Frustrated Feminists

I know, that title is redundant, but that's the theme of this story from Special Report:

Some feminists are becoming increasingly frustrated that other feminists are supporting Obama — and not Hillary Clinton. What the L.A. Times refers to as "old school feminists" are lined up against each other. Some Clinton supporters say their sisters' abandonment of a female candidate is indicative of a society in which an older, more experienced woman is often pushed aside for a younger male colleague.

Clinton supporter Gloria Steinem says women have tougher times in both public and private life than African-American men.

She writes in The New York Times — "Gender is probably the most restricting force in American life, whether the question is who must be in the kitchen or who could be in the White House. . . . Black men were given the vote a half-century before women of any race were allowed to mark a ballot and generally have ascended to positions of power . . . before any women."

The counterpoint comes from liberal columnist Katha Pollitt — an Obama supporter — "Even if it were true that white women were more oppressed than black men ... that still doesn't mean you should vote for Hillary Clinton."

Steinem has taken a slap at presumptive Republican nominee John McCain. The New York Observer reports she discussed McCain's capture and imprisonment by the Viet Kong during a Hillary Clinton campaign event in Texas.

"This is supposed to be a qualification to be president? I don't think so."

"Suppose John McCain had been Joan McCain and had got captured, shot down and been a POW for eight years... Reporters would ask, what did you do wrong to get captured? What terrible things did you do while you were there as a captive for eight years? "

The New York Post reports the Clinton campaign quickly distanced itself from the remarks — saying the comments "do not represent Senator Clinton's thinking in any way."

Barack Obama may have trouble getting the cranky old feminist vote to support him after he beats Hillary.