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April 7 2008
By now, there is probably nobody on the planet who doesn't know that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are competing to be the Democratic Party candidate in this year's American presidential election. However, there is one irony of this competition that the US news media have missed completely. Obama is running a feminine campaign while Clinton is running a masculine one.
I use the terms "masculine" and "feminine" as they are usually applied by our society due to our stereotypes of men and women. While reality is often very different, we regard men as being tough and aggressive, while women are seen as being more diffdent and conciliatory. So, how do these attitudes apply to the Democratic contest?
Obama is slim and always impeccably groomed. He speaks softly and talks about bringing people together to bridge their political differences for the common good. When attacks come from the Clinton camp, Obama shrugs them off and tries to take the high road rather than engaging Hillary in back and forth name calling. According to the stereotypes, this is a "feminine" style.
Clinton strides onto the stage looking slightly rumpled. She talks loudly, waving her fist in the air as she tells her supporters that she can beat the opposition. Whereas Obama usually talks about what "we" can do as a group, Clinton talks about what she will do as a strong leader who will be firmly in charge. She scolds Obama and tells him that he should be ashamed, stopping just short of challenging her opponent to step outside and duke it out, man to man. Regardless of the shape of her genitals, she is plainly the "guy" in this campaign.
The interesting thing is that more Democrats seem to like Obama's style than those who prefer Clinton's. This seems to defy the conventional wisdom that any politician (male or female) must act tough to be taken seriously. If Obama does become the Democratic presidential candidate, it will be fascinating to watch how his soft spoken approach will fare against macho and stoic John McCain who can't seem to get through a sentence without reminding everyone that he is a war hero.
What do you think? Have voters tired of macho posturing and become more interested in uniting to build a better society or will rhetorical chest thumping still win the day? I'd like to know your opinion.
George
For some good books, visit my webstore at:
http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=893655
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Posted by gjcondon on 2008-04-07 11:03:38 | Rating: | Views: 108
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