Oh man. Or in this case, oh woman!
I’ve been thinking about the announcement of Palin as McCain’s running mate this weekend. I didn’t want to be too hasty in my judgment on the topic, but my initial reaction was, “WHAT WAS HE THINKING??” The entire decision reeked of desperation. How can this woman with zero experience beyond a 2 year term as governor of town with a population of ~9,000 people even be in contention with so many others who have the background and more experience?
I don’t claim to be an expert on political matters, but I think I’m a good representative of the cross section of 30-somethings who are acutely aware of what’s going on in the world and who are seeking to become an agent of change in our communities. I’m female, single, and a minority to boot. My late 20s and early 30s had the Iraqi war on my global conscience, as well as rising energy/oil costs and preserving the planet and it’s natural resources. As I enter midlife, healthcare costs and the state of our economy is becoming more prevalent in my day-to-day decisions.
I came across one article where some woman said she was ‘giddy’ over the choice of Palin as McCain’s running mate, but in her explanation her only point of excitement was the fact that Palin was a working mom with a son heading off to Iraq and a child with Down’s Syndrome. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure she’s your archetype ’super mom’. She has a career, a beauty pageant title, plays the flute, and still manages to raise her 5 kids. That’s great and that’s what we women should all applaud and give thanks for. But does that really make her fit to be VICE PRESIDENT?? What ever happened to the need for a stellar resume?? I worry that there are too many women out there who aren’t looking at the facts and are too hung up on the fact that they just want a woman in that high of a position. I can’t imagine if something were to happen to McCain and she were to step in as Commander-in-Chief. Oy vey!!!
The more I think about it and the more research I do on Palin, I just keep concluding that McCain (as much as I like and respect the guy) totally undermined his credibility by making this choice. I honestly was on the fence about McCain and Obama but after the Democratic National Convention last week, Obama and the rest of the presenters blew me away with their biographies and their speeches. I really feel like Michelle Obama is a solid woman who not only knows herself in relation to her career, but also understands the challenges of raising children in these uncertain times. I felt like Hillary Clinton, while quite unfortunate that her desire to become president was not to come to fruition, was truly a classy and strong woman who understood that if she was not to be the great change agent, then she would be on the team that would represent it. I think Biden had solid experience in areas where Obama was weak, and I think his working class roots helped me to see that he’s grounded and still in touch with the general working class. I think Obama’s choice in Biden clearly showed that Obama truly was looking for a solid partnership for our next presidency. I think Obama’s personal story of being raised by a single mother and also having grown up ‘black’ in white, midwest America, shows that he understands the complexities of race matters, of family values, of hard-working single parents, of women’s rights and gender/race equality, and of the complex issues behind healthcare and our aging population. I think he really can relate to the people and I think he really does care and understand about the issues the average American has.
I’m trying really hard to stay open to next week’s Republican National Convention and to learning more about all of the people and platforms involved with each party, but I was – and am – truly blown away by Obama’s compaign. For the first time in a long time I truly feel hopeful about politics. I attribute that to Obama. I like Michelle. I like his kids. I respect Hillary and I think Biden would be a good partnership. I like what he says about change needing to happen TO Washington and NOT FROM Washington. I think if something were to happen to Obama if he were to become president (which I truly pray does not happen, but it wouldn’t surprise me if something did), I feel good about Biden taking over. I can’t say my gut feels the same about Palin.
We’ll see what happens next week at the RNC. McCain has lost a lot of credibility and respect from me with his choice in Palin, but I’ll stay open to learning what I can about his team.
To follow are some links about Palin as the VP pick. I tried to find some articles that had a positive opinion about her, but I couldn’t. If you find any, please send them my way.
Thanks for reading!
http://dragonmage06.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/why-palin-is-the-best-vp-pick-ever/
http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/what-is-mccain-thinking-one-alaskans-perspective/
http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/local-reaction-to-the-palin-bombshell/
http://jacksonsthoughts.wordpress.com/2008/08/31/um-okay-national-review/
http://theeclecticone.com/2008/08/31/hillary-clinton-sarah-palin-and-sexism/
