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Albany, NY – On the cover of a recent issue of Newsweek, Hillary Clinton proclaimed I found my own voice. Many voters seem to like that voice, turning out last-minute to support Clinton in the New Hampshire presidential primary. In the necessarily cynical world of political punditry, some say the presidential candidate has simply been searching for the voice that voters want to hear. Whatever you believe, it's undeniable that there's been an evolution in the New York Senator's campaign style. Feeling words and hushed tones are becoming more common in Clinton's appearances.
Curious about the thin line female candidates are told to walk between appearing strong and seeming real, I spoke to a few experts and a few voters for this week's show.
Former congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro became the first viable female candidate for national office in her bid for the vice-presidency in 1984. She lost that election, but has gone on to write books about the experience, teach at Harvard, and serve as president of the International Institute for Women's Political leadership. She's a Hillary Clinton supporter and has been watching the race with great interest. Often, it brings her back to her days on the national campaign circuit.
Ever since his account of blowing the lid off of the Nixon Administration in All The President's men, Carl Bernstein of Woodward And... has churned out non-fiction to roars of critical acclaim. His latest effort is a biography of none other than Hillary Clinton - and has done quite well. In the book, Bernstein takes readers from Clinton's childhood in Illinois through the Beltway scrutiny of the Lewinsky scandal, all the way to her success as a New York senator. Bernstein says Clinton has matured in the spotlight - and he was impressed with her behavior as a senator. But he says he sees her slipping on the campaign trail.
Hillary Clinton's run is garnering the notice of many high-powered women to speak out - not the least of which is Madeline Albright, the former U.N. Ambassador who became the first woman to serve as secretary of state under Bill Clinton. Since her time in the cabinet, Albright has become a professor and author. Albright has endorsed Hillary Clinton, and told 51%'s Joe Donahue that she thinks this race IS about gender.
Ann Friedman is a feminist. She's not planning to vote for Clinton. And she sees no contradiction between those two statements. She wrote as much in a post on the blog femenisting.com, so I gave her a call and asked her to explain further.
Every once in awhile, a listener letter crosses my inbox that just can't go ignored. Narcissa Smith-Harris wrote one recently, and so I invited her to read it on the air this week. Smith-Harris hasn't decided which Democrat to support in New York's February primary. But the Hudson Valley resident sympathizes with the female groundswell of support for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. Here's her take on Clinton's win.
If you're a regular listener to 51%, you probably recognize the name Helen Desfosses. She often comments on political gender issues on this show - as a former elected official and feminist political scientist, she's qualified. This time around, she says it was harder to clarify her own thoughts. A Hillary Clinton supporter with family members rooting for a range of other candidates, Desfosses wrestled with Clinton's newfound voice - and what it means in terms of gender. Here are her conclusions.