Feminism in the age of Sarah Palin

[Guynemer]

Look, I know we've already got too many threads about the Election in general, and Palin in particular, but there is something very specific I'd like to discuss here.


I pointed out in another thread that McCain's gambit to pick up Hillary voters could have worked better had he picked an intelligent, articulate, well-known Republican woman, such as Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, or Christie Todd Whitman. I had postulated that the reason McCain took Palin instead was that she is staunchly anti-choice, while the other women I mentioned are pro-choice. The thought being that McCain could, in one fell swoop, secure Hillary voters and the GOP base that distrusts him.


On second thought, however, I think this is absolutely wrong. Most of the time during the VP debate I was listening, while not watching very closely, instead reading posts here. I watched the debate again this afternoon (I don't get to see my NFL team in this area, which is probably a blessing), and I noticed something unsettling.

What the hell was with all that winking at the camera she was doing? Was she trying to flirt with us? Is this the grand GOP strategy, pick an attractive woman to try to sex up the ticket?

Can any of you picture Snowe, or Collins, or Hutchinson, or Whitman doing that? Or Hillary Clinton? Or Benzair Bhutto? Or Margaret Thatcher?

Is the GOP actively trying to set back feminism?

[Pekka]

I also think she is anti-woman choice, because she was picked over others who were more qualified. She was puicked for her smile and "yes sir, betcha" attitude.

[MrFun]

Women who have an interest in equal wages regardless of gender, women who support some rights to abortion, and women who believe in equal opportunities would be fools to think they should opt to vote for McCain just because Palin has the same reproductive organs that Hilary Clinton has.

Palin is on the same ticket with a president who opposes equal wages for women. And Palin has stated before she opposes abortion in almost all situations/cases.

[Darius871]

Originally posted by Guynemer
I watched the debate again this afternoon (I don't get to see my NFL team in this area, which is probably a blessing), and I noticed something unsettling.

What the hell was with all that winking at the camera she was doing? Was she trying to flirt with us? Is this the grand GOP strategy, pick an attractive woman to try to sex up the ticket?

Can any of you picture Snowe, or Collins, or Hutchinson, or Whitman doing that? Or Hillary Clinton? Or Benzair Bhutto? Or Margaret Thatcher?

I think you're just enough of a horndog to read that much into it. It's just a quirk.

If anything, subconsciously I interpreted the winks to suggest something like "I know you get what I'm talking about, even if this Washington elitist and that thur liburrhul media don't." It's just another way of getting into that whole folksy appeal, which is the second-biggest reason she's on the ticket.

Never when she winked did the idea "**** me forty ways from sundown you hot stud-on-a-stick" come to any corner of my mind, but maybe I need a few testosterone injections to get up to your level.

[Elok]

Re: Feminism in the age of Sarah Palin

Originally posted by Guynemer
staunchly anti-choice, while the other women I mentioned are pro-choice

Do you prefer to be called "pro-abortion" or "anti-baby?" Perhaps "pro-death?" "Anti-life?" Just so I know for the future. Or you can use the desired label, "Pro-life"--I don't want to control every uterus on this earth, as "anti-choice" would imply, I just feel that the right to self-determination does not extend to terminating unborn life. I think it'd be swell if women could choose without killing the kid, but unfortunately that's not possible. FFS, at least say "anti-abortion." Grr.

As for the OP, I think your original hypothesis more likely, as it implies a clumsy analysis of McCain's situation that sounds brilliant if you're a moron or think everyone else is, like Agathon does. I find that far more likely than a complete hail-Mary like selling on pure sex appeal. The sex appeal was just gravy, and no doubt they're working every angle they can at this point.

[Wiglaf]

I think I've had sex with Sarah Palin but there is no way of knowing for sure.

Originally posted by Elok


Do you prefer to be called "pro-abortion" or "anti-baby?" Perhaps "pro-death?" "Anti-life?" Just so I know for the future. Or you can use the desired label, "Pro-life"--I don't want to control every uterus on this earth, as "anti-choice" would imply, I just feel that the right to self-determination does not extend to terminating unborn life. I think it'd be swell if women could choose without killing the kid, but unfortunately that's not possible. FFS, at least say "anti-abortion." Grr.

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by Wiglaf
I think I've had sex with Sarah Palin but there is no way of knowing for sure.

Do you ever recall, mid-coitus, being told, "give it to me, you glorious moose"?

If so, the answer is probably yes. Good on ya.

[Elok]

Dammit Wiggy, stop agreeing with me. I've got an uphill battle as it is.

Seriously Guy, aren't you sick of the complete breakdown of civil discourse in this country?

[Kidlicious]

Re: Feminism in the age of Sarah Palin

Originally posted by Guynemer
What the hell was with all that winking at the camera she was doing? Was she trying to flirt with us? Is this the grand GOP strategy, pick an attractive woman to try to sex up the ticket?

Can any of you picture Snowe, or Collins, or Hutchinson, or Whitman doing that? Or Hillary Clinton? Or Benzair Bhutto? Or Margaret Thatcher?

Is the GOP actively trying to set back feminism?

I think that's her true personality so in a way she was being more real than the rest.

I don't have any idea if the GOP planned this. I kind of think they didn't think too hard about this.

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by Elok
Seriously Guy, aren't you sick of the complete breakdown of civil discourse in this country?

...Yeah. That's kind of the whole point of the OP. The GOP isn't interested in civil discourse, otherwise they'd have picked someone with more than two brain cells to rub together. Hell, why not Condoleeza Rice? It is just maddening.

[DaShi]

They wanted another puppet to compliment McCain. If he kicks the bucket, they want to make sure there will still be someone else they can control.

[Elok]

Originally posted by Guynemer
...Yeah. That's kind of the whole point of the OP. The GOP isn't interested in civil discourse, otherwise they'd have picked someone with more than two brain cells to rub together. Hell, why not Condoleeza Rice? It is just maddening.

I meant that in reference to "anti-choice." I don't call you "anti-life." Partly out of simple politeness; provided the label doesn't insult by implication, like the odious "freethinker," I call people what they want to be called. But mostly it's because I like to think I make some effort to understand where the other side is coming from.

I've heard plenty of pro-choice people say that they think abortion is tragic, but they feel the overriding concern is the woman's sovereignty over her own body. So it would not be accurate to call pro-choicers "pro-abortion." Plenty of 'em get pissed when you use that label, at least in my experience.

But it's similarly inaccurate to call me "anti-choice." I'm not some Planned Parenthood caricature who wants to control women through their baby parts to ensure patriarchal dominance forever. Maybe such people exist in the movement (can't say I've ever met one), but I'm not one of them. I rather like women, and I don't think Sarah Palin particularly hates her own gender. But we both happen to feel that each abortion involves the death of an innocent human being, and it therefore cannot be allowed under any but the most extreme circumstances.

So if you want a more civil society, lead by example. You're pro-choice, I'm pro-life. Or, if you feel that pro-life insults you by implication, anti-abortion. A nice, neutral term.

[Guynemer]

Fine. Whatever you want to be called, I don't really care, it makes no difference to me. That's not what I'm interested in talking about here.

[Elok]

But I'm saying that your use of that term appears symptomatic of the same rabid partisanship you just deplored. ALL YOUR UTERUS ARE BELONG TO US!

[Guynemer]

Pro-life, pro-life, pro-life. There.


Dude, you're talking sematics, and I'm talking about the choice of a 72-year-old, multiple-cancer survivor Presidental candidate for his VP.