WOMEN'S HISTORY AND THE QUEST FOR THE PRESIDENCY

For ages we’ve been rocking the cradle; now let’s rock the boat

Bettmann / Contributor

The purpose of knowing history is to gain the insight to create a better future. This being the first day of Women’s History month, it seems a perfect day to dedicate ourselves to making history in our time. Let’s elect the first woman President!

The path to the Presidency has been a thorny one for American women, not yet successful but filled with some mighty efforts. For those of you who might not know, check out Victoria Woodhull’s campaign in 1872. In the modern era, Shirley Chisholm ran for President in 1972 and Geraldine Ferraro ran as Walter Mondale’s running mate in 1984. We all remember that Hillary Clinton ran against Donald Trump in 2016, and – don’t forget – won the popular vote by over 3 million votes! Kamala Harris of course became the first female Vice-President in our history. Nikki Haley, Jill Stein, Claudia De la Cruz and I are the women running for President in 2024.

As Hilary said when she lost the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama in 2008, women hadn’t cracked the glass ceiling yet – but she’d put 18 million more cracks in it! Indeed she did.

When it comes to politics, that glass ceiling is very real. Throughout a forty year career preceding my political efforts, I never felt my options or opportunities limited in any way by my sex. But in politics, I’m afraid it’s an entirely different story. My personality, my career, my entire life, have been derided and demeaned in ways that would never have passed muster were I a man. And, I’m sorry to say, by women as well as by men. It’s painful to see any woman misogynistically dismissed; it’s a betrayal not only of her but of the issues she stands for.

So there is a lot of work left to do, in our minds and in our society. Furthering the opportunities of women has as much to do with changing our attitudes as with changing events. I met Nikki Haley when I was in New Hampshire, and I remarked to her, “Wouldn’t it be great if you and I were the nominees?” She smiled and said, “It’s about time, isn’t it?”

I agree. It’s more than time. The talks I’ve given in Michigan and California over the last two weeks absolutely convince me the country is ready; I know we’re moving the needle, we just have to keep making the effort in the same way those before us did. For ages we’ve been rocking the cradle; now let’s rock the boat.

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