Is The United States Ready For A Woman President?

[Catherine Morgan]

I would also love to know your thoughts on...Is The United States Ready For A Woman President? (this is one of my posts from when I first began my blog Informed Voters, almost a year ago)

[Deb Della Piana]

No. In spite of the fact that it's 2008, the good old USA is far from ready, and I really wish I could understand why it isn't. Although not my first choice as a candidate (Dennis Kucinich was), people have been telling Hillary Clinton to remove herself from the race since Iowa when nobody was a frontrunner. This is sheer sexism. If Hillary Clinton wants to run, if she has an audience (and she does because nobody is blowing anybody away in this one), then for her to pull out now would be marginalizing the votes of millions of people. In spite of Geraldine Farraro and Shirley Chisolm who both made runs at the presidency, Hillary Clinton is the FIRST serious female candidate contending for the presidency and she needs to go all the way if that's what she wants to do. Several male candidates have done this, including Ted Kennedy in 1980, Gene McCarthy in 1968, Gary Hart in 1984 and Jesse Jackson in 1988. This is America. Every voice and every vote counts. Period.

[Katherine McLean]

Was Israel "ready" for Golda Meir? Was the UK "ready" for Maggie Thacher. Was Germany "ready"Angela Merkel? These were leaders who's policies were right for their times. As long as we think we have to ask if the country is ready for a woman President we will continue to get a negative answer.
Of course the country is ready for a woman President. Why not? I agree that too many people are swooning over Obama without asking if he is up to the job. Personally I don't think he is. But that is not because of his race it is because of his obvious inexperience. The better candidate is Hillary. And she happens to be a woman. So the question is "Is the United States ready for Hillary Clinton to be President?" An awful lot of people, at least half of the voters, seem to think so. I hope we don't blow it.

[Perry MacNeil]

RIght on, Katherine! Couldn't have said it better. Was the U.S. ready for women to be given the vote? For civil rights? Sometimes we have to "push the envelope" to create change. Great comment.

[JA]

In light of Sarah Palin, this is a very pertinent question. We'll be ready when the right woman rises. I lived in England while Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister. She simply commanded respect and lead her country successfully with the nation's security & people in mind. She was easy to trust and believe her decisions were weighed and balanced.
Imagine: something happens to John McCain. Sarah Palin assumes office. Could she handle the position with resemblance to M. Thatcher both at home and abroad?

[msimon313]

Yes, of course! See Dr. Nancy Adler´s work on women leaders worldwide. However I fear she may have to be conservative, like Maggie Thatcher, to offset the negative stereotype of weakness. I have a sickening feeling they (conversative Republican base) are grooming SP for 2012.