't know if that's truly the case -- how could that be gauged adequately), than perhaps it is mere jealousy. Women tend to be threatened by the notion of their power and of actually exercising it, for many reasons too complex for this little box. My sense of Clinton (and I think she would make a terrific president) is that she would be a welcome breath of fresh air to a country in desperate need of it. The questions of sex and gender will remain throughout her campaign, but she is smart enough to know what she's facing and to rise above it. I admire you, Hillary, and I am a 35-year old woman who continues her own journey towards owning my power. I hope you will use yours wisely.

I am not a fan of Rush Limbaugh, I find him too biased. But his comment about "Americans don't want to watch a woman grow older in the White House," was not a criticism of Hillary Clinton--but a criticism of America's superficial values. By clearly quoting Limbaugh out of context and reversing his intent, I wonder if author Julia Baird is just as biased.

There is nothing wrong with political ambition. Doesn't she deserve a chance to make a point on what she wants to do about the country just like the other candidates? She is not perfect, none of us are, and she had her reasons (one day to run for the presidency?) to stay with Bill after he cheated on her. I don???t think it is any of our business what she chose and why, she was the one cheated on. If she was a man, nobody would be commenting and comparing her to their preschool teacher. I like her, she is strong and she has to be in order to be the President. We can not have it both ways, where she has to show she is a woman... showing emotion and talking about her hair and get criticized for that, and show that she can be strong and pushy and direct and get criticize for that as well. She could be the first woman President of the United States and just for that she could make history. Unfortunately we fall into the typical stereotype of us women not supporting each other. She deserves the chance to give it a try at doing something great??? just like everyone else.

I am a strong, independent, hard working woman with my own business. I have two children and a loving supportive husband. My husband is quite successful, but I make more money. Therefore, I am not jealous of the Clintons and I don't want what she has. I have more than enough. That being said, I will never, ever vote for Hillary Clinton. She is not to be trusted. If Hillary mouth is moving, she is lying. She and Bill are perfect for each other.

I'm a 47 year old white women and for the life of me, I don't understand what women see in Hillary Clinton. Here's whhat I see...a women with a great amount of self-esteem who stayed with a serial cheater so she could further her own political ambtions - it's as transparant as everything else that comes out of her month.

And for the record, Senator Obama does not lack experience. He has more legislative experience than Hillary. Her claims of "35 years of experience" just isn't true (she's counting back to when she was 25?? What the heck experience did she have at that age to become President??.) She is compentent and smart, but also a liar and a person who is so polarizing that she will split the Democratic party in two. How many times do people have to reminded of all the scandals and coverups of her husband's administration? Travelgate, the health care debacle, the "vast right wing conspirarcy"? And if you don't think HIllary knew all about Monica, I have a bridge I'ld like to sell you. This women won't admit to anything she's done wrong. The attacks she and her husband orchastrated in South Carolina show just how they will do anything to get back into the White House. I guess it doesn't bother people that she used Bill to out and out lie about Obama's record. Obama brings a sense of hope and decency and REAL change to the country. I've voted Democrat all my life, if Hillary wins the nomination, I simply will not vote in the general election. It may not mean much, but at least in my own mind, I can rest easy knowing I did nothing to help Hillary get elected.