I think there are still a lot of people in this country afraid of the idea of women in positions of great power. This is a traditionally white male dominated society, and some people just won't react well to those who attempt to change traditions. Hillary wants the power and she is villified for it, more so than any man who tries for power. She is not playing the traditional role for women and people hate her for it. Just as she was villified when Bill fooled around, because she was traveling around the world meeting heads of state instead of being at home in the White House servicing her man. Face it, that is what some people thought.

I think the only way we overcome these fears is to face them head on. The time has come in this country to fully get past america's long racist and sexist history. People in this country would be comfortable with John Edwards as President, because he is the traditional wasp male politician. He can be president and people can be safe with their fears, their phobias about sex and race, in the closet. But elect Hillary, a woman, or Barack Obama, a black man, and that changes everything. If either of them is nominated, things are going to get really ugly in the general. Because people won't be able to contain their fears. Those fears, those prejudices will be ripped out into the open. Which is good. Which NEEDS to happen before those fears and prejudices can be dealt with.

Electing Hillary or Obama not only enfranchises so many people in this country who have never seen one of their own be our President, but it eliminates the comfort level that racists and sexists have. Hillary is the favorite right now to get nominated, and so those who fear a woman in power the most are coming out of the closet. So she gets all these death threats while the other candidates do not. These death threats are from people desperate to not be forced to confront their fears. I want them to face their fears! I don't want to give them another white male leader so they can feel safe in their closet. The time has come to get past such fears and prejudices in this country.

So I think nominating Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, one of the two, is the most important thing the Democratic Party can do. It is more important even than winning the election. I think Walter Mondale accomplished as much just by the act of making a woman his runningmate in 1984 than he could have if he had actually gotten in office. It was a bold act of enfranchisement. But this time it would be a hundred times greater because it would be the top of the ticket! I remember Jesse Jackson running in 1984 and how it enfranchised african american voters just seeing him up there on stage debating with the big guns. Jesse too accomplished more just by the act of running than any of those candidates could have done by winning.

If we can confront racism and sexism in this society,and help drag it out of the closet and into the open, by having a fine female candidate and a fine black candidate, and nominating one of them to be President, it would be a great thing. Something I'd be proud to say I saw in my lifetime. I want it to happen and I think it is more important than one vote a few years ago or the fact that age fifty nine, Hillary might not be quite so militant on feminist issues as she was as a young woman. Certain things are more important.