When my daughter was in second grade, her teacher, noting her leadership qualities, said to me, “you never know, she might be our first woman president.”
I thanked her, but said, “Actually, I’m hoping she’ll be the fourth. Who wants to wait 40 years?”
Well, the future leader of the free world just turned 21, and although as of today, she isn’t expressing any U.S. presidential aspirations, I fear it actually will be 40 years before we see the first, much less second through fourth.
I understand, everyone isn’t an Elizabeth Warren fan, not even in her home state. I was, and still am, although I’ve never met my senator, whom I’ve heard described as disingenuous, condescending, and unlikable.
But she has also been described as intelligent, compassionate, and willing to listen and adopt other people’s good ideas. She had plans, and I would prefer a leader who has plans, ideas and listening skills, over inane slogans and reality showmanship
This time around, a smart, compassionate wonky woman intellectual won’t be our president. Again.
We Democrats will have to choose between Statler and Waldorf (you muppet people get this reference).
I have to say, I’m bitterly disappointed, but I’m not surprised.
This is a country that hides under the covers. When people made a bold choice (bolstered by a surge of eager young people looking for something substantial and out of the mold), they voted in the first African American president. Was Barack Obama perfect? Of course not. But when his biggest political scandal was wearing a tan suit, or holding a coffee cup while saluting as he exited Air Force One, well, you should know just how far we’ve fallen.
The blacklash, excuse me, backlash, from having a black family in the White House (that was built by slaves, by the way), was immense. When people voted for the current occupant, they voted for the lesser of two evils, they say, or because they were aggrieved that they had been left behind while (as one reader wrote me) the president cared about “the blacks” instead of just them, or they truly believed that a narcissistic third-rate reality show host with six corporate bankruptcies who managed to blow through more than $400 million of inherited money, would be a good person to guide the country.
They liked that he could say ugly, racist things that they could only say to their friends and family. They feared the browning of America (it’s going to happen anyway folks, get over yourselves already), and losing the privilege that entitled them to the first slice of the pie and the head seat at the table.
When they wanted to Make America Great Again (a ridiculous slogan with no plan behind it) they wanted to make it 1950s again, when whites could get a good factory job that paid well, even without a college education, where average people could buy a home, gasoline was cheap, and groceries were affordable.
That “plan” didn’t work. Not for the farmers, who can’t find workers, or have been hit hard by climate change, or have been strangled by those tariffs and trade wars that were “easy to win.” And not for those factory workers who still saw their jobs disappear, even as they were being gaslighted and told about all their jobs being saved.
The tax cuts that were supposed to help ordinary working people helped the millionaires and billionaires. Working stiffs continued drowning in college loan debt, mortgage or rent payments, heating and grocery bills and an economy that saw its lowest unemployment rate, but ignored that important detail of how many people are underemployed, working multiple jobs and still not being able to make ends meet.
I’ve said it here before — the surge of the stock market means absolutely nothing if you don’t have stocks. If your 401(k) is doing great, so you think you should maintain the status quo, great. But as the world braces for a pandemic, you might want to rethink your reasons for voting for someone who has normalized corruption, scandal and detestable behavior. And remember, all you right-to-lifers, there are still babies in cages at the border and they have a right to life too. You should be protesting at the borders, not at the health clinics — that is, if you actually believe in the sanctity of all life.
The point is, our leadership is problematic. Would a President Warren be able to fix it all? Probably not. Maybe a President Harris or Klobuchar, or Gillibrand wouldn’t either. And also not even a Tulsi (present) Gabbard.
But they weren’t really even given a fighting chance.
I had problems with some of the Democratic candidates, as we all do, with all of our political choices. No one will fit our own personal ideologies perfectly (unless of course, we’re the candidate). But it’s like when you’re sitting on a jury, the important decisions should come after careful consideration, thoughtful discernment, and meaningful exchange of ideas.
And women are just as capable of working collaboratively as men (maybe even more so).
But if we’re strong, decisive, confident, and opinionated, we’re perceived as bitchy. If we’re compassionate, passionate, emotional, we’re weak. We’re seen through the impossible prism of being the ultimate female warrior, strong (but not strong as a man), passionate (but you shouldn’t care too much, and for God’s sake, don’t cry), smart (but don’t lecture or show you actually have expertise, or you’re off-putting), professional (but don’t be cold), friendly (but not too friendly, or you’re just being flirty).
So, for all intents and purposes, we’re back where we started, with old, white men continuing the status quo.
I liked the idea of a President Betsy in the White House. I liked the idea of a President Kamala too. And although a President Amy wasn’t my first or second choice (I’m waaaaaay left, but that’s who I am), I admired her intelligence and her willingness to work with those she disagreed with. I also admired Cory Booker and Andrew Yang. We had a rich diverse field, and we knew it would come down to one or two in the end. Maybe some of these names will reappear in a Democratic cabinet.
I’m just disappointed that our big tent party still doesn’t have room at the head table for someone female.
A reader reminded me that before Shirley Chisholm unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination in 1972, Margaret Chase Smith, a Republican representative from Maine, received several votes for the presidential nomination at the 1964 Republican National Convention.
Somewhere these two notable ladies are looking down on us — and shaking their heads.
I’m shaking my head too. For Margaret, Shirley, Hillary, Elizabeth, Amy, Kirsten, and even Tulsi.
I’m committed to voting blue no matter who in November.
Statler or Waldorf it is.
Sigh.
