Hillary Clinton's Campaign Trials

As the first woman to be a frontrunner candidate for President, Hillary Clinton's campaign has faced unique challenges. She has faced a barrage of attacks from various sources that focus on her gender and her marriage to a former President that other candidates don't have to deal with. Clinton's opposition extends beyond disagreement with her platform. She is held to different expectations than her male competitors and is often evaluated against gender-related double standards. In one of the only developed countries that still has yet to elect a female leader, Clinton is poised to make a giant step in history. While her campaign has had difficult hurdles to leap, she is still a frontrunner, neck-in-neck with her Democratic opponent Barack Obama in primary elections. Her campaign is successful enough that it seems impossible to know who will be the Democratic nominee until the name is actually spoken at the Democratic National Convention in August.

Much of the opposition to Clinton proves that sexism is still alive and well in the United States. Little is said of her policies and plans, and much is said about her gender and personality. There is even commentary about her wardrobe and appearance, which is rarely if ever mentioned about the male candidates. As a woman, she has had to fight to stay relevant among a slew of media criticisms that take the focus off her politics and trivialize her as a candidate. MSNBC's Chris Matthews has been the most prominent figure in treating Clinton differently, but he is not the only one. She is routinely accused of using her gender to further her campaign at the same time that many parts of the media remain focused on it.

A segment on Hardball, which is hosted by Chris Matthews, an image of Clinton was displayed on the screen with the phrase "She-Devil?" underneath it. When Clinton answered a question from a supporter about her passion and commitment to the country, her voice cracked slightly, and the media played it up as an emotional breakdown. This event extended farther thanks to new media, as the video was posted on YouTube and circulated through blogs on both sides of the political spectrum. When she appears publicly, attention has frequently been given to her attire more than her speech. At a campaign speech during the New Hampshire primary someone in the audience stood up and shouted "Iron my shirt." When her actions mimic those of her male opponents, she is held to a different standard and criticized for the same things that would earn them praise. A Washington Post staff member once suggested putting a shock collar on Clinton. The New York Times has compared her laugh to a cackle, even though she is the Democratic candidate they officially endorsed. Frequently, her opposition focuses on the actions of Bill Clinton when he was President, as well as her decision to stay with him after the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Her private decisions are used against her as a candidate in a way that they are not used against her opponents.

Despite this scrutiny, Clinton's campaign has been forceful. She is evenly matched in terms of delegates to her opponent Obama. Currently, the primary race is too close to call for either Democratic candidate. It is feasible, though not provable, to conclude that if Clinton hadn't had as much to fight through she might hold a substantial lead over Obama instead of being closely tied for delegates. When faced with these seemingly sexist questions and accusations, Clinton is generally able to handle them without losing her temper and responds in an eloquent fashion. When the "Iron my shirt" incident happened, she simply raised the lights, had the man removed, and commented that sexism is alive and well and she is trying to break through the toughest of glass ceilings. When interviewers such as Chris Matthews or Meet the Press' Tim Russert ask sexist questions or appear to hold her to a double standard, she is able to brush off any unprofessional comments and focus on the issues at hand. When Katie Couric brought up a high school nickname, Clinton was able to turn the focus away from her as a recipient of the name and onto the immaturity of those who gave it to her.

The ability of Hillary Clinton to remain a frontrunner in spite of constant attacks by the media proves that her campaign is successful. Her campaign has been able to show people that she is a viable candidate, one that is worth voting for despite the media's portrayal of her. She has had to prove herself as separate from her husband, and she has, for the most part, managed to do so. Her campaign has made it clear that she is a separate political entity from Bill Clinton. It has also proven that she has a strong platform, one that can compete fiercely with the other candidates'. It is even possible to argue that the Clinton campaign has turned this media scrutiny and sexism into an asset. Her ability to flourish despite the constant negative attention has proven her strength as a candidate and as a possible President, and that is an office that is under constant media scrutiny. If she had had an easy ride to the top she may not have proven herself as viable as she has. It may also have earned her support simply by angering those who oppose all forms of sexism. Women and feminists who may have been leaning toward another candidate may choose to vote for Clinton because they are outraged at the way a woman candidate is treated. Ultimately, the negative treatment by the media and Clinton's ability to thrive in spite of it have shown that her campaign is highly successful, though the exact degree of success will not be measurable until the convention in August, and possibly after that, the general election in November. If her campaign proves a true success, the United States may no longer remain one of the last developed countries to have never elected a woman.