Top 10 Reasons Why the GOP Will Never Nominate Condi for President
1. She's a woman. As Maureen Dowd so eloquently states today in her column today, men don't like it when women tell them what to do. She's acceptable in her place as GWB's handmaiden, unquestioningly repeating his talking points on her march around the world. Finger on the bomb? I don't think so.
2. Right now, Hillary is the front runner for the Dems. If Hillary does run, one of the strongest things the GOP could have going for any candidate is the fact that they are NOT a woman, for all the reasons listed in (1) above. No matter how enlightened many Democrats may claim to be, deep down the idea of a woman president -- particularly Hillary -- is going to bug a lot of them. The GOP can't pull those votes if they run one, too.
3. Women and minorities do well in the GOP in large part because they reaffirm the basic prejudices of the base. If you hate and fear African Americans, you will be comforted by the presence of one in the GOP because they tell you that fear is justified and righteous by their very presence within an organization that seeks to limit their power and opportunities. You welcome their efforts toward that end, and they relieve you of the nagging worry that you just might be a racist. You do not value them because you really think they have anything to offer in and of themselves. I'm not saying African Americans within the GOP have nothing else to offer, but I don't think the base really cares about that. To hand over the ultimate reigns of power to an African American who is ALSO a woman not only goes against the grain of the Dixiecrat base the GOP has worked so hard to cultivate, it would also offend the affluent whites who would see this as Just Too Much.
4.
5. If she's running for President and not merely jousting with Barbara Boxer on CSPAN during a confirmation hearing, people will actually listen when Boxer outlines the litany of lies she told that led the US into the Iraq war.
6. They fear she might get lonely in the white house without her husband.
7. If the Middle East explodes and I don't mean in democracy, they've got to have somebody to scapegoat. Four years is a long time.
8. As FallenMonk notes, the Peter Principle could kick in. TBogg didn't call her the "Pia Zadora of the State Department" for nothing.
9. The paranoid wingers still aren't satisfied with her lack of answers about her relationship with Chinese spy Hua Di while working at Stanford. Add that to the allegations that she warned Willie Brown not to fly on 9/11 and it's a friggin' tin foil hat festival.
10. Lloyd Axelworthy. Okay, that might not be a reason. But it should be.
Update 1:00 pm: According to Bob Adams, whom I trust implicitly about these things, Condi actually can play golf at Augusta, she just can't be a member. So I guess I need a 10th reason. Kos says she should be banned for ignoring an intelligence report titled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S" in the month leading up to 9-11.
Update 11:00 pm: We have a winner! Matt over at 1115 tells us that Condi describes herself as “mildly pro-choice” and “kind of libertarian” on abortion. That really is the kicker, isn't it?
posted by Jane Hamsher @ 3/14/2005 12:00:00 AM
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