Sarah Palin: A Sleight of Gender?

"Not again!" I thought to myself this morning, as news trickled out that John McCain was set to pick Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. Not again, because too often women are promoted for the wrong reasons, and then blamed when things don't go right.

Don't get me wrong: what I know of Palin (which admittedly isn't much), I kind of like. I don't agree with her politics. But in her two years in Alaska's state house, she's shown herself to be a scrappy reformer, a no-nonsense manager, and a consistent conservative. She's also a mother of five, which in my book is a sterling test of leadership.

Since there are only eight women among our nation's fifty governor's, and only three of them are Republicans, she was certainly someone to watch, a potential comer on the national stage. At 44, she's young, a fresh face, and wildly popular in Alaska. And it was easy to see her appeal during today's Ohio rally, where McCain introduced her as his running mate. She showed herself to be an utterly down-to-earth hockey mom with an independent (one might say maverick) streak. And her shout-outs to Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton for their path-breaking campaigns added a genuine note of grace.

But is she ready to be commander-in-chief?

Unlike Barack Obama, whom McCain has so emphatically condemned as not-ready, Palin hasn't run for or served in the Senate. Nor has she run for president, which would have required her to think through and take positions on critical issues from the war in Iraq to the war on terror, from Iran's nuclear ambitions to the Russian incursion into Georgia, from the emerging power of China to the march of globalization. She hasn't debated tough opponents a dozen or so times or faced aggressive, often downright hostile reporters on a daily basis. Talk about untested. Her slim record undermines one of McCain's most effective arguments against Obama.

Clearly, McCain thinks Palin will help him among women, particularly those disaffected Hillary Clinton supporters who are having so much trouble "getting over it." It just shows how clueless the McCain camp actually is. Unlike Clinton and Ferraro, Palin hasn't been a strong national voice on women's issues. She hasn't been at the barricades, fighting for women's health, equal pay, economic security. And she certainly hasn't had anything to say about the national-security issues that are also important to women across the political spectrum. Does the McCain camp really expect pro-choice Democratic and independent women to be swayed by a sleight-of-gender?

McCain made the decision to double down on his credentials as a take-no-prisoners reformer. But he did so at the expense of the more important qualifications for a running mate.

It's not political to say that John McCain turns 72 today. That he's a cancer survivor. That he spent six years being tortured and abused in a Vietnamese prison camp. Those are the physical realities of his life, and pure and simple, they demanded that he chose a running mate who is ready, really ready. That he put country first. Today, he failed that test.

Worse, when Sarah Palin falls short--and I hope I'm wrong but I think in important ways, such as her debate with Joe Biden, she will--some people will conclude that women can't cut it. That's unfair to Sarah Palin--and it's certainly unfair to the rest of us.

Read more reaction from HuffPost bloggers to John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate

This post originally appeared on vanityfair.com

Comments

[RobinSeattle]

Dee Dee, one thing she is not is a reformer. You are time and again going to hear about her veto of the Bridge to Nowhere project. Unfortunately, she was initially for it:

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2008/08/29/did-palin-really-fight-the-bridge-to-nowhere.asp

She's weak.

[Mock38]

My first questions re: Ms. Palin:
Who is her surrogate mother to her children?
Is she a creationist?
What is her religion?
Does her religon have a bias against other religions, like the Catholic religion?
What is her opinion of the death penalty?
What is her positon on global warming?
What is her positon on drilling in currently protected areas?
Does she have any opinion about the mortgage crisis?
Is she a member of the NRA?
In her pro-life stance, does she allow for any exceptions such as rape and incest?
Exactly what are her qualifications to be VP and/or Pres., particlulary as it relates to the major international and economic issues?
What is her temperment compared to John McCain's?
What is her educational background?

[TBS]

Don't worry Dee Dee. The American people never fall for these kind of cynical tactics because they are a sophisticated, intelligent electorate. We can spot a disingenuous, lying, shameless panderer a mile off -- and then we elect him.

[goldnchyl]

tragic, yet still funny ...

[chosenson]

Sarah Palin: "What exactly does a VP do?"

Watch (minute 2:5)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pak-rH0dCeA

[thedailymccain]

McCain should had gone with his other choices:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaAURlu3y7M

[1will]

As a mother with a son serving in the Army I doubt that she is uninformed about Iraq, Iran or the Middle East. I'm sure she has views on the war and while Palin doesn't have Biden's experience her candidacy is definately CHANGE.
She has at least as much experience as Obama. If elected she'll be in the no. 2 slot gaining more experience. On the other hand if Obama is elected he'll have to take his meager resume to the most powerful office in our nation, if not the world.

[SUNRAI]

She has a considerable less amount of experience than Obama. Just in July she stated she didn't know what the vice president does....

[lisakaz2]

How is she less than a valentine to Big Oil and the drill, drill drill philosophy and to hell with environmental concerns? How is that really "change"?

[DianeH]

Unfortunately, you're wrong. When asked about her position on Iraq today she responded she doesn't have one, hasn't had an interest in Iraq as she's been focused on Alaskan domestic issues. Amazing for someone who presumably signed orders for National Guard troops to go to Iraq. Moreover, how can ANY reasonably educated person in this country not be interested in Iraq after losing more than 4000 American lives there. Is this the person you want leading our troops and answering the phone at 3:00 in the event something happens to John McCain? McCain once again showed his tremendously poor judgment in this choice for his running mate. And he put his own interests in being elected before the interests of the American people. Finally, he has shown once again his disdain for women in thinking that simply putting a woman on the ticket is sufficient. This woman is against everything I've been fighting for in gender equality for the last 30 years and I shudder to think of how her positions would affect my daughter and granddaughter.

[kdublya]

The part about Palin running in a primary and winning, or even losing, is conspicuously absent from her resume.

[BottomLine2008]

You think being mayor of a speed bump town is experience? You think being governor of a state with barely enough voters for a congressional district, for 1 year, is experience?

You should value your son more than that.

[schmuckwithearlaps]

Can't we libs wake up to the fact that McCain has shown his genious here, and is likely to win based on this selection? McCain has locked in the right third of the voters and is now attacking the Dems from the left. Now that Palin is making Rush and Sean cream in their pants (I mean politically only) he is going to wage a campaign of family, youth, outdoors life, white picket fences and stopping the bridge from nowhere. Sometimes genious is hard to accept. Palin will lock up women in the 18-45 age group.
If the news reports are correct that her baby shown signs of developmental disability, she will have every female media person eating out of her hand for the next couple of months. More importantly, McCain and Palin are both from the West, where the election will be won. Dems think they can win on abortion on demand. No way. Palin is a big boost to the McCain ticket in nearly every swing state, and the swing states are the only ones that count. Who cares how she goes over in New York and California? That has a political relevancy of zero. She will go over great in Ohio, North Carolina, Minn and Florida, the places McCain needs to win.

[GaiusLucilius]

People got made (rightfully) at John Edwards for thinking with his small head.

John McCain is betting that just because Palin has two X chromosomes, just like me!, I'm going to vote and make a crucial decision for our country's future--by thinking with my vajayjay.

Ain't going to happen.

Signed, church-going, family-valuing Christian NO LONGER SUPPORTING John McCain

[djyman]

what happened to "the XX Dan Quayle"-- I loved that title.

Anyway Ms. Meyers, you're a hell of a communicator, and spot on about Palin.

[2faced]

Dee Dee you are right! Double X is what gives women the rationalit­y,survival spirit, presence of mind and sensibility. Here sen.McCain is making mockery out of the 18 milloin cracks in the glass ceiling.Gov. Palin looks like a good governor for Alaska but is she going to take over McCains pains? He knows repub have no chance of winning against Obama/Biden. Is McCain waving a symbolic white flag of surrender now with his choice of a runnigmate? Or is he trying to please the Limbaughs and the conservative evangelists and get some cute campaign catch phrases. Senator just think the Hillary hold- outs are smarter than Palin and Cindy and all your cronies put together.

[SpeakSense]

If nothing else McCain's selection of Gov. Palin shows that experience does not now and never did really matter. If the Obama camp is smart (and they are), they will totally and completely put the experience issue to rest and focus any and all challenges to her selection on the issues. Remind all voters about her stance on the issues...pro-life, pro-gun, anti-environment, etc. This selection can be a Godsend opportunity for Obama if he and his team stay as laser focused as he was in last night's historic speech.

[dobermangang]

Palin is still more qualified than Obama. Can anybody name 1 significant thing Obama has ever done? His poor performance at Saddleback and his snubbing of Hillary as VP(can't believe he didn't even vet her) has ruined his chances of becoming President. Looks like McCain in 2008 and Hillary gets to run again in 2012. The PUMAs voices and votes will be heard this November.

[GaiusLucilius]

You mean the tro//s' voices. Troll begone.

Signed,

XX-chromos­ome-posses­sin', family-valuin', churchgoing Christian NOT supporting McCain

[LillianB]

Seriously? A former mayor in a city of 9000, having served two years as governor in the US' fourth least populated state is "more qualified" than a US senator having 12 years experience as a legislator, first in the US' fifth most populated state (where he has a strong record on bipartisan co-operation, giving health care to 150 000 formerly uninsured people, among other things - one significant thing I can mention), then in the nationwide senate? You have been drinking someone's KoolAid - or stronger stuff..... Do you also think that flying over Canada to get from Alaska to Washington counts as foreign policy experience?

That said, kudos to Dee Dee Myers for pointing out the good & the bad in a female VP choice, my thoughts exactly, on the subject. Just one thing I want to add: A woman whose positions on women's issues are soooo not-female friendly (she is anti-choice, for one thing) isn't a candidate who deserves thinking women's votes.

[FanofPaine]

So you would risk Roe vs. Wade being overturned? You would risk staying in Iraq? You would risk not having affordable health care? You would risk privatizing social security? Just to get back at Senator Obama? That's freaking sad.

[SolomonTheWise]

No FanofPaine, that is not just sad, it is absolutely freakin' ignorant! Common sense, logic and rational thought seem to be as close to these people as our closest neighboring galaxy. I have truly NEVER seen such a group of blindingly ignorant and narrow-minded people in my entire adult life!

[DMHendrix]

I'm sure all 50 of the PUMA's will take to the streets and celebrate!

[lisakaz2]

How about ethics reform cosponsored with Orrin Hatch? Name one significant thing Palin has done -- besides be a gift to Big Oil who represents more of the same with the veneer of a fresh coat?

[wadda]

Apparently those more qualified turned down the opportunity to run with the crazy ol' bugger. The neophyte, on the other hand, was told, apparently, that she would be respected in the morning.

[TexanJane]

But Bush 41 won DESPITE Quayle - god help us all.

[davidly]

Would that be the same god who created Earth that Palin believes in? I think they got that covered. We better help ourselves.

[sleek]

Quayle was a genius Statesman compared to Palin. He was a U.S. Congressman and a U.S. Senator before becoming VP.

[johnqsittinzen]

Bush 41 rode a tidal wave of Reagan era economic and nationalistic euphoria into the White house, including loyal Reagan Democrats, defeating a less than stellar Democratic candidate. He was a one term president and Quayle was the laughing stock of the country for four years. Not the same reality today.

[canow]

We linked to this in a post over at the CA NOW blog: http://www.canow.org/canoworg/2008/08/mccains-vp-choi.html