Women In Arizona Offended By Palin's Wink

I watched the debate in a room full of rowdy, noisy folks last night in Tucson, Arizona. Comments flew across the room, most directed at Sarah Palin:

'Stop dodging the question."
'Every time she smirks while discussing such serious issues, it makes me cringe."
"For God's sake, say nuclear correctly!"

Everyone was in agreement: Joe Biden spoke forcefully and with substance, Palin looked weak and over-rehearsed, returning again and again to stock phrases off of her cue cards and when that failed, just skipping questions that she didn't like.

But what really got me, and most of the women in the room, was the wink. In the middle of answering a question, Palin winked into the camera. She actually winked again, when aknowledging her father in the audience, but it was that first wink that got to us, the women in the room, because we've seen this before. Any professional woman will tell you she's seen this before. This is the kind of woman who uses her prettiness to get what she wants, in this case a job she's not qualified for. And nothing, nothing pisses women off more than that kind of woman.

Just imagine what would have happened if Hillary Clinton had winked during a debate. The pundits and press would have gone absolutely bonkers. "She's using her sex as a weapon." "Nobody could possibly take her seriously." "She just sunk the campaign." And Sarah Palin's own Joe Sixpack fan club would have said the same; no, they would have said much, much worse. Yet I searched for true signs of indignation last night and today, words that show that people get it, that they characterizes that wink for what it was - demeaning and embarassing - and I don't see any.

There's a double standard all right. If you're a woman who's not very smart or qualified you can go a long way by playing the prettiness card. If you're a woman who's both smart and very qualified but not a beauty queen, don't even pull the card out of your deck.

Sarah Palin winked at the country last night, and I'm sure she was saying to herself and to the country, "it's always worked in the past." Debate watchers in Tucson, Arizona fervently hope it doesn't work this time.

Comments

[jackie2]

A campaign is actually a job interview, in this case as next in line for the highest office in the land, with the American voters doing the hiring-The flirting & winking, the false eyelashes & tight skirt & stiletto heels, all point to someone who's used to getting what she wants by using her sex appeal-Millons of women in this country struggle everyday to get hired for & keep much less important jobs without having to flirt, rely on their looks or flash promising winks at Joe Sixpack-In the recent past, these women sometimes had to say "No, I won't 'date' you to get that promotion I need & have earned", only to see it go to someone who flirted outrageously with the boss-Now, one of the main buttons given out at the Republican convention said "I'm Voting For The Hot Chick"-In Indiana, the party has one that says "Hoosiers For The Hottie"-En­ough!!-Bei­ng HOT is not a requirement for this particular job-However , acting like a grown-up is-Sorry Sarah (Can I call you Sarah?), but Paris Hilton wasn't really running for president-That was a joke-

[NoNotAgain]

As a woman who has recently retired,I always resented the woman
who was promoted due to the too tight too short skirt and the too low cut blouse.

The winks ,the jiration with her shoulders,the almost licking her teeth the
smile when nothing was funny, Was Offensive,and I resented it.

I was taught that" Ladies Do Not Act Like That"

[dougp1955]

Maybe she'll now do stump speaches with Marilyn Monroe air kisses to the audience? I can't wait for the next Saturday Night Live sketch. She's literally a joke.

[Ani]

Thank you for your post, Marlene. I live in the Phoenix area -- the heart of McCain country. It's striking how absent McCain/Palin bumperstickers and signs are in this part of the state. Nothing. Nada. It's as if the McCain/Palin supporters are very well aware that they are being snookered by the nomination of this Joe Sixpack, winking, aw-shucking embarrassment to women and they don't want to call attention to themselves. It's almost like they are whispering, "If they don't see her name on the street corner or bumpers, maybe they'll still vote for us." Arizona is and will be, at least for this election, still McCain country. But Sarah Palin is no help to either her ticket or to women in general. A woman who uses her sex appeal to wink into the camera to make points, yet requires rape victims to pay for their own evidence gathering kit is no friend of any thinking woman.