Last night, I watched with pride as Barack Obama accepted the democratic nomination for president. There is nothing I can say that hasn't already been said, so I am not going to belabor the point.
On to John McCain and Sarah Palin.
WTF? Seriously. If I were a Republican female, I would feel pandered to. I would be sorely pissed off that he thinks all it will take to make me vote for him is a woman as his running mate. White male mentality at it's very best. I bet Romney and Lieberman are ready to spit fire.
But, I'm not a Republican, as if you couldn't tell already. So once I got over the initial shock, I got online and did some reading. And boy, have I been entertained today. Now, usually reading comments left on news websites and blogs makes me crazy. I'm always amazed at the hate and anger that people spew at one another. Folks no longer know how to engage in healthy debate. Today was no different, but amongst all the madness, there were two interesting points that I walked away with:
1. One writer stated that traditionally the presidential nominee selects someone who is strong where they are weak. In this case, McCain needed a "stunt double"-someone that the country could be comfortable with, knowing that if something happened to him, the VP would be able to take over the country in a seamless fashion. Obama, on the other hand, needed a "study buddy" or "tutor"- someone to sharpen his skills in areas where he is inexperienced. I wish I could remember where I read this, but I was all over the net today. Mea culpa. In the meantime, I think Obama hit it out of the park with his selection. McCain- not so much, but I still have much to learn about Palin.
2. The other interesting point that I kept coming across in reader's comments: when folks identified themselves as being from Alaska, they often warned readers not to sleep on Palin, or, in other words, underestimate her. Apparently her own party and the big oil guys have done so repeatedly, only to be defeated by her mercilessly. And this was the sentiment from those who were for her, as well as those who were against her.
With all that being said, this has been the most exciting presidential race for me in my 41 years. This beats sax-playing Bill on late-night television hands down.
I just hope that the Obama/Biden camp doesn't reign Biden in during the VP debates (you know, the old, don't hit a girl mindset) 'cause this chick is good with guns and she might flat blast him if he doesn't come out swinging. I'm just saying. The gloves are gonna have to come off for the Dems. Act like you want it.
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2 comments:
"I think Obama hit it out of the park with his selection."
How could this be?
Wouldn't Joe Biden have:
"White male mentality at it's very best."
I hope Obama doesn't make a similar statement for the media to get a hold of.
Thanks for your response Gahjii. My statement should have read "Republican white male mentality".
Biden is a great pick for Obama because he is known for being scrappy and getting things done. Obama does not need to have a female running mate in order to prove he that he is different from the status quo- the mere fact that he is a black male and won the nod is enough. He needs to ensure that he has a well-balanced team that reflects the people that he serves- and those folks include white males. The minute you start excluding folks based on race or gender means that you are no better than the folks you are trying to get rid of. I have no problems with Obama's selection of Biden because of Biden's experiences, and his background. He has been a single parent, he speaks for and has a true understanding of what life is like for the middle class. He has been where I am. McCain can't relate to my experience, and I certainly can't relate to his gun-toting, fishing and hunting running mate (not that there is anything wrong with that). I want someone who will have a broader, more inclusive approach to politics. McCain's selection of a woman for a running mate appears to be a gimmick to me- an attempt to win the election at all costs. It simply says "Look at me, I have a minority, too." I don't believe she was chosen because of her skill set or her experience, but because she was definitely create a stir. Mission accomplished. There are other Republican females much more qualified- like the govenor of Texas. As always, these are my opinions.
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