McCain Blames Feminists for Campaign's Slipping Support

Posted by Lucinda Marshall, Feminist Peace Network at 7:10 AM on October 21, 2008.

As any long-time feminist knows, we are to blame for everything.  So as you might imagine, I was truly excited to read in my morning paper that John McCain is blaming attacks on Sarah Palin’s credentials on the “feminist left” as well as the liberal media.  Memo to John, just call us feminists, there is no such thing as a “feminist right” although there are some anti-abortion wingnuts who try to make you think there is.  But I digress. As a participant in the feminist movement and the liberal media, I’d like to thank the Senator for acknowleging our hard work on this issue, it is something to be proud of!


However, as Amie Newman at RH Reality Check points out, never mind the historic value of both the Clinton and Palin candidacies, women’s issues are as invisible as  ever during this campaign except for such vote losing comments as McCain’s utter contempt for the air quoted issue of maternal health.  The good news is that hey guess what, women can not only vote but also run for office because, wait for it…  feminists were instrumental in securing those rights.  Newman lists a few other notable items on the feminist agenda:

• Advocating for the right to affordable and accessible health care for low-income women.


• Advocating to ensure funding for women internationally to receive critical family planning and contraceptive services that, in many cases, save their lives.


• Ensuring equal pay for equal work.


• Working for paid family leave for all U.S. families.


• Advocating for teen pregnancy prevention programs and programs that ensure young mothers and their new babies have access to social service programs like Women Infants and Children.


• Expanding health insurance coverage for low-income children.

And that, Senator McCain, is a small part of  the feminist agenda that in your ignorance has cost you the election.

AlterNet is a nonprofit organization and does not make political endorsements. The opinions expressed by its writers are their own.

Lucinda Marshall is a feminist artist, writer and activist. She is the Founder of the Feminist Peace Network. Her work has been published in numerous publications in the U.S. and abroad including, Counterpunch, AlterNet, Dissident Voice, Off Our Backs, the Progressive, Countercurrents, Z Magazine, Common Dreams, In These Times and Information Clearinghouse. She also blogs at WIMN Online and writes a monthly column for the Louisville Eccentric Observer.