Rethinking Madame President
August 6, 2009
by Kathryn Jones
The author’s opinions are her own, not necessarily those of The New Agenda.
Why has the number of women engaged in politics in the US stalled so badly in the last decade? Why don’t more women run for office? Is their a gender bias in politics? How do women leaders differ from male leaders? Professors Diane Sullivan and Constance Rudnick from the Massachusetts School of Law hoped to get to the bottom of this disturbing decline in women political leaders in their interview with Dr. Caroline Heldman, the co-editor of “Rethinking Madame President: Are We Ready for a Woman in the White House?”
Joining Dr. Heldman on [the full] episode of The Massachusetts School of Law’s Educational Forum are four prominent female political leaders who hold both national and state level offices. In a very candid, thought provoking interview, these four female leaders discuss why they believe winning elections and holding an elected position are more difficult for women then for men, how ambition and confidence differ among the sexes, and how the landscape for women in politics is changing.
Panelists:
Eleanor Holmes Norton – U.S. House of Representatives, District of Columbia
Martha Coakely- first female Attorney General of Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Katherine Clark- MA state representatve
Kim Driscoll- first female Mayor of Salem MA
Dr Caroline Heldman- Asst. Professor, Occidental College
Constance Rudnick- Professor of Law, Massachusetts School of Law
Having heard that and letting the thoughts of all the panelist sink in I have been reinforced in my view -it is important to support all women candidates- irrespective of agendas because only then will parity be achieved.
Then parity will never be achieved. Women are simply not capable of uniting. I wish I were wrong. I truly do. I have to live in this world.
But women will pick My Mayun over That Bitch every single time. Period.
Janis,
Don’t be so sure! Women have and are so fucked over that the obsticles are huge, but with time, proper analysis, and problem solving agendas we can overcome. the practice of pitting women against each other is one of the first barriers that we have to break. I’ve watched black men undermine both white and black women by convincing black women that they are race traders it they call themselves feminists or work with white women on common issues. I have also seen white men play the same game with white women. Meantime, we scramble to cut each others throats for the opportunity to be the token woman in male dominated fields.
Women need to understand that we only succeed individually, when we all succeed. I refuse believe that we can’t get there.
I’m with you KendallJ –
We CAN do this.
That is what this organization is about and we will continue to press forward. Nothing worth accomplishing ever came easily.
I think Janis is right . I watch alot of different news programs during the day and women are so brutal to other women it makes me sick. Especially today with Sarah Palin. Alot of women are like I don’t like her politics (which me they don’t like her because she’s pro-life), I say to myself is whats going on today better politics. I guess women like the gov. in everything we do and making desicions for us. First off the whole abortion thing Sarah says she does not believe the federal gov. should make the desicion about abortion and I believe her. Second she would not be spending all this money that our children will be on the hook for and I don’t believe she would be so quick to send our troops to fight wars because she knows from experience what its like to send your child off to war.Yes she strongly supports our troops and why shouldn’t we. Women really need to wake up . This world has been run by men for all these years and look what a mess it is. Most men can’t run a household let alone a country.
Wow – what a powerful video – just finally got a chance to watch. Some interesting stuff to think about for sure.
Harriet Harman of the UK speaks about male leadership:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fin.....nkers.html
Again…where’s our “Council on Women and Girls?”
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