Slate’s Mimi Sheraton has an article up on Hillary Clinton’s food choices. She writes:
Being a woman, Hillary is expected to cook, something that is rarely demanded of a male political candidate.
This reminded me of a recent NY Times article on John McCain and the importance of his cooking to his family dynamic. An excerpt:
Sports were important, and grades mattered. If you wanted face time with Dad, you approached him as he stood over a sizzling grill. (“You can have an audience with him because he doesn’t want to leave the meat,” Andy said.) Unless you failed to manage basic responsibilities, your life choices were respected as long as they were within reason.
Maybe Hillary should learn to cook before Texas votes–McCain’s barbecue skills are actually helping him win votes:
I personally have always voted Democratic since 1972, but didn’t always vote. In November of 2008, it will be the first time I vote Republican – for John McCain – and it kind of gives me the shivers.
As some of you may know, Senator McCain is my neighbor along Oak Creek. I first met him in the spring of 1999. He was having a political event, looking toward the 2000 Presidential Campaign. I wasn’t for his politics, but he was my neighbor, and I feel it’s always good practice to be neighborly, so I bought a ticket and went to meet the man.
I was taken aback by his charm, wit, family, and friends.
And then there’s his cooking skills. His ribs are some of the best barbecue I’ve ever eaten. But I still wasn’t ready to vote for John McCain – just drink a beer with him.
That, however, has changed, over the last, coming-up-on 10 years. I have come to know and trust John, and call him my friend.