Woman for President

Intro

With the US so often talking to the world about equality and freedom, it seems ironic that most of the people in the US government are men. Especially since more than half the country’s population is female.

Many countries have elected women to be the leaders of their countries: Chile, Liberia, Germany, The Philippines, among others. Still, men dominate politics around the world.

The US now has the first ever female Speaker of the House. And with the next presidential election less than two years away, people are wondering if a woman might be on the ballot... and if she could actually win.

Listen to Kevin and Mason talk about women in politics.

Dialog

Kevin

Mason

Kevin:  You know people are starting to get excited… that maybe two, two years away from the next election that Hillary may run and we might…

Mason:  Uh-huh.

Kevin:  I mean, it is a possibility that the US would finally have a woman head of state.

Mason:  I think I’d vote for Hillary.

Kevin:  You would?

Mason:  I think I would. Um, and I’m totally not opposed to the idea. Like, I think we’re a little behind the times.

Kevin:  Definitely.

Mason:  ... When it comes to that.

Kevin:  How is it possible? How is it possible that we haven’t… I mean it’s pathetic.

Mason:  There’s a lot of other countries that have, you know, female leaders or whatever, um…

Kevin:  The Philippines…

Mason:  Is that right?

Kevin:  Yeah.

Mason:  Well, don’t we have now… the, the Speaker of the House is a female?

Kevin:  Yeah. Nancy Pelosi.

Mason:  So you know, it kinda shows, maybe a national watermark that, uh, that we’re, we’re getting there.

Kevin:  We are.

Mason:  ‘Cause Speaker of the House is, like, third in line, right?

Kevin:  It is indeed.

Mason:  In, like, the chain of… if the President dies and the Vice President dies, then isn’t it…

Kevin:  Nancy Pelosi would be President. How great would that be?

Mason:  So, you know, we’re close enough, we might as well just elect one in for reals. Uh… I’d be down.

Kevin:  I agree.

Mason:  I think their nurturing instinct would be good for the country.

Kevin:  We could use a softer... a softer, more educated side.

Mason:  Less… Right.

Discussion

Discussion - Join the discussion to learn more and make friends.

When Kevin and Mason say “Hillary” they mean Hillary Clinton, the wife of former US President Bill Clinton. She is currently a senator representing the state of New York.

Kevin thinks it’s “pathetic” that the US has never had a female leader because the US is supposed to be a democracy that represents everyone equally. He knows it doesn’t really work that way.

The Speaker of the House is the highest officer in the US House of Representatives and the leader of the majority party.

Would you vote for a woman to be the leader of your country?
Visit the official English, baby! 2008 presidential election page.

Comprehension Quiz