• House Democrat says defeats of Clinton and Harris demonstrate country has not overcome cultural barriers
• Former first lady ruled out presidential run, saying American men remain uncomfortable with female leadership
• Critics including Pelosi push back, arguing flawed candidates rather than sexism explain election losses

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TDR) — Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) said Sunday he agrees with Michelle Obama that the United States is not yet ready for a woman president, while maintaining that women should continue pursuing the nation’s highest office despite recent electoral defeats.

The influential House Democrat was responding to separate comments from former Vice President Kamala Harris, who writes in her forthcoming book that sexism and racism played a role in her 2024 defeat, and the former first lady, who last month ruled out a presidential run of her own while promoting her new book “The Look” at a Brooklyn event.

“As we saw in this past election, sadly we ain’t ready. That’s why I’m like, ‘Don’t even look at me about running because you all are lying. You’re not ready for a woman.'”

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Obama made the remarks to a crowd of women at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, adding that many American men remain uncomfortable being led by a woman.

Clyburn Cites Historical Pattern

Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Clyburn said he spoke with Harris last week and found Obama’s assessment accurate when viewed through a historical lens.

“Well, history is prologue, and I understand exactly what Kamala Harris has said,” Clyburn told host Kristen Welker. “Michelle Obama is absolutely correct. If you look at the history, we demonstrated that we were not ready. These are incredible women who have run: Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, and I think that we are getting there.”

The 2024 election results showed Harris losing to Donald Trump by approximately three percentage points nationally, compared to Joe Biden’s 4.5-point victory over Trump in 2020. Exit polling indicated Harris received slightly less support from both men and women than Biden had four years earlier.

Critics Push Back on Assessment

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Not everyone agrees with the Obama-Clyburn assessment. House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday she “strongly disagreed” with the former first lady’s comments while still expressing respect for her.

“I’ve heard every excuse in the book, like, ‘I’m not sure a woman could be commander in chief.’ Well, why not?” Pelosi told CNN’s Anderson Cooper, pointing to her own trailblazing career as evidence that women have long shattered barriers in American politics.

Conservative commentator Alyssa Farah Griffin offered a different critique on ABC’s “The View,” arguing that sexism exists but does not fully explain the losses. “When you look at the two candidates that were Democratic nominees, Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris, there is sexism that plays in. They were flawed candidates,” Griffin said, adding that “we haven’t had” the best female candidate yet.

Research Shows Mixed Picture

Academic research suggests the reality is more nuanced than either side presents. A University of Massachusetts Amherst poll found that 51 percent of Americans agreed the country was ready for its first African American female president. However, the same research found that hostile sexist attitudes significantly depressed support for Harris compared to when Biden headed the ticket.

Some analysts point to factors beyond gender and race. Harris faced criticism for her stance on Israel’s war in Gaza, struggled to articulate an economic message distinct from the Biden administration, and entered the race just months before Election Day after replacing Biden on the ticket.

Clyburn Urges Perseverance

Despite his agreement with Obama’s assessment, Clyburn emphasized that women should not abandon presidential ambitions.

“Just because it doesn’t seem that we are ready doesn’t mean we should stop the pursuit,” the South Carolina congressman said. “My dad used to tell me all the time, ‘Son, the darkest part of the night is that moment just before dawn.’ And so we may be in a dark moment as it relates to women serving as president, but we may be in that moment just before dawn.”

Clyburn, the father of three daughters, added: “In order for that to happen, they have got to run. So I want women to run. I’m going to support them.”

Does the historical pattern of female presidential candidates losing to Donald Trump reflect persistent sexism in American politics, or were there other factors that better explain these defeats?

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