| There was a time when American women yearned | | | | on a power trip. |
| for the opportunity to see a female candidate stand | | | | Women today seem pretty bent on empowering a |
| for election in a presidential campaign. Now, with no | | | | candidate who stands for what they believe in, or |
| legal barriers to speak of, even women seem | | | | not vote at all. The fact that previous generations of |
| ambivalent about putting an experienced one in the | | | | women didnt throw their weight behind a candidate |
| White House. Women once advocated it was time | | | | such as Geraldine Ferraro, when she ran as Walter |
| for them to stand for elections and in turn have a | | | | Mondales running mate in 1984, shows they are |
| voice in legislative issues that affect their lives, but | | | | actually ambivalent about playing the gender card. |
| do they have the qualities and skills needed to do | | | | What kind of personal and professional development |
| that? asks Natasha Thomsen, author of Global Issues: | | | | is this now calling for in women? asks Thomsen. |
| Womens Rights (Facts on File, 2007). | | | | If its anything like the Equal Rights Amendment, |
| Admittedly, three major superpowersFrance, the | | | | which has been awaiting ratification by Congress |
| United Kingdom, and the United Statesare all holding | | | | since 1923, the real worry centers around the use of |
| presidential elections in 2007 and 2008 without | | | | power. This same argument might apply to the 1981 |
| incumbent candidates, a scenario that would challenge | | | | Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of |
| any candidate, male or female. Many even say our | | | | Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which also |
| country is behind the times all ready, but when the | | | | awaits U.S. ratification. In short, the American |
| Group of Eight summit met in June 2007, hostess | | | | Governmentpresumably composed of men and |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel was pretty much | | | | womenare concerned about the use and abuse of |
| on her own. Sgolne Royal had just been tested in the | | | | powerful words, more than the issues that gave rise |
| French elections and lost to her opponent Nicolas | | | | to these political instruments in the first place. |
| Sarkozy. This begs the questions: what will it take to | | | | So is this country ready for a female president? |
| put a female president in the White House and do | | | | Probably as much as Germany was ready for Ms. |
| American voters really want one there? | | | | Merkel, England for Margaret Thatcher, or India for |
| Women dont seem so concerned now about gender | | | | Prime Minister Indira Ghandi or the more recent |
| but about the kind of person they might empower. | | | | Pratibha Patil, its first woman president. The question |
| Many women openly professed their disdain for | | | | is if there a woman candidate who has the qualities, |
| Royals uppity manner and Hillary Clintons popularity is | | | | energy, and leadership skills that Americansmen and |
| out-weighed by her calculating manner and husbands | | | | womenwill appreciate and that can guide this country |
| razzle-dazzle (despite public disapproval of his adultery | | | | through the shark-infested waters of terrorism, war, |
| record). Nancy Pelosi is often characterized as being | | | | and environmental casualties. |