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Championing Women
© National Journal Group Inc.
Monday, Oct. 1, 2007
“There are so many women presidents around the world now. There are really a lot.... So, obviously, we're not the leader in this race.”
— Laura Bush
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Laura Bush is widely appreciated as a first lady in the traditional American mold; yet she has frequently served as a U.S. representative in championing women and girls around the world who challenge cultural and political barriers tied to gender.
As her predecessor, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, makes a strong bid to succeed President Bush, National Journal's Alexis Simendinger asked the current first lady about the most obvious glass ceiling in America. Here are edited excerpts. For previous Insider Interviews, click here.
Q: You get asked so often here and around the world whether this country is ready for a woman president. And you always say "Sure," and then you say you'd vote for the Republican woman. Do you get a sense -- when you're asked this question in other parts of the world -- that people are rooting for America to take that step?
Bush: I don't know. No, I don't get the sense that -- no, I wouldn't say that. I get the idea that people are just basically curious, that they just wonder. And I don't just get the question from people overseas or people that I meet in other places. I get the question from you [in the American news media].Q: And you've gotten Secretary [of State Condoleezza] Rice into trouble in the past for that one -- for suggesting that you would support her as a presidential candidate.And I do think the U.S. is certainly ready for a woman president, or would elect a woman president. And I also think the U.S. would elect an African-American president. Now, does that mean I think they're going to be elected next time? I have no idea. Obviously, I'm for the Republican candidate.
Bush: Yes, exactly. Poor Condi, who's looking forward to retiring.Q: In terms of the rest of the world, would you say that America would be setting a new example, in any way, if the United States elected a woman president?
Bush: Well, there are so many women presidents around the world now. There are really a lot. I mean, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in Liberia, Michelle Bachelet in Chile. The president of Latvia is a woman [Vaira Vike-Freiberga].Q: You've traveled internationally as a woman representative of the United States. Can you imagine that there are parts of the world where a president from the United States who is a woman would have gender challenges that a male president doesn't have? And should voters think about that at all? Is that important?[In January 2006, the first lady led the U.S. delegation to the inauguration of Johnson-Sirleaf, Africa's first elected female president.]
I mean, there are many women. And there have been previous presidents that were women around the world. So, obviously, we're not the leader in this race.
Bush: No, I do not think that will happen. I mean, we have a woman secretary of State, and I do think that Condi is taken very seriously by all the world leaders, even including the world leaders where we know there are very few, if any, women involved in their political processes. [So], no, I would not be concerned about that at all. I think whoever the United States elects, the other people in the world take seriously.Q: You've been an advocate for women on the Supreme Court; obviously for Condoleezza Rice, as you were just mentioning; for women in the Cabinet and on the White House staff. What difference do you think gender makes in these leadership posts? In other words, do women bring something different and important to those jobs?
Bush: Yes, I think women do bring an important perspective. A lot of the women who are serving in Congress, for instance, are also mothers. I think that's a perspective that dads can have, certainly, but a special perspective. But, on the other hand, I think in general both men and women would serve in a lot of the -- in the same way. And I think we see that from looking at the women members of Congress, for instance.Q: Or the House speaker, for instance?
Bush: Sure.Q: In the 2008 [presidential] race, voters are seeing a real menu of nontraditional candidates out there who challenge some of our prejudices. There's a serious woman candidate, a serious African-American, a Hispanic-American, a Mormon. We have a candidate who's been married three times. We have a candidate who would be the oldest president. When we think of that range of choices, is being a woman running for president somehow less of a novelty?
Bush: Probably it is. I think [the range] makes it very interesting. They're not just talking about women or an African-American or Hispanic, but also we just have positions from the Right to the Left that are going to be very interesting to study. I think we've got a very interesting mix of people.Q: As a woman, you've observed female presidential and vice presidential candidates over a long period of time. Can you detect any gender bias as we're pondering in 2008 a woman presidential candidate, in terms of how she's being discussed or viewed?It's going to be a very interesting race to cover. It's going to be an interesting race to watch. And I'm glad that I'm watching this time. But I'll be cheering on the sideline for the Republican, whoever gets the nomination.
Bush: Not really, although -- this is obvious, trite, really -- but you do see the articles every once in a while about how women dress or how they look, which I don't think we see as often about men. Or maybe women just care more, and it's more worrisome to us when we read it than it is -- maybe men are really described by the way they look in press articles. But I feel like it really happens to women more.Q: Were you thinking about the Washington Post article last summer about Senator Clinton's cleavage?
Bush: Well, that's one article for sure. [Laughter.] That's one.Q: Some have commented that the public reaction to the "cleavage" article seemed to be swift and dismissive. Did you feel that way -- that Americans right now seem to think that there are so many serious issues, let's get over the cleavage discussion?
Bush: I think so. I hope so. The hairstyle, and the clothes, and all of those things.Q: If Senator Clinton fails in her efforts in 2008, as Elizabeth Dole and Carol Moseley Braun did before her, do you think it makes it harder for the next woman to make an attempt? Or, does gender just gradually ebb away as a defining issue for voters?But it is interesting. People are interested in how people look, and it makes a difference when you're running, there's no doubt about it. It happens to men and women, and maybe women just care more and don't want to be -- certainly don't want any criticism of the way they look. No one wants that.
Bush: I think gender has already ebbed away, really. I mean, we'll see what happens. But I think, obviously, she's taken very seriously as a candidate, which makes me think that, at least in her case, that gender is not that important.Q: The country is at war, and the voters are thinking about a commander-in-chief. Do you think they've gotten over that hurdle for women?
Bush: Sure, absolutely. I think that just shows that gender is not as big an issue. Maybe it is. Maybe we'll find out on Election Day, or whenever, that it's more of an issue than we thought. But I don't think people would not vote for someone because they were a woman.