The Palin Trap: Meta Symbol of American Womanhood is a Dangerous Distraction

Palin is basically Rick Santorum cloned- but it's so much more fun to talk about her as meta-feminine symbol. Women, myself included, got so caught up in talking about what Sarah Palin-as-working-mother means, we helped build the GOP fairytale that Palin is just a hockey mom, not a regressive, GW Bush acolyte. The myth of Palin has helped McCain win over white women voters and tie the race.

Women are the change agents in this election, but our voices are most special to the media, it seems, when we talk about ourselves and our socio-cultural struggles. We saw it with coverage of Hillary Clinton, and we're seeing it now. Yes, we must work for equality at home and work but the constant discussion of such issues and the ensuing media pick up is a trap for women right now. If we don't have jobs in the first place, we got nothing. And McCain-Palin in the White House doesn't get us to equal pay or good jobs. John McCain voted against equal pay for equal work, and the McCain economic plan is more of George W. Bush's disastrous policy. That's the true meaning of Palin, not the fact that she's a working mom.

There are over a million hits in Google for Palin as "mom" and about 800,000 for Palin as "legislator." According to the Project for Excellence in Journalism, coverage of Palin's family outstripped coverage of her record by a factor of almost two to one: "Together, media narratives about McCain and the convention--including the proceedings themselves, Hurricane Gustav's impact, McCain's speech, and George Bush's role--accounted for 43% of the campaign newshole. Palin themes, including reaction to her selection, her public record, her personal and family life, and the question of sexism--accounted for 45%."

Blogs on Palin are overwhelmed by comments, and like her tabloid covers, everyone's got an interest and an opinion in this fascinating story. But McCain and Palin are out there lying every day on the campaign stump, and talking mommy and family is a distraction from what's really at stake. Our livelihoods are at stake.

As a political editor at BlogHer.com, which showcases the writing of women bloggers, I'm committed to linking to the work of other women bloggers. When I'm writing about national security, this can be difficult. When it comes to Sarah Palin, I'm overwhelmed with the volume and variety of writing out there, much of it wise and like the very best blog writing, informed by personal experience. Leading female political blogs like Momocrats have already moved on to dissect Palin's record, but the mainstream media still covers the many discussions, online and off, of Palin's impact on working mothers in this country, ad nauseum.

And, from my experience, it is a sad but true stereotype that women write what they feel comfortable with. I do it. We also get booked on cable news for articulating what millions of Americans who are working mothers struggle with every day. From Hillary Clinton in the primary to Michelle Obama's patriotism to Palin now, women are given the media spotlight only when "our" issues come to the fore.

Palin as mom symbol is important to discuss, but there's too much at stake to get lost again in the gender wars, no matter how validating it feels to have our opinions asked. Palin's symbolism takes over from her dangerous reality. Bloggers can't control the media but we can be more disciplined as how we discuss Palin: politician first, woman-symbol second (or not at all).

And if we decide we do want to focus on Palin and women's issues, let's not talk for her. Let's ask her. As MomsRising said,

"So far Gov. Palin has been silent on the issues which are important to mothers. We want to hear about how she and Sen. McCain will deal with the fact that over 40 million people in our nation don't have healthcare; about how they'll address the fact that too few parents have access to affordable early learning/child care for their children. We want to know what they are going to do to make sure mothers stop getting paid less for the same work as men just because they have children."

I'll close with a quote from the inimitable Judy Blume:

"I don't know about you, but I'm making my decisions based on the issues. There are no "do overs" here. We have to choose a leader whose judgment we respect. One who doesn't make important decisions based on gut feelings. That's why I want the calm, thoughtful, intelligent, knowledgeable candidate who will surround himself with the best and the brightest. That's why I'm supporting Barack Obama.

 What I don't need is some sarcastic hockey mom who describes herself as a pit bull, who flaunts her pregnant teenager and her new special needs infant, a heartbeat away from the presidency."

Follow Morra Aarons-Mele on Twitter: www.twitter.com/morra_am

Comments

[southernsepia]

Hillary set the stage for the Palin phenom by playing gender identity politics.

The Repubs are just picking up her theme and running with it.

[Dennis60]

I keep reading about all the lies this woman has told, yet not one of you have listed all these lies. The woman as made one national speach, and a weeks worth of the short version of the same speech. So it shouldn't be to hard to list for us "all her lies" . Now I can list for you pages and pages of actual lies Obama has told, blatent childish lies. So do you apply the same standard to him, or is it just the woman you hold to the higher standard?

[Berettasskeeter]

I'm terribly confused. You mentioned that she is constantly lying, but did not enumerate her lies! Could you please do so, so that we in the cheap seats may see for ourselves!
Semper fi

[ritgar]

Good grief - the lies are coming so fast & furious - who can keep track. I was worried at first, but it is becoming SO obvious even the most dense will see what lying group of Rove robots these are.

[indy100]

Unfortunately I have to disagree with you that even the most dense will see what liars these people are. In fact I find that the denser they are, the harder they cling to total bs. We can only hope that some of the intelligent people who don't normally vote come out in droves this election!!

[Dennis60]

Your emotional response to Berettasskeeter nothing but opinioniated rhetoric. Now can you please list all these lies that are coming so fast and furious and SO obvious?

[guntotinganglion]

One of her staggering lies is that she was against the bridge to nowhere. That lie has been repeated so many times now on the campaign trail, that people are actually believing it. Funny that there is video of her supporting it...not that actual evidence need apply in the case of neo-convicts.

Then there's the jet she claims to have sold on eBay...that's a lie. Her attempt on eBay failed. Even with that fact, she still says she made a tidy profit for the state of Alaska. I guess, in the neo-convict Bizarro World, losing 600,000 dollars on the sale is a tidy profit?

[Dennis60]

Guntotinganglion, Do you have an actual statement by Sarah Palin where she states she was never for the Bridge to Nowhere? Go back and watch her speech, she says "And that Bridge to Nowhere, I vetoed that". There is no staggering lie or even a little lie. The truth is she in her own words vetoed the Bridge.

Again, get your facts. Watch her speech, she said she put it on E bay. She never said it sold on E bay. You just made that up!!! Was that for EFFECT OR AFFECT? Where did she say she made a tidy little profit. Proof please. The fact is she never said that, you just made that up (or read it, made up by someone else). Was that for EFFECT OR AFFECT?

[darker]

Excuse me, but you can read ALL ABOUT Ms. Palin's lies EVERYWHERE NOW including on THIS website. Or perhaps you are you TOTALLY ILLITERATE?

[millermedia]

So many liberals are wasting valuable time trying to discredit someone with a good reputation­.....Ameri­can people have gotten so far from God and his righteousness....it seems that the only way most people can feel good about themselves is to try and bring others down to below their level of living and thinking....there is hope in our future as Americans if we work together....this is a liberal website....don't expect positive things to be taught here....birds of a feather flock together....it is sad to read all the negative thoughts here....I am glad that this does not represent how the majority of Americans feel....I am proud to be an American....

[indy100]

millermedia, what are you basing your opinion of Sarah Palin as someone with a good reputation on? How much research have you done?
It's ironic that you say the only way most people can feel good about themselves is to bring others down, and then go on to insult this website and those posting here. You don't see they hypocrisy of that at all? I find that those who are more liberal actually are far less negative in general than those such as yourself. We see the bad, but we also see the possibility for the good and fight for it. Your own post is the negative one here. And, I as well as my entire family, are proud to be American and we're all liberals!!!

[guntotinganglion]

I believe you may be morally and ethically myopic...and thus only see things as you like them to be. Have you seen / heard John McCain's attack ads? His lies and distortions have a meanness that is undeniable. I mean, through his slurs and distortions, he's indirectly accused Obama of child molestation...by scurrilously accusing Obama of teaching "comprehensive sex education to kindergartners"! The fact is, the program they lied about was about teaching young children about inappropriate touching by adults...to protect them from sexual predators! That one revealed how covered in slime John McCain is...if ponting this out is being negative, so be it.

Actually, if you go by the polls, this site reflects how American's feel, a lot more than you indicate .

Your comments are sad, because you make it sound as if the acrimony you see is the property of the "liberals", when in fact it is far more complex than that. Republicans are the most acrimonious people I have EVER experienced. Just look at what they do in Congress, always insulting and attacking, never working together with the "loyal opposition"...and in this session specifically, shutting down virtually EVERY PIECE OF DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATION with fillibusters. They accuse the Congress of being a "do nothing" Congress...while they in fact are, the ones who have made it so, with their record breaking fillibusters (75 in the current session at last count).

[sabbyma]

She is a combination of Bush and Dick Cheney.

[ritgar]

in a dress, with lipstick

[KateAllwine]

That's all she is.....She is a trap. Can't you women realize you need to avoid her like IKE.......????

Don't be detroyed by the fake glasses and the high pitched voice. She is an actress. She was
hired by John McCain to save his PARTY.

[wrabbitt]

KateAllwine you have hit the nail on the head! I am surprised that this has gone as long as it has! This is politics as usual for the republican avoid the issues party! Sarah is a good reader! A small town mayor is not qualification to be Vice president! This tries to hide the short comings of Mr.McSame! My vote has been decided! There is two choices, George Bush clone John McSame and Change pioneer Obama! McSame/Maverick? Who does he think he is talking to? a 5th grader? Sarah is not going to save this for the republicans, Can anyone with a straight face say that they can actually vote for McSame? Haven't you had enough? Are you going to wait until China owns more of our politicians? We need to end the political bullshit! and, get on with the election!

[Berettasskeeter]

Okay, if a small town mayor is unqualified, how about a state governor? Would you say a Governor is qualified? Or not??
Semper fi

[NetProphet]

I agree totally with Morra!


Get Palin on her flimsy EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND,
Weak knowldedge of NATIONAL SECURITY,
Educaion on ECONOMICS/FINANCE,
Her ambitions in the SUCCESSIONIST MOVEMENT ,
Her over-rambunctious CULT FAITH IN POLITICS,
AND.... if all else fails........
Her lax MORAL STANDARDS (OF WHICH THE GOP HAS MADE IT THEIR PLATFORM!)

[ceti]

White women now have their own authoritarian reactionary icon. They have joined the slim majority of white men who have been the bedrock of the Republican Southern Strategy. Wow, and they will cause the end of the world. Fantastic!

[Mercedes]

Republicans have sold their souls to the Devil so they can win the election.

Isn't this supposed to be the "Christian" party???

[nypoet22]

the difference between sarah palin and george w. bush?

lipstick.

[ibsteve2u]

Male, female, or whatever - the last thing we need in the Executive Branch is yet another glib liar.

[PEACEinOurLifeTIME]

Yes she is a PIG - lipstick or not - if she really put COUNTRY FIRST, she'd never be backing McCain and helping him and her unqualified self into the Presidency! She is a pandering opportunist.
And despite his war record, McCain is a big ZERO: no honor = no conscience = no shame!
ZERO x 72 + PALIN is still ZERO!!!!

If you love this country
please don't vote ZERO

[Mercy8 om]

This is dangerous. We have just barely survived 8 years with the stupidest man on earth fronting for the most self serving greedy folks who don't give a damn about you or me or their own children and now we are faced with the fact that even if Barack wins, (Please God! Make it so!) this lunatic is now a star in the gop party. She will pop up again and again as a possible candidate and eventually we will be faced with her running things in some way because these people want to win at all costs. They don't care about the future of the planet and the future of their own children. They just want to win. And they will co-opt everything that the dems/libs/ progressives bring up just so you think that care about anything else but their pocket books and their humvies.

[Mercedes]

It's really funny to read so many posts where people are getting scared of Palin being in the race.

Wake up, People!

She's there for one reason only--to smear Obama and Biden.

Think a minute. Would you want HER in charge of our country? Would you want HER in charge of shaping our economy? Our healthcare? Our war strategy? Our children's education? Our foreign policies?

Don't be afraid of her!

She can't do anything unless you get scared and let her and McCain win. You don't want her and McCain to win? STOP worrying and vote for Obama/Biden!

[Lucy0808]

Senator McCain is not a wayward Republican or a reformer. His election platform is the Cheney/Bush Republican platform, although more right on women's health and reproduction. Senator McCain has been supporting Bush policies for many years now. He's made a dangerous and rash decision in order to win the presidency to bring on a fringe individual as VP who is further to the right of Goldwater. The McCain/Davis team did little vetting of this woman in their haste for symbolism.

After a week, Charlie Gibson has the first interview which is expected to be softball.

We should expect more. We should demand more. Our democratic process screams for more.

I worry about our democratic process and the ease for an unknown individual with ill understood beliefs and record to slip onto a presidential ticket and not be throughly evaluated for the position. In my company, even lowly positions would have been interviewed extensively. What I know so far, Mrs. Palin would not even qualify for a Director position at my company.

There is less than eight weeks for the media and public (us!!) to interview Mrs Palin and Mr. McCain. With McCain in his 72nd year of life, if he wins the presidency and lives that stressful life, Mrs. Palin will likely take on the role of the most important position in the world and at a time of many crises.

I don’t know about you, but I am very concerned.

[VoodooDoll]

What I find so disturbing is that no Republican woman would have ever voted for Clinton just because she was a woman.But Democratic woman will vote for Palin just because she is a woman??? What does that say about us? (Well-them) That we really are the shallow,empty headed sheep that the Republicans thought we were? This is a perfect example of "cutting of your nose to spite your face" Except these women aren't just cutting off their noses,they are cutting off the noses for generations of woman to come.They think they are going to punish Obama for getting nominated instead of Clinton.But he won't be the only one punished,it will be all of us.