Hillary Clinton Held to Double Standard

It is truly amazing that we, the public, are told by media pundits that Hillary Clinton dropping the use of Rodham from her name is considered newsworthy. The complete superficiality of the news coverage is apparent. Instead of attacking her on specific stances and issues she represents and advocates, we diminish her into a caricature portrait, a true political cartoon.

We do not analyze her male counter-parts personal lives with such gusto. We do not consider what they are wearing, how much weight they carry and their personal appearance.

John Mccain, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney and John Edwards must worry about coming off as personable, but do not have to worry about how they demonstrate strength, only that they do. Hillary Clinton and her advisors no doubt consider where, how and to what degree she portrays strength. She must remain feminine while standing "tall" and eluding an image of herself as Commander-in-Chief.

The ugly and unspoken double standard that exists between men and women in America continues to rear its head. A man can be strict and powerful, whereas a woman is cold and a "bitch." Men hold the stereotype of hunter, gatherer and chief protector, whereas women are still expected to take a backseat in the workplace and government.

Women continue to earn less than their male counterparts in identical careers. Women still make up only a fraction of members of congress and the Supreme Court. Women are still expected to bear the brunt of home life and child rearing.

I personally could careless if Hillary Clinton drops Rodham from her name. I could careless what she's wearing and if she's gained weight. I don't care if Clinton is a terrible wife, a bad mother and a cold human being. What I do care about is whether or not she can protect this country. I care about her stance on poverty, foreign policy, healthcare and education. I care that she can be a strong president. I believe Hillary Rodham Clinton and Hillary Clinton have the potential to be excellent presidents.