Re: Democrats Abroad! Join up!

Grazie..."The mere mention of positive qualities, like motherhood, I was not ready for vermin laced responses". My post was not meant to vilify anyone. I am sorry you viewed it as such. I am the proud mother of two adult children.
If motherhood is to be considered a "good" quality for a female presidential candidate, it infers that women candidates who do not have children would make "bad" candidates. In my opinion, if women are to function effectively in the political playing field, the motherhood card should not be brought into play. "Obviously there is nothing admirable about motherhood in any context." .....is a generalization which I did not make or implied."What Hillary does in her own time in her own space with her man - can
you say commitment - reflects on how focused she is in what she wants". My take on that is she was attempting to "save her political ass". As a future presidential hopeful, how would it look if the proposed "first man" was an impeached president?
 
"Grazie" said:
Condi as President - give me a break will you, she was a token Secretary of State. The most sound decision ever made by this Admin.; after that it was down hill from there. The woman's got brains yes, but what so far has she has shown for it? Not obviously the first SoS but the first African American - was anyone in their right senses object to that? Course not. Token, I tell you, token.
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Where'd you get the idea she's got brains? She wrote a lacklustre dissertation on the Czech army, and I guess that's the sum total of her intellectual accomplishments (plus she can play a few tunes on the piano). This is a White House that insists on drab mediocrity.
 
BBW, I stand corrected. Democrats abroad - is this really a group or someone just yanking my chain?
 
Hmm. Could I call someone sexist for suggesting a "Defeat Condi" club if she was a contender in the Presidential election?
 
"Gearjammer" said:
Hmm. Could I call someone sexist for suggesting a "Defeat Condi" club if she was a contender in the Presidential election?
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No need for one. The poor woman hasn't got a chance. At most the Republicans may moot the point just to show that they're a modern party free of the old prejudices, but nothing will come of it. In the same manner, I guess, that everyone knew that the Rev. Al Sharpton wasn't going to be the Democratic nominee in 2004. Hillary Clinton is another kettle of fish altogether.
 
I think Dr. Rice would make a good president. But you're right that she's not running and probably wouldn't get elected if she did. But the race disparity between the parties has more to do with political ideology than "old prejudices." There are plenty of old prejudices in the Democrat party as well.
 
"Gearjammer" said:
I think Dr. Rice would make a good president. But you're right that she's not running and probably wouldn't get elected if she did.
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What's your argument that she'd make a good president? I can think of some reasons for Colin Powell, but not one for Rice.
But the race disparity between the parties has more to do with political ideology than "old prejudices." There are plenty of old prejudices in the Democrat party as well.
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Hehe. Old prejudices die hard. Johnson lost the South for the Democrats back in the '60s because of his civil rights legislation, and there are no signs they'll get it back. Out in shotgun-and-pickup country, out in Redneckville, they will not vote for a black. They wouldn't even vote for a Greek-American like Dukakis (though of course he was a Democrat).


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Actually, Condi seems to have disappeared since her boss's election-day disaster. Dropped out of the news, prompting "where's Condi?" speculation on the internet. In the next few days Dick Cheney is going to make a diplomacy trip to the middle East --- isn't that the sort of thing you have a Secretary of State for?

I don't see Condi as a particularly independent woman; she seems in her element running around doing whatever Bush wants. At least Colin Powell voiced dissent every once in a while (which is probably why he lost his job).

So I don't think Condi is presidential material. But there is almost nobody I can think of, male or female, of whatever racial/ethnic origin, etc., that would be a decent leader. I am much more impressed with politicians in Europe than I am with those from the US.
 
"bjrutledge" said:
I am much more impressed with politicians in Europe than I am with those from the US.
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Agree with the rest of your post so as before, I've snipped it out. Both Republican and Democrat presidential nominees are thoroughly vetted by the powers-that-be before they emerge as candidates for "supreme office." What is wanted is "a safe pair of hands" (as the English are wont to say), and not someone who'll rock the boat. So what Americans get are presidents who serve as velvet gloves to the iron hand of big capital.
Not that European "leaders" are that inspiring either. Who can contemplate Phony Tony without wincing each time? He's been exposed as an incorrigible liar, his reputation lies in ruins, and yet he limps on, unwilling to relinquish his job.
I think as Guy Debord pointed out forty years ago, we live in the "society of the spectacle": one where huge media circuses create a big hoopla at each election for our jaded senses, but where nothing of substance really happens or changes. I believe I've quoted Ken Livingstone before: "If voting could change anything, they'd have abolished the ballot box a long time ago."
 
I really don't want to get into an extended debate. Rice has a lot of credentials in many different areas (NSAdvisor '01-'04, six years Stanford U. provost overseeing a 1.5 bil budget from '99, professor of political science at Stanford from '81 receiving awards for Excellence in Teaching and the Sciences Dean's Award for Distinguished Teaching, Senior Fellow for the Institute of International Studies, served as Director and Senior Director of Soviet and East European Affairs from '89-'91, member of the boards of directors for Chevron, Charles Schwab, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, U. of Notre Dame, International Advisory Council of J.P. Morgan, the San Francisco Symphony Board of Governors, Transamerica Corp, Hewlett Packard, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Rand Corp., National Council for Soviet and E. European Studies, and public broadcasting for San Francisco, and founding board member of the Center for a New Generation. And she served on the Federal Advisory Committee on Gender-Integrated training in the Military) www.whitehouse.gov/nsc/ricebio.htmlHer PHD coming from the Univ. of Denver is not real impressive for someone in her position, but with the experience she has listed above, I think she's just as qualified as anyone. But there's only so much you can tell from credentials. I would be hard-pressed to find anyone I could really get behind.
We are on opposite sides of the political spectrum, and I'm outnumbered here, so I will leave it with this. edit: Funny comment about the southern rednecks. But rednecks in general, throughout the U.S., seem to me to be more aligned with the Democrats than Republicans except on gun-control and gay rights. I know, I work with a lot of them. You may have more in common with rednecks than you'd like to think.
 
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