Clinton supporters licking wounds

Many S.C. women fear golden opportunity has passed with odds growing longer

By GINA SMITH - gnsmith@thestate.com

As U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid faces tough odds despite her big win in Kentucky on Tuesday, her S.C. supporters are split on her legacy.

Some say the New York senator has set a high political bench mark for the women who will surely follow.

Others are looking to salve wounds caused by what some see as misogyny.

“I think this was her turn, our turn,” said Marjorie Spruill, a USC professor who communicates with other Clinton supporters all over the nation.

Spruill, as well as her 87-year-old mother, say they will vote for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois in November.

But they worry whether another opportunity will come along to break the glass ceiling that has limited women in the work force, on the political scene and on the pay scale for decades.

“I think we’ve missed a wonderful opportunity to have the first woman president be such an impressive, prepared and able leader,” Spruill said. “A younger person is passing her by who will still be a strong candidate in eight years. There’s no guarantee that she’ll be in this good of a position in eight years.”

Other supporters, like Mary Ann Willbrand of Aiken, a Clinton supporter and alternate delegate, are upbeat about the path Clinton blazed. And hoping other women will, too.

Willbrand points to a candidate who raised more than $170 million, who appeared ever polished and more prepped than most of her male challengers and who refuses to be hounded out of the race by cable TV’s male commentators.

In fact, Willbrand hopes Clinton doesn’t run out of steam now.

“It’s so close to the end now, I don’t see why she shouldn’t continue to run,” said Willbrand, a retired chemist. “If she’s not the nominee, I’d like to see her as vice president. And if not that, a successful member of the U.S. Senate.”

So what happened to Clinton’s campaign?

Some supporters say it’s plain old sexism. Its symptoms were felt in the men in New Hampshire who yelled for her to iron their shirts, the S.C. woman who asked Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain, ‘How do we beat the b-----?’, the media’s gentle touch with Obama.

Others lay it at Clinton’s feet.

“She came into (the race) almost expecting to be the nominee, feeling entitled to it,” Willbrand said. “I suspect her campaign operation got a bit too cocky about it and took some things for granted.”

Many Clinton supporters say Obama can count on them for votes in November.

“Democrats fight among themselves, but when someone steps in from the outside, we’ll go after them,” said Bernice Scott, a Clinton supporter, Democratic delegate and member of Richland County Council. “And we’re ready to take on McCain.

“The real test is in November,” she said. “And you can bet me and all the other Democrats will be out beating the bush for Obama.”

Reach Smith at (803) 771-8568.