Politics

last updated 8 January 2015

Call it the new 'œpolitics of maternity,' said Robin Toner in The New York Times. For a long time, women seeking high office sought 'œto play down their softer, domestic side,' lest voters deem them not tough enough to lead. Democrats, in particular, did not relish being known as the 'œMommy Party,' concerned only with health care, education, and other domestic issues, while the Republicans got to be the 'œDaddy Party,' with the testosterone to stand up to foreign enemies. But the old script may no longer apply—at least judging by our two most prominent female politicians. Hillary Clinton has been talking up how she would be the first mom in the Oval Office; in announcing her candidacy last week, she surrounded herself with children at a health-care center. When Nancy Pelosi first took the gavel as speaker of the House, she packed the podium with her children and grandchildren. 'œWhether being a woman is an asset or liability in national politics may be an open question,' said Maura Reynolds in the Los Angeles Times. But clearly, female politicians think the time is right to play the mommy card.

Bad move, said Dana Goldstein in The American Prospect. When Clinton and Pelosi accentuate their roles as mothers, they are 'œpandering to outmoded gender stereotypes.' Their 'œmommy mantra' accepts the premise that women are qualified not because of their intelligence and experience, 'œbut rather their inherent identities as feminine caretakers.' Haven't we moved past that? Apparently, Democrats haven't, said Jonah Goldberg in National Review Online. They've finally figured out that most voters are turned off by big government and high taxes. So whenever they want to justify their support for expensive 'œreforms,' they start talking about 'œthe Children.' Hillary Clinton has made a specialty of this wearisome strategy, so as she runs for president, we can expect a lot of talk about needy children and warm, nurturing mommies.