We interrupt this normally mild-mannered blog on education and gifted issues to bring you a full-throated rant about the insanity that is the selection of Sarah Palin as the republican nominee for vice president.
Why? Because it’s my blog and I can. Don’t like? Start your own blog.
I am so offended. So insulted. I can’t begin to tell you how angry I am. That a 72 year-old, cancer-surviving John McCain has the gall, the disrespect, to choose a person whose “experience” consists of being PTA president, mayor of Wasilla, Alaska (population of 7,000), and not quite two years as governor of a state with a population of 680,000 (roughly the size of Memphis, Tennessee) to lead the United States of America if the unforeseeable should happen. That he thinks that just about anyone with ovaries would do to placate and lure in those disaffected Hilary-ites. (Note in case you’re wondering: I voted for Obama in the primaries.)
Watch her unveiling and look how downright uncomfortable McCain appears. He’s barely met her. Is it possible that more-comfortable-as-an-outsider, maverick McCain doesn’t really want to be president and is deliberately sabotaging himself? Or is it just confirmation of a reckless, un-presidential temperament?
And it just kills me that a) there will be people stupid enough to think she’s “refreshing” and “historic” and b) others too cowed by political correctness to point our her obvious lightweighted-ness. I can hear the conservative chorus now: “Are you being sexist? How dare you say that being a ‘hockey mom’ of five isn’t adequate preparation to negotiate with Putin. You go girl!”
Does the woman even have a passport? Has she ever been outside of this country? She’s Quayle with a ponytail. Huckabee in drag. And I won’t even wade into the whole are-we-even-allowed- to discuss-leaving-a-5-month-old-special-needs-child-to-hit-the-campaign-trail (and the now confirmed rumors swirling around that situation), the support for creationism, the whiff of scandal…
I’m sure she’s a heck of a gal to knock back a beer with over moose burgers. But vice president? Not.
Enjoy the Colbert video.
(Shout out to Stephanie, who was onto Obama 4 years ago…and is the only mom blogger I’ve seen so far to blog on this. Where is everyone?)
Oh, we’re out here! We should be offended; like Bush before him who spent much of his time in office reinventing reality to manipulate the electorate, McCain and co. are still banking on the public’s collective gullibility. If he can’t depend on enough Catholics or women or young voters to turn out for him, surely he can attract enough folks who will fall for a pretty face. He will fabricate a ramped up discussion on liberals’ sexism if that’s what it takes to win. But I’m banking on the huge numbers of us who are on to him. This one’s just a little too hard to miss. We must focus on Denver and someone from a far different realm, one forthright enough to remark, “ENOUGH!!!”
You said. You said it well. You said it very well.
If I can figure out how to do a trackback on Moveable Type (I’m new to blogging), you will be my first trackback.
In my mind, McCain could not have insulted women more. Are we seriously supposed to be lured by her gender? She certainly doesn’t bring anything else to the table. Could they have found a woman who could be more easily ignored for the next four years?? “Nevermind, honey, you just head on back to AK. Leave the governing to the men with experience.” If you want to break glass ceilings, do it with a woman capable of making a real contribution.
All I can hope at this point is that McCain has shot himself in the proverbial foot with Ms. NRA and ultimately aided Obama’s cause with this stupidity.
LOL! This is what drives me crazy about politics. What looks like a no-brainer to me is actually debated like it has merit. And what really drives me crazy is that I am still worried that the Democrats won’t win because of the negative tactics and lies being used.
If, after comparing Obama and McCain, this country chooses McCain and the Republican failed policies, there is something really wrong with the state of politics in this country.
As far as where everyone else is, they are too smart to get pulled into the drama that our political system has become LOL!
Thanks everyone, I feel better that I’m not alone. And I want to say that my anger isn’t just behalf of women… I think *every* American has been disrespected. I’m with you Stephanie, in terms of worry. After watching an American public that has allowed an election to be stolen, that has allowed itself to be lied to and manipulated (repeatedly) and then re-elected the person who perpetrated the cynical manipulation…I no longer have a lot of faith in its ability not to be swayed by a perky, pretty face with an extra big and sparkle-y flag pin. I worry that the Democrats are going to hold back from ripping her in debate because it might be seen as “mean” and “bullying.” That she’ll get a pass because of her gender.
Just wanted to let you know about an excellent Alaska blog that I just found: http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/what-is-mccain-thinking-one-alaskans-perspective/
I updated this post and hyperlinked “Wasilla, Alaska” but wanted to be sure you took a look.
Wow! That was quite a blast. I don’t happen to agree, all I can say is keep your eyes and ears open. We shall see what happens.
If you’re so concerned about Mrs. Palin’s readiness and experience to be president, I don’t see how you can possibly support Sen. Obama’s candidacy. At least Mrs. Palin has had a bit of executive experience, which Sen. Obama has *NOT*. I’d much rather see a young, inexperienced politician second in line for the presidency than actually being the one in charge.
The Democratic strategists are taking the totally wrong approach to criticizing Mrs. Palin. What they should be emphasizing is her policy positions. She’s a social conservative who’s anti-abortion and pro-gun. Hillary’s supporters therefore have no reason to want to vote for her on the ticket.
The choice of Sarah Palin is to appeal to the pro-life movement. Her biography (in my eyes) screams that. Plus she’ll get to bring her son on stage and win on cuteness points.
I think that experience is less relevant with the loss of bipartisanship. If you aren’t allowed to compromise by your party, then what use is thinking for yourself? Plus, it is hard to get a very experienced politician of child-bearing age, because the career path is fairly long.
The internet is tricky because you lose the speaker’s tone, so I want to make clear that I am writing with respect and in the pursuit of free discussion.
I’m was a political science major and am a lawyer so I’ve studied our government with some care. I don’t understand the argument that Palin’s experience is somehow better preparation for the Presidency than Obama’s because she’s run a state and he has not.
Palin has run a very small state, in terms of population, for a very short period of time. Her entire political career started in 2002, if I remember correctly. And, if Mudflats is right, the entire population of Alaska is comparable to that of a small city (Memphis, TN).
Obama, on the other hand, is a Senator. He has been actively addressing the issues that affect our federal government. Those are not the same issues that are center stage in a small state.
And, it’s the legislature branch of government that debates the issues, set our policies and writes the laws that the executive branch only executes. Therefore, I would think Obama has more direct experience from his time in the Senate with the very issues facing the next president than Palin.
Finally, I just have to note that McCain has never been a governor. Rather, he is a Senator, and I doubt he would argue that he is not completely qualified to be President
based on that experience.
SwitchedOnMom, you are so totally and completely not alone.
Thanks Dorothy. I’ve been like a woman possessed about this. I just made my first political donation in my life to the Obama campaign. The latest travesty is this (Huffington Post) :
Speaking before the Pentecostal church, Palin painted the current war in Iraq as a messianic affair in which the United States could act out the will of the Lord.
“Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [U.S. soldiers] out on a task that is from God,” she exhorted the congregants. “That’s what we have to make sure that we’re praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God’s plan.”
Religion, however, was not strictly a thread in Palin’s foreign policy. It was part of her energy proposals as well. Just prior to discussing Iraq, Alaska’s governor asked the audience to pray for another matter — a $30 billion national gas pipeline project that she wanted built in the state. “I think God’s will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that,” she said.
Something new seems to pop up every half hour!
Read this:
http://www.andrys.com/palin-kilkenny.html
You are right-on. I wish I’d seen this last night when I posted links to my blog buddies who’ve been writing on this same topic. I hope you stop by and take a look (and a click or two). Feel free to leave your link to this post in the comments, too.
http://hormonecoloreddays.blogspot.com/2008/09/my-freudian-slip-is-showing.html
I don’t disagree that being a U.S. Senator for a substantial period of time with a strong record of successfully getting major legislation passed could very well qualify someone for the presidency. Joe Biden has the experience to be president as did John Kerry in 2004, even if I disagree with many of their policy positions and wouldn’t want them in the White House for that reason.
Obama, by contrast, has only been in the Senate since January of ’05. According to GovTrack.us (a non-partisan site), a mere 2 bills he’s sponsored have been successfully enacted. Both were resolutions, one naming July 12, 2007 as “National Summer Learning Day” and the other honoring a late bishop of the Church of God. Not exactly my idea of a substantial legislative record.
As an executive, Gov. Palin was responsible for running an administration, balancing a budget, vetoing or signing legislation, and naming judicial appointees- all of which are relevant to being president regardless of the population size of the state she governed.
There was a great quote from the convention that I wish I could remember who said (Rudy Giuliani maybe?) about it being better for the VP to be mentored by the President than the other way around.
“There was a great quote from the convention that I wish I could remember who said (Rudy Giuliani maybe?) about it being better for the VP to be mentored by the President than the other way around.”
…..screeeech……
Ok. I can’t actually believe anyone would cite Guliani (maybe?;) ) as a retort and/or backup. IMHO the guy is an absolute Zero.
Twilight zone music playing….
Back to regularly scheduled debate.
Forte
[...] 28, 2009 by SwitchedOnMom Readers from back in the fall know that I was a little–ahem–obsessed, shall we say, about the election in general and a certain governor from [...]