Let’s Talk Politics for a Minute
August 29th, 2008 by Dave Allen
The New York Times announced that Senator McCain has picked a running mate – Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.
In a surprise move, Senator John McCain announced here Friday that he had chosen Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running mate, shaking up the political world at a time when his campaign has been trying to attract women, especially disaffected supporters of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.
On the surface this seems like a great opportunity to celebrate equality – the first woman chosen by the Republican party to be on the VP ticket. Give McCain’s choice some thought though and you soon realize that this not about helping women ascend to higher office, this is just politics as usual. Gov. Palin is just a pawn in the game and the game is to attempt to attract disaffected female Democrats to the McCain ticket. Gov. Palin brings no experience to the ticket whatsoever, and at his age you would have expected McCain would have picked someone with a great deal of experience should she have to take over the Oval Office.
McCain’s advisors clearly think that in this campaign women voters will presumably flock to the McCain – Palin ticket just because she’s a woman. So, women of America, congratulations you are now thought of as a demographic group to be wooed for votes. No experience necessary. If I were female I would find this all very demeaning. Women deserve more in this election. Both camps should be very aware of their voting power.
Tags: Democrats, Election, Female Voters, McCain, Palin, Politics, Republicans
