Re: Will men ever hand the White House to a woman?
by
Nissl
02/13/2008, 2:58 PM #
"if not Hillary, who? when?"
Kathleen Sebelius, 2016. That's my hope anyway, and what I'm pressing for on a number of pro-Obama blogs. Not because women deserve a "turn," mind you, but because I believe she's actually the strongest VP pick for Obama - reinforcing his outsider message and adding much-needed executive experience.
I believe the country is ready for a female president, but it is not ready to relive the Clinton psychodrama all over again. Look at how out of control Bill Clinton has been. Look at all of the questionable actions taken by Clinton surrogates. Look at the way the campaign has been mismanaged. How did someone who raised $175 mil since 2006 run out of money after Iowa? How did she not fire her campaign manager immediately upon learning of this?
Clinton's negatives run between 42-48 depending on the poll. They have not moved at all in the last year. As of today she runs 5 points worse against McCain, and that margin is only growing. I can't name any major legislative accomplishments of hers, indeed when you line up the accomplishments Obama seems to have done more in 3 years than she has in 7. The things she's run have been health care reform in 1993 and this campaign.
Compare to Sebelius. KS is 50%R, 27%D. She won election 53-47, re-elected 57-40. Her favorables are 64%, which means that even those who vote against her like her. She's perpetually listed on top-5 governor lists, and is best known for managerial ability - balancing the budget by cutting wasteful spending at the same time she expanded education. She has taken strong democratic stands on social and environmental issues (rejecting coal plants for KS), with absolutely no effect on her favorability. And her husband is a judge who calls jokingly himself "first dude" and appears to be entirely uninvolved in her administration.
She would make a much, much better first female president that Hillary.