This morning, I gathered in a room of women serving cookies, danishes, tea and coffee and discussed politics. They were nothing like the people who I would usually associate with. They were white women with families in their 30s and 40s and baby boomers. As I sat their in a beautiful stone front house with a fountain in the front on Millwood Road in Chappaqua, NY, I could not help but think about the rather ironic juxtaposition of place and purpose. If anyone knows about Chappaqua then they know that Chappaqua is where Hillary Clinton lives. Chappaqua is about 45 minutes out of New York City. However I will be abrupt and let you know that it wasn’t about Hillary Clinton. Those 64 women did not gather in a living room not to far from Clinton’s to discuss their support for Hillary Clinton. Instead they were there to discuss her competitor, Barack Obama. The meeting was for “Women for Obama” which takes place each week in Hillary’s backyard.

I wasn’t shocked about their rejection of Hillary Clinton as a viable female presidential candidate because I don’t believe that people should base their decision solely on identity politics. However, I was shocked about their dismissal of Hillary Clinton’s call for sisterhood. Her calls for sisterhood did not resonate with the women in the room. The tea drinking women in the room saw nothing inspiring or even liberating about a president Hillary Clinton. The women in the room flat out rejected not only Hillary Clinton the “presidential candidate” but they also rejected Hillary Clinton the “person”. The topic of discussion was Barack Obama and their support for him, they shared stories of campaigning from state to state, they discussed phone banking and canvassing, they vented about their discontent with media coverage and framing regarding the election and they spoke about how much they would love to see Michelle Obama as first lady.
When it came to discussing his female competitor Hillary Clinton, one exclaimed, “Samantha Power was right about calling Hillary Clinton a monster!!” and another said, “Hillary is the Lady Macbeth of American politics”. Wow!! I thought. Parts of me wondered if it was the usual woman to woman distrust that I sense on a regular basis. However it was not. The women even went after Cindy McCain. Remember, these women look, grew up and lived life a lot more like Hillary Clinton and Cindy McCain than Michelle Obama however they see something genuine and powerful about Michelle Obama that they didn’t see in either on of these women. I am not putting Hillary Clinton and Cindy McCain in the same category. I just find it ironic and wonderful at the same time.

These women see something in Obama and his ability to lead. They see what many notable women of all colors see in him. Many found it surprising when they heard that Oprah, Caroline Kennedy, Susan Eisenhower, Naomi Wolff, Maria Shiver and many other notable women throw their support behind Barack Obama.
Here are a few excerpts from the endorsements of notable women:

Caroline Kennedy, in the New York Times, January 27, 2008

"A President Like My Father"

Over the years, I've been deeply moved by the people who've told me they wished they could feel inspired and hopeful about America the way people did when my father was president. This sense is even more profound today. That is why I am supporting a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, Barack Obama.

Toni Morrison, Letter of Endorsement, January 28, 2008

“Dear Senator Obama,

This letter represents a first for me--a public endorsement of a Presidential candidate. I feel driven to let you know why I am writing it. One reason is it may help gather other supporters; another is that this is one of those singular moments that nations ignore at their peril. I will not rehearse the multiple crises facing us, but of one thing I am certain: this opportunity for a national evolution (even revolution) will not come again soon, and I am convinced you are the person to capture it.”

Joan Baez, in the San Francisco Chronicle, February 3, 2008

"Leader on a New Journey"Editor - I have attempted throughout my life to give a voice to the voiceless, hope to the hopeless, encouragement to the discouraged, and options to the cynical and complacent. From Northern Ireland to Sarajevo to Latin America, I have sung and marched, engaged in civil disobedience, visited war zones, and broken bread with those who had little bread to break. Through all those years, I chose not to engage in party politics. Though I was asked many times to endorse candidates at every level, I was never comfortable doing so. At this time, however, changing that posture feels like the responsible thing to do. If anyone can navigate the contaminated waters of Washington, lift up the poor, and appeal to the rich to share their wealth, it is Sen. Barack Obama. If anyone can bring light to the darkened corners of this nation and restore our positive influence in world affairs, it is Barack Obama. If anyone can begin the process of healing and bring unity to a country that has been divided for too long, it is Barack Obama. It is time to begin a new journey.

Ruth Rosen, journalist, historian and professor at University of California and UC at Berkeley,
February 5, 2008

"Why Would a Feminist Vote for Obama?"

Some people are stunned that I have already voted for Barack Obama and that I signed a "Feminists for Obama" statement which now includes over a thousand rather distinguished names. They know I've been involved in the women's movement since 1967 and have spent my life teaching and writing about the history of women and gender ever since. So why, they ask, didn't I cast a vote for Hillary Clinton? Am I filled with self-hatred as a woman? No. In fact, there is nothing I'd rather do than vote for the first female presidential candidate. I still remember hearing--on a remote Greek island--that the Democratic party had chosen Geraldine Ferraro as a vice-presidential candidate. To my great surprise, tears flooded my face. So why haven't I cast this historic vote? The reasons are not all that complicated. Before I was a feminist, I worked in the civil rights and anti-war movements. Supporting Obama fits those life-long commitments.

Helen P. Howell and Vickie Wallen in the San Francisco Chronicle, February 14, 2008

"Obama Represents Women's Best Hope"

Like many women, we would be excited to help elect a woman president. At this pivotal moment in our history, however, the gender of our next president is not our foremost concern. Because of the troubled state of the union, our priority is for the Democrats to select as our nominee the candidate who is best positioned to win in November, and to navigate our nation out of the current morass, unite us and move the country forward. We are a diverse group of women who have spent years working for equal rights, social justice and a powerful political voice for all women…Sen. Barack Obama is the candidate with the energy and vision to lead our country in these difficult times -- to make our nation safer, restore our standing in the world and inspire Americans to be active participants in our democracy.

Naomi Wolff on the Huffington Post, Feb. 28, 2008

"Why Barack Obama Got My Vote"

…Gender has nothing to do with it. Race has nothing to do with it. Integrity has something to do with it.That is why Barack Obama has my vote. Of all the leading candidates, he is the only one on these issues who has consistently acted like a true American. And if I hear -- as I am likely to -- from legions of US feminists outraged at me for choosing this man over that woman, I will gladly sit down and explain why I am certain that these issues are so urgent that they overshadow absolutely everything else. Anyway, the man is a feminist; he has a woman-friendly policy vision. And while it would be a thrill to see the first woman elected President, in the last analysis, a real feminist need not define people or support on the basis of gender. Certainly not when our house -- with the precious Constitution held without representation within it -- is burning down.

Welcome to The Political Debutante

I originally had another blog, The Urbanista which was taken down this past summer. I will be relaunching "The Urbanista" (the place for culture, fashion, social commentary, politics, identity politics, my life etc) in the next month. However, it may not be on "Blogger", I may see. However Welcome to the Political Debutante, after being out of commission for 7 months, I have a lot not only to talk about but to catch up on.