The First Woman President?

I find it interesting that you consider this gender bending as opposed to merely looking at the issue of oppression and how people who come from traditionally oppressed groups have many of the qualities that you describe solely as manifesting in women. Our behavior as a whole in this country is changing as evidenced by the rising number of apologies in our politices because we now have people from traditionally and politically oppressed groups in positions of power. The trend in apologies mirrors the trend to incorporate collaboration, transparency and other maultifaceted ways of engaging with people.

What a sick and disgusting joke this article is. Obama is one of the most cocky, male-type candidates I've seen. If Martin thinks admitting to past drug use shows one's ability to admit mistakes and acknowledge indiscretions, then I suppose throwing a wad of paper into a trash can three feet away is the sign of a pro basketball player. "I've got to admit, some of my speeches sound pretty good." Yeah, sounds like a woman to me. Don't take this away from women, It's like saying Obama is a white man in a black body- a bigotted thing to say, but when someone is supporting McCain and republican policy at this point, you already know something is wrong with their judgement. Interesting that the author speaks about Democrats morphing their demeanor, then compares that to McCain defending his positions in the face of opposition. What does flopping between sensitivity and toughness have to do with delivering a consistent policy stance? I think Hillary and Obama have been pretty consistent on their policies. Republicans have not just been disappointing people with news that they don't want to hear, they have been creating the problems that are the bad news. Want not, create not, that is good policy.

This article is excellent. I am a rural advocacy consultant living in rural New Mexico and here in the country, we are more concerned with being Americans first, our political affiliations second, albeit a close second. When we vote for candidates in rural regions, we vote for the person, not the party and that is because we all work together to build our communities and solve our problems. There are unfair double standards, but nobody said that Hillary had to start her campaign as the 'presumptive nominee' or the controlled and calculated person that she portrayed herself to be. It is very likely that she has been misunderstood and that her campaign experts gave her the wrong advice, but it is not even that simple to explain.

Obama's so called feminine strengths or attributes are appealing to rural folks who put aside their western, independent egos to accomplish great and extraordinary results everyday. Why is it so dangerous to reconsider our previous policies as a nation towards other nations? Are you afraid that the status quo will be irrevocably changed? Are you afraid that our nation will return to true basic values of right and wrong? Is greed and the culture of corruption more important to preserve in the face of everyday Americans suffering under horrible injustices, unfair trade balances and corporate practices.

We might actually be on the path to regaining a nation that is by and for the people. Wow what a concept!

Do you know realize that this very premise is entrenched in sexism? A very good argument can be made that the primary reason that Obama is able to make the case that he (and the media) has/have made for him, notwithstanding the very approaches you outlined in this article and notwithstanding his thin resume, is BECAUSE he is NOT a woman. If Obama were, in fact, a woman, he would have gone out at about the same time as some of the other early candidates in the Democratic primary race.

Geez; we really have a long, long way to go on the gender front. Unbelievable.

This is a pretty bad article. It is bad from conception to the final period. It pretends to be a scholarly article. Maybe we would pay more attention to it with a different title. Finally, McCain delivers the bad news and he is merely androgynous; Obama delivers bad news and he is...feminine? Really? Are the authors racist or just dumb Republicans with blinders on?

In Ohio Hillary will be a very clear winner, because behind her will be all real Christians, except some dirty piggy atheists !! Go HILARY !!!

It is my prediction Newsweek will pull this article. The pundits and media must be bored this week, with no election going on. Are you bored?

This might be the worst article ever. I understand your point in highlighting Obama's [positive qualities but to characterize them as "womanly" is just distasteful. Its disrespectful Senator Obama as well as woman.

You serve to keep the stereotypes that women suffer through alive and well.

The qualities you highlight of Senator Obama, I think are truely signs of a great man. Perhaps you yourself have no idea what it means to be real man. If you had, I doubt you would have written this article this way..

How can all you Clinton supporters keep repeating that Obama hasn't ever given specific plans for how he will bring about changes? Obviously you have not looked at his website, watched the debates, or seen any of his speeches in their entirety.

I agree that Hillary has great plans (as does Barack), but she has made bad decisions (voting to invade Iraq) and absolutely refuses to admit she made a mistake. I don't buy the whole "well if we had known now what we didn't know then" argument. Gee, I could use that argument for every mistake in my life. The key is having good judgement from the get-go. She has also shown her inconsistent personality and attempts to play on her audience. First she is so grateful, then she is practically screaming, then she is attempting sarcasm. I don't think she has "found her voice" or at least shown us her true self. I don't want someone like that in the White House.

I have never posted a comment for a story before, but could not resist doing so for this particular article. The title as well as the premise of the story of Obama as the first female candidate is absolutely ridiculous and strikingly belittles the strides that women have made for generations to reach a point where there is a viable female candidate in a presidential election. To suggest that Obama is somehow a different version of the "female" candidate is outright ludicrous. This article would have been better and the readers better served had the author simply focused on the theme of "a brand new type of candidate for a new time in American History".

I like how Obama's "femaleness" is illustrated by a photo of him with a little boy. Could you not find a picture of him crying over a bowl of ice cream to a Lifetime movie?

How do any of you know what he is going to change??? He hasn't articulated one modicom of change, and his health plan leaves out significant numbers of Americans ~ so this race is nothing more than a women vs a man ~ and unfortunately, the men in this country will never support a women for president, therefore we will probably end up with another inexperienced guy who thinks he's all that and a bag of chips because he speaks English very well. Obama offers nothing new or unique to this race, except the color of his skin, and to this voter that means nothing.

geesh. I like Obama - I really do. I'll probably even vote for him. But as a woman, I'm fed up with HIllary's treatment. The media shows a picture of Obama, surrounded by thousands of adoring fans, holding babies, and even sometimes a very thoughtful and deep looking stance. When they show Hillary pictures, it's of her having her makeup put on before an appearance, sound bites of her laughter (which after repeated playing, starts to sound like cackling ... and who's laughter sounds good after 7 replays ... nobody). She really is not getting fair treatment. Is it not enough that she constantly gets attacked by the conservatives and Obama never gets attacked? Maybe that's because they seem to think he is a lesser evil to them. Makes one wonder.

DON'T COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY ARE HATCHED !!!...

Men do not want an experienced, intelligent woman of substance in the White House. The democrats want an token man with little experience ,lacking substance and no original ideas, in the oval office with pen in hand , to push forth their agends.

We don't know. We believe. That is the difference between Barack and Hillary. I don't believe Hillary for a minute.