To Hate Like This Never Felt So Good -- Taking Revenge on Sarah

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 22202

PS make sure you use that link above or choose the pulldown of Donate--Honorary or Memorial Donations, not the regular "Donate Online"

A couple of bloggers have since mentioned this idea, including Patt Morrison who started this trend of donating in "honor of" Bush to Planned Parenthood 8 years ago. But with Sarah it feels like an even more appropriate place to donate since she's the newest poster girl of anti-feminism.

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

Comments

[rosysun1012]

I donated today. Great idea. I sent my card to Sarah Palin's Governor Office in Fairbanks, Alaska at 675 7th Avenue, Suite H5, Fairbanks, AK 99701. I figure her staff can see what America thinks of her while she is out campaigning and pushing her anti-choice agenda. And for those who think we need to focus on Obama, well this is a good strategy for those of us that wanted Hillary in the final two. I like Obama, but women come first. Period. Donations can also be sent to all the governor's offices in Alaska at http://gov.state.ak.us/govoffices/

[Whinger]

Hatred destroys the hated, it also destroys the hater!

[CassandraPriam]

The BEST thing we can do is donate time and money to Obama's campaign.

Don't get sidetracked or go off on tangents.
Keep your eye on the ball: ELECT PRESIDENT OBAMA

[quadman]

"Hate" - An emotion that walks hand-in-hand with genocide, intolerance, bigotry, and irrational action.

Good job Katherine.

[DrThink]

Why do the mass media outlets insist on repeateedly describing Palin as "likeable"? No other candidate has ever been able to infuriate well over 130,000 people on one night like she did. and it was her DEBUT night !

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!

[elimenez]

Don't waste your money, she is likely to not see it, donate to Obama's campaign who will banish her to the political moose country of America.

[Salome]

Genius! May I also recommend Defenders of Wildlife (you can have photos of polar bears sent to her) and the Alaska Special Olympics? As all of you Olbermann fans know, SP cut funding for the Alaska Special Olympics by half.

I am going to adopt a polar bear family for her right now. Wretched woman.

[desertbloom]

Phyllis Schaffley, with Valentino and lipstick.

[darker]

Yes, RIGHTWING EYE-CANDY with a ROVE MOUTH!
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.

[anniegirl9]

If my love affair for Obama doesn't sink my marraige, my disgust for Palin just may. Not that my husband is voting MCCain/Palin. He just doesn't like to talk politics. Watching the RNC had me shouting at the tv more times than he does each Sunday watching the Lions lose once again.

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.

[DrThink]

Your husband doesn't like to talk politics with YOU? huh!

[loper2008]

I had the exact same reaction: "I want this woman destroyed politically."

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.

[parvo63]

Some thoughts about Sarah Palin.
You will be surprised.
http://freshtracks.us/liberty/gravel_strikes_again/

[LittleGirl]

As i read your blog, I was nodding in agreement and was giggling to myself that your thoughts had mimicked mine. Yep, yup, yup. Horror, disbelief, frustration, unbelievable lies! Yes, yes, and yes. She's the anti-feminist. She will set back feminism 80 yrs (our right to vote) if she is put in office. Don't even get me started about PRO-CHOICE.

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.

[mercedesblue]

Who!!! Someone that feels as I do. I have never been so consumed with trying to keep Palin-McCain out of the WH. We are in serious trouble if these two are elected. Palin cannot rule her own home but she can initimate those who work for her to do what she demands....

WAKE UP AMERICA....

[SPiHC]

While Planned Parenthood is a great cause, and more than worthwhile to support, donations aren't enough.

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

[athenasword]

How 'bout we just donate to Obama? Or NOW. Or Move On. We need to make sure he's elected. That would be the ultimate way of sticking it to that rotten little anti-feminist.

[BethanylovesObama]

PP also has an 'action fund' I think it's called. They have run at least one ad in support of Obama, you could donate to that part of PP as well if you wanted to make sure the donation was going towards the Obama cause! (there's a link to the fund on the PP website, btw)