Palin's Female Troubles

Depending on which side of the political spectrum you view McCain's Vice Presidential choice Sarah Palin, she is either a plain spoken, anti-establishment Governor who will energize the Republican party and instill true blue American values in the White House, or she is a hopelessly cynical, completely unqualified, right-wing fanatic who will drag John McCain's candidacy down like an anchor.

Either way, we'll know which one is right in 60 days. What is evident is that Republicans believe the choice of Palin will attract female voters and undecided independents who prefer personality over substance, the same voters who went solidly for George Bush in the last two elections. It's no surprise then that George Bush's number one speech writer, Mathew Scully, is the one who wrote Governor Palin's acceptance speech. For the Republican establishment, she is the best of both political fantasies. She is the reincarnation of George Bush, with lipstick.

Let's not dismiss the attraction of Palin. She represents a portion of our population that has been invisible in politics for a long time. She is a working mother who loves her family, has conservative values, is treated with respect by her husband, and isn't afraid to stand up to the good ol' boys. She is the kind of tough, single-minded, country girl character who has been venerated in our culture for generations. She is Annie Oakley, Susan B. Anthony and Dolly Parton.

Do not assume that her inexperience and extreme-right values will drive voters away from her. On the contrary, she has clearly energized the Republican religious conservatives who have thus far been taciturn about the McCain candidacy. That base combined with independent voters who are suspicious of Obama's intentions make this a closer election than history would otherwise indicate.

Nevertheless, the selection of Palin demonstrates a basic misconception about the female vote. While conservative female voters love her, independent and liberal female voters see the selection as a cynical attempt to attract their vote while assuming women are too politically inept to examine her political positions and values. Female voters, much more so than their male counterparts, despise politicians who patronize them, especially female politicians. Sarah Palin praises Hillary Clinton's historic campaign in one breath, and then proposes to roll back or fight every feminist issue that Hillary Clinton stands for.

American women are much smarter than that. American women have fought for equal rights to vote, to fair pay, to workplace equality and for the basic human liberty of choosing what happens to their own bodies. Yet there only 12 female CEO's in the Fortune 500, and none in the top 30. There still does not exist a law that requires equal pay for equal work, and access to healthcare and pre- and postnatal services are being cut drastically by a male dominated US government. Sarah Palin is not a symbol of change for these issues, she is a striking reminder of them.