Thinking about Hillary

Posted: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 6:44 PM by Cathy Finkler

by Chris Matthews

Ever since I was in first grade, I've been aware that the heroes of the two parties are not necessarily the people who win the presidency. Think Adlai Stevenson. Think Barry Goldwater. Compare them to some of the lesser lights who've gotten to the Oval Office.

I see another prospect for this list:

The latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking has Sen. Barack Obama leading Sen. John McCain 51 to 38 percent among women.

You can attribute much of that growing edge to the gutsy, gung-ho campaign ran by Sen. Hillary Clinton. She achieved two big results in all these hard-fought months: she energized older women voters and she heightened the vitality of women's issues.

Clinton's hard-charging candidacy guarantees that her women supporters will be more politicized than at any time in memory. A new poll by Peter Hart shows that half the women voters in battleground states don't know that McCain wants to overturn Roe vs. Wade. Once they learn that fact, expect a substantial shift toward Obama. If Obama speaks to their concerns - health care, education, child development and abortion choice - with more authenticity and passion than his Republican rival, he will have the strongest chance for their support in November.

Some of the greatest political figures never won the presidency. The pantheon of truly revered Democrats of modern times includes Stevenson, who lost twice, and Hubert Humphrey, who lost three times. On the other side of the aisle, the beloved Robert Taft and Goldwater stand at the highest level of party respect.

Clinton may have earned her membership in this list of greatness even if she didn't win the election this year. Certainly she has a big role to play in who will. The new NBC-Wall Street Journal poll has her leading McCain among "suburban women" by 14 percent, Obama trailing McCain with that group by 6 percent. Here is a prime case where she holds sway with a big category of voters where Barack Obama needs help.

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Comments

I voted for Hillary in the primaries, and was sad that but for Obama, she'd probably be president. But if Obama loses the election due to her female supporters going to McCain, I might not vote for another female candidate for president (or at least she'd have a bigger hurdle to clear).

Randy, Paso Robles, CA (Sent Wednesday, June 11, 2008 7:08 PM)

As a 54 year old white suburban woman, i can not believe my ears!! Not vote for Obama? are women nuts? i'm so tired of the talking heads saying that obama didn't take "women's issues" into consideration...he was raised by a single white mother, for goodness sake...he knows what the issues are...my take is that women voted for Clinton because she was a women, plain and simple (and don't even get me started on why she needed Bill...a whole other discussion) -- if you look at the two voting records, except for the war, which was my issue, they are REALLY close!! and McCain is way off...so my advice is...GET OVER IT! The monumental moment has passed....there will be others....let's just get the executive branch in the hands of someone who doesn't consider himself this century's King George...

Lindy Beatie, Rough and Ready, CA (Sent Wednesday, June 11, 2008 7:28 PM)

As a 54 year old black male, I'm disappointed there's only 1 african-american candidate and I have no choice. Since I'm black, I can only vote black as evidenced by the 94% of blacks (of which I'm one of course) that voted Obama. Where's the choice for us?

LeRoy, New York (Sent Wednesday, June 11, 2008 7:43 PM)

The issue is not that we're going to have a female president at any time. The true substance is that we do not have choice right now. We lack direction and many average American's have their existence threatened because of our pride.
What we build on was a political truth which inevitably is self destructive. Which intellectual would like to admit that. We would rather dig our own grave. And that is something we excel in well right now
America lacks a true new leader and that has been a straight result of loosing our faith. And in doing so even the anarchist will also meet us at the finishing line.

Lucia (Sent Wednesday, June 11, 2008 8:02 PM)

Chris,
All my professional life I have watched women do the work and men waltz in and take the credit and the promotions. I listened to you and Keith Olberman (and many others) speak of Hillary in such a disrespectful way, criticizing her for things you would never have criticized a man for. She could do nothing right and the bar for perfection expected of Hillary was much higher than for any male candidate. All of this opened all the wounds of gender bias I have suffered and seen others suffer, creating a lump in my throat and a heaviness in my heart. I will vote for Obama, but with no enthusiasm unless Hillary is the vice presidential candidate.

Genene Hill (Sent Wednesday, June 11, 2008 8:03 PM)

Citizens, recall what happened when the Republican Party controlled both houses of Congress and the presidency?? For our own well-being, consider voting for Senator McCain. This is no time to be swept up by an emotional response to oratory.

Maureen Raymond, New Orleans, Louisiana (Sent Wednesday, June 11, 2008 8:39 PM)

Why is it if you are black and vote for Obama, it's cool. Or if you are a woman and vote for Hillary because she is female, it is great. But if you are a white male and vote for a candidate for that same reason, you are a racist?

Benson Stein (Sent Wednesday, June 11, 2008 8:45 PM)

Well being a fifty year old professional woman from Ohio, I voted for Hillary because her universal health care plan makes sense while his does not; his is fatally flawed due to not requiring compliance; an omission designed to appeal to people who either don’t understand the issue at all or can’t do math. That was one of my main issues. Sure, I like Obama, but then who doesn’t like to hear a feel good motivational speech? But I will come down on the side of competence every time, gender is irrelevant. I will assess his judgment in the days to come, starting with the VP choice. I am not sold yet. The alternative for me is to not vote, McCain certainly is not a choice.

Trish (Sent Wednesday, June 11, 2008 8:49 PM)

Well Lindy Beatie from Ca, if you go along with Hillary getting so many women voters, then the only natural conclusion would be that Obama only got so many votes because he is an African American. Minus that, Hillary would have taken the election.

Michael, Dallas,Tx

Michael Mastrianni, Dallas, Tx (Sent Wednesday, June 11, 2008 8:49 PM)

Chris, I am a Hillary Clinton supporter and I am not voting for BO. I think I will do what BO did all the time and vote present and not vote at all. I hear a lot of you pundits say that women could not possibly vote for McCain because he is pro life and he could put someone on the courts that would be against our best interest well let me tell you how I look at it. With the Democrates having the majority in the Senate,I don't think McCain would be able to get a conservative judge pass the Senate. McCain will only have a four year term and then it is Hillary 2012......... This is OUR TIME

betty, Sarasota, FL (Sent Wednesday, June 11, 2008 8:49 PM)

No cares...she'll be here to stay in four years. She knows what she is doing, and we have NOT seen the last of that fighter. It's going to take a lot more than that to stop her.

Sundy, Wilmington, Ohio (Sent Wednesday, June 11, 2008 9:27 PM)

I am a 52 year old white woman who has listened to the chattering heads pick Hillary apart to the bare bones. And while that was happening? Hillary was getting stronger. Until Denver, Obama is only the presumptive nominee. Nothing more. The Democratic Party has spent the better part of my life holding Roe v. Wade over our heads. A heads up. Women vote on many issues, not just ONE. There is a HUGE leap from Hillary to a man with basically no experience. There is not such a leap to John McCain. The disenfranchised female voters of America are not going to be charmed and lured into supporting Obama. Nice try though:) Oh... as an aside? Hillary didn't need the college tour to win PA.. and I don't need a biased member of the media to tell me who to vote for in November.

Christiana Bauer (Sent Wednesday, June 11, 2008 9:46 PM)

Sorry, I am voting for McCain. I don't even care about women's issues any more. Let the younger women experience what we experienced. Then perhaps, they would not be so eager to vote for an inexperienced man of any race.

Amy, Huntington, NY (Sent Wednesday, June 11, 2008 9:55 PM)

you all sound like a bunch of old bitter hags... your girl didnt win... get over it. between barack obama and john mccain, u'd choose mccain just out of spite? or not vote at all??? wow!!! mature, educated women... lets unite the country instead of grabbing our marbles and running home. what if african american's did that every time they felt disinfranchised in America, or Latino's? this country would fall apart. come on ladies, its time to move on and grow up.

a big girl (Sent Thursday, June 12, 2008 8:54 AM)

I can see why Hillary Clinton didn't win the Dem primary. As a woman, seeing these comments made by other supposedly women about why or why they won't vote for Barack Obama is a shame.

Good work, keep up this line of thinking and another woman WILL NEVER even come close to what Hillary Clinton did this year.

Jill, Montana (Sent Thursday, June 12, 2008 8:56 AM)

I am a Hillary supporter. Now that she will not be our next president the next best thing is BO. I will vote for him becasue Hillary has asked us to. People wake up and remember, George W Bush became our President by default and he had "No" experience what so ever, had no idea how to get along with other countries or even had been to other countries. So whats the hang up on no experience. People get jobs every day and have no experience but have a team to work with and learn from. You can have degrees up the wazoo but you have to work to get experience first. Bless our Great USA, we are surley Blessed to live here. "Go Obama"

Susan Pulliam, Lexington Park, Maryland (Sent Thursday, June 12, 2008 8:57 AM)

I to am a Hilary supporter, and I am going to vote for BO, because this country is in serious trouble and it doesn't look like its going to get any better any time soon, I sure don't want another bush. I'm with big girl. It's time to grow up and move on. Don't vote for McCain out of spite, he'll ruin us for sure.

Kathy (Sent Thursday, June 12, 2008 9:04 AM)

No amount of guilt tripping will change my mind. When you KNOW someone is inexperienced, being set up, borderline corrupt, and has extrememly questionable judgement about all of his associates (with the exception of his children), you simply cannot vote for that person. I cannot vote for BO. While I haven't made up my mind what I will do come November, I know one thing for sure...BO is a fraud, a phony. About the only thing he has going for him, is he can give a great speech...that's not going to solve our problems. It will sound great once a year for the State of the Union address, but after that...talk is cheap. No vote for BO.

Debbie Mooney, Baltimore, Md (Sent Thursday, June 12, 2008 9:12 AM)

White male voting for Obama! I didn't vote for Hillary because I didn't want the Puppet Master, "William J. Clinton" running the White House from a remote location. Like George Bush, Bill Clinton did not care about the military or its veterans. Obama recognizes that fact and knows that our young men and women were sent to fight a war that had no meaning. Afghanistan was and should have been the only priority. Hillary voted for the war because it was the popular thing to do...because she figured New Yorkers would understand the rationale....terrorism. Her gamble did not pay off. So, when you bring up Barack Obama's experience...and chastise him for that lack of experience answer this question: How does a rookie Senator figure out before anyone else does that going to war in Iraq was a mistake, and then calculates a decision based on that knowledge to not vote for the war? Obama is the correct choice for President and all of you Hillary supporters and Obama haters need to get of your high horse!

Mark Kennedy, Hinesville, Ga (Sent Thursday, June 12, 2008 9:16 AM)

a big girl...
The only unification this nomination will achieve is that of the"old bitter hags".
Do your research.There is no plan, only rhetoric.

Hag in Georgia (Sent Thursday, June 12, 2008 9:17 AM)

"Let the younger women experience what we experienced." Seriously? If there is a dumber reason for voting for McCain I haven't heard it. Why don't we reinstitute slavery "just so the younger generation can really experience it." Yes, by all means, let's subject our daughters and granddaughters to back-room abortions so you can teach them all a lesson about loyalty. Unbelievable. Dolts...the lot of you.

GoGreen (Sent Thursday, June 12, 2008 9:23 AM)

America get over it. We are far behind the curve of a female lead government anyway. Lets just get someone (black, female or otherwise) into office capable of taking steps to fix this mess we're in. Aside from serious domestic issues we've pissed off the global community enough over the last eight years. McCain just isn't the right person to mend those broken relations.

Ginger, Columbus, OH (Sent Thursday, June 12, 2008 9:31 AM)

I know OB has no experience in anything except talking!!!!!and I for one am a Hillary Clinton supporter and if she is not on the ticket, I will not vote. Thats it and many of my friends feel the same way. GB

Gil Bart, Belleair , Florida (Sent Thursday, June 12, 2008 9:32 AM)

I AM A 52 YEAR OLD WHITE WOMEN AND I VOTED FOR HILLARY. BUT I WILL SUPPORT OBAMA BECAUSE WE NEED ATTENTION PUT ON REAL ISSSUES LIKE HEALTH CARE FOR EVERYONE,EDUCATION,UNFAIR TAXES FOR THE MIDDLE-CLASS AND TO HELP THE POOR IN OUR OWN COUNTRY.

DIANE, AKRON,NY (Sent Thursday, June 12, 2008 9:34 AM)

i am a BLACK woman. How stupid to say i am voting for someome just because they are black. i live outside the U.S and am embarrassed of the ignorance that is coming out the minds of y,all.

pat judge (Sent Thursday, June 12, 2008 10:48 AM)

God help those women who are inclined to vote for Obama - he is worst than McCain or just the same. I am a Black female and will never - never vote for Obama. My reasons are simple - Matthews, Russert (did), Mitchell, Scarborough, Brezenski and the rest of MSNBC are endorsing - thus I WOULD NEVER BE BEHIND THEM OR HIM.

DKincaid, Alcoa, TN (Sent Sunday, June 15, 2008 3:34 PM)

To Chris's main point, Hillary is an accomplished politician and her reputation is likely to increase in stature over time despite this loss. Senator Obama also deserves credit for this very reason: a junior senator takes on the most formidable political couple in at least a generation, keeps them on the ropes and wins the nomination. Obama is arguably an even more gifted politician than either of the Clintons, and we can assume that he too will grow in stature.

Frankie Ridolfi, San Francisco, CA (Sent Tuesday, August 19, 2008 3:31 AM)

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