You've Come a Long Way, Maybe
Sarah, Michelle, Hillary, and the Shaping of the New American Woman
-
- $11.99
-
- $11.99
Publisher Description
Leslie Sanchez -- strategist, writer and political seer -- spent much of 2008 as an analyst on CNN, examining, investigating and deciphering the historic moment for women and politics that was the presidential election. And what she sees in the future is a landscape changed drastically for women the world over and their expectations. In You've Come a Long Way, Maybe, she debunks the cultural and political myths surrounding women, and looks at the wide range of reactions Hillary, Michelle and Sarah provoked from the small towns to the big city salons to the Sunday talk shows. She pays special attention to those most active and most examined during the election: the disappointed Hillary supporters, the rabid Sarah Palin fans, and everyone else wondering about the role of the new First Lady. Along the way, Leslie takes a hard look at what the election will mean for women now and in the future, and also at what leaders might emerge in 2012, and beyond.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The most recent presidential election brought on a new era of gender politics, according to political strategist Sanchez. The author's background in polling, broadcast journalism and consulting to Republican candidates shapes the book: rather than focusing on amorphous public opinion, she hones in on the realities of political power, influence and ability. While Sanchez should be lauded for addressing general sexism and the sexualization of women candidates, she still rehashes the mainstream media storyline, from Hillary Clinton's seemingly inevitable success and Sarah Palin's meteoric rise and fall to Michelle Obama's wardrobe. Shanchez concludes without offering concrete steps for eradicating the deep seated biases that make life difficult for women leaders of any race or class background. The strengths of the book lie in the last chapters, when the author has finished making her case and looks to grassroots, online, and alliance-based responses to sexism in the political arena.
