One Way Or Another, Women Will Decide It

Washington Post: In Interviews in And Around Austin, Texas Women Discuss Hillary Clinton's Candidacy

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Krissah Williams.

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Hernandez living room, North Austin--Jennifer Cruz Hernandez's life goes like this: Get the kids ready for school. Work a shift at the hospital. Take her daughters to the gym for practice. Cook dinner. Help with homework. Bathe the kids. Put them to bed. Sleep, and repeat.

"It's not that dads aren't important," the 38-year-old nurse manager said, glancing across the room at her husband, Carlos. "But you walk in and everyone wants to sit on Mommy's lap. You have to be everything.

"Hillary understands. She's a mother and an attorney. As a woman you do it all- cook, wash, clean and feed the dog."

"She probably hasn't done that in 30 years," Carlos, 40, interrupted, referring to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

"You don't know," Jennifer shot back.

Hernandez has been dealing with macho men all her life. She once tried to shoot some pool in her father's bar in San Antonio, but her dad wouldn't let her. "No, women don't touch the cues here," he told his daughter.

"My dad is just a macho, macho man, and he wouldn't vote for a woman if he were dying," she said, pulling on her short bangs. "He doesn't think women are as smart as men, no matter how much education they have. He thinks the stronger person is a man-even if it's just stronger physically."

Hernandez thinks Clinton has helped puncture some of that sentiment. She has particularly enjoyed watching the senator from New York hold her own against a stage full of men during nearly two dozen debates. The scenes provide a welcome antidote to more maddening ones in her own life, such as when older male doctors in the hospital expect her to stand when they walk into the room. "If Hillary won, I think they might have more respect," she said.

"They underestimate women," her husband interjected. "By 'they' I mean white men."

"Not just white men, any men," Hernandez corrected.

She put a "Hillary for President" sign in their front yard two weeks ago even though her husband favors Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.). The sign is leaning over and wrinkled because Carlos accidentally soaked it with the sprinkler the other day. But it is still standing.

"A lot of old men from the South will flip out if Hillary wins," Hernandez said. "I just think if Hillary doesn't get in, most likely it will be a long time before you see another woman" in a presidential race.

Clementine Coffee Bar, East Austin--N'Yoka Coleman's 2-year-old son, Miles, climbed her back as she sipped green tea in a coffeehouse. She was talking, as she has so often lately, about the Democratic primary, even though she had already voted for Obama in early balloting.

"When Hillary Clinton announced she was running, I was like, hands down, that's it. I'm voting for her. Then I see that stream of light that is Barack Obama and at first I was like, what, is he crazy? I felt pressure on both sides," said Coleman, 36, a stay-at-home mom who works part time as a wedding planner. "She's a woman-how could I not support her? He's a black man-how could you not support him?"

Coleman, who is African American, pondered the Clinton-Obama question after church every Sunday for weeks with her husband, brother and sister-in-law. Their talks usually came to a single question: Is sexism or racism the bigger issue in America?

For Coleman, the answer was pretty easy. It took her a full day to think of an instance when she had faced sexism, finally recalling a time when she managed men who had difficulty taking direction from a woman.

But she didn't have any trouble remembering stinging encounters with racism. "Even now, I can have both kids, be wearing a fabulous outfit and carrying a gorgeous purse, and be in an elevator and someone will still clutch their purse," she said.

And that is a big part of the reason she voted for the black man instead of the white woman.

"She is still breaking barriers, and her inability to win the nomination is not a result of her hitting the glass ceiling, so to speak, but more of, maybe this time the needs of the people were met with another candidate," Coleman said.

Shaman Modifications Tattoo and Body Piercing, South Austin--The tattoo gun vibrated in Wendi Ramirez's hand as she leaned over the man's arm, gracefully etching the outline of a woman's torso onto his skin. For 18 years she has worked in this male-dominated field, having to endure such comments as "Little girl, you don't know what you're doing."

In the world beyond the tattoo and piercing studio, Ramirez said she "knows the game."

"This country is run by the white corporate male," said Ramirez, a partner in the studio.

The tattoos on her chest make her look tough. But underneath, the 36-year-old is afraid.

Many men don't respect women, she said, and that worries her when she thinks about voting one into the White House at a time when the country is at war and suicide bombers are blowing themselves up overseas.

"Now we need a symbol of strength to display to the rest of the world," Ramirez said. "To handle [that office], she would have to be a hell of a woman. I know that sounds bad coming from a woman, but I'm scared to death of [war] coming to our land and hurting me and my family."

"You want the torso really gruesome, right?" she asked her client.

"Yeah, yeah," he said.

Clinton's Austin Headquarters--Ali Gallagher calls it a cat tag-"dog tag" just isn't feminine enough. She tugged on the one around her neck, embossed with the name of her great-grandmother, who didn't get the right to vote until 1920.

"It couldn't have been easy for educated women to sit there and be silent," said Gallagher, 53, a lawyer who has volunteered in a back office of Clinton's Austin campaign headquarters for the past two weeks. "My bias is toward my gender, and unapologetically so."

She watches, feeling sad and angry, as Clinton tries to revive her candidacy. Women are still earning 77 cents for every dollar a man earns, Gallagher said. A cable network is comfortable using the word "pimping" to describe how the campaign is using Chelsea Clinton. Race and gender are being played against each other.

"It makes my stomach turn," said Gallagher, who is white. "A friend of mine, a black man, said to me, 'My ancestors came to this country in chains; I'm voting for Barack.' I told him, 'Well, my sisters came here in chains and on their periods; I'm voting for Hillary.'"

Gallagher said this campaign will be marked not only by Clinton's and Obama's historic runs but by the blatant sexism it has uncovered.

"What's going to come out of this race is that it was open season on women, and they fought back. It's the beginning, whether she wins or loses," Gallagher said. "Women are so close. They are ready to win it. If not this time, then next time."

[jegibbons]

Posted by libra127 == "...most recent show:
McCain 46.0% Clinton 45.8%" ==
That''s now; wait until November Mc Cain will be leading by 10% or more.

Look how big a lead she blew against Obama.
HRC == The "Inevitable Candidate and Winner.
P-l-e-a-s-e! Spare me those poll numbers!
Don''t mean a thing!

[katg21]

erasmus6 , In what state is audultery against the law? I''''m am seriously inquiring because I didnt think any politician has allowed that to be left on the books in this day in time.
Posted by kmccliment

You know I think erasmus 6 is Canadian, what the hell does her opinion matter anyway?

[katg21]

And I am quite sure that there are others that broke the law but they just didn''''t get caught.Posted by erasmus6

Ha,ha, ha. Speculate all you want on who''s guilty and who''s not. The fact still remains that Clinton was guilty of lying under oath, got caught and impeached. Why does this man, one who lies under oath, deserve so much respect? I don''t care that he got a bj, I care that he broke the law and as the leader of the country that makes him a disgrace. If you had any morals you''d see it that way too.

[mercyme884]

What stupid jerk-*** political rhetoric. Just like you stupid liberal news people to infer that an intelligent woman would vote for Hillary Clinton simply because she is a woman is not only ludicrous and stupid but also demeaning to women.Although I guess there are some stupid women who would vote for her for that reason but please don''t include all women in this ludicrous ignorant category.

[libra127]

"It is actually quite perfect if Clinton is chosen the Dem candidate to run against McCain- she will most definately lose."

Posted by jack3213 at 08:40 AM : Mar 05, 2008

Sorry, not true - currently, McCain and Clinton are in a dead heat. For evidence of this, check out the averaged one-on-one national polls at www.realclearpolitics.com. The most recent show:

McCain 46.0% Clinton 45.8%

That''s a difference of 0.2% ! Also, those numbers are for the period 2/20-25, i.e., not covering the last week when Hillary has surged ahead winning 3 out of 4 primaries including big states Texas and Ohio. It is a long time until Nov., so better not assume McCain can beat Hillary. Go Hillary!

[defiant4uall]

What the Obama Biased press and Democratic party heads continue to ignor is the will of the States of Michigan and Florida who DID hold a primary and chose Hillary Clinton by large numbers,. She is truely in the lead, and these States must be honored at the convention if you plan on having a legit chance against John McCain. Hillary won New York, Ohio, Florida, Michigan, Texas, California, etc... She has EARNED the right to represent the party!

[jegibbons]

A tattoo/piercing artist, woman or not, is hardly someone to be considered MAINSTREAM??

I''m not surprised such a person would champion Hillary R. Clinton, as the TWO have at least one thing in common.
They will do anything for a buck! $$$

[jack3213]

1)The economy is in a slowdown%u2026 you want change? Quit being greedy, save more than you spend, work hard and quit whining. Live within your means.
2) Iraq is difficult, painful and not going away any time soon%u2026 you want change? Fine, we%u2019ll pull the troops out now because it%u2019ll garner votes, then we can spend twice the coin and put even more lives at risk when the place falls further into hell and we need to go back. Quit moaning about the intelligence failures and poor planning that led us into the current situation. It is what it is and we better deal with it properly.
3)Washington is broken%u2026 you want change? Give me a break. Quit with the crying over partisan politics unless you got a plan for revamping the two-party system. Candidates have been winging that old chestnut around since George Washington%u2019s days. There%u2019s nothing broke about Washington, D.C., that can%u2019t be solved by politicians simply doing what they%u2019re supposed to do%u2026 representing their constituents, working hard and being honest.
4) Immigration%u2026 you want change? OK, everybody except Native American Indians shut up and figure out how to compromise between secure borders and a nation that continues to offer hope and inclusion to people from other countries.
5) Universal health care%u2026 you want change? Great idea, come up with a plan that can be clearly explained to someone with a high school education.

[craigh9]

The exit polls in both Ohio and Texas are very telling. In both states one demographic made all the difference in the primaries. Hillary won by large margins with the less educated voters. Isn''t that interesting - she is bouyed by those that as a group buy much more into the negative campaign she is running and the fear she invokes - while those that are more educated and more likely to think for themselves and what might really be best for the country shy away from her. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for Hillary.

[jack3213]

It is actually quite perfect if Clinton is chosen the Dem candidate to run against McCain- she will most definately lose. Most know it, too and now that she has won only three states the country is back in its comfortable state of denial. Even if she won all the rest, mathematically she cannot win- the superdelagates have to decide. Good luck with that. You want a better chance of having a Democrat, vote Obama.

[erasmus6]

"erasmus6 , In what state is audultery against the law? I''''m am seriously inquiring because I didnt think any politician has allowed that to be left on the books in this day in time." posted by kmccliment

I meant when JFK was president.

[kmccliment]

HILLARY 08

I SEE CHANGE!!!!!

[kmccliment]

erasmus6 , In what state is audultery against the law? I''m am seriously inquiring because I didnt think any politician has allowed that to be left on the books in this day in time.

[erasmus6]

Posted by katg21 at 06:29 PM : Mar 04, 2008

Like I said, you need to get a grip on reality.

Did Nixon not break the law?

And I am quite sure that there are others that broke the law but they just didn''t get caught.

And as for JFK s-c-r-e-w-ing around on his wife, the last I heard, ADULTERY was against the law. And I would bet any money there was other things that he did that were against the law also.

[popstom1]

Katg21 3959 KIA you are full of $hit

[popstom1]

Obama is not out of the woods yet I don''t think you
run a county from a jail cell

[nothappyatall]

" I will post this news on my blog at ~~~MeetStupidMorons.com~~~ topics on polictics, election, sports, entertainment and economy are very hot there. Also lots of beautiful women and handsome men show up on that site most of the time. Im sure you will not miss it. Right?

Posted by angel20081"

Oh yeah, I''m sure your site is all about NEWS and sports, more like its all about porn, spam and spamming us with your dating site MeetStupidMorons.com

[nothappyatall]

"Jennifer Cruz Hernandez''s life goes like this: Get the kids ready for school. Work a shift at the hospital. Take her daughters to the gym for practice. Cook dinner. Help with homework. Bathe the kids. Put them to bed. Sleep, and repeat."

Oh poor babe! my fingers are playing ''my heart bleeds fer youse'' on the worlds smallest record player, but whose decision WAS it to have all those kids?- you made your bed now stop whining about how bad you got it because of YOUR kids.

[Syndicate]

I''m currious to see what kind of influence Rush has. the texas Returns will tell us.

[whitepicks2]

Mark his words. Now that''s funny - I don''t care who you''re for.