With “18 million cracks,” Why Hasn’t the Highest Glass Ceiling Shattered?

On Saturday, June 7, 2008, Senator Hillary Clinton finally suspended her historic presidential campaign and conceded that Senator Barack Obama would be the Democratic party’s nominee.

Gone was the poll-tested “strength and experience” rhetoric, as Senator Clinton spoke emotionally and personally about what it meant for her to run as the first woman for president, and how this would affect American politics in the future. Clinton acknowledged that there was a glass ceiling for women’s advancement in politics, and alluded to the role that gender bias had played, both in her campaign and in the media’s coverage of it.

“Although we weren’t able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it has about 18 million cracks in it and the light is shining through like never before,” Senator Clinton said to thundering applause from her supporters, packed into the ornate National Building Museum, where she once danced with President Bill Clinton at his inaugural balls in 1993 and 1997.

During her concession, Senator Clinton finally let her guard down, speaking openly and sincerely about the challenges that she faced. At first, she avoided being labeled as a woman candidate, trying to prove her toughness and readiness to be Commander in Chief. However, she soon became a beacon for a generation of women who had struggled with discrimination and saw Senator Clinton as their avenging angel.

In her speech, she acknowledged the barriers that women still face in America when she said, “But I am a woman and, like millions of women, I know there are still barriers and biases out there, often unconscious, and I want to build an America that respects and embraces the potential of every last one of us. I ran as a daughter who benefited from opportunities my mother never dreamed of. I ran as a mother who worries about my daughter’s future and a mother who wants to leave all children brighter tomorrows.”

Why have so many other countries, both Western nations as well as developing countries, had a female leader before the United States even had a serious female contender? The United Kingdom had Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister, India had Indira Ghandi. In Germany, Angela Merkel was elected the first female Chancellor and Cristina Fernandez de Kirschner (whose husband had previously been president) was just elected to the top job in Argentina. In all, women have been elected head of state (either as President or Prime Minister, or there respective equivalents), in over 60 countries, but not in the US.

Perhaps it’s a combination of both American cultural norms, including a deeply ingrained gender bias, and also the media’s portrayal of a female candidate. This campaign has illustrated that in America in 2008, it is still more acceptable to be sexist than racist. When Senator McCain was asked at a campaign rally about how he was going to “beat the bitch,” and then proceeded to answer the question without even mentioning its inappropriateness, the media waves hardly rippled. A similarly racist statement about Obama would have sent shock waves through the cable news channels and rightly outraged millions of Americans.

On Sunday, New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd delved into the mistakes in handling the gender issue, and how they may have cost Clinton the race. She said, “Of course, powerful women evoke sexism, and the attacks are more personal and slights can be grating. But it’s counterproductive to dwell on it, magnify it and exploit it during a campaign — especially when you’re getting all that love from Joe Sixpack,” a reference to Senator Clinton’s broad appeal to blue collar voters, both male and female.

Senator Clinton’s speech was filled with many memorable lines, one that put a lump in my throat was when she gave advice to the women and girls who many someday follow in her footsteps. “It would break my heart if, in falling short of my goal, I in any way discouraged any of you from pursuing yours. When you stumble, keep faith. And, when you’re knocked down, get right back up and never listen to anyone who says you can’t or shouldn’t go on,” she said somberly.

Senator Obama was quick to recognize the impact that her campaign had on millions of female voters, and he expressed his appreciation for her wholehearted and generous endorsement. Speaking from his home in Chicago, Senator Obama said, “I honor her today for the valiant and historic campaign she has run. She shattered barriers on behalf of my daughters and women everywhere, who now know that there are no limits to their dreams.”

Still, with news swirling around about the possibility of Senator Clinton as a vice-presidential nominee, one thing is for certain: this glass ceiling breaker cannot be counted out just yet.