As Clinton's bid ends, sexism debate will not

By Ellen Wulfhorst

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Was she or wasn't she?

Hillary Clinton's candidacy may soon be a thing of the past but debate will rage over whether the first woman to make it so far in the U.S. presidential contest was a victim of sexism by the media or in the eyes of the public.

Her campaign draws to a close on Saturday when she is set to back apparent Democratic nominee Barack Obama.

For some, there's no question that sexism was intricately woven through Clinton's groundbreaking effort.

They cite T-shirts saying "Life's a Bitch, so Don't Vote for One," newsman Chris Matthews pinching Clinton on the cheek, descriptions of her as bitchy and shrill or newscasters bantering over a pen that played a soundtrack of her laugh.

Others say the claim of sexism is laughable. Clinton could not have gotten as far as she did without being the wife of a president so she can't complain about being a woman, they say.

"Women are held to a different standard, and it hurt her," said New York-based pollster Mickey Blum. "It's also a reason a lot of women rallied to her and have stuck with her, even more than they would have, because there was a sense she was being treated unfairly."

Debate is inevitable as long as some hear sexism and others don't hear it at all, said Elizabeth Ossoff, professor of political psychology at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire.