The RNC: A Chick Flick

I'm starting to regain my composure after McCain's announcement of his running mate. Ever since the big announcement, my jaw has been hanging down, I've been scratching my head and asking, "What was McCain thinking??"

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I love Sarah Palin, don't get me wrong. As a person. As an Alaskan Governor with a husband known as "Alaska's First Dude." I love her stand on drilling in Alaska, I'm OK with that. I love her mommy image and her stand on abortion. Love, love love it. I could take or leave her little country girl, relaxed politician image. I prefer the tougher, educated image for a politician, but I could give on that issue. What I can't accept is assuming her qualified to be Vice President, to take over if McCain should fall ill, as far-fetched as that idea may be. (slap me)

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Thanks to an alert reader reminding me of the shot of adreneline I get from reading Maureen Dowd, I scoped out some of Dowd's recent posts and discovered a beautiful word picture that summarizes my opinion of Palin.

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Op/Ed: "Vice in Go-Go Boots?" by Maureen Dowd, August 31, 2008. Click on the pink if you want to see the article in its entirety.

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Here are the observations of Dowd's article with which I am in agreement, enchantingly so (to keep us in fairy tale mode):

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1. VP announcement = Cinderella Story/Chick Flick. Palin = Miss Congeniality

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2. Palin's lack of qualifications summed up as "bantamweight cheerleader"

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3. Using the "Average" ages on each ticket instead of focusing on the candidates' actual ages.

I just have to copy the whole paragraph right here:

"Instead, they embrace 72-year-old John McCain and 44-year-old Sarah Palin, whose average age is 58, a mere two years older than the average age of the Obama-Biden ticket. Enthusiastic Republicans don’t see the choice of Palin as affirmative action, despite her thin résumé and gaping absence of foreign policy knowledge, because they expect Republicans to put an underqualified “babe,” as Rush Limbaugh calls her, on the ticket. They have a tradition of nominating fun, bantamweight cheerleaders from the West, like the previous Miss Congeniality types Dan Quayle and W., and then letting them learn on the job. So they crash into the globe a few times while they’re learning to drive, what’s the big deal?"

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4. Introduction of the new term "Palinistas."

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5. My favorite: Dowd poses the question so many of us have been thinking, I quote:

"Why do men only pick women as running mates when they need a Hail Mary pass? It’s a little insulting."

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6. I love Dowd's visual of Palin vs Putin with Palin saying, "Back off, commie dude." That is so what I would say. (which leads me to ask, "do you think, no, well, OK, .... do you think.... I. . . I could be vice president???")
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7. I, too, have always thought the "P.T.A. was great preparation for dealing with the K.G.B."
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So... my fellow Palinistas, what d'ya say we hit the campaign trail!!??

I'm really, really, really trying to be supportive, but it just doesn't sit well with me.

(No, dad, I'm not a feminazi)