From the get-go, I've been pretty Machiavellian about this election. "Do what you gotta do, Obama, Axelrod et al. I won't criticize too much as long as you make it to the White House." Winning campaigns are a lot like sausage, I figured. While you enjoy the tasty finished product, you don't always want to see what happens to get there. But unlike in 2004 where my enthusiasm for Kerry was really just motivated by distaste for Bush, my happiness with Obama was much stronger than my dislike of McCain.
And Then Sarah happened. And it got personal.
On the night she gave her acceptance speech and the RNC, like so many devoted liberals, I couldn't contain my rage. She really got under my skin.
Oh, it's on.
And then I jumped off the deep end.
I don't just want Obama to win. I want this woman to lose. Badly. I want her destroyed. Publicly. And I want her to suffer.
As I told my boyfriend this the day after her speech, (in the interest of self preservation he hadn't even watched it) he rightfully looked at me like I was a lunatic.
Maybe I was.
Reading about her all day as I edit blogs here at HuffPost probably didn't help with my anger. I started to tell friends and family outside of work that in the interest of my mental health, wecouldn't talk about her.
I tried to let my feelings mellow, but the woman has the ability to get my blood pressure to rise instantly.
Then a couple days ago, my friend Alex Leo sent me an email:
This has been going around. I think it's fabulous and thought you would too...
Instead of (in addition to?) us all sending around emails about how horrible she is, let's all make a donation to Planned Parenthood. In Sarah Palin's name. And here's the good part: when you make a donation to PP in her name, they'll send her a card telling her that the donation has been made in her honor. Here's the link to the Planned Parenthood website:https://secure.ga0.org/02/pp10000_inhonor
You'll need to fill in the address to let PP know where to send the "in Sarah Palin's honor" card. I suggest you use the address for the McCain campaign headquarters, which is:
McCain for President
1235 S. Clark Street
1st Floor
Arlington, VA 22202PS make sure you use that link above or choose the pulldown of Donate--Honorary or Memorial Donations, not the regular "Donate Online"
And today in the New York Times, Hillary Clinton and Cecile Richards made the urgent case for why we need to support women's reproductive rights now because of new rules the Bush administration is proposing that could greatly limit women's access to reproductive services.
I'm not sure how exactly to calculate a dollar amount that I should give in honor of Sarah that would appropriately counteract all the aggravation she's caused me. The formula might look something like this:
Number of times she's lied about the bridge to nowhere + number of nights I couldn't fall asleep because I was thinking about her + number of blogs I've read about her + one quarter of the cost she charged victims for rape kits in Wasilla + number of times she's compared herself to Hillary Clinton = ????
The idea of giving to Planned Parenthood seems like a healthy channeling of my frustration. I have, in fact, noticed that everyone is worried about money since we are in the middle of a massive financial crisis. But sometimes you just have to do something nice for yourself. And for Sarah.
UPDATE: Blogger John Neffinger gave me the following pertinent info:
I heard about this from someone else today and we were discussing this: The problem is the McCain campaign is run by contemptuous little anti-choice staffers -- no one who cares will ever see those cards. A better address might be the Palins' home, where at least her local postal workers and neighbors will notice:PO Box 21
Wasilla, AK
Happy donating everyone!
Follow Katherine Goldstein on Twitter: www.twitter.com/KGeee
Don't get sidetracked or go off on tangents.
Keep your eye on the ball: ELECT PRESIDENT OBAMA
Good job Katherine.
130,000 is only the number of people that donated to the Obama campaign on that night. It doesn't even come close to the actual number of ppl she angered!...including people who can't vote!
I am going to adopt a polar bear family for her right now. Wretched woman.
Pig in LIPSTICK! think--Karl Rove.
NO MORE YEARS for corrupt republican LIARS.
STOP VOTING AGAINST YOURSELF and
vote for COMMON SENSE LEADERSHIP: obama-biden '08.
I have found relief by not only contributing to Obama, but by volunteering. That way I can feel like I am making a difference and get to talk to like minded, intelligent people. I am going to doante to PP now too.
Thankfully, she seems to be achieving destruction on her own. But I still plan to donate to her democratic challenger in the Alaska governor race.
You will be surprised.
http://freshtracks.us/liberty/gravel_strikes_again/
And I can't distinguish the hate for her or the hate for McCain. With all of the powerful and smart women in this country, he had to pick one that is so anti-women? I am totally disgusted with the GOP and how they are running this negative/lie filled campaign. And I didn't support Hillary AT ALL. I don't want any more Clintons or Bushs running our country.
Obama was my choice as soon as he decided to run so this campaign length has been exhaustingly long for me. He represents the independent spirit I OWN.
I just want to scream at McCain, this isn't American Idol, this is our future and our children's future and the war MUST END NOW. You can't win an occupation.
I live in Europe, the economy of the states DOES affect the world. Stop playing with our tax dollars, give us health insurance and END THE WAR. Our view in the world matters to me. Because I'm an American wanting to come home. I don't want to be ashamed because GOP Americans keep voting in incompetent idiots.
WAKE UP AMERICA....
While exceptionally clever, American women would be better served by illustrating how far to the right fringe of her party Sarah Palin stands on the issues.
Ask them to imagine the lives of their daughters, if the Republican Party Platform is implemented.
Don't let them conflate two women in politics based simply on gender.
Learn the difference, vote smart.
www.SarahPalinISNTHillaryClinton.com