"The true woman will not be exponent of another, or allow another to be such for her. She will be her own individual self... Stand or fall by her own individual wisdom and strength... She will proclaim the `glad tidings of good news' to all women, that woman equally with man was made for her own individual happiness, to develop... every talent given to her by God, in the great work of life."-Susan B. Anthony

Forum: Not For Ourselves Alone -- Where Are We Now?

Responses:

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Subject: A Woman President?
From: Karil Daniels
Date: 11 Nov 1999 11:23 PM

I fully expect the first woman president of the USA to be elected by 2008. Perhaps it will be Hillary Rodham Clinton. Since she has already functioned as co-president, she is more experienced and prepared for the job than just about anyone else, male or female. In relatively prosperous times the political reality is that the sitting Vice President is the favorite, since electing him is a comfortable thing for most people to do, rather than risk the changing of the guard, with its attendant complications and unknowns. So while Hillary gets her experience in the Senate, Al Gore will get his chance at the helm in 2000. If he keeps on tract and doesn't make any bad mistakes, and the rest of the world cooperates so that we don't have a serious crisis in his last year, he will be reelected for a second term. By the end of his second term Hillary will be a seasoned senator with a proven record of her own; and ready to run for and win the top job. Remember, you heard it here first.- - - Karil Daniels,karil@well.comVisit the award-winning Waterbirth Website atwww.waterbirthinfo.com

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Subject: Woman for President
From: Carol Small
Date: 11 Nov 1999 12:39 AM

It IS time for the first woman president to be elected. It has been said, many times, that more women exist than do men. Let us, then, be supportive and vote together for a woman to become president!We will need to collect the electoral votes - not just win the popular vote. Does anyone know where we stand on that issue?

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Subject: A woman President
From: Andrea Fischer
Date: 04 Apr 2000 11:43 AM

I am only 18 years old but I don't believe that I will see a woman President in my day. I have no doubt that a woman would be able to handle all the duties and responsibilities, but I don't believe that our nation or society is ready for that yet. I may just be nieve but I doubt that society is ready. Society is always more willing to hang onto the ideas that are comfortable and not have change. This is true even when it comes down to having a woman run the country. I would love to see a woman president but I am not sure that it will happen anytime soon.

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Subject: A Woman President?
From: Mary L. Shearer
Date: 11 Nov 1999 12:04 AM

I believe the name of the bi-partisan organization you're looking for is The White House Project. They have a web site at www.thewhitehouseproject.org

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Subject: Woman for President?
From: TJHowell
Date: 11 Nov 1999 1:02 PM

We will have a woman, many actually, as time goes by. There are many true leaders among women. They are successful not only in business but also in organizingvolunteer organizations, are political, are in the Universities. What it will take is that one of them will be asked to run for president because people are impressed with capability and her honesty. They will then work very hard for her election and the "they" will be men, women and children. Of course, she has to agree to do it. It will not be easy. But I do not believe that there is anything to hold her back. I believe Jeanne Kirkpatrick to be one of these women. I always look for her name among the candidates. She is most well known, but there are others.

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Subject: Woman for President
From: Nanette Bulebosh
Date: 11 Nov 1999 12:49 AM

I grow less and less optimistic that I will live to see a woman president, or a woman who would actually make a difference, with every (non)campaign. The media have already named the two major party frontrunners months before a single vote has been cast! Thoughtful (or at least provocative) candidates, like Liz Dole, have already dropped out. Why? They don't have enough money. Who's providing the money? Big business, political machines and wealthy special interests ... which are are still 97% run by men. Any woman they did back would have to act, think, and even dress a lot like them, so what would there be to get excited about? I believe our only hope of seeing genuine political progress for women is convincing the public to demand real campaign finance reform. Public financing of campaigns, (much) shorter elections, and maybe a switch to parliamentary procedures with more than two major parties getting a say (so even voting for minor candidate would get us something) ... all of these would help women achieve real power on the national level. As it stands now, we're pretty much out of the game. The thing that struck me while watching the first part of the Stanton-Anthony documentary tonight was the absolute horror and disbelief these two women, and all the thousands of other suffragists, would feel if they knew that, 80 years after they finally won the vote for us, so few of us (less than half in most places of the country) would be exercising this right. All those decades of hard work, and for what? The majority of us don't even bother to show up to vote! Many of us don't even know who our congresspeople are! Why is that? Apathy and our apolitical, over-commercialized culture are partly to blame. But another culprit is the way the present system disenfranchizes us from the get-go. How much is a single vote really worth compared to the power bought and paid for by the candidates' largest contributers? My guess is that Stanton and Anthony, if they were alive today, would be speaking out against the current oligarchy, and fighting for "elections not auctions."

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Subject: Woman as President
From: Rob
Date: 11 Nov 1999 3:02 PM

I myself look forward to the day when I shall have the opportunity to cast a ballot for a woman president. Fortunately it will not be for Mrs. Dole. The lack of money in the Dole camapaign obscures the fact that she dropped out because the only thing she could bring to the table was her femininity. It is not enough to run for president by simply declaring yourself to be a woman candidate. Elizabeth Dole is a career Washington bureaucrat who rose to fame and power on the coattails of her more powerful husband. This is not uncommon, of course. We have another example in the White House. Mrs. Dole started out as a minor functionary in an obscure White House office until she had the good fortune to marry Bob Dole. Only after that fortunate union did cabinet positions open for her in the Labor Department and in Transportation. Let's get a woman of real substance and fresh ideas on the ballot. A Dole administration would have turned out to be Jimmy Carter with helmet hair.

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Subject: Elizabeth Dole
From: JR
Date: 11 Nov 1999 9:56 AM

Well said, Rob. The country needs presidents who bring more than charm, be it male or female charm. But do you know of any way to shape the voters to look at any other dimension?? Except, of course, height. By which measure we will never see a woman president until the opposing party nominates a man who is shorter than the woman candidate. Thus in a democracy do the people get the government they deserve.

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Subject: Woman President
From: A
Date: 11 Nov 1999 6:46 PM

She is out there--the first woman president and her successors. Perhaps she is newly born or about to be or she is in grade school or graduating from high school or in college or she is only just embarking on her political career or she is on her way. "All" she must do is get elected. She will go forward, suffer defeat, celebrate victory, get elected and get re-elected. It may happen within a few years or a couple of decades. She will have to go out and engage in battle, suffer the slings, and throw the zings. She will have to work for it--it will not be given to her. It rarely is. Susan B and Elizabeth C both proved that.

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Subject: I'm sure
From: Steven K
Date: 11 Nov 1999 10:01 PM

I am sure we will have a woman president. But it seems to me that the greater problem is that whatever woman becomes president she will be walled in by partisan politics every bit as much as the men have been.

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Subject: Woman president
From: JR
Date: 11 Nov 1999 9:49 AM

Of course partisan politics will remain a reality until another way is found, and we hope she will be good at it in order to get things done.

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Subject: Of course a woman can be president
From: Irvana K. Wilks
Date: 11 Nov 1999 11:55 PM

Interesting points have been made on this. We will see a woman president when one comes along who has her own political base and grassroots organizations. A governor or US senator would fit that bill. Although I admired Elizabeth Dole for her candidacy and was sorry to see her bow out, she did not have a strong grassroots army spreading the word about her. She had good media coverage, but that can be shallow if the people in the local parties don't catch on fire too.A woman must do what a man does to get elected president--have good support and raise money. Even with all the talk about the vast sums of money the candidates are raising, that's not the entire story.

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Subject: Woman President
From: A (II)
Date: 11 Nov 1999 3:43 PM

I feel we should allow ourselves to be surprised at who may end up as the first and subsequent president who will be a woman. Much of the commentary here offers names we are familiar with--rather expect the unexpected, someone we are either not aware of or we would initially not think a potential candidate. That is where future leaders are at and where the fresh perspective can be found as well--somewhere offstage and someday out front and center.As shown in the excellent documentary, Sunday and Monday nights, much effort will have to be generated on her and others' parts. Mss. Anthony and Stanton worked for decades, plus. I do not think it will take as long for HER but she does have challenges in order to convince PEOPLE she would make a good president. She will only have to try . . .

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Subject: Woman President
From: sara bass
Date: 04 Apr 2000 12:05 PM

I was also very disappointed when Elizabeth Dole dropped out of the Presidential race for the 2000 term. It is a shame that women have not had the privilege to be President yet. There needs to be a strong and devoted woman to break the pattern and show that womena are just as capable as men to be the next President. Women have fought long, struggling battles just to get certain civil rights like women suffrage; it is time that once againg women end another long struggle of the political arena and become victorious.

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Subject: Woman President
From: sara bass
Date: 04 Apr 2000 12:06 PM

I was also very disappointed when Elizabeth Dole dropped out of the Presidential race for the 2000 term. It is a shame that women have not had the privilege to be President yet. There needs to be a strong and devoted woman to break the pattern and show that womena are just as capable as men to be the next President. Women have fought long, struggling battles just to get certain civil rights like women suffrage; it is time that once againg women end another long struggle of the political arena and become victorious.

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Subject: Woman President
From: sara bass
Date: 04 Apr 2000 12:06 PM

I was also very disappointed when Elizabeth Dole dropped out of the Presidential race for the 2000 term. It is a shame that women have not had the privilege to be President yet. There needs to be a strong and devoted woman to break the pattern and show that womena are just as capable as men to be the next President. Women have fought long, struggling battles just to get certain civil rights like women suffrage; it is time that once againg women end another long struggle of the political arena and become victorious.

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Subject: woman president
From: Tori Sellars
Date: 04 Apr 2000 11:02 AM

I too was disappointed when Elizabeth Dole dropped out of the Presidential race for the 2000 election. However, I was actually not surprised. I realize that even though there are many strong, intelligent women capable of leading our nation just as well as any man, I don't see that happening any time soon. While women have made considerable advances in equality, I feel our nation as a whole is still too prejudiced to consider voting a woman into the highest position of power in our nation. I personally hope I live to see a woman president, but after over 200 years of male domination as president, I'm not holding my breath.

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Subject: Woman President
From: sara bass
Date: 04 Apr 2000 12:06 PM

I was also very disappointed when Elizabeth Dole dropped out of the Presidential race for the 2000 term. It is a shame that women have not had the privilege to be President yet. There needs to be a strong and devoted woman to break the pattern and show that womena are just as capable as men to be the next President. Women have fought long, struggling battles just to get certain civil rights like women suffrage; it is time that once againg women end another long struggle of the political arena and become victorious.

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Subject: Woman President
From: Heather Bouche
Date: 04 Apr 2000 12:55 AM

I do not really know much about when Elizabeth Dole was in contention for the Presidential race, but I honestly do not think that there will be a woman President anytime soon. If one is elected, it probably won't be until I am old and gray. It is sad to say, but I still think that there are many peoplewho do not think that women are competant enough to hold the most powerful office in the world.I hope I am wrong about that. There are still issues in today's society that women have to still fight for.

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Subject: Woman President
From: Jason
Date: 05 May 2000 2:06 PM

Tell you the truth, I didn't know about Elizabeth Dole running for the presidency either. I can predict that a woman giving a good run for the money at the presidency is not too far off, perhaps in the next 20 or so years. I feel that Hillary Clinton has a lot of potential, but don't know if she'll actually get enough support to make a real run at the presidency.

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Subject: Woman President
From: Sara Lee
Date: 04 Apr 2000 2:37 PM

I think women have come a long way in regards to equal rights and the roles they play in society. By acquiring the right to vote, it really gave our sex a greater amount of power and we are much more able to express our thoughts and feelings. In regards to women in politics, however, i think women have yet to reach the same level as men. Although women have begun to take positions in state government and Congress, there has yet to be a woman president or even vice-president. I think that the time will come someday, when women are elected to be the head of our nation. Despite this potential, I believe that women have a long way to go in the political arena before they can acheive this state of power. Since the founding of this country, males have always been the ones elected to the positions of president and vice-president. This history of men in politics makes it very difficult for women to make a strong run for these positions. People have become so accustomed to seeing men in power, that not only are few women even thinking of challengein these positions, but the public in general does not seem to support women enough to allow a woman to be elected as president. As the nation continues to grow, however, i believe that teh day will come when people will be willing to accept a woman as president, but in order for this breakthrough to be acheived, women still have a long way to go in getting society to see their points of view and for society to see women as serious potential candidates for such an important position.

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Subject: Woman President
From: Natalie Sherwood
Date: 05 May 2000 3:39 PM

I hope to see a woman president at some point during my life. I, too, was disappointed that Elizabeth Dole dropped out of the race. Although she didn't make it all the way, she at least put her foot in the door for other women in the future. I see it being a long, slow battle - like the suffrage movement.

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Subject: I belive in the women of America
From: Megan
Date: 01 Jan 2002 10:13 AM

The women of america shouldn't get discouraged because one women failed. Think of all the things Susan B. Anthony went through. Hey, in four years mabey a women will get to be president. Keep the faith. Even if it sometimes is discouraging.

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Subject: President
From: Scott Scharlau
Date: 05 May 2000 12:27 PM

I believe a woman will someday go all the way, and become President of the United States. However, I also believe it will be a long, slow process. First, women will have to increase their presence in the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Cabinet. I doubt if a female candidate can will an election the way Elizibeth Dole attempted, which is to come outside of Washington. Second, as public opinion polls continue to show that nobody really thinks male candidates running are worth voting for, women should be able to increase their likelihood. Third, major scandals involving male presidents should also help women candidates increase support. However, I believe the female candidate will have to be an extraordinary person who is far and away a better candidate than her male counterparts to win. She would have to demonstrate toughness while also showing a very enjoyable personality. In conclusion, I think a female president will someday hold office, but I do not know how long it will take. Though I do not know the exact quote, remember that Margaret Thather did say a women would never hold the position of Prime Minister of England only five years prior to her sucessful campaign for that office. So it is possible to happen at any time.

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Subject: Women President
From: Sandra Mosquera
Date: 05 May 2000 2:45 PM

If a woman comes along and is more then capable of being president, her gender should not stop her. As others have mentioned, women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B Anthony, were women who fought for the right to vote after about 72 year of struggle and won. Other women in the feminist movement also struggled. Women who want to become president must be like a straight arrow and be better then the average men. These women must build a foundation by going to school study political science, start a career in the political scene to get exposure and experience, and then campaign to the women of our country. Just like those women did back in the nineteenth century travel and reach out to all the women in our country and their families. I was very surprised to hear that a woman was running for president. I had not heard about it until I read this posting. I feel that if Elizabeth Dole would have rallied the women and felt confident about herself she could have giving the other male candidates a run for their money. As one man, who was fighting for anti-slavery, said to discourage Stanton and Anthony "one idea per generation." This by the way pushed them even harder to get the vote. I think this is the millennium for the new generation of women to voice their idea of a women president in full force.

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Subject: Female President: Sooner than Later
From: Martin Collerd
Date: 05 May 2000 1:00 AM

If this year's race was any indication, it will be sooner rather than later when we have a successful woman presidential candidate. The sheer lack of good speakers/debaters this year makes it very clear to me that someone like a Liddy Dole or even a Hillary Clinton could pose a serious threat in an election. If the republican party continues to run inneffective candidates like Gary Bauer who are poorly informed on issues and are not good speakers, and people like George W. Bush who simply do not even have tact in their public relations, I do not feel it would be difficult for a female candidate to successfully debate with these types of candidates. If Al Gore is the best that the Democrats can offer, we have really sunk pretty low. I have absolutely no doubt that Liddy Dole could successfully out-debate any of these people. I think it is more a matter of finding a candidate who has the financial resources for a long campaign. This makes it less of a gender issue and more of a monetary issue, the main reason that Gore and Bush held out so long is that they have the money other candidates don't. Somone like Christine Todd Whitman, with the fiancial resources, could probably pull it off in a few years if she is able to successfully get some support.

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Subject: A woman president
From: Melissa Hall
Date: 05 May 2000 3:38 AM

I think that it is possible for the United States to have a woman president. It is too bad that Elizabeth Dole dropped out of the election, but there are many other politicl issus regarding her canidacy. Maybe we should focus on gettingmore females in the political arena at an earlier age, so the idea of being in the oval office can become a reality. It would be nice to see one woman president in office, but regardless of man or woman, we need to focus on who is right for the job.

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Subject: woman president
From: katie johnson
Date: 05 May 2000 2:16 PM

I think it's entirely possible that we will have a woman president in the next century. I think that the women's movement has definitely made progress in the last 100 years, and the American public is open to the idea. I think, however, that there are still a great many people who aren't outspoken about their uncomfort with the subject, but who have been conditioned not to trust female leaders. When Elizabeth Dole ran for president in the 2000 election, I think her gender could possibly have played a role in her dismissal from the race. Because she was running on a conservative ticket, her audience was traditionally not open to change. These voters, although they may have thought they were open to a woman president, may have been conditioned against females in powerful positions. George Bush, Jr. seems to be the perfect male candidate for president on the outside- charismatic, handsome, witty...the voters of both parties have been traditionally drawn to men such as this. A female president is entirely possible, but I think that luck has just as much to do with her elction as her intelligence and charisma.

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Subject: Woman president of the Usa
From: Daniel Ward
Date: 05 May 2000 12:30 AM

I think that having a woman in the presidental race would definately make the discussion on issues more intersting. It seems like the men are having infantile debates where they never say anything important and just try to deflate each other's egos. I think a woman would put these boys into their place and force them to actually say something in their speeches and maybe we could learn something without all their bickering. I hope that there is a woman out there who will take the challenge and break through so we don't have to listen to Gore, or even worse Bush, for the next 4 years.

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Subject: woman president
From: elena
Date: 06 Jun 2000 9:37 AM

i recently did a summer school project on the 1920's and one of my catagories was women win the right to vote. I think this is a very very strong subject in our society...women presidents. I truly think the our nation is ready for a afriacn american president or a women president. I mean, no offense to President Clinton, but who is really running the country right now? him or Hilary? my point exactly! America is ready...all we need are some bold people to stand up, and make a difference!~elena age 13yrs.

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Subject: A Woman President
From: Talina & Karla
Date: 12 Dec 2001 11:44 AM

I think that if we had a woman president, that it would make a huge difference in the world. Most people think that a woman would go too much with her emotions instead of her intelligence. I for one, think this is totally inaccurate. I know that I myself would make judgements on important issuses just as well, if not better than any man that was veying for the same position. And furthermore, since the women's sufferage movement and great advances in women's rights, we should be able to run, and have a decent chance at getting the position, and not be patronized for doing so.

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Subject: A woman president
From: Pat Spiva
Date: 03 Mar 2002 10:51 PM

I, too, have heard many people say that a woman is too apt to go with her emotions rather than her intellect when making important decisions. You say that you do not feel this would be the case if U.S. citizens were to elect a female president. However, why is it that women are in the positon of defending their emotions, in the first place? Because our society is dominated by the W.A.S.P. male mentality. Men created the stereotype that females are inferior; emotions are merely one piece of ammunition that is used against us. I fear you are beginning to identify with your oppressors. In addition, people within and outside of our nation's borders would reap great benefit from political strategies that integrated heart and intellect.

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Subject: definetly
From: brittany
Date: 05 May 2002 5:18 PM

Women should definetly be more respected. Men see us and think 'Women are way too emotional for such a huge responsibility' Maybe women should form a group and get a women in the next race for presidency? Maybe you should post more messages and see what other people have to say?

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Subject: A woman president
From: Jane Evershed
Date: 05 May 2002 10:29 PM

I shall go further than just a woman president- I propose a matriarchy. Maybe the election of a non-Thatcherian, anti-racist, anti- bourgeois woman for president right here in the United States might be a good move? A matriarchy whereby woman oversee the Earth’s resources, not men! The very word matriot means one who cares for the earth. I call myself an eco-matriarchal globalist. I value nature and the world’s children far more than profits. The patriarchy sees nature and people as nothing more than that which to profit from. Always has and always will. It has an impeccable track record on this - just read history!We also need to see fair representation in the United Nations as soon as possible. The World Bank also needs to loan money to women to invest in their countries. Woman all over the world are coming to the conclusion that the only power they really have against the huge arsenal of weapons is to refuse to continue the human species. The constitution needs to change to in a way that does not enforce gender apartheid, it has been changed before-why not now as we start this new millennium?Reflections in the pool of democracy Our World is a Rainbow...But looking at the faces of our leadersYou would never know!The reflection in the pool of our “democracy”Is highly toxic autocracy!Those who speak for us Are not you and me,They are not the norm,They do not resemble usIn any way, shape or form.Just look at them and you will findThese are not the faces of the people,They look like rows of corn,I can’t see your problems addressed, Can you see mine

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Subject: agreed
From: brittany
Date: 05 May 2002 5:12 PM

Jane, I very much agree with you, women do need to be represented more in the United States, and I wish Elizabeth Dole hadn't dropped out of the race a few years ago. Why not start with a women president and work our way up? I'm kind of sad that not very many women have tried to run for presidency, although I'm gad Bush is our president now.

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Subject: A Woman President
From: Mendy McGee
Date: 06 Jun 2002 12:43 AM

As an American, I don't think it speaks well of this nation that we have never had anything but a white, male president. Other nations have had female prime ministers, for Pete's sake! Could money have something to do with the fact that only white males win this position? If so, has money insulated these gentlemen from the problems most Americans face to such an extent that they actually can't understand what America's real needs are? It just seems like a good-ol'-rich-boy network to me. What do you think?

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Subject: A Woman President
From: David A. Smith
Date: 08 Aug 2002 9:55 PM

I would like to see a woman president. I'm a man of few words. I'm, also, an American Soldier, prepared to give my life for my country if the need arises. I work along side fellow female soldiers who are willing to give their lives for their country. I'm not any braver, than they. A lot of women are more intelligent than I. This doesn't affect my manhood. I just hope she's a Republican....lol.David A. Smithmrdavsmith@aol.com