Gender and race in Politics: Is it real? Is it important?

Is it a distraction? Is it a way to divide and separate people from important discourse and meaningful discussion?

Or when someone blurts out a statement that is innocent enough, and then is twisted and pigeon-holed into race and gender stereotypes, I have to wonder--are these statements bringing controversies out of the proverbial closet and making people look carefully at themselves?

Or instead of looking at themselves, allow buttons to be pushed, become angry and take to making self-righteous commentary, as Keith Olbermann did the other night in response to Geraldine Farraro's remarks that started by saying that if her name was Gerald instead of Geraldine, she never would have been chosen to be Walter Mondale's running mate in the 1980's.

Why does Keith Olbermann, who denies making an endorsement of either candidate, seem to be endorsing Barak Obama?

Olbermann didn't make a commentary when a woman on Obama's campaign staff called Hillary a monster.

And why? Because he wasn't angry enough. He is siding with the obvious media favoring of Barak over Hillary.

I was also guilty of not liking Hillary.

Again, this dislike was key for me to look more deeply into who I am as a woman.

Why wouldn't I support a thoroughly capable, brilliant and experienced woman to be our next President?

She's a woman with years and years of political experience that spans prior to her marriage to Bill Clinton.

Is the reason I wouldn't support her BECAUSE she is thoroughly capable and brilliant, and I am afraid I am not?

When I disliked Hillary, I projected these insecurities on to her.

Now that I love Hillary, I project my own capabilities and brilliance outside of my self, to her.

Funny how love works.

Frank Marafiote, in the Hillary Clinton Quarterly, wrote a great piece called: "Women Who Hate Hillary Clinton."

Marafiote says that professional women hate Hillary because no matter what they've accomplished, Hillary is smarter, has earned more, and has "mashed more men" than they have.

Professional women feel that their accomplishments pale beside the likes of Mrs. Clinton.

Marafiote says that feminists hate Hillary because she is living proof that for women to get ahead in the world, they must subjugate themselves to the white male power structure, use their married name, change their hair, clothes and values to make it in a male dominated world.

Why do country club Republican wives hate Hillary?

According to Marafiote, these are the women with expensive degrees from Vassar, Smith, Mount Holyoke and Wellesley who for years coasted on their inheritance or the support from their wealthy husbands.

And who are the people who love Hillary?

White, middle aged, middleclass men. These men love Hillary's competence, as compared to the incompetence that surrounds them and all of us in the work place all day long.

Hillary's the one they thought they married 20 years ago.

And she's far less threatening than their own wives who are statistically more than likely to leave with their children, their homes and their bank accounts.

So why do I love Hillary?

Because she is gutzy, beautiful, brilliant and resilient.

She will bring out those qualities for all women, if she is our next President.