Condi is under attack and Martha's going to jail. Christie Todd is long gone, and Karen Hughes just published a book explaining why she left the Bush administration for motherhood. Lea Fastow may do more jail time than Ken Lay, and Amy just got booted off "The Apprentice." No one has heard a peep out of Nancy Pelosi in ages, and the only woman on the list of possible Democratic vice presidential candidates is good ole' Hillary. No wonder "The Prince and Me" is doing so well at the box office. All of a sudden it seems that the only way a woman can obtain -- and maintain -- a position of power these days is by marrying a king.
"The Prince and Me" is a modern day fairy tale where Cinderella is a hard-working pre-med and the fairy godmother is the gruff organic chemistry professor who pairs her with the prince. What is interesting about the movie, besides the ludicrous concept, is the portrayal of the Queen of Denmark. She is a literal Ice Queen, who seems to be more concerned with fulfilling her royal duties than with the happiness of her son. Although the plucky American girl manages to make her melt (somewhat), her character is probably the most villainous figure in the movie -- besides the ever-present paparazzi, of course.
Legally and in the court of public opinion, respectively, Condoleezza Rice and Martha Stewart stand accused of acting dishonestly to serve their own interests. Oftentimes the two women are characterized as cold, calculating and clever. It seems that while some accept women in positions of power, there is a resentment of influential woman in many circles. This sentiment is evidenced by the backlash against a number of prominent women.
Because of the political fight over whether or not she would testify to the 9/11 commission, Rice's testimony garnered as much media attention as did the testimony of Richard Clarke, former terrorism chief at the White House and author of recent book sharply critical of the Bush administration. Reaction to Rice's performance was mixed, praising her composure while lamenting the lack of actual information imparted. This response is surprising, since composure is what one would expect from a Cabinet officer with an impressive slate of political and academic accomplishments. It is as if observers of the hearings expected Rice to behave differently, despite her expertise. Did such observers have the same doubts about the comportment of Samuel Berger, national security adviser in the Clinton administration?
Martha also seems to be getting more of a bum rap than her male counterparts. She is facing more jail time than Enron big shot Ken Lay or Tyco mogul Dennis Kozlowski. Martha was criticized for not appearing repentant or humble enough in court. Her Hermes "Birkin" bag, worth thousands of dollars, attracted criticisms that the Armani suits of her male counterparts did not. For the woman who built an empire on image, it seems as if image was what ultimately led to her conviction: finally, payback time for the woman who made so many centerpieces look inadequate. But O. J. Simpson made scads of amateur athletes seem inadequate, and he was not convicted. Apparently, in the great corporate witch-hunt that has been occurring over the past two years, being a "witch" makes you guiltier.
This is supported by the case of Lea Fastow, wife of Enron's former CFO Andrew Fastow. She stands accused of tax fraud while helping her husband steal money from Enron. This past week, a judge rejected her plea bargain without giving a reason. When asked by prosecutors to explain his decision, the judge refused. Her husband's plea bargain, however, still stands. This seems absurd. The main criminal is let off leniently, while the accomplice must go through a full trial.
So what does all this mean for the Dartmouth Class of 2008, a class with a record number of female admits? Does this mean that they may graduate only to face an eventual glass ceiling or other obstacles in their proverbial climb to the top? Or will attitudes change, making no distinctions between men and women in terms of legal rulings and media approaches? Will the self-made woman no longer be an object of envy and a target? One can only hope that maybe in a few years the box offices will be dominated by films in which a prince is unnecessary for a publicly acceptable rise to power -- unless our empowered heroine wants him, of course.
