Thread by @ashtonpittman

THREAD: 2020 shows how hard-fought @HillaryClinton's rise was. To be taken seriously, she couldn't just take men's resumé-building path. She had to *live* in the WH first & juggle dual roles as a smiling First Lady+policymaker, & later had to work for another president. •1

https://twitter.com/professorcrunk/status/1235181368285548544

For Bill Clinton, being a little known governor was enough to be president. For Hillary, merely being an effective senator with a strong legislative achievement record wasn't enough. She had to humble herself & lose to a man who'd been senator half as long w/no WH experience. •2

Once more, Hillary had to keep working for the White House to prove herself, building her resumé and policy chops as secretary of state, during which time she traveled more than any past SOS had in four years. It was paying off; by 2013, she had a 69% favorable rating. •3

After 30 years of setbacks & indignities, Hillary Clinton seized the reins of the very establishment that'd been designed to keep people like her—women—from the pinnacles of power.

Naturaly, anti-establishment sentiment came roaring back in a way not seen since the 1970s. •4

Bernie Sanders, a 30-year Congressman with few achievements, challenged her, criticizing the 1st woman to get so far as "too establishment" & not radical enough. No woman had ever been POTUS, but popular desire grew for a "revolution" amidst the very prospect of her victory. •5

On the Republican side, a white male billionaire with no political experience and scarily little knowledge about anything came with an anti-establishment message, too, but also openly espousing racism and sexism along the way. He soared to victory as the GOP nominee. •6

In the Democratic primary, a huge chunk of voters decided Hillary was corrupt by mere virtue of the fact that she got so far while playing by the same rules men had been winning by with little fuss since the country's founding (she had to play far better, of course). •7

Many on the left claimed that Hillary Clinton (who'd spent her life working toward 2016) could only have beat Bernie Sanders (who decided to run for the first time in 2015) because of a "rigged system"—referring to a system that, for 240 years, only produced male presidents. •8

Even after Hillary had secured a majority of pledged delegates and beat Bernie by 4 million votes by June 7, Sanders continued to argue until July 12 that superdelegates should overturn the vote and give it to him.

A man *still* felt entitled to the victory she'd earned. •9

In the general, a lot of voters decided that Hillary's not-illegal use of a private email server was more of a detriment than her 30+ years of experience were a positive—& than Trump's woeful inexperience, racism, sexism, sexual assault, bullying, scam university, et al. •10

Enough American voters somehow convinced themselves Hillary's not-illegal emails about using a Xerox & yoga sessions proved she was too corrupt to be POTUS, but Trump's fake university that scammed victims out of millions of $, mob ties, assault allegations, et al., did not. •11

Just as Hillary had always had to outperform men to even wind up slightly behind them, Hillary won 3 million more votes than Trump.

But the system, which was not rigged in her favor it turns out, gave him the presidency anyway. •12

Still, Hillary's historic nomination had an impact. In 2008 and 2016, she was the only woman on the primary debate stage (same was true of Carol Moseley Braun in 2004). Six women stood on the stage at the first 2020 debate. •13

Several of the women—Senators Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Amy Klobuchar—all had more relevant experience in Washington politics than any of the last four presidents when they won (Donald Trump, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton). •14

Those 4 women tended to offer more policy proposals with more details (esp Harris & Warren) than the leading men in the race. Only two of those women, though, were able to stay in the race until the first votes in Iowa. Post Super Tuesday, only Warren & Tulsi Gabbard remain. •15

Warren, whose time in the Senate already exceeds Obama's by 3 years, could not even carry her home state, losing it to both Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden. She led in the polls at one point though. What happened? Well... •16

When she was leading in the Democratic primary polls, Warren came under scrutiny because her Medicare 4 All plan didn't include a payment mechanism. In response, she came up with a detailed plan to pay for it. She immediately came under fire for the plan. Her polls dropped. •17

For 5 years, Sanders has touted Medicare for All as his #1 policy goal, but never released the kind of detailed plan to pay that Warren did. He hasn't gotten much scrutiny for that. Warren, under a separate standard, was forced to release one—& it was used against her. •18

Elizabeth Warren didn't take the path Hillary Clinton did. Wheras Clinton subverted the system from within, Warren took a more direct anti-establishment approach like Bernie, while netting the policy achievements & credentials that make men prime presidential candidates. •19

A common refrain in 2016 from anti-Clinton progressives was, "I'd vote for a woman, just not THAT woman." They'd suggest "a woman like Warren or Tulsi Gabbard" who they considered more "progressive."

Warren has won 0 states & just 12.9% of the vote. Gabbard? Just 0.74%. •20

If Warren serves as Bernie's VP or treasury sec, some say, she could stilll be president one day.

Or if Kamala Harris serves as Biden's VP or attorney general, she could still be president, too.

Sorta like how Hillary had to be Bill's FLOTUS & Obama's SoS first. •21

Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Kamala Harris & Kirsten Gillibrand all had resumés that exceed those of many male presidents.

Hillary Clinton's resumé exceeded that of *any man* who'd ever run for president (naturally, she lost to the most unqualified man ever to run). •22

Must women serve under male presidents in the White House before we even give them a chance at the nod? (In Hillary's case, 2 male presidents).

Sexism IS a huge driver in politics. Men haven't exclusively held the White House for 244 years merely by virtue of quality. •23•