Reflections on 2008

By Rachel Michelin

Another election year is underway! As eyes now look to the 2012 Presidential Election, I wonder what impact it will have for women. I remember four years ago watching the Democratic Convention with my daughters and feeling a little disappointment as Hillary Clinton threw her support behind Barack Obama. Regardless of who you supported in the primary that year, or your political affiliation, it was sad to see the dream of a woman running for president, as a major party nominee, die. But two days later I, along with most in the country, was caught off guard when John McCain selected a woman – Sarah Palin – to be his running mate. So a week later, my daughters and I watched her give her acceptance speech.

Regardless of who you supported in the 2008 election, that year women from across the county debated the idea of a woman vice-president; a woman one step away from the most powerful position in the world. Could she do the job? Did she have enough experience? How would she balance her job and family? What I found so interesting was that those questions were never asked of the male candidate. As we look to the 2012 election, will we ask male candidates those questions? Will we ask if HE can balance a career and family?

2008 was an exciting time for women in politics. It was fun to watch it unfold. And I think election 2008 was good for women in politics because barriers were certainly broken.

The thing that hit home most with me that year was watching as Hillary conceded. As my daughters sat around me I wondered if they would ever see a woman president in their lifetimes. I think having a woman run for the nomination, as well as having a woman receive the vice-presidential nomination, puts us one step closer. But that step is only possible because of all the steps women have taken before them – women of both political parties.

I agree with Hilary Clinton in that she did not break the glass ceiling in 2008, she shattered it; but it will take more confident women to follow her lead and take the risk to run.

I am interested in what you think! Send me your comments and thoughts and we will post them in our next newsletter and on our web page. Email me at admin@cawomenlead.org.

Hope to see everyone this evening at the Oakland Appointments Training tonight! Lets take one more step forward for women in politics together!