Condi #1 in GQ's Most Powerful People in DC - It's a Big Deal!
by ExpectingExecutive

I have been looking for the blog reactions under the "race" and "women of color" or even "feminism" tags on this week's blog posts, and, I have turned up empty. Maybe I am looking in the wrong place or maybe using the wrong search engines. But, I'm sorry, doesn't ANYONE think is it a big deal that a single black woman has been named the MOST POWERFUL PERSON IN WASHINGTON, DC by GQ Magazine?

Politics and personal opinion aside, shouldn't the entire BlogHer community feel somewhat encouraged that Condi Rice beat everyone...every single man (white, black, Asian...whatever) in securing the #1 spot for the most powerful person in Washington, DC by a national men's magazine?

Maybe you don't think it is a big deal. Maybe you don't like Condi Rice or her boss, President Bush. Maybe you haven't gotten the e-mail yet. Maybe you don't care, but, I think it is a pretty big deal that Condi Rice is considered the #1 Most Powerful PERSON in Washington, DC. Not most powerful woman, not most powerful black woman, not most powerful single woman, not most powerful person of color but...all things being presumably equal...she is the MOST POWERFUL PERSON in Washington, DC.

I'm stumped by the lack of excitement or even mere mention. Maybe it is truly a watershed moment when this type of information is not being lauded or criticized in traditional (cause Kos doesn't like the term mainstream) media, "nontraditional" media and the blogosphere is a good sign. Maybe the concept of powerful women in business and politics has become so acceptable that no one notices.

If that is in fact the reason, the good for us. Very good for us indeed. I mean, isn't that what we all really want? Equality? To be equally celebrated, ignored or criticized based on our achievements or sins, as human beings and not subject to judgement and observation based on our color, gender, religion, sexual preference, occupation or wealth?

So, are we equitably ignoring this presumed accomplishment of Condi's? This educated and talented, single black woman working for a white man in a predominately white, male environment? Or, are we choosing to judge her because she is a single, educated, black women who has offended the predominately liberal personal political positions of women and black communities?

Regardless of the politics - I think is a pretty big deal that Condi's been identified as the most powerful person, not woman, but person, in Washington, DC. She is brilliant, capable, talented and consistent.

Good for you Condi, good for you! And, as a woman, I would like to thank you.

Erin
www.ExpectingExecutive.com

In order to change your life, you must first change your life

Submitted by ExpectingExecutive (view blog) on Fri, 08/17/2007 - 14:14

Comments

 

Thanks for the heads up

I hadn't seen this. What's interesting is their reasoning -- they think she's the anti-Cheney:

"Like Colin Powell, her predecessor at State, she now recognizes the pomposity of “with us or against us” and the value in talking to one’s enemies. But the difference between her and Powell is: The president trusts her...Whatever hope we have of not going to war with Iran before the end of Bush’s term rests largely with her."

It's a pretty damning statement about the President and his advisors that Condi gets the number one spot because, in GQ's estimation, no one else has good sense.

Kim
BlogHer Contributing Editor|Professor Kim|

Submitted by Kim Pearson on Fri, 08/17/2007 - 15:21
 

I Hadn't Heard Either

Part of what I think is going on here is that women refuse to acknowledge her accomplishments because she's a woman in what is perceived to be an administration that is "anti-woman." A lot of black people feel the same way, except substitute "anti-black" for "anti-woman."

I think its an unspoken, and in the black community not so unspoken assumption that she's part of the enemy. Therefore she can't be honored because that does nothing to further certain political agendas.

And I say all this as a black woman and a staunch Democrat who doesn't believe that everything a Republican president does is wrong, just like I don't believe everything a Democratic president does is right.

When I've had political discussions about the Bush administration I've always been careful to say that though I do not agree with all of Condi's policies, or indeed that of the Bush administration, I am very proud that a black woman has earned such a powerful position in the government of the greatest nation in the world.

It's too bad that politics have become so divisive that extraordinary individuals can't be acknowledged in spite of their party affiliation.

Submitted by Megan Smith on Fri, 08/17/2007 - 17:29
 

Dunno that it's about dissing Condi so much

I'll grant that the Secretary of State has a lot of detractors, but I can think of of other reasons why the GQ story didn't get more attention. IT's not news that she's a powerful black woman.

It's not exactly news that she seemed to have the upper hand over Cheney in foreign policy -- although the current saber-rattling over Iran raises questions. The Washington post story on the GQ article focused on Karl Rove's place on the list, and the fact that the GQ's issue came out just as Rove announced his resignation. It's understandable that would be the newspeg.

The more I think about it, the harder the news angle of this piece is for me to see, frankly, unless one thinks there is something special about being annointed by GQ.

Peace,
Kim

BlogHer Contributing Editor|Professor Kim|

Submitted by Kim Pearson on Fri, 08/17/2007 - 17:44
 

You've Definitely Got A Point About GQ

That's not the first place that people are going to go to find out who the movers and shakers are, but if it were politically useful, I do believe the NAACP and other black organizations would be touting it nonetheless.

I just always find it frustrating when some black people refuse to acknowledge people they perceive as "not black enough." Condi supposedly falls into that category because she's Republican, she's got money and she doesn't appear to have ever had any experiences of discrimination.

This is an issue that's also cropping up with Obama. If you're black and you didn't grow up dirt poor, in the ghetto and listening to hip hop you're not really black. We define ourselves in such narrow terms it's ridiculous.

Megan
www.megansminute.com

Submitted by Megan Smith on Sat, 08/18/2007 - 06:07
 

The "black enough" issue, surprisingly, came
from conservatives

It's been interesting that it was Alan Keyes, Stanley Crouch and Debra Dickerson who raised the "black enough" questions about Obama, especially since each of them is critical of identity politics. I thought he did a good job of dispensing with the issue at the NABJ convention last week when he called it a lazy story to write. Obama's inexperience relative to Hillary Clinton. not his race, is his biggest vulnerability in the eyes of many black voters, according to many seasoned observers.

BlogHer Contributing Editor|Professor Kim|

Submitted by Kim Pearson on Sat, 08/18/2007 - 09:47
 

Thanks for these links Kim

I've used several of them in a post I wrote about Obama here

BlogHer CE
Beyond Help

Submitted by Maria Niles on Sat, 08/18/2007 - 17:01
 

Thanks for the Links

I found them very informative. And I agree that Obama did do a good job of dismissing the issue.

Unfortunately, the political season is still in its early stages and I fear we are still going to hear more about Obama's race than we are about his qualifications or lack thereof.

I hope I'm wrong.

Megan
www.megansminute.com

Submitted by Megan Smith on Sat, 08/18/2007 - 12:07
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