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The Gender Card?

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Fri Nov 02, 2007 at 12:03:16 PM EST
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Unlike, Ezra, and possibly Atrios, I think it is clear that the Clinton campaign is playing the gender card to some extent. But I think the real question is is she playing it unfairly. As Ezra notes, no reasonable person can doubt that as a woman (as Obama does in different, and, imo, more profound, ways as a African American), Clinton faces unfair challenges as a candidate. Indeed, the entire Hillary Clinton image, as conjured up by Limbaugh and Republicans for 15 years has been wrapped up in her being a bitch; a castrating "devil woman." She is constrained in how she can respond to negative attacks because of this.

That said, this ridiculous "doubletalk" broadside from Edwards, and particularly absurdly from the vacillating Barack Obama, fueled by the absurd Pumpkinhead Russert, is more a function of her being a frontrunner than a woman.

But Hillary opponents beware, I think Hillary's play of the gender card will win this absurd political argument. I was surprised to see Obama jump into the fray. Edwards was doing the dirty work for him. Yet again, Obama makes a political mistake. In my opinion of course.

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    The Gender Card? | 11 comments (11 topical)

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    It does imo (none / 0) (#2)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Fri Nov 02, 2007 at 12:17:45 PM EST


    Endorse her (none / 0) (#3)
    by Jgarza on Fri Nov 02, 2007 at 12:37:22 PM EST
    So can this website please just come out and endorse her.  Yeah i get it you will be critical of her, but if any of her opponents criticize her. BTD and Jer jump all over them.  It's clear who you guys support her so stop beating around the bush and say it.

    I support Chris Dodd (none / 0) (#8)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Fri Nov 02, 2007 at 12:52:08 PM EST
    I find it amusing that folks can't stand anyone who disagrees with them when it comes to goings on Clinton.

    Parent
    If she has an ouce of imagination (none / 0) (#4)
    by Dadler on Fri Nov 02, 2007 at 12:37:25 PM EST
    She can survive whatever b.s. "attack" comes here way.  But I don't think she has that imagination, I don't think any viable candidate has any.  A sad state of affairs in supposedly free America.

    Who used the phrases 'gang up on' and 'pile on' (none / 0) (#5)
    by jerry on Fri Nov 02, 2007 at 12:46:25 PM EST
    Was that Clinton's camp, an opponent's, or the media?

    Both phrases are associated with sexual violence.  

    If Clinton used those terms, she's playing the gender card, and unfairly.

    Minor bug report: The subject below was deemed too long (> 50 chars) and so the post failed.

    {Who used the phrases "gang up on" and "pile on"}

    I suspect the software is doubling or escaping the quotes AND then counting the length of the subject.

    Strange Interpertation (1.00 / 0) (#10)
    by squeaky on Fri Nov 02, 2007 at 01:04:55 PM EST
    Gang up on? Never thought of gender or sexual connotations there. Maybe you are thinking of gang bang.

    Pile up on? That is more of a football conotation, or sports. Very close to gang up on.

    I think you are off on this one.

    Parent

    Minor bug report substantiated... (none / 0) (#6)
    by jerry on Fri Nov 02, 2007 at 12:46:59 PM EST
    When I switch " for ', the same subject succeeds.

    Parent
    Both I think (none / 0) (#7)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Fri Nov 02, 2007 at 12:51:20 PM EST


    Parent
    The Clinton campaign used pile on (none / 0) (#12)
    by pioneer111 on Sat Nov 03, 2007 at 12:05:25 AM EST
    in the youtube ad they created. The Politics of Pile On.

    Parent
    It's gonna be a exciting two months (none / 0) (#9)
    by RedHead on Fri Nov 02, 2007 at 01:03:28 PM EST
    We all seen this before.

    The "gang-up"/"pile-on" the frontrunner Howard Dean.

    With the MSM in the mix, if Clinton somehow loses IA and NH, she won't be able to recover for the national primary.

    Frontrunners have always had problems: Muskie, Scoop, Mondale, Clinton, Gore, Dean.  The Democrats have never had a coronation. Some have won, some didn't, the one who did had to fight like hell, but it will be difficult, if not impossible, to come off the ropes, in a front-loaded schedule.

    What we are finding (none / 0) (#11)
    by Slado on Fri Nov 02, 2007 at 01:29:07 PM EST
    out is we all knew Bill Clinton, and you miss (mrs?) are no Bill Clinton.

    Hillary has none of the charm of Bill and cannot pull off the doublespeak that BTD and Jer can't seem to recognize.

    Just read the transcript.  It is classic Clinton without the charm or that killer smile (for the record I voted for him twice).  

    That she has had to resort to playing the gender card (and BTD your gut is right that's exactly what it is) is so unbelievably lame that only the most partisan cannot call it what it is.

    This is not going to sink her with democrats but Chris Matthews called this last night on Hardball.   She is now trading general election votes for primary votes for no reason.   Why not just take a stand like Dodd?  Why do you need to appeal to a minority that whats illegals to have DL's?  You're getting their votes anyway.   Why play the women card?  Especially when you've been selling yourself as the tough experienced canidate.

    What is she going to do when people start nailing her on her Senate votes, he history in the Clinton Whitehouse and people start digging up allthe dirt that they will dig up in the general election?   Is the "Piling On" claim going to work then?  How about the "Vast Right Wing Conspiracy"?    

    What Hilliary apparently believes is she doesn't have to play by the same rules as everyone else and certainly not by the rules that a front runner plays by.  

    My advice is get used to it because it's just started.

    The Gender Card? | 11 comments (11 topical)

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