Sunday, August 31, 2008

Sarah Palin Tall

Lately some of my intelligent political friends and family have been chatting up this chick from Alaska who I guess could potentially be our next vice-president. Lately I've heard lots of talk about her experience, stance on issues, level of conservatism, etc. Now, we all know that I'm really not very political at all. Nevertheless, I think it's important to share my thoughts as one of the uninformed.

I just said I'm ignorant in this regard, but I can't help but ask: am I the only one who feels that her experience and issues make absolutely no difference in this whole thing?

The way I see it, 95% of the McCain for President Committee's decision was very simple demographics. What she believes is unimportant, but the fact that she's a youngish woman is very, very important.

Like I said, I don't get into politics too much, but one thing I do know is that the Democrats just finished a fevered battle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Our neighbor across the street still has her "Hillary for President" sign in the front yard. Political people will tell you that anyone who would have voted for Clinton would never, ever vote for McCain no matter how girly he gets. Sensible thinking if you believe that everyone in the country is as sensible as you are. In the show 30 Rock the character Jenna claims that she hopes Clinton will win because she wants a woman president. Superficial, sure, but I don't blame her too much (plus she's a fictional character). Jenna merely admits something that we don't readily admit: we want "our people" to succeed. It's a very basic psychology. That's not to say we're racist or sexist in that we don't want other people to succeed, but we do tend to form an attachment demographically. Hey, it's a tendency. It's not necessarily the rule, and it doesn't affect everybody, but it happens A LOT. Mormons did it with gusto with Mitt Romney even though he didn't necessarily espouse the traditional Utah County-type platform.

With that in mind, I honestly think that the women of this nation were way more tickled about the Clinton candidacy than was obvious. For example, most of my friendgirls are intelligenter than I am. Even though they're wicked conservative, I'd be surprised if a part of them didn't feel that it was about damn time that the office of the President of the United States could possibly be occupied by one of their own. The girl power pride only increases if there's less of a political factor getting in the way.

With all this in mind, McCain and his campaign knew that his best shot at getting some of the spoils of the defeated Clinton would not be to entice them politically, but genderly. Adamant Clinton supporters (and McCain supporters) would be aghast at such a concept. Keep in mind, however, that most people who would have voted for her probably weren't adamant.

Another factor in all this is McCain's age. Not only did he need someone to collect the estrogenical votes, but he also needed someone to offset the fact that the guy's a billion years old. Well, he's not too old, and it's obvious he's not extremely senile or anything, but if you're a guy like me who doesn't get into this political thing very much, McCain's age is all you hear about. As a side note of the whole age thing, McCain's health is also a considerable factor. I don't think the guy wants to die, but he knows he's trying to get into just about the closest job to actually bearing the weight of the world. Here comes a heart attack. McCain knows everybody's thinking it, so he turns it to his advantage. Obama could be the first black president, while a victory for McCain could very likely usher in the first female president. Hillary is seething right now.

But perhaps the biggest reason I think Palin's opinions don't matter is simply because she's going for the vice-presidency here. Are we really going to believe that her policies will have any effect on McCain's policies? If McCain wins then she becomes the vice-president. I don't even really know what the vice-president does. One joke from Saturday Night Live from a while ago is that the VP's job is to "attend funerals." I know the VP casts the tying vote in the Senate. How often does that happen? And when it does happen, when is the vote a result of the VP's personal choice and not the presidential cabinet as a whole?

I hope you political people comment and tell me I'm wrong. You know I don't know what I'm talking about. Just remember, I think this country is composed of more people like me than people like you. The McCain campaign is well aware of that and they want to win. I'm sorry, but I guess it's my fault that the General Election of this country is moving closer and closer to a high school student body presidential election.

I can't wait for Tina Fey to make an appearance on Saturday Night Live impersonating Sarah Palin.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

From what I've seen, you pretty much hit the nail on the head.

Average Joe said...

Yeah good call. Listen, McCain knows he is hosed in this election, so he had to do something drastic. And since most people don't like Obama's running mate, this is the best thing he could do so he doesn't lose by a "landslide victory" quoting Charlie Murphy

Maria said...

"some of my intelligent political friends "...whaaa??? Never met em'.

Anway, I agree. VPs are only a big deal during election time. I don't think they do much. Also, I don't have the secret desire to have a female president.

boneck family said...

that scentence about your friends being intelligenter than you was super funny.
i think the VPs background and personality is taken into account when people vote. it tells us alot about the president to be. Obamas slogan is change yet he brings in Biden who is a washington insider. hes been in the Senate since the 70's, thats not change. i dunno if you saw the ad about what biden said about obama in a debate a few months ago where he said that obama was not ready to be pres. he was asked if he was sure about that statement and he said yes again. now hes all of a sudden changed his mind and is the VP candidate. who wants that guy in office VP or otherwise whos gonna change his mind to political gain? and what about Obama for chosing him?
as for Mccain, picking a female Veep shows hes not scared. his age has been an issue and if he was concerned about it he wouldve chosen one with a little more experience.
Obama chose Biden cause of his foreign policy experience. obamas foreign policy experience goes as far as his major in college. so by picking biden hes showed his weakness as well.

Steph said...

I'm really disappointed McCain picked Palin. I'm all for getting a woman in the White House, but I think he made a bad choice. No one likes Biden, but he has 30 years of experience in the Senate. Stack that up against her two years as governor and a couple years as mayor. Plus she is under investigation for an ethics violation in her own state right now. Just seems like McCain made a desparate last ditch attempt to get Hillary voters and shot himself in the foot instead. I'm really conservative and I'd rather have McCain than Obama, but that's for sure not going to happen. I agree with Joe, let's all just hope McCain can get enough votes so that the Republican party isn't totally embarassed on election day.

joN. said...

maria -- i thought of you when i said "Hey, it's a tendency. It's not necessarily the rule, and it doesn't affect everybody, but it happens A LOT." your fellow sisters gotta earn your respect.

boneck -- i actually did happen to see the vid of biden saying he didn't think obama was ready. i found it very interesting. however i think if anything it's a more respectful move than if he appointed a simple yes-man to the position. supposing biden was honest in what he said during the debate, he'd be in a better position than anyone else to make sure that obama DOES get ready to be president. -- and as for mccain, the way i see it, picking youngish woman says that he IS scared. pretty much my whole post posits the theory that her age in itself is a gimmick to pick up a bunch of people who otherwise have nothing in common with him. also, since her youth offsets his age, it shows that his age IS a factor. if he wasn't worried about age, he more likely would have picked someone old like him.

steph -- yeah, i forgot to mention that astute jon's blog readers can attest that biden most fits my political profile. at least as far as one test is concerned.

Leah said...

I don't really agree that nobody likes Biden. I think among a lot of political bloggers, it's agreed that he fills many of Obama's weaknesses and percieved weaknesses, making Obama harder to beat. I also don't know that nominating a woman is going to help McCain as much as he would hope, especially since her coming out has gone so disastrously. Anyway, I thought this was interesting: http://marbury.typepad.com/marbury/2008/09/anyone-here-got-a-plan-b.html

Johnny 5 said...

As one of the lonely democrats on this blog I would have to say Obama has the election. Here are my not so informed reasons why I think he will win.

1. The Democratic convention was way cooler than anything Republicans will try to do. John Legend and Will I Am blew the roof. (Oh yeah there was no roof)

2. History is on his side. When the party who controls the white house is in charge when the economy is bad, that party will be history.

3. African Americans will vote like never before.

4. Obama has got mad oratory skills, and the debates will make this apparrant.

5. Young people are generally more liberal, and Obama has gotten them excited.

So ... I think Leahs is right about Biden, in the end I don't think hurts Obama's chances. Change is coming.

SRA said...

Jon...I may not be one of your closest friendgirls, but I'm at least an acquaintancegirl, and I'm certainly not "wicked conservative". haha

I wrote a politican entry in my blog today, so go check it out...or, if you don't have access and would like to get in, drop me an e-mail & I'll invite you.

boneck family said...

wow. its like were on Point Counterpoint.
uh, good points but the polls today show that currently Mccain pick was pretty smart. shes got more executive experience than the other 4 candidates combined. shes balanced a million dollar budget, deployed troops (Alaskan Natl Guard), and has an 80% approval rating...and shes not a washington insider. hes stiring things up and making himself seem to be the agent of change. if he wins hell be titled "The Smartest Man alive" , if he looses, hell be dubed an old senile idiot.
_clint