A WOMAN CAN
BE PRESIDENT by Sen. John R Kennedy
f 3 if
A distinguished senator assesses the possibility
and predicts it could happen
even during this century.
j i f
Will we ever have a woman President of the
United States? .
Impossible? Fantastic? A fictional dream which
cannot be realized in the foreseeable future?
On the contrary, I believe the chances of some
one's daughter growing up to be President are not
at all impossible even during this generation!.
The possibility of a woman President, should be
considered neither unlikely nor disastrous. The
more important question is: When will this occur,
how, and under what conditions?
I strongly believe that a woman will be elected
President only when she is not looked upon as a
woman. Don't misunderstand: I don't mean that her
sex would be concealed or ignored. But it would
have to be considered irrelevant to her qualifica
tions for the office just as are her religion, maiden
name, or shoe size. Women who are nominated for
the Presidency just to advance the cause of women's
rights or to demonstrate their parties' recognition
of the female sex are doomed to failure.
Why? Because the Presidency requires broad
representation of and outstanding leadership for
all groups in our population. It requires an outlook
which emphasizes not only traditional "women's is
sues" equal rights, world peace, education, child
health and welfare but also foreign and military
affairs, labor relations, and other fields.
The first woman President just because she is a
woman will have to be an extraordinary one! She
may require the leadership of a Joan of Arc, the
stately compassion of a Queen Victoria, the political
sagacity of a Clare Boothe Luce, the determination
of a Sister Kenny, and the courage of a Helen Keller.
Is there such a woman anywhere? Or is there any
chance that there ever will be? Of course there is!
Today I see growing evidence that more and more
American girls are acquiring this type of all-embracing
outlook. And recent national surveys indi
cate that women are as concerned as men about
important domestic and world issues.
The past generation has seen a dramatic revolu
tion. Increasing thousands of women, whose mothers
or grandmothers weren't even permitted to vote,
have served well in nearly every type of elective
and appointive office except the' Presidency and
Vice-Presidency. But succession to them is only a
logical step forward, an extension of a' trend which
in the past 40 years has brought women from politi
cal serfdom to the highest councils of government.
Public opinion has kept pace with this changing
trend, too. Since 1937, the public attitude has
changed from nearly 2-1 against, to roughly 5-4 in
favor of a woman President! "On few issues has the .
public turned about so completely," reports Dr.
George Gallup of Gallup Poll fame.
Actually, several women already have been nom
inated for the Presidency by minority parties. In
1872 Victoria Claflin Woodhill and in 1884 Belva
Lockwood represented the "Equal Rights Party."
In 1952 Ella Linea Jensen was the nominee of the
"George Washington Peace Party." But none of
these women had any mass support, and their can
didacies provide no worthwhile -guide to iuture
women really running for President.
The important thing is that today the ability of
women to direct rugged political campaigns, ad
minister vast executive departments, display bril
liant legislative leadership, and handle difficult
foreign, military, and domestic problems has shat
tered the old stereotype of female political inferi
ority and executive weakness.
Women are now a "majority" group, so we should
stop considering them a "minority." Today 54 mil-
lion women nearly 5 million more than men are
eligible to vote. ,
Women also do more campaign work than men.
From personal experience, I know how women can
be the key to political victory. They hold teas, mail
literature, ring doorbells, register voters, and make
speeches, raise money, and plan campaign strategy.
This phenomenal growth of women as a political
force is even being reflected in our national conven
tions. Women now play a far more important role
at them, so we may some day break the tradition of
an all-male Presidential ticket. In recent years,
several hundred women delegates and alternates
have attended each convention, serving on impor
tant committees and making major addresses.
The traditional belief that a woman's place is in
the home, raising children and darning socks, is
more and more being recognized as a preference
which permits individual variations.
So I am confident that some day our major parties
will nominate and elect a woman to the Vice-Presidency
and" then to the Presidency itself!
(Family Weekly does not necessarily endorse
Senator Kennedy's political views but presents the
abowe article-because oj the nonpartisan-y et highly
interesting opinions it expresses. Readers are in
vited to submit their views on this subject, in 300
words or less. Letters must be postmarked no later
than July 6. If yoe print your letter, you will receive
$25. Letters must be signed, but names will be
withheld on request. Letters cannot be returned.
Address President, Family'Weekly, P.O. Box 2152,
Grand Central Station, New York 17, N. Y.)
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June 21, 1959
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