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Like everyone else here, I was stunned to the point of speechlessness when I first heard John McCain's pick for vice-presidential nominee. Sarah Palin? The 20 month governor from the second least populated state in the country? A politician under investigation for corruption in a state where nearly every statewide republican is under investigation for corruption? A politician who's 16 year old unmarried daughter is pregnant? A woman with not one iota of foreign policy experience?
OH! She's a woman! That's why he picked her. He wanted to show the country that the republican party supports women while the Democratic party dismisses them.
But is that the real message? I think not.
The truth is that there are plenty of qualified, intelligent women in the republican party who could have been chosen. Whether we agree with their policies or not Kay Bailey Hutchison, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins or even Elizabeth Dole would have been wiser choices who would at least have the ability to keep our country running.
But instead of choosing an arguably qualified woman, McCaine has picked Sarah Palin She was elected to the governor's mansion by luck of corruption and novelty. Her only experience prior to these last 20 months was as mayor of a town of 9000. She was the real life counterpart to Holling Vincoeur from the TV show Northern Exposure. Little more than a figurehead.
So what attributes does Mrs. Palin have that these other women with so much experience and so many qualifications did not? Hutchison and Dole are both hard core conservatives so that is not a unique quality of Palin's. Snowe and Collins hail from semi-rural states and have long histories of bucking their party so the "maverick" role isn't something that only Palin can claim.
I'm afraid the answer comes from her looks. As an ex beauty queen, Mrs. Palin has retained her figure and her bust size. She is an attractive woman by all accounts and will definitely appeal to lecherous old men looking for that final fling.
Yes, John McCain has chosen as his running mate the Cindy McCain of 2008. A new trophy wife. "All tits and teeth" as the saying goes, she will hang on his arm and smile prettily. When asked hard questions she will let her big strong running mate stand up for her honor. When she is called out for her own corruption and inexperience her man will beat the questioner down for "picking on her because she's a woman".
This is the republican ticket. Reversing women's rights by 20 years.
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