PrezFest is now over in Charlottesville. The three-day event focused on many topics related to the presidency, including race relations, foreign policy, and even social media and comedy. On its last day, as WMRA's Marguerite Gallorini reports, one of the panels focused on women in leadership and the glass ceiling. The festival then concluded with remarks by former president Bill Clinton.
The United States still has not had a woman in the White House. The glass ceiling persists, but it is not unbreakable, and things are slowly changing. Here’s Jennifer Lawless, Commonwealth Professor of Politics at UVA, on the current presidential race.
JENNIFER LAWLESS: What I do find heartening about this though is that the women who have decided to run are not all the Hillary Clintons of the world. They don't all have every single political background and experience and credential. Which suggests that women are getting to the point where they're throwing their hats into the ring because they think they're as qualified as similar men who also have not done every single thing out there. And I think that sends a really important message moving forward.
The Presidential IdeasFestival then concluded with remarks from former president Bill Clinton, who talked about the importance of diversity.
BILL CLINTON: Diverse groups committed to the rule of law and believing in growing We the People, will make better decisions over any relevant amount of time than homogenous groups or even lone geniuses. We need the president to speak for a bigger We the People, not a smaller one.