Democratic Women Torn Between Clinton and Obama

Feb. 4, 2008 — -- Faced with the historic opportunity to elect either the first African American or the first woman as their party's nominee, Democrats are torn between voting for Sen. Hillary Clinton, D.-N.Y., and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in tomorrow's Super Tuesday multistate primary and caucus votes.

Democratic women are particularly engaged in the 2008 nomination battle: In every Democratic primary or caucus vote thus far, women have accounted for between 57 and 61 percent of the vote.

Their choice will make history regardless of which candidate they select to lead their party. Obama would be the first African American chosen as the party's nominee for president, and Clinton would be the first woman chosen in that role.

It's a quandary for Democratic women who, after decades of choosing between a slate of white males on the ballot competing for their party's nomination, must deal with the possibility that for the first time, identity politics -- a desire to politically advance women or African Americans -- could play a role in their decision-making.

But while Democratic voters are aware of the historic implications of their vote, many women say race and gender are not as important as where the candidates stand on the issues.

"We as Democrats are facing an embarrassment of riches," admits Kamala Harris, a district attorney in San Francisco and the first elected African American female district attorney in California history.

But Harris, who is leading the "African Americans for Obama" sub-group, said it is insulting to assume women will make their decision simply on the basis of their race or gender.

"Black women are going to vote for whichever candidate appeals to their values and their issues," she said. "We are too far along in this election for anybody to be making decisions based on a superficial basis."

Many Democratic women say they are balancing their desire to see a women or an African American in the White House with a careful analysis of the issues facing the nation.

"It's not just about electing a woman or a black man. Women want to weigh all the facts and they want to do what's right for the country," said Helen Mendel, a California women's business advocate in her 50's.

Mendel said she is leaning towards voting for Clinton in California's primary on Tuesday, when 22 states hold their primaries and caucuses, including delegate-rich states like New York, Illinois and New Jersey. She said Clinton's experience and plans for the economy and universal health care won her over.

Mendel admits she has sympathized with Clinton as a woman during the election, noting Clinton has been criticized for showing a bit of cleavage and called the b-word.

"She has to walk a fine line and can't appear to be too feminine or too tough," Mendel said. "She's damned if she does and damned if she doesn't."

Issues of race and gender have found their way into the Democratic race, with Clinton garnering headlines after she became emotional when a woman asked her how she does it. Clinton later said her tears may have been a factor in why women overwhelmingly supported her in the New Hampshire primary.

And former President Bill Clinton was accused of race-baiting when he attempted to marginalize Obama's win in South Carolina by pointing out that civil rights leader Jesse Jackson had also won the state in 1984 and 1988, but didn't win his party's nomination.