Nicola Gutgold Writes: “Klob-mentum” and the Pronouns To Help

Nichola Gutgold Writes: “Klob-mentum” and the Pronouns To Help

A participant enjoys the Central Oregon Women's March in Redmond, OR January 18, 2020; Photo by Samantha, Wiki Ed

In a primary election already filled with so much vitriol, sometimes it can be a bit tough to see progress, but if you look closely and listen even more closely, you will.

When Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar finished third in the New Hampshire primary, her euphoric, biographical victory speech was so celebratory, that anyone who fell asleep and woke up when she was speaking, would have thought that she had finished first. When it comes to electing women to the United States presidency, third can at least feel like first, at least in a primary as crowded as this one, and certainly, when we are gauging this success with women who have previously run for president in the United States.

Women presidential candidates. Plural. That’s not a typo.

Just remember, especially in politics, it seems that good things take time, and great things happen all at once. Having more than one woman running for president in 2020 — having six at the start of the primaries – and, as we head toward Nevada and South Carolina, still having three — is more women in the race at one time than we’ve ever had in this country. That’s progress.

So what does it mean for the momentum – or, as the Klobuchar staff said, the “Klobmentum” going forward? The term doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but that’s okay. The point is, whatever your politics, hearing Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren speak of themselves as president — and cheer each other on while still disagreeing on key issues, is exactly how we will elect a woman president.

Elizabeth Warren during the CNN and Des Moines Register Democratic Debate in Iowa, Jan. 14, 2020: “I will do what a president can do all by herself on the very first day.”

Amy Klobuchar in her closing statement at the same debate:
“...if you want to do something about racial justice and immigration reform and climate change and gun safety, we need a candidate who is actually going to bring people with her.”

With “her.” By “herself.”

In a year of pronounced pronouns, the pronouns referring to a woman president are especially notable.

Who are the women still in the race?

Amy Klobuchar — clearly at the front of the pack now. A centrist, experienced senator who won three senate races in Minnesota and has worked to pass more than 100 bills since her time in the Senate.

Elizabeth Warren – surging in the polls in the summer, now struggling to get out from behind Bernie Sanders’ shadow. A former law professor, in her second term in the Senate from Massachusetts and a gifted, pedantic storyteller.

Tulsi Gabbard — serving her fourth term in Congress from Hawaii, a peace-loving veteran who believes that she can be the voice for people who have lost faith in institutions like politics and the media. While she has made impact during some debates, she has struggled to make a significant gain in any national polls.

We will elect a woman president, and when we do, we will celebrate her, just like that — all at once.

Nichola D. Gutgold is a professor of communication at Penn State and author of numerous books on women trailblazers. Visit her website at www.nicholagutgold.com. Her latest book is a children's book version of The Rhetoric of Supreme Court Women, Growing Up Supremely: The Women of the Supreme Court. Perfect for granddaughters ages 6-12. She is in her twenty-fifth full time year as a professor who encourages everyone she meets to Speak Up and Speak Well!

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Nichola Gutgold Writes: “Klob-mentum” and the Pronouns To Help

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