The XX Factor: What women really think.

Hillary's Credentials

I agree with you, Meghan (what had Bill Bradley done before he got elected to the Senate?). I'd go further: that untidy trajectory of Hillary's and those multiple identities and even her authenticity issues—which have us XX bloggers all tied up in knots—may not suit feminists or purists, but are in fact an essential part of her credentials, like them or not. They're not just the symptoms of someone ensnared in political strategy, but part of her history: She's pioneered in juggling the competing priorities and expectations plenty of women still haven't sorted out either. I'm not sure why we should expect the first female candidate to have the ideal trailblazer CV and perfect timbre plenty of male candidates lack. If she did, we might well be worrying she was too lyrical and had lived in a fairy tale world.