Many usually thoughtful people can find nothing more substantial to say in her favour than ‘it’s her turn.’ This points to the problem with identity politics: it suggests that this woman deserves the presidency because she has paid her dues, first by enduring public humiliation at the hands of her philandering husband, then by losing the 2008 primaries to the messianic Obama. However empty his promises proved to be, Americans can congratulate themselves on having elected a black man; now, in the feel-good world of identity politics, it’s time to elect a woman. Who else but Hillary Clinton?
Advertisements
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right…. And here I am, stuck in the middle with you, David! 🙂
Indeed. I think we need to move beyond identity politics. That doesn’t mean tolerating racism. It simply means that race, creed, gender, and sexual orientation stop being a means we use to filter our candidates. I don’t care if the next candidate is a transgendered mulatto atheist with a Mongolian wrestler for a spouse or a Mormon caucasian with three wives. I want to know if these people are capable of leading the nation and leaving it a better place. End of story.