Politico’s Ben Smith cites his colleague, Beth Frerking, on the growing backlash among women in the Democratic Party who are fed up with the rampant sexism targeting Hillary Clinton since the day she announced her candidacy.
Frerking reports on a group that calls themselves, Clinton Supporters Count, Too:
“Organizers Cynthia Ruccia, 55, and Jamie Dixey, 57, both from the Columbus area, say they’re coordinating women, men, minorities, union members and others in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida and Michigan – all important swing states next November – to impress upon Democratic party leaders what they think has been outright discrimination – and not of the racial kind.
‘“We have been vigilant against expressions of racism, and we are thrilled that the society has advanced that way in accepting Obama as a serious candidate,’ Ruccia said. ‘But it’s been open season on women, and we feel we need to stand up and make a statement about that, because it’s wrong.’
“With growing calls for Clinton to leave the race,' she said, 'women feel like ‘we’re being told to sit down, shut up, and get with the program.”’
I know the feeling, and I’m very proud of my “sisters,” back in Ohio where I was born and raised before making Minnesota my permanent home several years ago.
My thanks to Politico's Ben Smith for getting the word out.
Welcome to Katalusis for progressive views on politics, religion, environmental issues, and popular culture. (Photo of the Mississippi River from the University Club in St. Paul, MN.)
Virginia, I share the dislike for being told to sit down, shut up or get with the program, but to outright proclaim that you are going to "work actively against Sen. Barack Obama" if he becomes the nominee sounds very counterproductive.
ReplyDeleteCan you say more about that aspect of this group's approach? I just can't support that approach for these goals.
Jill, thank you for commenting. I would also disagree with Clinton Supporters Count, Too if they indeed plan to actively work against Obama if he becomes the nominee. However, that was not shown as a direct quote from the group, so I questioned the credibility of the threat and did not include it in my post on Katalusis.
ReplyDeleteI continue to strongly applaud this group for finally taking a stand against the sexism and misogynism that all women have been putting up with in this campaign for months on end.
Someone finally had to yell "Stop! Enough is enough!"
Virginia
That's fair, Virginia, I can understand that.
ReplyDeleteI happen to know of Beth Frerking from some interaction I had a few years back with the Casey Journalism Center on Children and Families so I considered her to be a trustworthy source, but I suppose it can't hurt to hear more from the group.
It is curious that there is no website for them yet, no press release or anything. I'd like to know more.
I have done a bit of backgrounding on the two women mentioned and can only find info on one in TIME magazine about her donations and support of Clinton and the other woman I believe is a Franklin County Democratic party person.
But I don't know them or their work personally. I hope that they will say more - but again, if we do things to up the animosity without recognizing reality, I think we're making a mistake.
I hope you will continue to weigh in on this issue of not letting the sexism issues die.
Thanks.
I appreciate your input, Jill. I just found more on this at ABC's Political Punch with Rick Klein, guest reporting.
ReplyDeleteHe quotes Ruccia:
Ruccia tells ABC News that she believes "millions" of women share her group's views, though they have only begun to make contact with like-minded women. They're disgusted, she said, that Democratic Party leaders haven't more aggressively denounced sexist media comments and coverage in the campaign, and are angry at the drumbeat for Clinton to get out of the race.
"We're just at the boiling point," Ruccia said. "Women will sit back and be quiet about things for a while, but we've had enough. Unless Hillary Clinton is our nominee, we are not going to support the nominee."
Again, I might disagree with the group's threats against superdelegates and the party's pick, but I'm with them in believing Democratic party leaders have been disgraceful in not taking a stand against the sexist, misogynist abuse that Hillary Clinton and her supporters have received throughout the Democratic primary.
I think we are absolutely on the same page, though I might be a tad bit more anti-their specific threatening tone. I would really really really like to focus on HOW to get change, and not just using the most extreme and ultimately detrimental threat.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I can tell, you are very experienced. Do you have ideas?
And let me say, I have experienced that disillusionment FIRST HAND here in Ohio over the last couple of weeks with the Ohio AG Marc Dann scandal. Eventually, the party moved but really, you should see some of the posts I wrote. I was SO ANGRY!
So - I do understand. I wonder to what extent their anger over Dann etc. has to do with this, if at all.
Jill, thanks to your insightful comments, I've posted again on this topic.
ReplyDeleteI've been reading about your AG's problems in my home state of Ohio. Very sad. I'll be flying home in July for a family reunion. Haven't been in the
Buckeye state for awhile, and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone.
Virginia