I've always felt sympathy for the lawmakers tasked with giving the opposition party's response to the State of the Union address. It's tough to follow someone who gets interrupted 64 times for applause. And to give the party's agenda for the year in less than 15 minutes? Talk about pressure.
The next-day commentary on South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley's response to President Obama's State of the Union speech has been overwhelmingly positive. However, some divisive conservatives, like Donald Trump and Ann Coulter, slammed Haley's even-keeled remarks, even going so far as to say the Governor should be deported.
That criticism aside, Haley's presentation last night was impeccable. She hit the right notes, powerfully showcasing her qualifications while connecting with the American public. She was confident, clear, and composed.
As someone who has spent my life fighting to get women their seat at the table in politics, I am heartened that Republicans have chosen women to deliver the party's response for the last three years. Whether or not you agree with a party's policies, positions, or plans for the future, having a woman speak for an entire political party is at least symbolically moving.
However, I kept waiting for Haley to talk about issues affecting women and families: equal pay, paid leave, a livable minimum wage. President Obama prioritized those things in the first few minutes of an hour-long speech, yet Haley's response didn't mention them at all. This is no doubt a reflection of party politics. In fact, her only direct reference to the female half of the electorate was this closing line: "Let's...keep America the greatest country in the history of man. And woman."
Haley's speech was more focused on style than substance. But it still highlighted why it is different when women are leaders.
The reasons the speech worked are rooted in my foundation's nonpartisan research: Haley was confident. She wasn't inflammatory. She called on her own party and all of us to move from debate to dialogue, saying "Often, the best thing we can do is turn down the volume. When the sound is quieter, you can actually hear what someone else is saying. And that can make a world of difference." She established herself as a qualified leader by touting her own accomplishments - bringing people together after the shootings at a Charleston church, for example.
We know from nearly two decades of Barbara Lee Family Foundation research that these kinds of messages and presentation styles work for women because they establish qualifications and expertise while highlighting the advantages women hold. Women get points for being in touch with real life and bringing people together to get results. This style really worked for Haley last night, and it will work for other women, too.
A woman giving the State of the Union response is good. A woman giving the State of the Union address will be even better.