Clinton: Playing Field for Her as Candidate Not Even Because of Her GenderFebruary 28, 2008 8:44 PM
In an interview with ABC News' Cynthia McFadden to air on this evening's "Nightline," Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., says it's tougher for her to run as a woman than it is for her male opponent.
Asked why she thinks so many women may be feeling sorry for her, Clinton said, "I think a lot of women project their own feelings and their lives onto me, and they see how hard this is. It's hard. It's hard being a woman out there. It is obviously challenging with some of the things that are said that are not even personal to me so much as they are about women.
"And I think women just sort of shake their head," Clinton continued. "My friends do. They say, 'Oh, my gosh, this is so hard.' Well, it's supposed to be hard. I'm running for the hardest job in the world. No one has ever done this. No woman has ever won a presidential primary before I won New Hampshire. This is hard. And I don't expect any sympathy, I don't expect any kind of, you know, allowances or special privileges, because I knew what I was getting myself into.
"Every so often I just wish that it were a little more of an even playing field," she said, "but, you know, I play on whatever field is out there."
Of course, it might be observed that it likely hasn't exactly been a complete walk in the park for an African-American to run for president, either.
But apparently Clinton thinks -- based on this comment -- that the "playing field" is easier for a black man than a white woman.
I also wonder if former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C. -- and all the other men vanquished by Clinton (and Obama) so handily -- think that they had an easy go of it.
What do you think?
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/02/clinton-playing.html
