Sarah Palin: From the Sublime to the Insulting

At first I was worried, when a friend wrote me that John McCain's VP choice Sarah Palin was a conservative anti-choice Christian, with a union-member husband, a son going to Iraq, and membership in the NRA. "A deeply cynical choice," I wrote back. "Sure," he agreed, but "she is going to appeal to a lot of working-class women and Hillary supporters."

Then I got a call from my friend Wendy Strothman, an accomplished businesswoman who ran a publishing house for a decade, and worked as VP of Houghton Mifflin before opening her own literary agency (full disclosure: she's my agent). Wendy just retired after 17 years on the Corporation of Brown University, the last ten as Secretary.

She was furious. "Appeal to Hillary supporters? Choosing Sarah Palin is an insult to Hillary supporters," she said. And I think she's right on target. Sarah Palin's qualifications to be president of the United States -- that's right, President. The vice president has to be qualified to step into the Oval Office -- are simply that she happens to be a woman. We can hardly be expected to take seriously her track record: being mayor of a town of 9,000, and less than two years of being governor of a state with fewer residents than 19 American cities (if it were a city, Alaska would rank just above Baltimore, just below Charlotte).

And the Republicans have had the nerve to suggest that Barack Obama lacks experience! In what universe does Sarah Palin's experience qualify her to be vice president -- or president -- of the United States of America? The choice is not only cynical -- it's insulting to women, and insulting to the entire American electorate.

It's the Republicans who ought to start worrying.

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

Comments

[nobush3rd]

Perhaps Sarah Palin has forgotten that Jesus was a Community Organizer and Pontius Pilate was a Governor.

[mi]

It seems the VP slot is a joke to McCain who only
met her once! This is an insult to all the women
in the Senate who are more qualified for this
position.

[BADEN]

As one other poster pointed out - The Christian Rightwingnut males won't like this one bit.

They won't allow them to be leaders of their congregations (hear that, catholics?)
They won't even allow them to teach a Sunday school where men are in attendance.
They won't allow them to speak at funerals.

[alphax]

Lets not forget, when Reagan and GW Bush had to under go major hospital surgery, their respective VP's became President.

Whats the chance McCain (should he become POTUS) will have to go into hospital!

[goldnchyl]

The McBelieve campaign is counting on the stupidity of the American electorate. I've got 3 words to that ... NOT THIS TIME!!

Eight is enough. We won't survive four more. If this dog and pony show wins, in four years America will be unrecognizable.

[MuchMadness]

She's not qualified to be vice president or president, but there are a lot of people, including Democrats, who are tired of the Democratic Party's support of abortion rights and its endorsement of homosexual unions. Those are the voters Palin might appeal to.

[Alvarask]

Yes, it's very important that the government has control of every aspect of your life, from the genitals out.

[noamjunior]

how they feeling bout that gop ecconomy

[JimR]

They were probably going to vote for McCain anyway.

[mgray34]

Republicans who argue that Palin has more EXECUTIVE experience than Obama are nuts if they think that's going to sell her. If that's the case, she is a better pick than Hillary, Biden, McCain and every senator because of this year and a half of executive experience...lol

This election is about judgement. What kind of judgement did McCandy Cane show by picking someone he has only met in person once? What about all the pundits who emphasized that McCandy Cane needed to be comfortable and needed to have someone who he could trust to have his back? If heaven forbid, something actually happened to McCain, do people in this country REALLY think a 6 year mayor with one and a half years of Gov exp., from a state that might as well be out on the frontier somewhere since it is so far out of the mainstream of american society, will be ready to lead this country. If McCain gets elected this year, we can cancel christmas because this will truly be the beginning of the end for this country. Wow!

[sidbrown210]

The Republicans spent 6 months arguing how important experience is and suddenly it's not important anymore?

Make THEM explain why experience isn't important anymore. Show that this is a PANDER and nothing more. McCain can run from the record all he wants, but nothing has changed in 24 hours; he has to defend the Bush record which he agreed 95% of the time. However, she's even more extreme. Are you willing to sell me that most soccer moms out there believe that abortion should be outlawed in ANY case? And this could be the view of someone one heartbeat from the White House? America are you ready for the end of Roe? Women need to think long and hard about these issues. I certainly know there are a lot of soccer moms who still want the option - whether or not they believe it's right or wrong.

But the issue of the day is when she was asked about Iraq: She said "I really have thought much about it." Iraq? Now THAT is an insult to the office in which she's running. As potential VP she's not concerned or put much thought into Iraq? Incredible.

This is not a joke. This choice should make you mad. I sure am.

[DeniseD]

This pick is an insult to women. It just amplifies the fact that McCain thinks all women are empty headed, aren't rational, and can't think for themselves.

Sarah Palin does not even come close to Hillary regarding experience or a woman's right to choose. She wants to make abortion illegal even in instances of rape or abortion. If John McCain thinks this VPchoice is going to win him Hillary supporters, he is mistaken.

[vincie]

She won this Hillary supporter.

[rightbackatyou]

Do you know what she stands for, other than being a woman? Definitely not Hillary's platform.
http://www.entertonement.com/collections/2654/Sarah-Palin

[monyae]

MAYBE THEY CANT THINK FOR THEMSELVES. LOL

[ClareP]

Then you weren't supporting Hillary because of any of the issues she passionately believes in and campaigned for, were you?

[noamjunior]

you are nio hillary supporter if you would vote for a candidate opposed to hillary ONEVERY ISSUE

[PimpOmega]

Hence proving how little you share Hillary's values.

[goldnchyl]

McCain narrows women down to beauty pageant winners

[JRsNana]

Sure showed McCain's "judgement" didn't it?

[chiefeditor]

This isn't the talk of a candidate who inspires a lot of confidence: http://www.entertonement.com/collections/2654/Sarah-Palin

[1will]

This woman is at least as qualified to be VP as Obama is to be President. It's going to be so funny watching you guys try to figure out how Obama has more experience and qualifications than Palin.

[RobinSeattle]

Well, she will have to campaign without the talking point about vetoing the Bridge to Nowhere project. She actually flipflopped on it, being for it initially until the media heat forced her to dump it:

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

[Forsetti]

Do you know the population of Alaska? There are many mayors in this country that have more responsibilities than she does. If McCain picked the mayor of Baltimore would you think they had the necessary experience to be VP of the US?

Obama worked in politics for Illinois-population 12.8 million (8 years)
Obama works in Congress for the US-population 300 million (4 years)

Palin-mayor of a town population 7000-9000
Palin-1.5 years as gov. of Alaska-population 670,000

Exactly what experience abacus somehow either equates or gives Palin more experience than Obama? His organization of his campaign alone is larger in scope and responsibility than Alaska.

[goldnchyl]

but, Forsetti, she is pretty. That's not enough?

[GLaB]

Could you explain the relevance of population to the job?

I mean, what do governors do - count each citizen or something?

[kmac23va]

Palin has the majority of her experience as a city councilwoman and mayor of a town of 9000 (to be generous). She then was given an ethics job, probably to placate her after being passed over by Gov. Murkowski in favor of his daughter. From 2004-2006 she was off the radar, then ran for and won the Alaska governor job. So in elected statewide or nationwide experience, she has 18 months.

Obama was a state senator from 1997-2004, and US senator from 2004 on...state/nationwide experience of 11 years.

Palin should've challenged Stevens, because I'd bet she'd have beat him in the primary and kept the senate seat in the GOP. Instead, the GOP is sacrificing Stevens' seat to the Dems for a chance of getting Palin into the VP slot. And if it doesn't work, she could be left up in that cold frontier to twist in the wind, until she can get herself into the House or Senate.

[LillianB]

Tryng to figure?

12 years of legislative experience, first in the US' fifth most populated state, then nationwide.
One year + on the national campaign trail, meeting Americans, talking to them and listening to them about their needs.

vs.

2 years as governor in the US' fourth least populated state.
No time on the campaign trail.

As for pre-politics experience, and I suppose you think being a former beauty queen & a mother is more worthwhile experience - for a woman - than being community organizer, law professor & a father?

Don't try to kid us. The only reason JmcC chose SP was he believes she'll gain him votes with women. That's underestimating our intelligence (or so I hope...)

[goldnchyl]

LillianB, trust and believe the majority of women are smarter than that. Democrats, this time around cannot be distracted by the BS. Keep your eye on the ball and KNOW that it is our time to bring truth to power. The stakes are too high. Your (our) unwavering commitment is what will take Obama over the top!

Obama/Biden '08/12

[goldnchyl]

Obama has been on the campaign trail as long as Palin has been governor. You really believe you have an argument?

[maymok]

Pali? who is she? The only thing I remember is that she got her ex brother-in-law fired because he is having custody battle with her sister. That's abuse of power! We have had enough with Dick Cheney! If elected, we will have four more years of the Vice President's office calling.

[Damnstraight]

This is so silly. I myself I've had my reservations about barack obama but obama has walked throught the fire of the longest and toughest primary in history by beating the top brand in democractic politics in twenty years. He's also run the most disciplined and successful grassroots campaigns of time.
If this election is about leadership and judgement than mccain has shown with this choice that he has
none. I had'nt planned on before but you can guaradamntee that I will be pulling the lever for barack obama.

[suec03]

I hope that in the VP debate, the topic of affordable child care comes up. Will Sarah Palin say that the federal government should have no role in regulating or funding child care? Will she acknowledge that many mothers are single moms needing child care while they are at work? Sen. Biden should emphasize the Family and Medical Leave Act (as well as the violence against women act). If Sarah Palin opposes allowing a woman impregnated through incest or rape to obtain a safe and legal abortion, how far will she go to support the families raising those children? The women who suffer medical complications after illegal abortions once a revised Supreme Court under Pres. McCain repeals Roe v. Wade?

P.S. I guessed that Gov. Palin was a member of the pentecostal Assemblies of God before I looked her up in Wikipedia. It is one of the few conservative evangelical denominations to allow women a full leadership role as pastors. She was not raised with the Southern Baptist concept that women should not lead.