Madeleine Albright: 'I Can't Understand Why Any Woman Would Want To Vote For Mitt Romney'

[kpete]

Last edited Mon Sep 3, 2012, 07:21 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Huffington Post

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- There's been no shortage of musing over Mitt Romney's failure to win over female voters. The gender gap is pronounced, and with the efforts of the president's political team, growing wider. Romney has been criticized for his failure to speak out in support of equal pay for equal work, he's been tied to some of his party's more hardline positions on abortion, and has been caricatured as a relic of a bygone era in which women put career ambitions aside.

But for all the talk of Romney's trouble among women voters, no Democrat has put it in the terms that former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright did in an interview with The Huffington Post on Monday.

"I'm not sure I'm going to state this exactly right," she said, sitting amidst a sea of convention-related activity and daytime wine drinkers in the Westin hotel Lobby in downtown Charlotte. "But I think there are some who believe they are actually protecting women, you know, and that it is better for women to be taken care of. I think women want to take care of themselves, and I think having a voice in how that is done is very important. And frankly, I don’t understand -- I mean, I'm obviously a card-carrying Democrat -- but I can't understand why any woman would want to vote for Mitt Romney, except maybe Mrs. Romney".

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/03/madeleine-albright-mitt-romney_n_1852789.html

[calimary]

1. You and me both, girlfriend.

I've been saying that for years - not so much about romney specifically as about the republi-CONS in general.

[Warpy]

2. Some of our sisters sill dearly clutch the chains that bind them

because they think those chains will get them into heaven when they die. Never mind their party is determined to make hell on earth for women.

I'm afraid such women are largely unreachable.

The good news is that they are heavily outnumbered.

[calimary]

9. Um... "your boy Obama"????

[MANative]

11. Grammar-challenged much?

Here's all the evidence you need, friends, about the lack of intelligence in Republican voters.

[calimary]

13. Spelling-challenged. Punctuation-challenged. Capitalization-challenged, too.

Didn't any of these people stay awake during their 2nd and 3rd-grade English classes? Or were they too busy celebrating their "American Exceptionalism"?

[kestrel91316]

29. And clueless that our dear Warpy is retired and a senior.

What a moran.

[Grown2Hate]

33. That's why I LIKE the fact that you can still view hidden posts if you want to...

if we ever need any further evidence, or a reminder, about how stupid the right wingers that support Rmoney/Ryan really are and what we're actually fighting against, there it is. People that can't seem to get it through their THICK SKULLS that INSURANCE COMPANIES were the ones setting up death panels, getting between you and your doctor, NOT the government.

[Iliyah]

3. Well, its the versatilely of America

and the democracy, although I am perplexed with the reality that GOPper women do go against their own interest but realizes that apparently they have been taught to think that way, all in the name of their GAWD and its frightening.

[abelenkpe]

4. same here nt

[SunSeeker]

5. Other than single-issue voting wacka-doodle anti-abortionists, I don't get it either....

[upi402]

6. delete; 'WOMAN' and insert 'ONE'

Why anyone not in his family or very wealthy AND who doesn't care about America or living things... would vote for this corporate vulture - is beyond me.

Women do NOT need white Republican men to "take care of them".
This is the year 2012!

[nolabear]

7. Amen Madame Secretary. Sisters are doing it for themselves.

And the mens is just lagniappe.

[Alamuti Lotus]

10. maybe they think "the price is worth it"... *nt

[davidn3600]

12. Not every woman is a feminist

Some women out there just don't care and just want to be taken care of. There are many women that are or strive to be Ann Romney. And a lot of conservatives, male and female, still think the 1950s were a golden age of society. The so-called "good old days" where only men had careers, women were in the kitchen, gays were in the closet, and blacks were in the back of the bus. Ask social conservatives and most would not mind going back to that.

[calimary]

17. Welcome to DU!

You make a good point. But there aren't millions of Richie Rich clones and Thurston Howell III clones for them to marry and have horses and mansions and all the high-priced health care that money can buy for their ailments without having to worry about bankrupting the family, and at least two Cadillacs to drive at a time.

In the same way, it's just not realistic to tell people that "all you have to do is Start A Business!!!!!" Hello? Not everybody in America is cut out to start a business. Not everybody in America is cut out to come up with an original idea or money-making plan or newly-invented better mousetrap, on which they can start and build a business. Is that really the answer? Just everybody go out and Start A Business!!! What? Sign up for Amway? Hey, that doesn't work either. That's no easy or magic quick-fix by ANY stretch of the imagination.

I know because for a few days, long ago, out of curiosity, my husband and I investigated Amway. A nice Mormon couple in that neighborhood at the time, with stars and dollar signs in their eyes and high hopes in their hearts, tried to recruit us. And they used the same well-researched and time-tested sales pitch that all the hopefuls use to try and snare more hopefuls with big dreams. All it is - is a legalized Ponzi scheme. The only people who work their way into that Promised Land of Pie-in-the-Sky are the guys who got in at the beginning and could find all kinds of people on whom they'd build their own pyramid - with them at the top. Everybody else who gets in after that - struggles to find their way to the top of ANY pyramid. My mind totally shut off to this crowd when one of their big shot "success stories" started talking about how they don't like regulations in business (Strike One), and then I heard one of our sponsors on the phone during an official organizer-sales pitch visit to our house, telling the person on the other end that she was with "new downline." Honey, we're HUMAN BEINGS here. Not some nameless, faceless, impersonal, "new downline." So I therefore spent about six or seven minutes in the rarified status of "new downline." Later on, learning that it was the dick devos people and CONservatives and knuckledraggers and fast-talkers and pie-in-the-sky'ers who make it sound SOOOOOOO easy to get rich by selling all this stuff.

And - HELLO!!!! - some people just aren't cut out for that kind of thing. Frankly, A LOT of people just aren't cut out for that kind of thing. That's neither good nor bad. That's just how it is in REALITY-LAND. Not everybody is a salesman or saleswoman. And of those who are salesmen or saleswomen, not everybody's all that great at it, or successful. Certainly not successful enough to get within miles of the kind of life and lifestyle that mitt romney enjoys. Not everybody can try selling Amway at home or Mary Kay or Arbonne or Avon or Tupperware and make a big success out of it, and build that big pyramid organization underneath them from which they can take cuts of everybody else's sales activity. Not everybody can make even a MODEST success out of it. DAMN! I saw that Mormon couple recruit an elderly black gent - a true war hero, who was actually one of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. And he got into it with both feet - with VERY little money to buy in. And they told him, as they told us and everybody else at those meetings and house parties - just give 'em this tape - of one of our big-ass successful Amway leaders - and let 'em listen. WE do the work FOR YOU! And all you have to do is write up all the orders and rake in the cash! It's EASY!

And. It. Is. NOT. Easy!!!!!!!!!!!

It broke my heart to see this old gentleman, who lives in V.A. housing in West L.A., struggling week after week to try to make those pie-in-the-sky dreams come true for himself, and hustle up his own "downline." He couldn't. There aren't that many gullible, easy marks, available for prospecting. It's Just. NOT. There. And my husband is wonderful but he's no salesman, either, so I knew it wasn't for us. I was busy trying to raise kids and juggle the rest of my career before I finally gave up on it and retired so I could focus 100% on the kids while they were still young. Fortunately, we got out REEEEEEAAAALLY early. Actually didn't even get all the way in before we ran for the hills.

We gave it a try. One of my favorite one-liners is "like they say on NPR - 'All Things Considered'!" Well, we considered it for a few days. Got just inside the door. Looked around. Turned around and got back out in a hurry.

[11 Bravo]

14. Hell, let's just not stop there. I'm a son, a husband, a big brother of two sisters...

and a father. I have a bunch of incredible women in my life, and I love and respect each and every one of rhem. My question is, why the Fuck would ANYONE, male or female, want to vote for Romney?

[Gingiro]

15. Sad to SAY

Sad TO SAY a lot of women will not be able to come to this site or know what Madeline Albright said because they love their breadwinner so so much they wouldn't dare have a personal opinion that rubs hubby the wrong way.

[calimary]

18. True that, and that's a shame. Hopefully there are fewer of those year by year.

Welcome to DU!

See why we need you?

TONS of work to do and lies to smack down and elections to win.





Now get to work.

[nolabear]

22. You know I hear that a lot but have never known any.

Oh, I hear women who think they can't be successful on their own so don't think, or who just enjoy having someone else work and they get to reap the benefits, or do choose to be stay at home, full time parents, or who are are downright afraid of saying out loud what they think because hubby has the power and will use it, but I've never run across one who just loves him so much that they don't have an opinion. And I grew up in the Deep South, lived in the slightly-blue South, in Pittsburgh, and now in the PNW.

I think you're righ many won't come here, and all the more reason to take it to them.

[HockeyMom]

16. All the the jobs in the world won't mean shit

if they won't hire a woman because she is female and can get pregnant. Damn, what is so hard to understand about that? Take it from an old woman, been there, done that. This is what they want for the 21st Century.

[DemKittyNC]

19. Hi everyone!

This is the first time I have ever registered for a political site before and the very first time I am going to be able to vote for a President but have been a Democrat in heart and spirit since I was first old enough to be aware of politics which is very hard for me since my parents and family are all die hard republicans. No matter how hard I try to get them to see the light of day they fight me every chance they get and constantly tell me I am wrong and just not old enough to understand how the world works. Maybe they are right to a degree, I am young but when faced with scum such as Romney/Ryan trying to take away my rights and telling me what I can and can not do with my own body and wanting to treat me as a second class citizen or a 1950's housewife then it just can't be more clear, not to just every woman but any HUMAN with a brain that politicians with these agendas and thought processes need to be stopped before it is too late.

I am going to be very proud this November to cast my first vote ever for President Obama and I am looking forward to the next 4 years with hope instead of fear because I believe President Obama will continue to get this country back on track and brighter futures for all.

[Warren DeMontague]

20. Welcome to DU, DemKittyNC!

Here's a link to the welcome & help forum, to get you started.



http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1256

[DemKittyNC]

21. Hello!

And thank you very much, I will check it out right now

[nolabear]

23. You go, Kiddo. Us older women are working in some part with you in mind.

Are you near the convention? I usd to live in NC and have in-laws there so am there a lot. Hope you hang around our contentious little band and we'll do this thing together.

Welcome to DU!

[xtraxritical]

24. Welcome DemKittyNC! You are very well informed and you write very well, glad to have you here.

Please remember it's not just the presidential race that's important, it's extremely important to take back both houses of Congress and state houses too. Please vote a straight Democratic ballot.

[FailureToCommunicate]

25. Welcome! And stay the course of your own convictions!

You may not have luck changing your families' positions, but you can have a great impact on others unsure of what to think these days about what has become of the GOP.

[quaker bill]

26. When it comes to changing minds in the family...

stick to your convictions, but there is no need to press too hard. Republicans will prove your points over time. This has worked for all of my family except my brothers in law, who listen to too much Rush and Glenn Beck to be retrieved.

Edited to add, Welcome to DU. (do yourself a favor and avoid threads about Olive Garden, fried chicken, and circumcision for a time

[DemKittyNC]

27. Thank you everyone!

It is good to be here.

@nolabear - I live in Greensboro which is about an hour and a half away I believe to Charlotte. I feel honored they are holding the DNC in North Carolina and I am so looking forward to watching it this week! Just wish I could actually be there but I think my family would disown me for sure then. lol

@xtraxritical - Thank you very much, I try my best to represent myself in the most professional manner possible befitting a true blooded Democrat and please do not worry. I plan on voting a straight Democratic ticket.

@FailureToCommunicate & quaker bill - Thank you both for the welcomes and don't worry I plan to stick to my convictions. I have for a long time now making me the least loveable and easily sacrificed daughter in my family, haha

[quaker bill]

38. Republicans - you can say any reasonably dire thing you want

and eventually they will match it and go one better. Just give them time.

[kestrel91316]

30. We're fighting this fight in large part for you young'uns.

I have reached that stage of life where abortion rights, for instance, don't affect me at all personally. But I still care because I remember how it was when I was a teen and women didn't have access to safe, legal abortions. We must never return to those terrible times when too many lives were ruined or lost.

And that's just the start.

20 years ago I thought we had won the fight and things would never go back, but I was wrong. So here I am again, and instead of doing clinic defense in person I am shouting from the rooftops online and in protests on the streets when I can. We cannot drop this ball. Ever.

Welcome to DU!

[DemKittyNC]

31. I wish to thank you...

While my generation might be a little slow on the uptake there are people like me that pay attention and care what happens to our futures and it means so much to me that people like you are out there fighting for me, my generation and for all of us. Thank you for fighting and I will repay your efforts by taking up the fight myself and join you and this November we will re-elect a great man who will lead this country forward for the better of all mankind.

[kestrel91316]

32. awww

(sniff)

Welcome to the Ladies' Sewing Circle and Terrorist Society!

[CarmanK]

36. And it is not just about abortion. It is all about a woman's economic health and career choices.

These dangerous ideologues want to give an EGG personhood, like SCOTUS gave corporations-a piece of paper-personhood. They want to criminalize some forms of birth control, in vitro fertilization and make every natural miscarriage suspect ( at least a million each yr). Can you imagine the nightmares that will occur when someone tries to enforce all these denegrating laws! Northern states may be more humane, but there are women, mostly women of color, already in jail for having abortions. For gods sake, they have debtor's prisons in the SOUTH. Can you imagine this kind of power over women in the hands of the brutal NUTS and freaks of the SOUTH. The land of faux christians who went to church on SUNDAY, and brutalized human beings for profit Mon thru Sat. Who raped and sold women, who separated children from their mothers at birth. We have seen the evil that men are capable of. We cannot return to the brutal past where women were property, raped at will and sold to the highest bidder after being passed around by the gentlemen of the SOUTH. women are people too. They are creatures equal in the eyes of the LORD and as such capable to make their decisions about their bodily functions.

[blondie58]

39. welcome DemKittyNC!

If you are like me, DU will quickly become an addiction!

I am like you. Always felt like a democrat. I try to listen to the other side, but they are crazy! And stupid!
I am not young. Probably old enough to be your mother.

I spend entirely too much time here. Had a reprieve in 2008 when I sold my house and lost my internet. Just got a smartfone this year so I am back!

Be sure to check out some enchanted evenings lol cats, every Sunday. Hysterical!
Oh yeah and if you see anything by Nance Greggs- she is our Molly ivins. She used to be here regularly, but when my internet access was down, I don't know what happened, but she left. Someone must have said something stupid.

I love reading the comments. I am impressed by how many really smart people are on this board.

[oliverrams1]

40. I agree

I have always tried to listen to the other point of view, but it is so bad now that it just seems like trash. How can any women young or old give away control of their own bodies? How can any women say it's okay for them to make less for doing the same job. We don't want that for ourselves or for our daughters.

[kestrel91316]

28. Neither can I (shaking head sadly).

[UrbScotty]

34. Hey - What woman WOULDN'T want to go for a guy who's rich?

All kidding aside, Ann Romney is probably the only woman I can think of who stands much to gain from having Mitt in the White House.

[CarmanK]

35. Citizens United for Life is pro-life advocates behind TRANS-VAGINAL ultrasound etc....

they are the ones at the state level creating all this callous ruthless legislation that harm women. Like ALEC, they are writing the cookie cutter legislation and pressuring the states to adopt legislation which denigrates women and deprives them of their reproductive rights.. It is led by a woman who prides herself on her accomplishments. Ultimate goal is person-hood and SCOTUS overturning Roe v Wade " to protect women". It is an organization of ideologues who are desperate to make it in a man's world and will sacrifice any woman on their altar of depravity to GAIN POWER. They are dangerous and have to be exposed for their deceptions.
Any state that legislates a woman's vagina: must process all rape kits within 48 hours, assume financial responsibility for her mental health and provide financial support during and after the pregnancy. The state which chooses to be the FATHER of all children born of rape and nature, shall assume financial support for those children until age 18. The FATHER GOVT wants to control the physical intercourse of all women, then it must take responsibility for consequences. Oh, wait. That is what the GOP/TPARTY has been preaching for years: Personal responsibility and accountability. Guess, FATHER GOVT is ready to step up and if not, it should mind its own business and get out of the way. The GOP convention goers told Samantha BEE that Romney had the FREEDOM to choose what items in the GOP platform he is supporting. One even suggested that this is AMERICA land of freedom and ROMNEY has the liberty to choose. Ironic ain't it?

[Angry Dragon]

37. One only has to look at Willard's religion and find where he gets a lot of his ideas about women