Mrs. Center Left asked me two questions yesterday.  First, what would have happened if the Scalia vacancy occurred early last year, with almost two years remaining in Obama’s tenure as President? With more time to ponder and read about potential nominees, I think the most likely outcome would have been the confirmation of a centrist compromise nominee.  Slightly less likely would have been the identical obstruction by the newly installed Republican majority on the heels of their 9 seat pick-up in the 2014 election.  I think the former is most likely, but to paraphrase what Yoda said regarding a Senate a long time ago in a galaxy far far away, “the dark side clouds everything, impossible to see.”

Mrs. Center Left’s second question is thought provoking: How would voters view Hillary if she were a man in this election?

It’s impossible to answer. Hillary’s place in today’s campaign is too much defined by her gender.  Her time as First Lady was instrumental to the launch of her political career in the Senate and her later service as Secretary of State.  All that said, if she were a man, I believe the political world would cut her much more slack.  A man with 8 years in the Senate and 4 years as SOS  would be considered even more qualified by much of the electorate.  As a female candidate, Hillary faces the balancing act of appearing strong without going over the edge into “bitchy.”  As others have also observed, President Obama faces a similar burden in avoiding the demeanor of an “angry black man.”  (I’m not implying that Obama is anything less than genuine in his cool and careful manner.  It’s his nature and works well for him politically most of the time.)  White male candidates face much less scrutiny in terms of their demeanor.  Just look at Trump.

BTW, Mrs. Center Left is politically liberal but not particularly interested in the strategy issues related to electoral politics. She is much more interested in how people think, believe, and feel in our complex society.