Caroline Kennedy Lacks Senate Qualifications, but Her Critics Are Still Sexist
By Bonnie Erbe, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
No one should feign surprise at a new poll showing women more supportive of Caroline Kennedy's bid to replace Hillary Clinton as New York's junior U.S. senator. But what is interesting about this poll is why men are less likely to support her:
Fifty-seven percent of the women taking part in the new CNN-Opinion Research Corp. Poll said that Kennedy is qualified to be a senator from New York. But only 47 percent of men agreed.
...
CNN's polling director, Keating Holland, says that the gender gap reflects dramatically different perceptions of Kennedy's record.
"Men may think of qualifications for public office in terms of work experience, while women may be looking at a candidate's life experience," says Holland. "Caroline Kennedy has a personal history that may be compelling to many women, but her resume is not very long, and that may be a mark against her to some men."
Do I smell a bit of sexism in men's decision-making processes? Would those same men have held it against Barack Obama that he had only two years in the Senate when he started running for president? What about Arnold Schwarzenegger's long legislative career or that of Ronald Reagan when he ran for governor?
Caroline Kennedy is certainly not qualified for the office she seeks. But qualifications seem to be much less important to men when male action stars seek office.
- Read more by Bonnie Erbe.
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Tags: Senate | sexism | Caroline Kennedy
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Reader Comments
Kennedy for NY Senate?
Who cares. Its only a two year appointment.
To the writer and other commentators: Who do you think Govenor Paterson should appoint to the temporary position? Most of you dont know the first thing about NY much less its political machine. Name names, or shut the f*k up already.
Caroline Kennedy's qualifications
We can debate her qualifications all day long, but I want to know how "prepared" is she to do anything more than vote.; If people think she is prepared for the broader aspects of this job - like articulating her positions and answering questions at a press conference - as well as evaluating and providing solutions to our country's problem]s. I guess I would like to know how she prepared herself.
Right now, she doesn't look too prepared to me. I think her life experiences prepare her more for office at a more local level.
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