ROCKY WORDS IN SALT LAKE CITY

“Is this 1950 or 2007?” That’s the questions Salt Lake City mayoral candidate, Jenny Wilson, felt compelled to ask two days before the September 11th primary where she was in a competitive position to be the Democratic nominee. But in the Salt Lake Tribune on Sunday morning, city voters were informed, by outgoing Mayor Rocky Anderson, of the appropriate way to judge female candidates.

Alluding to a discussion with Wilson’s father about her possible run for office, Anderson wrote, “I discussed the time demands for the mayor and expressed concern that Jenny would either not be able to spend much time with her children, ages 2 and 5, or put in the time necessary to fulfill the duties of mayor. I later privately expressed to Jenny the same concern. I made clear that my view applied equally to fathers and mothers.”

But somehow, despite his supposedly egalitarian view, Anderson didn’t mention any male candidates, and there were some, who would be jeopardizing the welfare of their children by running for office. Tacking on the politically correct “equality” language does little to camouflage Anderson’s true view. He’s stuck in the mind-set that a woman’s place is in the home with her kids. Yes, Jenny, there are still men (and women) who feel this way.

Anderson’s comments are a reminder that women still face false and sexist limitations when they try to live up to their talents and passion. Wilson wasn’t running for mother, she was running for Mayor. Short of abuse and neglect, families have wide latitude to decide what’s best for their children without interference from the state or even meddlesome mayors. I’m assuming Wilson is a great mom. At least, we should all hope so since she won’t be Mayor. Wilson lost the primary. Now she’ll have lots of time for the kids.

ANITA RODDICK’S BODY SHOPISM

“I have never felt that beauty products are the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Nothing the Body Shop sells pretends to do anything other than it says. Moisturizers moisturize, fresheners freshen and cleansers cleanse. End of story.” Anita Roddick (1943-2007)

Over the last twenty plus years of studying and speaking about women and leadership, I’ve been fascinated by Anita Roddick, founder of the cosmetics’ store, the Body Shop. She lived her passionate devotion to social change through the quintessentially capitalist experience of opening a small store and eventually seeing it sold for $1.14 billion dollars to L’Oreal.

Roddick believed in saving the rain forest and moral leadership that could produce a healthy bottom line. She traveled widely to buy the products of indigenous people and promote their welfare. She hated sexism and ageism and loved saving endangered species. She was the ultimate socially conscious entrepreneur, setting a standard that others have followed.

But what I liked most about Roddick was her irreverent attitude towards her own products, which to my eye, she seldom seemed to be using.

The cosmetics industry is the “big lie” set in a dizzying maze of products and counters and displays and overly made-up sales people acting as hawkers to coax women onto a stool in front of a discreet little mirror that, as Ms. M.A.C. or Arden or Clinique will readily tell you, displays a worrying array of imperfections on a face you otherwise rather like. Cosmetics’ executives prey on women’s physical insecurities, in a culture that makes us ripe for the attack, to sell over-priced and under-achieving products.

That’s why I go to the Body Shop. Sure, I went there the first time because I liked the idea of helping the environment, not using animals for cosmetics testing, all the socially conscious stuff, but I go back because, true to Roddick’s creed, they’re not trying to lower my self-esteem in order to raise their bottom line. They just sell stuff that does what it says without having to make me feel like I’m a wrinkly, pasty, dark-shadowed wreck. So thanks, Anita. We’ll miss you.

THE POLITICAL CASE FOR DIVERSITY

The day after watching the ten white male participants at the first Republican debate, I was conducting a program for women on leadership. I had planned to start with the usual introductions and ice-breakers for the seventy-five or so participants, but as I looked at the expectant coffee-sipping crowd another idea hit me.

“Would ten of you please come stand across the front of the room here and face the group?” I asked. “Any ten of you, please…” After a few quizzical looks, ten women took up my request. This was a random group of professional women drawn from the Washington, D.C., area. The ten who came forward were unlike the candidates at the debate the night before not only because of their gender difference, but also because they represented at least four non-white ethnic groups.

As I asked the ten women to take a slight bow, I asked for a show of hands of people who had watched the debate the night before. There were only a few, but most everyone got the point. Our group looked nothing like the group that had held the televised stage the night before. In the Republican party, if you want to be President you’d better be a white man.

Two nights ago we were treated to yet another Republican debate. The group had narrowed to nine, although Fred Thompson was not on the stage. He announced his official entry into the Presidential race just in time to be not in time for the debate. Still, it was easy enough to envision yet another white guy in a navy suit and a red tie standing ramrod ready and displaying that half-serious smile that tells us he’s gonna be in charge, a real leader, a man fit, if not born, to be President.

Where, I keep asking myself, is Elizabeth Dole, the Republican Senator from North Carolina who ran for President in 2000? Sure, her husband seemed to mock her campaign at the time, but she must be over that by now. Yes, she was born the same year as John McCain (1936), but she looks a lot more tan, rested and ready than he does.

What about Olympia Snowe, the Republican Senator from Maine or her sister Senator from the same state, Susan Collins? Or former Governor of New Jersey, Christine Todd Whitman. Heck, if Rudy can run, she can. What happened to the “Elect Condi” movement? Why, maybe Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, is a Republican. I could go on. There are plenty of smart, competent, tough, politically savvy Republican women.

Prominent Republicans who are minorities? Well, former Florida Governor Bob Martinez or Congresswoman Ileana Ross-Lehtinen from the same state come to mind. There’s former Labor Secretary turned pundit, Linda Chavez. Following Thompson’s lead, the actor Andy Garcia, a Republican, might have an interest. Then there’s Condi and her predecessor as Secretary of State, Colin Powell. But he’s not running either.

Could it be that only white male Republicans have the courage to take on the challenge of running for President in 2007? Isn’t the race just about who is most willing, most committed, most hungry for the job? The candidates running might like to think so, but history wouldn’t bear them out.

In 1952, after two decades out of power, Republicans were desperate to win back the White House. Senator Robert Taft of Ohio was on a steamroller to the nomination, but some Republicans, most notably Thomas Dewey who had lost to Truman in 1948, had other ideas. They saw the perfect candidate in General Dwight David Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe. Eisenhower was the man who led the invasion on D-Day, who accepted the German surrender; an unquestioned hero with 100 percent name recognition.

But Eisenhower didn’t want to run for President. In the winter of 1951-52, as Supreme commander of NATO living outside Paris, he rebuffed repeated entreaties to go for the nomination. Committees to elect him formed without his consent. Rallies were held. His name was entered in the March New Hampshire primary despite his being overseas. In May, 1952 he finally resigned his command and reluctantly entered politics, going on to a rout of Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson that had less to do with Ike’s prowess as a presidential candidate and much to do with the times.

Where there’s a will there’s a way to get people to enter the political fray, even a presidential race. I don’t know how hard the Republican party has tried to broaden its presidential pool, but they need to try harder.

In the same way that companies now know that there’s a business case for diversity, there’s a political case as well. If we want to find the most qualified person to be President both parties must cast a wide and inviting net. Democrats have succeeded at this with a woman, an African American and an Hispanic candidate in the current pool of eight people.

In a country rich with human resources the current Republican line-up for President reflects a crabbed and outdated vision of leadership. The Party can do better, and the country would be better off if they tried.

Read about “Eleanor vs. Ike” coming out from Harper in January, 2008!