Web Letters: California Dreaming

Despite the usual defenses of Obama made by other commenters here, the real person on the defense is Hillary Clinton. She's being faulted for being able to attract women and Latinos, but not white men. While the statistic that one in five young white men would never vote for her, doesn't that leaves another four who might? How can we know? The statistic is not fleshed out. Further, Ms. Chaudhry torpedoes her argument by citing Linda Hirshman as her "authority" on the woman's vote. I would have thought this fake would have been totally discredited by now, but she went on to wrap her misogyny in pseudosociology in the recent issue of the Washington Post that was such a firestorm for her fellow self-hating woman, Charlotte Allen.

She is the one who said twice the women are fickle. Direct quotes say, "Educated women focusing more on foreign policy fits with what we know about women and politics. Although at every class level, women know less than men do about politics in general, they know more as their education level goes up. So it may be that foreign policy issues are more salient to women with a college degree.

"Or it could just be that women with more education (and more money) relate on a subconscious level to the young and handsome Barack and Michelle Obama, with their white-porticoed mansion in one of the cooler Chicago neighborhoods and her Jimmy Choo shoes."

Ah yes, gimme those Choos, and let me talk to my man about what I'm supposed to believe. As Chaudhry insists, Hillary Clinton's problem is that some white men don't like her. Oh horrors!

Marilyn Ferdinand

Chicago, IL

I have to wonder how on earth Barack Obama, contrary to what seems to be Ms. Chaudhry's central thesis, could be more "transcendent" in his rhetoric and intention? For months now he has articulated a politics of "bringing America together," across racial, gender, ethic, class and even political divides. To speak such words, time and again, to pursue that agenda vigorously, does not mean that people will follow. What do we know from history in this regard: that most people must be shaken from their comfortable rolls and identities. The shaking continues. We'll see what shakes out.

Kerry Candaele

Venice, CA

Identity politics tends to stereotype,and Obama's appearance links him to the African-American community. Low-income blacks and Latinos are competing for the same jobs, and a flood of immigrants from Latin America are moving into neighborhoods that use to be African-American. Gangs from both groups are competing for turf. Therefore, despite Obama's support for immigration reform, he may have a hard time getting the Latino vote in California. He should do better on the East Coast where the Caribbean influence is more pronounced in the Latino community. Perhaps he will do better in the general election, because the Republican base is regarded as more anti-immigrant.

He is, however, bridging the white/black divide, and if he is the candidate in the general election, I think women will support him. I am rather pleased that so many women are supporting the Democratic Party. Though attracted to aesthetics, they tend to be interested in practical solutions to problems.

Pervis J. Casey

Riverside, CA