Political analysts argue that U.S. is not yet ready for woman to hold highest office
Date
11/20/2024 1:02:42 AM
(MENAFN) Political analysts often argue that the U.S. is not yet ready for a woman to hold the highest office, but Kamala Harris, a progressive woman, struggled to gain full support during her presidential campaign. Despite her efforts to minimize the focus on her gender, her candidacy failed to achieve the hoped-for success, largely due to the complex cultural and political environment she faced, including Donald Trump’s strong support from men, especially younger ones, who saw him as a symbol of traditional values.
As Election Day came to a close, Donald trump made a direct appeal to male voters, urging them to vote: “Get off that beautiful couch… Just go to the vote.” This statement was seen as a response to concerns that a strong turnout among women could work in Harris' favor. While Trump enjoyed more popularity among men, especially young men, than Harris, this did not guarantee his victory, as women tend to vote more consistently. Although Trump secured a decisive win, his last-minute appeal highlighted his campaign’s anxiety over the potential influence of female voters.
After Trump’s victory, many U.S. commentators lamented the nation’s reluctance to elect a woman—particularly a woman of color—as president. However, this assumption deserves scrutiny. In the U.K., for example, the Conservative Party recently elected a black woman as its leader, and three women have served as prime ministers, though with varying success. In parts of northern Europe, female leaders are so common that their presence is hardly questioned. This stark contrast to Europe underscores the continued gender divide in U.S. politics.
However, gender does not seem to be the primary reason behind Harris' loss. While it was a factor in Hillary Clinton’s narrow defeat in 2016—when many voters openly stated they would not vote for a woman president—Harris did not center her campaign around her gender or ethnicity. Clinton, in contrast, made her pursuit of being the first female president a key aspect of her message, even using a glass-roofed convention center for her victory celebration to symbolize breaking the glass ceiling. Her gender played a significant role in her campaign, and possibly to her detriment.
Harris, by contrast, took a more restrained approach. She refrained from emphasizing her gender or ethnic background, focusing instead on her experience as a prosecutor and politician. She did address issues of importance to women, such as reproductive rights, especially in response to Trump’s efforts to limit abortion, but avoided making her identity the centerpiece of her campaign. This approach may have helped her by giving her candidacy more substance beyond just identity politics.
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