Tag Archives: nomination

McCain's VP Choice

[Someone made a cute little comment on Twitter, about how amusing it is that Canadians care so much about the American election. Why do we? Because anything America does tends to affect Canada, that’s why. Protectionist folks want Bush, err, McSame, to win so our trade policies don’t get negatively impacted. People like me, however, are tired of the conservative climate that contagiously caught to Canada during the Bush era. My life has notably changed, my freedoms have notably changed, as a result of the oppressive climate down south. Our policies don’t affect Americans day-to-day so they never care about our votes. Americans affect us daily, ergo, many of us live vicariously through your happenings, because we know the tumble-down effect will hit us shortly. And how.]
Why should McCain’s Vice-President pick offend any thinking, smart women in the world?
He met Palin once, then decided she was the one. Just like that. Shazam. Experience? Pshaw! She’s cute!
But who is she really? Just a hockey mom with five kids who decides to be a toughie on finance in office as governor of Alaska, a state with around 300,000 people… after her illustrious career as a mayor of a town with 9,000 people? Is she just a gimmicky leader, like her stunt of selling the Alaskan governor’s airplane on eBay, then stuffing the proceeds into the state coffers and opting to fly coach?
She’s a woman so given to petty politics and favour-making that she’s under ethical investigation for trying to get her former brother-in-law fired from a high-paying state job in Alaska after the ink on the divorce with her sister has died. I mean, she’s UNDER investigation. It has not been resolved, she has not been cleared, and yet she’s nominated as a running mate? Yeah, way to vet her, guys.
If you’re a feminist and you’re sitting around thinking, “Oh, yes, but she’s a woman. She strings whole sentences together! Yay, women! Women rock!” then give your head a fucking shake, would you? Yeah, sorry, there’s no argument praising Palin you can make because the facts speak for themselves. She’s under investigation, has never done foreign policy, hasn’t even been in charge of a town of more then 50,000 people, or a state with half a million folks, yet if Mr. I-Had-Cancer-Four-Times and Will-Be-Oldest-Prez-Ever should kick the bucket in office, SHE takes over as leader of the free world? Well, at least we know she can get a good price for Airforce One.
When smart, powerful, deserving women get appointed to positions of power, it’s a compliment to women across the board. McCain could’ve picked Christine Todd Whitman, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Elizabeth Dole, Kaye Bailey Hutchinson, or any number of other smart, established women on the American scene. He could have. Hell, he should have.
Instead, he’s arrogantly picked someone who’s cute as a button, has barely any experience, and who’s an easy-to-sell all-American hockey mom. Unfortunately, she’s supposed to be pandering to the disgruntled Hillary Clinton supporters… yet not one of her policies is compatible with Hillary’s. Oh, but she’s in the pocket of oil and gas, and I guess that’s always helpful if you want to be a Republican vice-prez.
I think it’s high time women be included more frequently in top level politics. We’ve shown we’re as smart, as innovative, as communicative, and as ambitious.
But choosing the cuter girl over the more experienced, more established, more credential-heavy, more proven women out there who might just be over 45?
That’s not the change we need. That’s the same old misogyny, just dressed up prettier for 6:00 sound-bites.
Obama’s right. McCain just doesn’t get it. Do you?