Saturday, August 30, 2008

Wow

So once I got past saying, "He picked who?" when I heard who John McCain named Sarah Palin as his running mate, I did a little reading up. Her crazy political views aside (a creationist? Really? People in this day and age really believe evolution doesn't exist...at all?), I am amazed that a woman with five kids, the youngest of whom is four-months-old, is running for vice-president. Props to her. I have trouble enough getting to the grocery store with only two kids, but five? Wow. I totally believe that a woman who has raised five kids is probably more equipped to run a country than most people. Imagine the kind of multitasking and ability to focus on the big picture you would have to have if you had a big family.

I do find myself being a little sexist about the whole thing, which surprises me since I really support working mothers and the choices they have to make. Sure, I wouldn't think it too odd if a man with a big family and a special-needs baby at home was running for such a big position, but somehow a woman doing it feels different somehow. It just seems like this kind of politics is such a 24/7 job that I don't see how there would be time for anything else. I wasn't a fan of Hillary, but at least her kid was grown. I don't know...I need to think more on this.

3 comments:

  1. I can not get my arms around it. The woman has five kids, the youngest has special needs. OH and she truly has no experience (read the people.com article and McCain refers to her PTA, and mayoral experience. PTA. I am frightened that there is a good chance that this woman is a heart attack away from being president. Good chance. I think back to what I was like w/ a four month old (hormonal and sleep deprived) and OH. the woman is going to how many peditrician appts and running for vice president??? sorry for the vent but ... I, too, am ALL for working. and she alludes in the people article to breast pumping, so she is still breast feeding which at four months old is ALOT of times in a day (not new born alot but still ALOT) Maybe she will just whip it out at a rally.... OK, I will stop. (and I am a breastfeeder) This kind of scares me. badly.

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  2. Just another voice:

    Pollster John Zogby: "Palin is not to be underestimated. Her real strength is that she is authentic, a real mom, an outdoors person, a small town mayor (hey, she has dealt with a small town city council - that alone could be preparation for staring down Vladimir Putin, right?). She is also a reformer."

    "A very important demographic in this election is going to be the politically independent woman, 15% of whom in our latest survey are undecided."

    "In the final analysis, this election will be about Obama vs. McCain. Obama has staked out ground as the new JFK - a new generation, literally and figuratively, a new face of America to the world, a man who can cross lines and work with both sides. But McCain is the modern day Harry Truman - with lots of DC experience, he knows what is wrong and dysfunctional with Washington and how to fix it, and he has chosen a running mate who is about as far away from Washington as he could find.

    "This contest is likely to be very close until the weekend before the election - then the dam may break and support may flood one way or the other."

    The interactive survey shows that 22% of those voters who supported Democrat Hillary Clinton in their primary elections or caucus earlier this year are now supporting John McCain.

    Among those who said they shop regularly at Wal-Mart - a demographic group that Zogby has found to be both "value" and "values" voters - Obama is getting walloped by McCain. Winning 62% support from weekly Wal-Mart shoppers, McCain wins these voters at a rate similar to what President Bush won in 2004. Obama wins 24% support from these voters.

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  3. Anonymous11:23 PM

    Some cut-and-paste clown leaves a horse race message as though it answers your questions.

    I agree with you (as always). No one would ask a man about how he will balance work and home, but this is a woman who has said in many interviews that it comes with the territory of being a woman politician. In fact, she told Hillary to quit whining.

    That she is creationist and has no fiscal discipline bother me a LOT more than who will care for her infant son.

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