For the first time in U.S. history, more than one woman will run for president in 2016. Democratic former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced her candidacy earlier this month, and former CEO of Hewlett Packard Carly Fiorina will announce in early May.
According to Marji Ross, president of Regnery Publishing, the question Americans should be asking is not “will this be the year that a woman becomes president?,” but “when we have a woman president what sort of woman should she be?”
“When we talk about the first female president of the United States -- is Hillary Clinton really the best we can do?” Ross said last Friday. “Is that our statement to the world and to future generations and to history about who we want as the first female president of the United States?”
Clinton is hugely supported by women of her party -- 85 percent of Democratic women say they’re likely to vote for Hillary in 2016. Between 58 and 61 percent of women in both parties support Clinton.
But Ross is optimistic that as the discussion plays out, American women will realize that the empress really doesn’t have any clothes.
“I think it would be wonderful to have a woman president -- I think many women would do an excellent job as chief executive,” Ross said. “I believe that most women are too intelligent and have too much common sense to vote for a candidate simply based on her gender.”
The reason? Because the liberal ideas and rhetoric that Clinton supports really isn’t appealing to strong, mature, informed women.
“Liberals argue from a position of weakness,” Ross explained. “Here’s their worldview: people aren’t able to support themselves -- the government must do it for them; people aren’t able to make the right decisions -- the courts must do it for them; parents aren’t able to tell right from wrong -- school administrators will do that for them; communities aren’t able to keep their children safe -- the lawyers will do that for them. It’s all about weakness.”
While many women on the left subscribe to the leftist “war on women” rhetoric, Ross explained that the real war on women is being waged on women of the right. By college administrations, the media, and the current administration, who shut down and antagonize anyone who does not subscribe to their point of view.
“I don’t think Hillary Clinton is pro-woman. I think Hillary Clinton is pro-Hillary,” Ross said. “Meanwhile, the knives are out for any woman who dares not support Hillary Clinton for president.”
Ross spoke at a conference of the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota.