By Jill Chapin
September 12, 2008
Why are so many women apoplectic over John McCain’s selection of a running mate? There has been a flurry of emails circulating around the country to and from women who are pleading with their fellow sisterhood to think twice before throwing their support to the Republicans based solely on his vice presidential pick.
There seem to be two major reasons for this agitation that intertwine and make for messy feelings. One is that she is reviving his lackluster campaign with reasons that are reprehensible to women and to those who love them. A revived campaign with a qualified woman would still hurt, but it wouldn’t insult our intelligence. The other reason is that her selection was a bold and bald political move that was made with John McCain’s best interests – not ours.
One of these emails implores women to withhold being too smitten over a vice presidential nominee who shares nothing in common with them regarding issues that will impact their lives for generations to come.
Sarah Palin does not represent women. Not in the areas that affect our lives and those of our children and grandchildren. Sure, she’s pretty, feisty, and “just like us.” But do we really want someone like us? I know next to nothing about almost everything – is this my standard of excellence? Would you not wonder about the quality of our schools if a senior used her argument of having foreign policy experience because Russia is so close to Alaska that she can see it?
As these women write, what exactly does she have in common with the feminine gender besides plumbing? Don’t we also value sex education, birth control, a pro-choice platform, environmental protections, alternative energy development, science, freedom of speech, gun control, separation of church and state?
And this list does not even address her appalling lack of real preparation to be a heartbeat away from a 72 year old four-time cancer survivor. We all really need to think hard about the implications of her taking the presidential oath of office in this crazy world.
A comedian on the Jon Stewart Show said she wanted a leader she can relate to. “Like me, or worse.”
A delegate leaving the Republican convention said that Sarah Palin makes Americans feels like anyone can be president. This sentiment, however, used to be associated with a certain level of achievement commensurate with the office.
Why are we suddenly embracing the ordinary? Suddenly we have elevated mediocrity to be the benchmark for huge success. Stories of how Barack Obama went from food stamps to Harvard is now considered elitist. What has happened to our collective common sense? Don’t we want our children to see an example of how far they can climb with hard work and real accomplishment? Why are we instead foisting an interesting but otherwise woefully unqualified woman to possibly lead us in this increasingly dangerous world?
When a potential American leader says that “you have to be wired in a way of being so committed to the mission that we’re on . . . you can’t blink.” Good Lord, really? I want my leaders to blink like crazy and think and rethink a mission before plundering ahead for the sake of appearing committed. Have we forgotten the unblinking, unwavering decision of our current president to rush into Iraq?
She has morphed Bush’s cowboy mentality into a wilderness one. When she promises us she will not blink, does she realize that using that strategy may work when confronting a bear, but not when facing the threat of nuclear annihilation?
It seems that women who are excited about Palin are voting with the organ in their chest. Men, who describe her as a hot babe, are voting with the organ that’s a little lower down.
We need to engage that organ between our ears, because we could be about to embark upon a slippery slope in our national security if anything should happen to John McCain.
So ladies, please think again before you throw your enthusiastic support for this undeniably interesting, attractive and spunky woman. Maybe instead we can find a better fit for her in the public arena – like the fourth judge on American Idol.
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