Election 2008: Why Clinton's losing

In what is fast becoming the norm, Barack Obama has kicked Hillary Clinton’s ass in yet another primary. He’s still not the nominee, but increasingly it looks like this political campaign is Obama’s to lose.

If he does manage to overcome Clinton, then it can only be a matter of time before someone cries "misogyny" . After all, the first serious female contender for the White House will have been rejected for someone much less experienced, arguably much less capable, and much more male, than her. And, no doubt, some people will have voted against Clinton because of her gender. It would be staggeringly naïve to think that no-one would be sexist in their voting choices.

However I don’t think that sexism is the key reason why Clinton is struggling to overcome Obama, and may yet lose the nomination. The problem, as the Daily Mash noted, is not so much that America doesn’t want to vote for a woman, but rather they don’t want to vote for that woman.

Clinton is less the victim of misogyny – it is the modern politics of personality that is causing her problems. Obama comes across as simply more likeable than Clinton. He is a great speechmaker, he is young(ish), good looking, charismatic and appears genuine. On the flip-side, Clinton appears calculating, difficult and never quite comfortable in front of a crowd. Her husband was the consummate, natural politician – Hillary very much isn’t. I think people aren’t voting for her (at least not in the numbers she needs) because, quite, simply, they don’t like her.

You can rail against this personality driven politics, and argue passionately that ability rather than media savvy should be the key driver for political success. God, I would far rather have a capable person with the personality of an angry puff adder as a political leader rather than someone who is photogenic but a total fucking incompetent. But this is the reality of modern politics. It isn’t about who will be best at foreign relations, or who can manage the health service most efficiently. It is about who looks best on the front cover of Time magazine.

Clinton isn’t the victim of sexism. She’s the victim of personality based politics. She isn’t the first victim, and she won’t be the last.