Madam President (2008)

[RichfieldMN]

Hi People,

I have been General Election watching in the UK and noticed a poll which says that either Hilary Clinton or Condoleeza Rice may be on the ticket for the 2008 US election.

I have also read articles that the US is not ready for a female President due to its "conservative" nature which is conservative with a small c nothing to do with political allegiance.

I am intrigued to see what people think, do you really think if a woman stood for president she could win, or do you think the inate "conservative" bias would harm her chances.

This is not meant to be a democrat via republican thread, it is a non partisan thread to discuss if America could really elect a woman as its first President

[Boolari]

Huh. Neither of those choices look very promising.

I know a girl who is planning to run for President in a bunch of years.

And there's a chance I might go into politics so I'm gunna have to say duhn duhn duhn! Boo yah!

BTW: I don't think we're "ready" for it but LOTS of things have happened that we haven't been ready for... and most of them turned out very well.

[Defensive War]

Hmmmm....not sure either one is "promising"...but it could happen. It would be good to have a woman president, just like it would be good to have non-white presidents. The problem is that people are afraid of change, and so I'm worried that nowadays the only way to get a woman elected would be to make both choices women (which is, apparently, what they are considering). But if only Hillary runs or only Condoleeza runs, the vote will sway to the men. I swear I'm not being sexist, that's just the way people here are. But I support a woman president, provided the husband isn't called the "First Man" and the choices aren't Hillary and Rice.

[Alfonia]

Oh I'd say it's about time... rid yourself of all those old men and get a rather young woman instead. Would be totally cool. Preferably a woman who likes to dress in bright colours, like red. It would look totally neat at those UN meetings... too many black suits you know?

[Parthini]

Hmm... a supermodel you say... could boost foreign affairs...

I dunno. I think it would be damn cool to be the First Man. Hmmm....

But, God I hope we don't have to have either of those people on the ticket. Maybe Nader will win after all... Hmm...

GPP

[Boolari]

Hm... would you vote for me? ;D

I'm not a supermodel but I could wear red... and take my big sturgeon with me to whomp some black suits. Although I am partial to black for some reason... but I'm sure that could be worked out.

I'd make it mandatory to play NS! Hahaha, now that would be interesting.

[TheSensitiveNewAge]

I said don't know, since the possible candidates of Rice and Hilary would not work. However, some other woman could come onto the scene by then. There was a female vice-presidential candidate running with Dukkakis against Reagan and his veep, Bush Sr.

On a tangetal note, no one should be alllowed to name their kid after his or her self.

[Greek People Nation (GPN)]

I would have to say no. I don't know why. I just have the feeling that we are not ready for a woman president. But however, I think we might be ready for a colored president.

[Klington]

Its time, people weren't ready for civil rights, but we forced them to mature anyways, so why not now?

[Alfonia]

I think a female president could do good things for women's rights in the USA, and as usual what happens there just might get same effect abroad as well... There are still a lot of countries out there were women are second-class citizens. I think that is easy to forget.

[Parthini]

Hmm... very true. The only problem is that either party will ahve to find a woman that is electable. Maybe there can be a woman VP first? It would be very symbolistic and then she could run after the resident is done.

GPP

[Greek People Nation (GPN)]

Parthini said:

Hmm... very true. The only problem is that either party will ahve to find a woman that is electable. Maybe there can be a woman VP first? It would be very symbolistic and then she could run after the resident is done.

GPP

That is a good point.

[Gluuland]

Being "ready" to have a woman president has nothing to do with it. Any woman has the right to run for president, and we should vote for them based on their qualifications and ideals, not their gender or race. I feel that waiting until the US is "ready" to have a woman as president is like waiting until they have our approval... The fact is, they dont one person's personal approval.
The elections are meant to make sure that the country approves the candidate while giving EVERY candidate an equal chance. The only reason we havn't had a woman president yet is because no influential political party (democrat/republican) has endorsed them. If Hilary Clinton runs in 2008 and is nominated by the Democratic party, she will be just as much competition for the Rebublicans as a man in the same position. Should this happen, the republicans could put a man as the opposition, or a woman to match Hilary.
Its rather like how peole thought that Kerry might choose John McCain (i cant spell his name, i think..) as VP candidate to get some republicans on his side. In the same way, the republicans could use a woman candidate to take other potential women voters from Hilary.
This is very unlikely, however. No matter what the candidate, democrats will vote for democrats, and republicans for republicans.....


Im confusing myself by writing all this, but im too lazy to revise it....... Hopefully you get the point.

[Sheynat]

Oh, we're ready. W're very ready. The reason Hillary and Condi are the front-runners is cause they're the Democrat and Republican the most people have said they're willing to vote for in early polls. We're ready for a black president, a female president, hell, a black female president. Otherwise, they wouldn't be the frontrunners already.

[Gluuland]

I agree, my point is that we shouldn't be acting as if we've spent the last 228 years cleaning up for a woman as president.....
Hilary will run in the primaries in 2008, Condi probably wont....

[RichfieldMN]

Interesting results so far, and comments.

I agree the best person for the job regardless of sex, sexuality, ethnicity etc should get the job and there should be no blockages due to that.

I honestly also can't see a female candidate who could be on the ballot in 2008 yet - I don't know if the US would vote Hilary Clinton or Condoleeza Rice in but who knows maybe there is someone out there like Boolari who could take the race by storm in her little red dress

[Gluuland]

Hilary is definately going to run in the primaries....
People are only suggesting condi because she's the only woman that the rebublicans have!

[Alfonia]

Interesting that this subject comes up when I come to think of it...

Recently feminism has been very much in the spotlight here, and feminist parties have been founded, they are predicted to become very successful in the next election. It's our version of what's happening there I guess, we haven't had a female prime minister yet...

[RichfieldMN]

The UK had a female PM "Maggie Thatcher" and were we glad to see the back of her - not because of her sex I must hasten to add ... and I gather Norway has too

[Sheynat]

I thought Thatcher left pretty well respected. But hey, what do I know of Brit politics, I'm a Yank..but yeah, I'm willing to bet there'll be a female Prez in 2008. Hilary will probably run and I reckon she'll win-there's kind of an eight-year cycle in this country; we swing from one end of the spectrum to another.

[RichfieldMN]

I remember my mom calling me at work to say Thatcher at resigned, and as soon as I told people, cheers went around the office -

www.guardian.co.uk/Thatcher/Story/0,2763,401273,00.html

some recollections from 2000 of where people were and what they were doing when Thatcher resigned

[Greek People Nation (GPN)]

RichfieldMN said:

I remember my mom calling me at work to say Thatcher at resigned, and as soon as I told people, cheers went around the office -

Was she better than Blair?

I think Blair is awsome.

[RichfieldMN]

It depends on your politics - some thought Thatcher was the bees knees, others thought she destroyed the UK - you could compare Thatcher to Reagan I suppose as their politics were similar...

Blair is a lot more socially aware than Thatcher, although to the right of the Labour Party,

Blair and Labour introduced the minimum wage, 4 weeks vacation, civil unions and the European social chapter to name a few social changes ...

[The Undaunted]

I don't know about a female president, but I think a black president is very much a possibility. For those of you who don't know who he is, Barack Obama is a state senator from Illinois, and he is absolutely amazing. He spoke at the most recent democratic convention, and it was one of the best speeches I've heard. I'll tell you right now that if he's on the ticket for 2008, he has my vote.

[Alfonia]

But seriously... I can't even believe there's a discussion if you're ready for a female president or not... I mean what would be the reason that you're not ready?

Women and men are the same - human beings... I mean it's amazing that women still get paid less for the same job done, and that there are so few female presidents, prime ministers etc.

What is our problem anyways? I mean if the ones to blame are the men I seriously think we need to get better, guys. And then say we're so sorry to the women as well.

I just don't know why this hasn't changed yet. Anyone here that could explain how one could actually think women are supposed to be below men in the social structure? Why am I posting this? Well, you see, it struck me, women have been fighting for their democratic rights for at least 100 years now... and we still haven't reached ultimate equality! The world isn't fast to change sometimes I guess...

Perhaps it would be good to move such a discussion to another thread, but I'll let you decide on that one...

[Kalmazoo]

The said:

I don't know about a female president, but I think a black president is very much a possibility. For those of you who don't know who he is, Barack Obama is a state senator from Illinois, and he is absolutely amazing. He spoke at the most recent democratic convention, and it was one of the best speeches I've heard. I'll tell you right now that if he's on the ticket for 2008, he has my vote.

I am from Illinois and I can tell you that he will probably be the canidate in '08 and if not then, definitely 2012. I lean towards republicans more often than not but I would have to say if Obama is on the ballot come '08 or 2012 he may get my vote. Plus, it helps that he is from my home state!

[Parthini]

He was a good speaker, but I don't know what his politics were like. Is he really leftist or is he centralist? I'd like to know more about him.

Plus, I was hoping Colin Powell would run in '08, but since he's out of the picture now, I guess that won't happen.

GPP

[TheSensitiveNewAge]

Obrama needs some time in the Senate before he runs for President. To my knowledge he's near-center.

[Kalmazoo]

TheSensitiveNewAge said:

Obrama needs some time in the Senate before he runs for President. To my knowledge he's near-center.

Yeah he is still young and that's why I said maybe that he won't run till 2012. I do expect him to run for President at sometime.

As for a lady president. Hilton will definitely be in the Primaries and Rice, if ever, won't be a Republican canidate for a few more elections.

[The Undaunted]

Obama has a website where you can read all about his politics, if you're interested... and though he looks young, he's actually not all that young, so I think 2008 may be a possibility