Will Female Democratic Voters Gravitate to Clinton Or Obama? Page 1 of 3

LA Daily News - Will female Democratic voters gravitate to Clinton or Obama? Page 1 of 3

Will female Democratic about the role of women in power and politics. voters gravitate to Clinton "This has definitely ignited a debate ... one I never thought I'd see in my lifetime," said or Obama? Elizabeth Say, dean of the college of humanities at California State University, Northridge. By Connie Llanos, Staff Writer "Is it finally women's time? Have we

Article Last Updated: 02/04/2008 09:59:38 PM PST reached the point where women have the opportunity to move into the most powerful role in the country?"

The prospect of electing the first female president - even while chief rival Sen. Barack Obama continues to gain his own influential endorsements from key women in power - has left many women across the Southland grappling with their choice for a presidential nominee. Feb. 5 Poll In California, women - nearly 8million votes - Proudly sporting a Nancy Pelosi poster on her make up half of all registered voters, and they office door, 45-year-old children's-rights have consistently voted in higher numbers than lawyer Cynthia Billey said her mind was made up men. a long time ago about who to vote for in the presidential primary. In the presidential election of 2004, women made up 52 percent of all votes cast statewide. The Sherman Oaks resident said she will cast her ballot today for Sen. Hillary Clinton because Nationwide, about 75 million women are she represents more than just a candidate. registered to vote. In 2004, 60 percent cast a ballot in the presidential election. "She's a symbol of what women can do now," Billey said. For the Democratic Party in California, that vote is crucial - women make up 57 percent of the From editorials written by women's- party's registered voters. movement advocates to students in college lecture halls, Clinton's run for the But while Clinton has the support of prominent presidency has reinvigorated a public dialogue women - including Sen. Dianne Feinstein,

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_8169636 2/5/2008 LA Daily News - Will female Democratic voters gravitate to Clinton or Obama? Page 2 of 3

Southland Congresswoman Maxine Waters and let's get beyond the face," said Lopez- longtime activist Dolores Huerta - Obama also Garza. has picked up women's support - including California first lady Maria Shriver, Caroline "I wouldn't support not voting for a Kennedy and Oprah Winfrey. candidate because they were a woman or African-American. So by the same token, Labor leader Maria Elena Durazo initially don't fall for someone because they're endorsed former Sen. John Edwards, but when he a woman or an African-American." dropped out she switched to Obama. She recently signed on as his national campaign co- Some believe Clinton's experience - chairwoman. coupled with her history of championing women's rights - makes her the best Durazo said while having a woman president candidate. And they don't want to miss the would be a great accomplishment, the vote historic opportunity to elect a woman to run the should come down to selecting the best country. candidate. "It's about time," Van Nuys resident Sarah "It doesn't make me feel any better when Seabz said at a recent Clinton rally. "Women it's a woman depriving men and women of a have led several countries across the world. We living wage." are ready."

Durazo said she believes Obama is the better But Ellen DuBois, a historian at the University of candidate because he has worked on issues California, Los Angeles, who specializes in traditionally more important to women: welfare women's history, said she's not reform and expanding child-care programs for certain. low-income families. "I think, as a people, we expect to be "I think most women will make a decision based emotionally responsive to leaders who are men," on what they care about," Durazo said. she said.

Marta Lopez-Garza, a Women's Studies "We talk about charisma in men who hold and Chicano Studies professor at CSUN, said she positions of power. They are attractive beyond intends to tell her students to choose candidates intelligence and political competence - people based on qualifications. like (Bill) Clinton, Reagan, Kennedy, and even Bush, we feel that way about them. "It's exciting that people who are not white and male are running for president - but "But we have no idea how to have those kinds of

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_8169636 2/5/2008 LA Daily News - Will female Democratic voters gravitate to Clinton or Obama? Page 3 of 3

feelings if it's a woman that's in that appeared on the sitcom "The Wonder Years," said position. Those emotions become something else she was turned off by Clinton when she worked with women ... we just don't have any on Bill Clinton's presidential campaign in models of women who can command a popular 1992. following like what's needed in a president." "I didn't like the way she interacted with her husband," Mills said. "She just seems too DuBois said that poses a challenge for women. ambitious."

"As a woman candidate, she is held to a double Say noted it is impossible to deny sexist standard: She is supposed to simultaneously be undertones that have surrounded the New York feminine and not too feminine, competent but senator's campaign. not too masculine," DuBois said. "We don't like to believe that in this "She is being judged differently based on her country there is any stigma against women," Say gender, but if she says something, she is playing said. the gender card." Still, she said women and men should revel in Paola Bacchetta, director of UC Berkeley's the fact that times have changed. Beatrice M. Bain Research Group, has been researching Clinton's campaign and said "I don't think I ever thought a serious she plans to make it the center of her female candidate would take the nomination," discussions in her women's-studies class Say said. "Especially not in a race against another this fall. minority.

Bacchetta said scrutiny over a moment when "But this country is ready for change. The Clinton got emotional in New Hampshire, the question is are (we) ready enough?" attention that's been focused on her husband, and sexist remarks that have been heard at her rallies have been unlike anything the male candidates have had to endure.

"It really is impossible for her and that's largely due to her going into uncharted territory," Bacchetta said.

But Alley Mills, a television actress who

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_8169636 2/5/2008