A comment below makes the point that we've heard more about racism than sexism in this campaign. That's probably true, but I don't think it's because racism is less acceptable or that it's because no one it's thinking about sexism. More likely it's because no one credible has actually accused Obama of gender-baiting. There is no one working on Obama's campaign who said that Clinton wouldn't be in the race if she were a woman. Michelle Obama was never quoted as saying that it's good Clinton is running for president and then slyly adding, Shirley Chisholm and Elizabeth Dole also ran for president. Barack Obama, himself, was never quoted implying saying that his base of black voters was synonymous with hard-working America.
My point is that racism has been an issue in this campaign, because Clinton and her people have made it one. I'm not sure I see a strategy here--I actually think that race-baiting hurt Clinton much more than it helped. Whites who would be affected by such tactics were going to go for her anyway. But there was no guarantee that Obama was going to beat her 9 to 1 among black voters. That's really what killed her. But my point is that I don't so much see conspiracy as a see a complete lack of discipline. It's not that the Obama campaign is less sexist than the Clinton campaign is racist. How would we know that? It's that they're a much more disciplined group that, for the most part, understands that sometimes it's best to just shut up. The same can't be said for Hillary's surrogates. Look at Ferraro. Look at Bill Clinton. These fools race-bait and then defend it. They can't stop digging. And, evidently, Hillary can't pull rank and make them stop digging. Does Ferraro really believe she's helping Hillary's cause now? Probably not. It's just foolish pride, at this point.
The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood 
I totally agree with everything you've said. Hillary, specifically has messed up in a number of ways. My larger point is that sexism is not talked about as much in LIFE as racism is and I think that that's something worth exploring/discussing. I think most people subconsciously think that women who complain about things are being irrational. That all being said, I'm glad Obama's never cried race because (seemingly) he knows better than that, but in a weird way, I have a feeling that if he WERE to cry race, people would take that very seriously?
Posted by MikeJack | May 20, 2008 4:38 PM