A Woman for President seems to be gone again for 2020. I am watching the news now after Elizabeth Warren resigned her quest for the nomination. She was the last woman on the 2020 Democratic Nominee list.
This year there were more women who sought the nomination than ever before. More very qualified women. U.S. Senators and Representatives. Women who had been in elective office for many years and had won many elections in their home states, but when the selection went national, they could not carry the vote. I am wondering why.
The news talks about gender, but many other prominent countries have had women as very successful leaders. Israel – Golda Meir; Great Britain – Margaret Thatcher; Germany – Angela Merkel; India – Indira Gandhi; just to name a few. Actually if you Google women-leaders.om, you will find the list is quite long. It goes way back to 1913 with a woman leader in Ukraine. The list of countries is amazing and world-wide.
A Woman for President – Who?
Why then are women having such a hard time here in the United States? We boast about being the most progressive, but we can’t seem to find the right one. Women in the US hold corporate presidencies and other high-level positions, including so many now in our Congress. All are intelligent accomplished women, but we seem to select on image rather than qualifications.
How else then could a man like Donald Trump with his lack of qualifications have won the Presidency? Are our women candidates just too smart? Too factual? Too honest? Do we need one with more charisma? I am of course referencing Hillary Clinton here. She certainly was smart enough and certainly had the experience and qualifications!! And she did win the popular vote too, but as one of my readers mentioned, we are stuck with an antiquated election protocol when it comes to electing a President. The Electoral College. That can be biased due to jerry-rigging but don’t get me started on that here.
Sarah Palin
We did have another one once on a Presidential ticket. Sarah Palin on the ticket with John McCain. She had the charisma from the beginning when she sold herself at the convention as “a soccer mom”. But throughout the campaign, the news picked on her focusing on her lack of intelligence. But she was very popular.
Sarah Palin made as many boo-boos in facts as Trump. One was citing continent, Africa, as a country. Her interview with Katie Couric was too big a disaster to even cite any of the answers. I guess she will always be remembered by her statement, “I can see Russia from my house” after she alluded that Russia was preparing an attack on Alaska.
So what is it we need in a woman candidate for the Presidency? Merkel, Thatcher, and Meir certainly are and were not charismatic women. Conversely, males in the Presidency could be cited as not being that intelligent. Probably our most recent intelligent President was Jimmy Carter, who graduated quite high at the Naval Academy but was only given one term. Our charismatic Presidents such as George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan were much lower on the intelligence scale. And President Obama was widely popular and stirred up great passion during his campaign, but receives many negative comments now about his presidency.
It is a conundrum. Just what is it we need as a President? And just what will appeal to the whole country? And will we ever find a woman to fill those shoes?
In Conclusion, we will have A Woman for President
Early in this election season when the nominees first announced, I was very impressed with Kamala Harris, but she dropped out very early. They said it was a money issue, but maybe she just thought with the crowd of candidates that the time was just not the right time for her. She does have Charisma and is very bright. She has great credentials. Maybe next time.
Also, another woman who has been mentioned is Michelle Obama. Again charisma and smarts. I’m sure there are others, so hope is not lost.
Addendum added August 24, 2020
We now have our Democratic Presidential and Vice-Presidental Nominees – Joe Biden and Kamala Harris!!! And We have a woman of color on the ticket and in line for the Presidency should anything happen to Joe Biden. He has also stated that he would run only for one term, so Kamala is in line for the 2024 elections to succeed him. We Will Have a Woman President!! Of that, I am sure.
