Chelsea Surprised By Sexist Comments

Campaigning For Mom In N. Carolina, Clinton Says She Was Sheltered From Chauvinism

(AP)  Chelsea Clinton said Saturday that she didn't realize how much sexism remained in the United States until she noticed the issue at recent campaign stops for her mother.

"I didn't really get how much sexism there still was in our country until I was at a rally with my mom in New Hampshire, and someone came up to me and said, 'I just can't see a woman being commander in chief,"' Clinton said during a stop in Research Triangle Park.

She also noted another New Hampshire rally that was disrupted by men who stood up and told Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton to "Iron my shirt." And she quietly questioned why some people find humor in a nutcracker doll that looks like her mother.

The younger Clinton said that she didn't understand that sexism still existed because she has always been supported by both the men and women in her family.

"I didn't realize that that wasn't expected yet in the rest of our country," Clinton said. "I have been so profoundly more grateful than I have ever been over the past few months for my parents because of that."

Clinton spoke at the Young Democrats of North Carolina convention in Research Triangle Park - an event that normally draws only appearances for statewide races. On Saturday, campaign officials for both Obama and Clinton sent surrogates to speak, seeking support ahead of the state's May 6 primary. Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker appeared on behalf of Obama.

On several occasions during her speech, Clinton referred to the North American Free Trade Agreement - a pact often blamed for the acceleration of textile and manufacturing job losses across the state - and explained why her former president father and aspiring president mother differed on the issue.

An audience member who said his mother lost her job when it was shipped to Mexico asked Clinton how he could reconcile the passage of NAFTA under the Bill Clinton administration with Hillary Rodham Clinton's opposition of the free trade agreement.

"We don't agree on everything as a family," Chelsea Clinton said. "I agree with my mother on most things - not everything. I agree with my father on most things - not everything. My mother and father agree on most things - not everything."

Clinton, along with rival Barack Obama, repeatedly criticized NAFTA during her successful Ohio primary campaign. She has said she would renegotiate trade agreements and end tax breaks for corporations that send jobs out of the country.

The 1994 landmark NAFTA pact opened trade with Canada and Mexico.

Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards also made an appearance at Saturday's event, revisiting his stump speech talking points and taking the stage for the first time since dropping his White House bid two months ago.

The former North Carolina senator praised both of his former rivals, but declined to endorse either candidate.

"I have a very high opinion of both of them," Edwards said. "We would be blessed as a nation to have either one of them as president."

Both Obama and Clinton have repeatedly lobbied Edwards for his endorsement, flying into Chapel Hill to meet with him privately and touting his accomplishments on the campaign trail. Before leaving the race, Edwards won a promise from both Clinton and Obama to make ending poverty central to their ongoing campaigns for the White House.

On Saturday, Edwards pointed out the historical nature of both of their campaigns and said both were better suited in carrying forward his campaign platform than Republican John McCain.

"We are blessed, first, to have an extraordinarily talented African American who could be the next president of the United States," Edwards said. "There's no way to contest the fact that he's inspired this country."

"And Sen. Clinton, who has served America for so long and so well, and has shown so much strength and leadership, has really forged an extraordinarily historic campaign as a woman for the nomination and for the presidency."

Pressed by reporters to detail any endorsement plans, Edwards declined to even say if he would endorse a candidate before the state's primary.

"When I have something to say, I'll let you know," he said.

[o0sullivan]

Chelsea Clinton works for a New York Hedge Fund called the Avenue Capital Group. This is a company which invests in the distressed debt market and which also happens to be run by folks who have been big financial supporters of her parents. (So much for getting her job on the merits.)

Investors in distressed securities typically make an assessment not only of the issuer%u2019s ability to improve its operations but also whether the restructuring process increases the investors'' wealth. This typically means things like stripping out pension assets and moving high wage jobs overseas.

Avenue Capital Group and firms like it profit from downturns in the economy and foreclosures and bankruptcies. There are more than a few voters in Pennsylvania, Indiana, North Carolina and beyond who have a right to hear how Chelsea Clinton rationalizes her chosen professional career with her pro-working man rhetoric.

[kansas1946]

"I didn''t really get how much sexism there still was in our country until I was at a rally with my mom in New Hampshire, and someone came up to me and said, ''I just can''t see a woman being commander in chief,"'' Clinton said during a stop in Research Triangle Park.
**************************************

There is still sexism and there is still racism, but thankfully it is a small percentage of small minded Americans, and you are always going to have those. Some of that is coming from a few churches that insist on trying to put women in a secondary role. Just like there will always be *** roaches, there will always be bigots.

[sgtrds]

Man, there must be some pretty homely women where you live if you think Chelsea is a hottie. She''''s no two-bagger, but still...

Posted by rational_1 at 11:47 AM : Mar 31, 2008

I live in L.A. where there are many many many beautiful women. I think she''s a real cutie. She has that girl next door look and to me that''s better then the phony playboy type anytime.

[sgtrds]

Yeh, that Taresa Hines Kerry is a real knock out, eh? I think your thorazine drip is on too high!

Posted by Infidel_Us at 01:27 PM : Mar 31, 2008

At least she''s a real woman and not a transsexual like Ann Coulter. Ugh!

[infidel_us]

Democrats have always had the hotter women.
Posted by SgtRDS at 12:15 AM : Mar 31, 2008

Yeh, that Taresa Hines Kerry is a real knock out, eh? I think your thorazine drip is on too high!

[infidel_us]

''I just can''t see a woman being commander in chief,"'' Clinton said during a stop in Research Triangle Park.

What he meant was, ''we just can''t see YOUR MOTHER as CIC.''

[SuzieH212006]

I HAD a lot of respect for the Clintons before this campaign started, now I wouldn''t let them dog sit for me let alone run this country. The more I hear from them, the more they sound like the same piles of *** that have been running politics for years. It is time for change in the truely pitiful mess we call a government, and all the lies, underhanded fear mongering and misleading comments is what makes politics horrible and embarrasing to this country. Its time for all of us to stop watching f---in american idol for a few minutes and turn on a debate and make an educate decision - if not for you then do it for the future generations because this will truely b the election that shapes the future!!!

[rational_1]

I''''m just surprised she turned out to be a ****y as she has. Well, not too surprised. Democrats have always had the hotter women.
Posted by SgtRDS at 12:15 AM : Mar 31, 2008

Man, there must be some pretty homely women where you live if you think Chelsea is a hottie. She''s no two-bagger, but still...

[gurusavant]

i guess when your world is a little bubble-pocket, where humans who created laws are inherently also actually governed by the sentiments that have established them, then yes, full-blown flat out tolerated and engrained sexism seems like a foreign concept thought up by aliens...sexism is also difficult to recognize for those who it effects (women/females in general), because it encompasses all aspects of society, making it''s detection almost impossible. the foundation of ''modern'' society rests upon a structure in which women are property and demanded to submit to males. this basic structure has not really changed. and no one likes a feminist...

[hook1950]

How has Sen. Clinton served American long and well, Mr. Edwardss? Travelgate? The vast right-wing conspiracy comment? Lie after lie after lie?

Am I missing something?