Double standard?

Question

Hillary Clinton openly urges women to vote for her because of her sex. In 1960, JFK ran for President as a Catholic and continually went out of his way to tell people his religion wouldn't affect his decision-making. Hillary is saying exactly the opposite, making sure women know that women's issues are very important to her. Why the double-standard?

tkquestion, JFK was the first Catholic president, too. And Hillary is making clear to women that she will get the women's lobby agenda passed -- NOW etc -- men do not favor much of that. So how is that NOT a double-standard?

Justin -- no candidate can openly tout that he would tout policies favoring his class -- except when it comes to a women claiming she's going to fight for women's issues. The double standard with JFK is an apt analogy.

Answer 1

The women would get a sex change if it meant more votes. She would make a lousy president. Ya, her husband did a good job, but look how close they are. Do you really think he will have a say in the white house again? Realistically, other than on here I don't know any woman that would vote for her.

Answer 2

It's not a double standard, it's more of a courtship. JFK said his religious belief wouldn't effect his decisions because people didn't want a catholic in office. I can promise you, that if people were willing to vote for a catholic, he would have been a much more devout catholic.

More women vote than men. So Hilary wants to court this segment of the population. If fewer women voted or if feminism wasn't as popular, she'd be up there saying that her gender wouldn't make a difference in her policies.

Obama is courting the African-American vote, Bush went for the conservative Christians.

Answer 3

When JFK ran for president, it was a different time. There was still a lot of anti-Catholic sentiment in the US (especially if the people were also Irish-Americans). Many people did not want a Catholic to become president. One of their fears was that his election would open a direct line to the Vatican and they could start implementing their policies on the American people. As it turned out, JFK probably was one of the worst Catholics ever elected and his election did not result in many of the things people thought would happen if a Catholic had been elected president.

Answer 4

There are many less Catholics than women. Roughly half the population is women, and Hillary Clinton hope to appeal to them by making herself seem more like them. She's pointing out one thing she has in common with half the population. The thinking is that this technique will also have a minimal impact on male voters. If they don't vote for her because she's a woman, nothing she says is going to change that.

But no matter what group you try to appeal to, you're not going to get all of the voters to side with you.

Since there are more people in America that aren't Catholic than are, Kennedy tried to appeal to those masses. People tend not to vote for a candidate they don't have things in common with. So Kennedy had to tell them that the thing that made him different from them was a non-issue.


Hey, anyone notice that Hillary Clinton never mentions she is originally from Illinois? Why is she a senator for New York? She says she roots for the Yankees and Mets, but by all rights she should be rooting for the Cubs or the White Sox. (Personally, I think she's a phony).

Answer 5

We've never had a woman in office before and she letting all the female voters out there (about 50% of the US) that she knows how they feel about certain issues. Since we've always had men running the country, certain topics and issues have never been addressed because men just don't care about them. I think it's a smart move on her part to be vocalizing this because, yes, if she gets elected it WILL be a big deal. It will be history.

Religion on the other hand, should not effect government whatsoever. Not all of the country is Catholic (not even 50%) and people may not agree with a Catholic's views on certain subjects. Religion is a choice. Gender is not.

Answer 6

Why not our society is fu%%ed anyway, I mean I hate to be negative but lets call a cat a cat..right. Here on earth as each day passes we ruin our lives, from as small as watching too much TV to our gov.t officials owning major stock in fuel companies. After this winter is over and our middle class joins the lower class due to unheard of energy costs, then maybe the gov't will have no choice but to help(or just cut everyone some slack)
the rich are getting richer........
Oh and about Hilary, I vote for Arnold Schwarzenegger the constitution states presidential candidates must be male...born citizens but we've manipulated that along with every other written doc. from our forefathers so vote for the Austrian!

Answer 7

How are women's issues and religion even related? And how does what one candidate said more than 40 years ago relate to another candidate today?

A double standard would mean it's ok for Hillary to talk about women's issues but it wasn't ok for a male candidate. Or that it was ok for Hillary to make decisions based on her religion where it wasn't ok for Mitt Romney to make decisions based on his.

Answer 8

Would it be any better if Ms. Hillary Clinton urged people to vote for her because of her sexuality

Answer 9

well the thing is that politics is a dirty game
it seen more on the news covers than in reality
hilary is trying to gain sympathy of female voter for which will be just a move of common sense for any woman candidate
so well till u have power everything is fine and hilary is looking for the same

Answer 10

If you need to be told that politicians will say anything and everything to get votes, than you are either very young or naive. Vote the way you want and let others muddle through the candidates mumblings and vote the way they want.