Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Republicans Using Palin as Campaign Tool

This is their new old talking point - the media swooned for Obama but ignored Hillary because she is a woman. 

Carly Fiorina, who seems to be head of the Republican Sexism Charge Department, is again hollering sexism. It's all the talk at the republican convention. 

Sarah Palin is unqualified and being hailed a hero for her mother credentials, a pregnant teen and keeping her baby with downs syndrome. 

I'd really hate to think those things are extraordinary. There are plenty of mothers out there who kept their special needs baby and not all women run out for an abortion when they see a plus sign. 

I guess now teen pregnancy is great too, so long as the young girl marries the father. Sexism? What if Sarah Palin's daughter didn't want to marry? Just saying.

None of it adds up to vice president. 

See, the republicans still have this notion that we want to elect Obama for the sake of history, not for his qualifications. They see Obama as the affirmative action candidate.

They are probably like Howard Wolfson, who converted from Hillary supporter to Obama supporter. They just haven't paid attention to Obama's credentials. McCain doesn't even have a clue of Obama's path to presidential nominee. 

It seems republicans thought they could one up the democrats by choosing the personable Ms. Mooseburger and then say that she's more qualified than Obama, while touting her hunting and mothering skills. The republicans are using Sarah Palin as a tool to win an election. That's sexism. 

Rush Limbaugh, who's advocated for Palin, and a whole slew of men have called Palin a "babe." That's sexism. Women should be appalled. Somewhere there's a group of men gathered in a room hooting and hollering, cackling too, as Karl Rove smiles devilishly. 

Did you know that Alaska is now one of the most important states in the union? 

Here's a bit from the observant Peggy Noonan:
Final point. Palin's friends should be less immediately worried about what the Obama campaign will do to her than what the McCain campaign will do. This is a woman who's tough enough to work her way up and through, and to say yes to a historic opportunity, but she will know little of, or rather have little experience in, the mischief inherent in national Republican politics. She will be mobbed up in the McCain campaign by people who care first about McCain and second about themselves. (Or, let's be honest, often themselves first and then McCain.) Palin will never be higher than number three in their daily considerations. They won't have enough interest in protecting her, advancing her, helping her play to her strengths, helping her kick away from danger. And – there is no nice way to say this, even though at this point I shouldn't worry about nice – some of them are that worst sort of aide, dim and insensitive past or present lobbyists with high self-confidence. She'll be a thing to them; they'll see the smile and the chignon and the glasses and think she's Truvi from Steel Magnolias. They'll run right over her, not because they're strong but because they're stupid. The McCain campaign better get straight on this. He should step in, knock heads, scare his own people and get Palin the help and high-level staff all but the most seasoned vice presidential candidates require. She has a lot more to say.