The Token Vice President
August 29, 2008
John McCain picked Sarah Palin to be his Vice Presidential candidate today. Is it a victory for women? Palin wants you to think so, as she made clear in her acceptance speech:
I can't speak for women or minorities; but as an objective observer, I can say that there is a major distinction between what Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama accomplished this year and other so-called "advancements" for women and minorities in the past.
Take Colin Powell and Condaleeza Rice, for example. No doubt, they are accomplished individuals, but they serve in appointed positions in government. It is one thing for an African American or a woman to be respected enough to be appointed to a high-level position by a powerful white man. It is quite another for them to run a presidential campaign successfully and make it for themselves. That is exactly what Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton accomplished this year.
Could Sarah Palin, or any other woman, have gotten elected to the Republican ticket on her own? Based on the lineup of Republicans that ran for the nomination, I'm guessing that the answer is no...
Both Clinton and Obama did some great things - their supporters are right to be proud of what they accomplished. However, if a woman were vote for the McCain ticket strictly because of Sarah Palin, it would be a step backward. Not only is Sarah Palin worse on traditional women's issues than both Obama and Biden; voting for the McCain ticket because Palin is on it would be a concession that women can not make it on their own - that they are merely pawns in the game of presidential politics, and that they need to be appointed by men if they want to play.
It was rightly noted in Denver this week that Hillary left 18 million cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling in America. But it turns out the women of America aren't finished yet, and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all.
I can't speak for women or minorities; but as an objective observer, I can say that there is a major distinction between what Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama accomplished this year and other so-called "advancements" for women and minorities in the past.
Take Colin Powell and Condaleeza Rice, for example. No doubt, they are accomplished individuals, but they serve in appointed positions in government. It is one thing for an African American or a woman to be respected enough to be appointed to a high-level position by a powerful white man. It is quite another for them to run a presidential campaign successfully and make it for themselves. That is exactly what Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton accomplished this year.
Could Sarah Palin, or any other woman, have gotten elected to the Republican ticket on her own? Based on the lineup of Republicans that ran for the nomination, I'm guessing that the answer is no...
Both Clinton and Obama did some great things - their supporters are right to be proud of what they accomplished. However, if a woman were vote for the McCain ticket strictly because of Sarah Palin, it would be a step backward. Not only is Sarah Palin worse on traditional women's issues than both Obama and Biden; voting for the McCain ticket because Palin is on it would be a concession that women can not make it on their own - that they are merely pawns in the game of presidential politics, and that they need to be appointed by men if they want to play.
she's pretty hot for an old broad from alaska