To say Hillary resoundingly transcended the other candidates helps perpetuate the notion that they were actually debating.

That said, there were no clear winners or losers, unless you want to throw CNN in the latter. Why some of the softball questions weren't better vetted beforehand was unsettling, which culminanted in a break down during the final round, devolving into an onstage love fest.

Regarding Hillary, she is caught in a trap as she attempts to walk the political masculine/feminine wire, which makes her appear calculating in the public arena. To win the nomination, Hillary needs to shed these perceptions and return to the voice in her head that tells her what's right and not what will benefit her candidacy. Both Kerry and Gore had the same problem, neither of which found themselves. Although Gore, unlike Kerry, did find himself and doesn't want to risk losing himself by running for president again.

Granted, Hillary has performed well in the non-debates, but she has a ways to go if she wants to return to herself, despite what the national polls are saying.

As Bob Dylan puts it: “You don't need a weatherman to tell you which way the wind is blowing.”

The questions you include about if a woman can be president and why hasn't a woman already been president, haven't suddenly surfaced with Clinton. These are questions that have been asked by feminists throughout my entire life — the first one answered unequivocally several times over.

Many years ago when I walked into my first big news room, I was given a desk directly across from a very old-school male. He took one look at me and began yelling for the editor. Once the editor made his way over, my new co-worker flipped a thumb in my direction and asked in a New Jersey-ish mobster drawl, “Who's the skirt?” From that day forward I made a point of wearing a skirt to work at every available opportunity.

The result was two-fold:

1. When I did earn the elder journalist's respect, I knew it was on my own merits as a writer and journalist and not because I'd changed who I was to fit his world view.

2. I was able to distinguish myself in the newsroom and the community as a capable female journalist. That is, because I refused to play a role, I was able to bring a new and fresh perspective both into the workplace and into the final product. 

Having met Hillary Clinton in person, I can say without question that she is one of the most warm and genuine politicians out there. Somewhere along the line, however, strategists have told her that in order to win she's going to have to play a role and hide her more feminine qualities of justice, compassion and nurture.

At the end of the day, however, she's a skirt. As such she brings a wealth of life experience to the table that has absolutely nothing and absolutely everything to do with politics.

I guess the bottom line is that I, along with the vast majority of feminists, want to elect a woman president. I'm not sure, however, if we are willing to elect a woman as president who feels she cannot win unless she acts more masculine and abandons her more feminine qualities.

The questions you include about if a woman can be president and why hasn’t a woman already been president, haven’t suddenly surfaced with Clinton. These are questions that have been asked by feminists throughout my entire life — the first one answered unequivocally several times over.

Many years ago when I walked into my first big news room, I was given a desk directly across from a very old-school male. He took one look at me and began yelling for the editor. Once the editor made his way over, my new co-worker flipped a thumb in my direction and asked in a New Jersey-ish mobster drawl, “Who’s the skirt?” From that day forward I made a point of wearing a skirt to work at every available opportunity.

The result was two-fold:

1. When I did earn the elder journalist’s respect, I knew it was on my own merits as a writer and journalist and not because I’d changed who I was to fit his world view.

2. I was able to distinguish myself in the newsroom and the community as a capable female journalist. That is, because I refused to play a role, I was able to bring a new and fresh perspective both into the workplace and into the final product. 

Having met Hillary Clinton in person, I can say without question that she is one of the most warm and genuine politicians out there. Somewhere along the line, however, strategists have told her that in order to win she’s going to have to play a role and hide her more feminine qualities of justice, compassion and nurture.

At the end of the day, however, she’s a skirt. As such she brings a wealth of life experience to the table that has absolutely nothing and absolutely everything to do with politics.

I guess the bottom line is that I, along with the vast majority of feminists, want to elect a woman president. I’m not sure, however, if we are willing to elect a woman as president who feels she cannot win unless she acts more masculine and abandons her more feminine qualities.

To say Hillary resoundingly transcended the other candidates helps perpetuate the notion that they were actually debating.

That said, there were no clear winners or losers, unless you want to throw CNN in the latter. Why some of the softball questions weren’t better vetted beforehand was unsettling, which culminanted in a break down during the final round, devolving into an onstage love fest.

Regarding Hillary, she is caught in a trap as she attempts to walk the political masculine/feminine wire, which makes her appear calculating in the public arena. To win the nomination, Hillary needs to shed these perceptions and return to the voice in her head that tells her what’s right and not what will benefit her candidacy. Both Kerry and Gore had the same problem, neither of which found themselves. Although Gore, unlike Kerry, did find himself and doesn’t want to risk losing himself by running for president again.

Granted, Hillary has performed well in the non-debates, but she has a ways to go if she wants to return to herself, despite what the national polls are saying.

As Bob Dylan puts it: “You don’t need a weatherman to tell you which way the wind is blowing.”