Clinton's Close Finish May Inspire Other Women To Pursue Higher Office

[DeepModem Mom]

WSJ: Close Finish May Inspire Other Women To Pursue Higher Office
By CAROL HYMOWITZ
June 5, 2008; Page A16

She isn't going to be commander in chief. But Hillary Clinton's close second-place finish in the Democratic Party primaries is likely to embolden other women to seek the highest jobs in politics, and it could help propel their advance....

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Whether or not she is on the ballot, Sen. Clinton has made running for the presidency easier for future female White House aspirants. No woman has ever been so competitive.

For now, there aren't any obvious female presidential candidates waiting in the wings....

"Hillary was talked about and thought about as a potential U.S. president for a long time," notes Ruth Mandel, director of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. In addition, she had the unique advantage for name recognition and fund raising of being the wife of a former president.

Women make up a quarter of lawmakers in state legislatures and 16% of the U.S. House of Representatives. Eight governors and 16 U.S. senators -- the most common jobs for presidential candidates -- are women. The first woman president may come not from the ranks of current senators or governors but from the younger generation now holding state office or House seats.

In the workplace as well as in politics, Sen. Clinton has sparked reflection and debate among women about how far they have to go to achieve parity. "She has brought women to a new level of consciousness" about how they are viewed, says Ms. Mandel.

Marsha Kent, a receptionist at Butler, Cincione & DiCuccio, a Columbus, Ohio, law firm, says she felt "empowered" watching Sen. Clinton persist in her campaign and stand up to "so much sexist bashing." Ms. Kent, a Democrat who isn't sure whom she will choose in November, adds: "I admire the toughness she showed. It made me feel good about being a woman and showed me that being tough isn't being a b-."...

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Marie Wilson, head of the White House Project, which trains women to enter politics, says Sen. Clinton's campaign has motivated women who have never before held office. "So many have written on their applications to us that they've been inspired by Hillary's run," says Ms. Wilson. The White House Project has trained about 1,700 women -- half of whom are 35 or younger -- in the past three years....

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121261640996046489.html

[NJmaverick]

1. I hope it does! It would be great for our nation.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

2. "Ms. Kent, a Democrat who isn't sure whom she will choose in November..."

Spare me these dumb women who are actually considering voting for McCain. Trust me, Marsha, your "empowerment" is pretty low on John McCain's priorities.

[liberal N proud]

3. Hope this election changes America - race and gender shouldn't matter

Each person should be evaluated solely on their qualifications to do the job. NOTHING ELSE.

Nothing in the Constitution states that race, creed or gender are considered for qualification to be president.

I think that Hillary and Barrack have both changes this country for the better.