Hillary Endgame Isn't a Battle in Gender War

Beleaguered Hardball host backs down from anti-Hillary remarks

(NEWSER) - It took protesters outside NBC's studios, a letter of complaint signed by Gloria Steinem, and a little pressure from on high, but after 10 days Hardball host Chris Matthews backed down from sexist remarks about Hillary Clinton, the Washington Post reports. He admitted last night that saying Clinton's political career launched because "her husband messed around" was unfair and sounded "nasty." More»

Did Clinton, Palin candidacies move feminism forward?

(NEWSER) - If Barack Obama wins the presidency, we’ll have broken a major barrier—but not the glass ceiling, writes Anne Kornblut in the Washington Post. Hillary Clinton claimed millions of votes and Sarah Palin energized a lackluster conservative base overnight, but as their candidacies descended into chaos, Kornblut asks "whether the first woman's path to the White House was eased this year—or whether Clinton and Palin simply unearthed the land mines without defusing any." More»

But her rise has its benefits, Steinem says

(NEWSER) - Republicans may have thrown Sarah Palin a grand old party last night, but Americans can see through the bluster, Gloria Steinem opines in the Los Angeles Times. “This isn’t the first time a boss has picked an unqualified woman just because she agrees with him and opposes everything most other women want and need,” the feminist writes. More»

AK gov. steals Dems' after-glow; could attract indy, Hillary voters

(NEWSER) - John McCain turned heads by choosing Sarah Palin today as his running mate, and the Weekly Standard explains why she’s the right woman for the job.

• Democrats just wrapped their glitzy convention, but the Sunday talk shows will be abuzz with Palin chatter.
• The mother of five softens McCain’s “crotchety” image and revives his reputation as “fly-boy and gambler."

Candidacy exposed America's hatred of women, says columnist

(NEWSER) - Hillary Clinton will almost certainly not be the Democratic nominee for president, and the end of her campaign is a relief for Marie Cocco in the Washington Post—but not for political reasons. The end of the Democratic primary, she writes, will also put to rest the sexist rhetoric of Clinton's opponents and the media, who have called her a "she-devil," "whore," and worse. More»