The Palin Problem
Sunday, September 28, 2008; Page B07
If at one time women were considered heretical for swimming upstream against feminist orthodoxy, they now face condemnation for swimming downstream -- away from Sarah Palin.
To express reservations about her qualifications to be vice president -- and possibly president -- is to risk being labeled anti-woman.
Or, as I am guilty of charging her early critics, supporting only a certain kind of woman.
Some of the passionately feminist critics of Palin who attacked her personally deserved some of the backlash they received. But cir stances have changed since Palin was introduced as just a hockey mom with lipstick -- what a difference a financial crisis makes -- and a more complicated picture has emerged.
As we've seen and heard more from John McCain's running mate, it is increasingly clear that Palin is a problem. Quick study or not, she doesn't know enough about economics and foreign policy to make Americans comfortable with a President Palin should conditions require her promotion.
Yes, she recently met and turned several heads of state as the U.N. General Assembly convened in New York. She was gracious, charming and disarming. Men swooned. Pakistan's president wanted to hug her. (Perhaps Osama bin Laden is dying to meet her?)
And, yes, she has common sense, something we value. And she's had executive experience as a mayor and a governor, though of relatively small cons uencies (about 6,000 and 680,000, respectively).
Finally, Palin's narrative is fun, inspiring and all-American in that frontier way we seem to admire. When Palin first emerged as John McCain's running mate, I confess I was delighted. She was the an hesis and nemesis of the hirsute, Birkenstock-wearing sisterhood -- a refreshing feminist of a different order who personified the modern successful working mother.
Palin didn't make a mess cracking the glass ceiling. She simply glided through it.
It was fun while it lasted.
Palin's recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League.
No one hates saying that more than I do. Like so many women, I've been pulling for Palin, wishing her the best, hoping she will perform brilliantly. I've also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted.
Palin filibusters. She repeats words, filling space with deadwood. Cut the verbiage, and there's not much content there. Here's but one example of many from her interview with Hannity:
"Well, there is a danger in allowing some obsessive partisanship to get into the issue that we're talking about today. And that's something that John McCain, too, his track record, proving that he can work both sides of the aisle, he can surpass the partisanship that must be surpassed to deal with an issue like this."
When Couric pointed to polls showing that the financial crisis had boosted Obama's numbers, Palin blustered wordily: "I'm not looking at poll numbers. What I think Americans at the end of the day are going to be able to go back and look at track records and see who's more apt to be talking about solutions and wishing for and hoping for solutions for some opportunity to change, and who's actually done it?"
If BS were currency, Palin could bail out Wall Street herself.
If Palin were a man, we'd all be guffawing, just as we do every time Joe Biden tickles the back of his throat with his toes. But because she's a woman -- and the first ever on a Republican presidential ticket -- we are reluctant to say what is painfully true.
What to do?
McCain can't repudiate his choice of running mate. He not only risks the wrath of the GOP's unforgiving base, but he invites others to second-guess his executive decision-making ability. Barack Obama faces the same problem with Biden.
Only Palin can save McCain, her party and the country she loves. She can bow out for personal reasons, perhaps because she wants to spend more time with her newborn. No one would criticize a mother who puts her family first.
Do it for your country.
Kathleen Parker is syndicated by theWashington Post Writers Group. Her e-mail address is[email protected].
I have a strong feeling that the McCain campaign will use Troopergate or something of that nature to get out of the VP debate. It is no way that they feel comfortable about her speaking in a 90 minute debate. I can't say I blame them, it would be suicide for their campaign.
Apparently the McMakesUp camp is pushing hard to get her under-age pregger kid and her Mr GonnaKickYourAss married the week before the election, to occupy the news for a week, taking press from impending winner HUSSEIN.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle4837644.ece
Last edited by boutons_; 09-28-2008 at 02:22 PM.
I see John's in damage control mode, trying to speak for her.
McCain retracts Palin's Pakistan comments
David Brooks: Palin 'will rise to the level of mediocrity'
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/David_...e_to_0928.html
"smart" conservatives really love this Beyond-Peter-Principle pitbull .
I wouldn't even put her in charge of my kitchen
According to their own campaign shouldn't the media not cover this event at all.
Word to the wise, Lakeshow.
Always include a direct link the article. Always.
Point taken. I usually use the le as a link but didn't do it on this one.
Let me pose this question...
Out of all the 'elitist kids' in high school you knew who joined the debate team, how many of them were doing better in life at the reunions than those who simply had good morals and good common sense?
pitbull /Couric interview edited to make the look bad?
oops:
"The Washington Post's media reporter Howard Kurtz stoked the flames this morning when the reported in his Media Notes column:
"And the worst may be yet to come for Palin; sources say CBS has two more responses on tape that will likely prove embarrassing."
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