The Chickification of the Presidency
Rush Limbaugh is a brilliant wordsmith. He coined “chickification” for the on-going feminization of the NFL, how the PC attempt to feminize the sport has all but ruined the game. The noun works for this same thing being practiced on our military, only instead of trying to draw more viewers, the lowering of standards and softening the Rules of Engagement are more than detrimental; they have resulted in increased mortal danger to our troops.
Hillary Clinton has announced her candidacy for president. She and her supporters are making her gender the key point of her qualifications, the “Isn’t it time we had a woman President?” the constant refrain. A big splashy cover-photo chick article in “Elle” magazine has daughter Chelsea posing this as the most important aspect Americans need to consider about her mother. Not surprising, the same was done when Geraldine Ferraro was the first woman nominated to a ticket. But the fact that Clinton is a woman is not the reason for my criticism, my use of Rush’s apt noun. It is how she is using her gender to run for the office that I do not care for.
In her announcement video, Clinton is seen in ordinary American places speaking to ordinary Americans, we hear them discussing the ordinary concerns of everyday life. This is how a candidate for the House of Representatives campaigns, not one who wishes to be the Head of State for this country. The office of President of the United States has general concern for every citizen, not specific care for each individual. Her take is antithetical to the goal of The Founding Fathers; it was not to be the job of government to be a caretaker but that each individual should be allowed his innate liberty to be responsible for himself. Surely they would balk at the notion Americans want a mommy, or a grand-mommy, to oversee their day-to-day cares. Personally I find it insulting and condescending, that a woman in the role of Commander-in-Chief will be taking our temperature every day, making sure we eat all our vegetables.
History is replete with women in the role of Head of State who are able to be leaders, world shakers, without having to resort to reminding everyone they are female, Margaret Thatcher, Benazir Bhutto, Indira Ghandi to name but three. They did not promote their gender; they demonstrated their leadership on the world stage. When asked her accomplishments as Secretary of State, Clinton’s supporters all cite the number of countries she visited on diplomatic missions. Frankly, frequent flyer miles shouldn’t count as a highlight.
If this is an attempt to re-introduce Hillary Clinton to America as a warm and chummy grandma rather than the officious, demanding politician she has been since we got to know her on the national stage, her handlers are going to need to do a complete personality dialysis. Either that, or Mrs. Clinton chooses another office for which to campaign.
