I have to wonder if this was simply an attempt to embrace the disappointed Hillary supporters (I am one of them, although I feel much better about Obama after the convention). Does McCain think that women will vote for him merely because his VP is female? To be fair, as a (feminist) woman, it was pretty cool to have a woman run a (near) successful campaign for presidency in a major political party. It is pretty tragic that some of the women who paved the way for this to occur (namely the suffragettes) are not here today to have witnessed that. However-to put aside those warm, fuzzy feelings for a moment, this country is in BIG TROUBLE (welcome back!- To those of you who didn't know this already, I hope you watched the convention). Throughout Hillary's campaign, I (like most other women I know) was INFINITELY more struck by her intellect, enthusiasm about a possible brighter future for Americans, and drive to set this country back on its feet than I was in the knowledge that we both have a uterus. Hillary Clinton has proven to be someone that men and women alike can feel good about supporting.
Sarah Palin is no Hillary Clinton.
1-Hillary Clinton majored in political science at Wellesley, graduated with departmental honors, and gave the commencement address to her fellow classmates at graduation. She was active in political campaigning at both Wellesley and Yale-where she received her law degree. Sarah Palin MINORED in politics at the University of Idaho. She spent her 22nd year winning the Miss Wasilla contest and went on to score second in the Miss Alaska Beauty Pageant.
2-After 30 years of actively working for the Democratic Party, in 2000 Hillary Clinton was elected to the Senate. After 8 successful years as a New York senator, she ran for President. Sarah Palin has been Governor of Alaska for ALMOST 2 years. Before this, she had a few unsuccessful campaigns of her own (Lieutenant Governor, the Senate). She did however, spend 2 years on the Wasilla City Council.
3-Hillary Clinton is probably best remembered for designing a then unsuccessful yet pretty brilliant health care plan during her husband's time in office. In the early years after law school she was active in children's law and would later become the co-founder of the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. In 1984 she won the title of Arkansas Woman of the Year largely for her work to better education in the state. She became the first First Lady to take up an office in the West Wing of the White House. From there she was only second to Eleanor Roosevelt in being the most influential First Lady in matters of public policy. In the Senate, among other things, she has been a loud voice of opposition for war surges and in favor of a scheduled troop withdrawal. Hillary Clinton is Pro-Choice and an active supporter of adoption and foster care programs. She is a supporter of Civil Unions with full equality of benefits. Sarah Palin, who refers to herself as a "Pro-Life feminist," is strongly opposed to abortion. She supports the teaching of creationism alongside of evolution in public schools and is an enthusiastic member of the NRA. Palin signed into law the largest budget Alaska has ever seen during her first year as the governor and is also opposed to same-sex marriages. But apparently she does have some gay friends and is "quite receptive" to GLBT concerns about discrimination.
I don't want to drag Sarah Palin down too much here. I mean, I think she'd be a cool chick to have a beer with sometime-her favorite food is moose burgers! Thats pretty cool, right? And I'm not knocking her for competing in a beauty contest. My best friend competed in Miss Maryland last year and will again this year. What I am questioning is how secure I'm going to feel if McCain wins in November, and kicks the bucket before his 4 years are up. I'd trust Mrs. Palin implicitly to tell me which ponds are best for ice fishing or what kind of hairspray keeps your bathing suit from giving you a wedgie. But I do not think I'd trust her with the United States of America.
This will be a very interesting next couple of months. What'll they come up with next!?!
And don't worry Johnny, I wasn't planning on voting for you anyway.
3 comments:
I think that Palin becoming President is a legitimate concern... despite the publishing of McCain's supposedly stellar health record, the fact remains that he's old, that the job for which he's applying is one of the most stressful, and that being President ages one terribly. (Look at pictures of the Bushes and Bill Clinton before and after their Presidencies.)
I'm the first to admit that politics are, and should be, matters of gray as opposed to black and white. The 2-party system is imminently flawed, and most issues are polarizing but shouldn't be. There SHOULD be room for shades of gray. However, that being said, I CANNOT understand how you can pick and choose your politics like it's some kind of buffet. How can you be a "pro-life feminist?" How can you be against gay/lesbian marriage rights but "sensistive to discrimination?" How do those things WORK?!
It seems to me that Palin probably doesn't feel one way or the other, but is trying to paint herself as a spectacular "every woman." She's wishy-washy, Little Miss Popular, and, let's face it, McCain chose her BECAUSE SHE IS A WOMAN. He was like, well, shit, I'm up against a black guy...IN YOUR FACE, OBAMA, I'M RUNNING WITH A FEMALE!!
Lame.
Age should not be the issue with McCain. There are older men and women than McCain working as CEOs for Fortune 500 companies (yes they don't have to deal with Iraq/Afghanistan, Health Care, the economy, education etc. but still very stressful). McCain has sold his soul so he doesn't lose the influential Bush backers in the Republican party. This Republican will not be voting for him come November.
and then her daughter went and got preggos. jackpot.
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