Moosing Sarah -- Time for the Dems to Leash the Pitbull
It seems forever since the Democrats completed their triumphant Convention in Denver with its Obama/Biden/Clinton/Kennedy unity ticket and its intoxicating sense of take-it-to-the-finish line momentum. What happened? Not Sarah Palin. How could a small-time Alaska mayor and first term Governor derail the Obama freight train? No it was not Sarah Palin but the extraordinary reaction to McCain's wildly irresponsible decision to make her his running mate that seems to have paralyzed the Party.
Something about Palin scrambled the otherwise steady nerves of the Obama campaign. As if they were believing everything she was saying. Assuming that the Republican base was the country and hence thinking her success at her Convention there would be replicated nationally. (Did you see the face of that convention? Is that really the face of America?) Afraid to be accused of sexism (ironic after how it disposed of Hillary); or of unwarranted anger (Obama sometimes seems like Governor Dukakis, unwilling to rise to the bait even when it would be politically smart to do so).
Why is it so hard simply to tell the truth about Palin? Yes she is a successful and politically smart woman to be admired for that reason. But she is also a typical Republican values hypocrite preaching choice for women - except when it comes to pregnancy; preaching that family should be kept out of the political searchlight - except when it is useful to parade her own family on center stage; preaching against earmarks - except when it help her career to solicit them for Alaska; preaching about America first - except that she actually has made a career out of putting Palin first, Alaska second and America last (check out her Alaska secessionist husband).
She is a successful and politically smart woman, but she is also a right wing extremist who tried to delete books she didn't approve of from the town library where she was mayor and tried to fire the librarian when that didn't work; who is a creationist and, like the current occupant of the White House, who has little use for science, whether it is the science of evolution or the science of global warming; who never had a passport until last year when she visited her National Guard troops in Kuwait. Otherwise a stranger to the world in which America must make its way.
She is a successful and politically smart woman, but she is not merely pro-life, she is a no-exceptions-never-mind-rape-or-incest pro-lifer who thinks woman have no right to participate in decisions about what happens to their bodies if they become pregnant.
What the Democratic leadership has yet to figure out is that the real gender bias in the Palin appointment is the patronizing attitude that assumes what would and should be savaged and ridiculed in a man must be condoned or even welcomed in a woman.
Dukakis was skewered by twisted stories about rapists and released prisoners because he wanted to appear reasonable. War hero Kerry got swift-boated by men who never served in the military. Is Obama now going to let himself get moosed by a parochial Alaskan know-nothing because she's a woman?
Time to get mad. At Palin. At McCain. At the Bushes (yes both of them). Gender equality means women can't hide their biases and dogmatism behind gender.
Speaking of men, it is not really Palin but McCain who is the perpetrator we need to criticize. It is McCain who cynically chose a far right wing ideologue who shares the worst biases of the current administration in Washington and made her his running mate in a "campaign against Washington."
In other words, it is not the pit-bull in lipstick but the man who unleashed her who bears the responsibility. Michael Vick went to prison for turning his pit-bulls loose on others. I'm not recommending putting McCain in jail, just keeping him and his snarling (or is that a smile?) running mate out of the White House. Your move, Senator Obama.
Read more analysis from HuffPost bloggers on John McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
Thank you Arianna...well put! I have been watching this unfold or rather collapse (implode) since Mrs. Lipstick Pitbull strutted her gun tottin self across the stage to accept the nomination for Rep Veep. I'm angry, really angry. How can women, intelligent women accept this extremist as a viable running mate and possible president? She is everything I detest in Bush/Cheney, why would I accept it in a woman? Just because she and I share the extra X chromosome? No Way, Not Now, Not Ever!
How can any woman accept being told by anyone what they can or cannot do with their own body? And what in the world happened to the 80% + who are against staying in Iraq? It boggles my mind that a mother would willingly offer up her child to a war for profit. The Iraq War is just that. McCain humorously sings about the next invasion of Iran. Where is the rational sane thinking voter? Have we become a nation of war mongers? Racially bigotted, angry, "take the law into our own hands" nation?
The irony in all this is that Jesus, whom the extreme right loves to believe sanctions this hateful attitude, would not ever align himself with this group. He was a pacifist who loved us all...the good, the bad, the sinner and saint. What Jesus could not nor would not abide is the self-righteous, breast beating, sanctimoneous blow hard. We've had 8 years of 2 of the worst, no more!
Take a pill and get used to it!!! McCain/Palin will win in November!
Dear loving politics...........do you know something we don't? Are the Republicans, Rove, planning another voter fraud campaign to block voters from making their choice known, or maybe messing with the machines, or possibly hanging out in front of voting locations and intimidating the elderly and minorities? How about blocking doorways? Placing undo requirements of individuals who do not drive to produce a license for ID?
I'll take a pill if you take an oath to allow for fair and honest elections.
Perhaps it's the media that is creating this "pit bull with lipstick" and perhaps it's the media's responsibility to "vet" her and every word that comes out of her mouth. Why it is the media seems to just show little bits and pieces - most of which mean nothing. Are they showing favortism? If the Rick Davis's of the world say they are being unfair to their candidate do they immediatly back off and show her in nothing but a glowing light. I don't know what they do but they certainly don't do what it is that their job is central to - REPORT!
If Palin do not know that Freddie Mac an d Fannie Mae are private companies, does she know who the on-ground general is in Iraq?
What does a vice president do all day? Palin quote....now that's real experience!
The Democrates absolutely have to "bring up all the false and misinformed information about Levin. For one thing......damn, Obama, put the gloves on and let everyone know the true facts about Levin. She is against 'pro=choice' as she also, like her daughter "had to get married"...her son was born 8 months after they eloped. As for the 'bridge to know where....she was for it 'before she was against it" and even after it ....she kept the money for the road 'to it'.........she may be experienced, but her town is a really 'small town' to be mayor of and while she was mayor, somehow, they received lots of dough to build and many sports arenas of some kind. As for being Alaskas Govener.........it's not that populated state...........has lots of 'no where land'.....AND she want, desparately, to 'GET THAT NATURAL GAS PIPELINE IN" ........... so what does that bode for Alaska.......... money from GAS UTILITIES??? COME ON NOW............ANYONE WHO VOTES FOR THIS PARTICULAR REPUBLICAN TICKET is asking for more years of BUSH AND COMPANY and an inexperienced, closed minded woman as far as women go............choice............and an arrogant evangelist attitude!!!
I think you mean Palin, & I think she's pentacostal, at least she was for 20 years, another radical religion.
Sarah Palin has more experience than Obama and he's running for President. Wake up.
in what, lying? I agree there!
It might be true in your statement, she has 5 kids and Obama 2 so what that experience she will screw the country too just lke Bush.
Maybe those 28 Repubs won't retire after all.
Somehow Repubs managed to take 50 congressional seats in the mid 90s. How did
that happen? Maybe the Dem party really is dead as a Dodo.
McCain seems to have adapted Nixon's "mad-man theory" to campaigning as well as governing.
So the McCain/Palin team are calling themselves the instruments of Change. What?!!!!!
I just caught a short clip of McCain concluding a speech by saying, "You'll always know where I stand." What?!!!!!
Are they kidding?! They have literally stolen the words out of Senator Obama's mouth! They continue to show themselves for the clueless frauds they are.
I really can't believe anyone is buying this. Is this a country of dopes?
I know - I'm with you. I am utterly aghast at the number of people who are buying this load of lies. the world watches while America chooses to slide sideways yet again. Obama's church aside, Palin was attending a church where they speak in tongues!!! yeah, really appropriate for someone close to being the leader of the free world. yup, we will all sleep well knowing the pitbull is snarling at the end of her reich wing tether. God help us all.
Why do the same people who hold Obama in such high esteem, believe he doesn't have what it takes to win this election? It's obvious, he doesn't.
There is a huge difference between Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin. Hillary is a champion for all Americans not just women, her concerns and issues were for an entire nation. Sarah Palin is the same old Republicans for the wealthiest 10 percent, that is my beef with Palin. Palin is no more the right person for the job than McCain is, now you get two for the price of one in that both are out of touch with the needs of Americans minus the 30 percent from the radical right. To compare here or even insinuate that this is the same or as good as getting Hillary is insane and demeans Senator Clinton's record and accomplishments. Palin is no more the right woman for the job than Bush, Cheney or McCain were the right men. Go get em Dems, there is plenty of hypocrisy in Palin's record that provides contrast to what America will look like under Republicans as opposed to Democrats.
What's with the comment that a white unemployed man cannot vote for a black Harvard graduate who feels good about himself?
Could you vote for a white Harvard graduate if you were unemployed?
If I were purple and a Harvard graduate I'd feel good about myself.
SP is getting a lot of attention because of the dumbing of America. This takes the focus off an old man who has been around a long time. in the Senate We have to keep pushing for more and more new registrations this month for young people to put Obama over the top. I don't doubt that he will win, but he has to work for those votes. Any other time in history after the last eight years of total hell, the democratic candidate would be a shoe in. However, the newness of Senator Obama and his race, yes, be honest, there are those that won't vote for him based on that [mostly older folks]; we will have a much closer than should be election. I believe that somehow Senator Obama is the destiny of the US for this time. However, we must all vote and those who can should work hard for his candidacy. His presidency will not only change the USA, it will help change the world. Let's keep pushing this message any way we can until November 4th..
Obama/Biden '08
It's the economy stupid! And the war! And Gitmo and torturing! And the destruction of the Constitution! And the corruption! The way I see it the only way the Democrats can lose this this election is if they actually want to, which would bring up an entirely different problem.
Obama has run a great race as we all know. But now what? I don't mind if he attacks just as long as he dosen't do it with a smile or a smirk, which would only be imitating Bush, McCain and Palin.
Benjamin R. Barber:
If Obama were to say what you are suggesting, he will lose in a landslide. Progressives proffer logic, while Repub play on emotions.
A black male candidate cannot be viewed favorably by coming hard on a white female candidate. It is the job of the surrogates to do, while the candidate stays on message. Republicans have argued that Obama does not have the experience to be commander in chief. It was not McCain saying it directly but the cadre of Republican surrogates. What Democrats usually do when Republicans say that Obama does not have the experience that qualifies him to be commander-in-chief is to say that JFK was accused of same.
Why can’t Democrats say that McCain spent one-quarter of century in Washington but has no wisdom or good judgment to show for it. Why can’t Dem say that McCain is a risky proposal to be commander-in-chief when he is very unpredictable and lacks the temperament for the job. Dem cannot say that electing McCain is a guarantee American invasion of Iran.
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
