Thursday, June 27, 2019

Dismissive


The Democratic Party is in danger of dividing (or further dividing) men and women. The threat comes, ironically but not surprisingly, from the center. Politico comments

.... it was her spontaneous retort at Washington Gov. Jay Inslee that made the biggest mark, after Inslee touted his record on abortion rights as stronger than his fellow candidates.

“I just want to say there’s three women up here that have fought pretty hard for a woman’s right to choose,” said Klobuchar, prompting a roar of applause.

It certainly did, and if  the players on Twitter- as is often charged- are out of touch with the rank-and-file voter, the perspective of debate spectators is even more narrowly focused.  Not everyone cheered the Minnesota Senator, who was responding to Washington governor Jay Inslee's remark (at :20 of the video below)

And I am the only candidate here who has passed a law protecting a woman's right of reproductive health in health insurance, and I'm the only candidate who has passed a public option. And I respect everybody's goals and plans here, but we do have one candidate that's actually advanced the ball. And we've got to have access for everyone. I've done it as a public option.

If Klobuchar has a problem with Inslee or his actions as governor, she could have noted it. If there were Democrats on the dais who insufficiently support reproductive choice, she should have mentioned it. Instead, she played the gender card, unconcerned about the lesson Democrats should have learned in 2016. 

Men vote. They vote in slightly lesser numbers than women, but they do vote. Had the votes only of women been counted in November of 2016, Hillary Clinton would have been elected President

So men vote, and their votes are counted.  Yet, there are "three women up here that have fought pretty hard for a woman's right to choose," Klobuchar smugly asserted. The implication that only women support abortion rights, or that only women can deliver victories for reproductive freedom, is not only inaccurate. It is divisive- and potentially lethal in a nationwide, general election.








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