Tag: women in politics

Heard anything about this Sarah Palin chick?

~ Jim Eltringham ~ 2 Comments

I’ve seen a story or two about Sarah Palin since her national introduction, as Obama’s camp tried to skewer her for everything from her lack of experience (“Where was she Governor? Alaska? That doesn’t count!”) to family issues (“How can she expect to represent real people when she’s trying to balance a family, a career, and a daughter’s unexpected pregnancy?”)

DailyKos takes the taco for criticizing Palin’s handling of Alaska dairy policy. And it was tough to top all the Obamanation minions who have the brass cahones to talk about Palin’s alleged inexperience.

All the drummed-up controversy demonstrates the political left’s understanding that Palin, 44, has the potential to be a strong female voice for conservative ideas for years to come – as a veep candidate in 2008 and as potential Presidential timber in 2012. If she isn’t destroyed, it strips the Democrats of their self-styled monopoly on “change.”

Ward Connerly, Christina Hoff Sommers, Star Parker, and others know it all too well: whenever conservative views are expressed by a constituency the left likes to think they own, the criticism of the messenger becomes especially swift and harsh.

The Right Pick

~ Jim Eltringham ~ Leave a comment

It’s Getaway Day in Your Nation’s Capitol, and John McCain made sure nothing would get done in any office in this town by announcing Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential pick. Congratulations to John McCain for getting it right.

A half dozen quick reasons why Sarah Palin is the perfect veep pick for McCain:

1. She updates the Republican Brand. It turns out, there are women in the Republican Party after all. Now, to find a black dude…

2. She underscores McCain’s “maverick” image. Palin has governing experience, but is clearly as far outside of Washington, D.C. as you can get without wearing a lei. The pick came from out of left field as far as many pundits were concerned. The pick hurts efforts to paint McCain as an “insider.”

3. She is guaranteed to draw media interest. Palin’s compelling story (five kids, former fisherman, etc.) will get plenty of press play because she’s the first woman running on a major ticket. (I don’t count Geraldine Ferraro, because the Mondale ticket wasn’t all that serious.)

4. The Democrats can’t attack her biggest weaknesses. They’re already trying, but really, how do the Democrats complain about her being governor for only 2 years? Is that an argument they really want to make?

5. She excites the Republican base. McCain won the Republican nomination by attrition, and was not enjoying much enthusiasm over his campaign 24 hours ago. Every Republican I have talked to over the past eight hours is excited that there is a new, fresh face on the national stage who shares their core values of limited government. This is the same type of energy on the right that motivated the grassroots on the left to push Barack Obama past Hilary Clinton in the primaries. And after a four-year term, who better for a 77-year-old McCain to pass the torch to?

6. Most importantly: out of both major tickets, she would be the best President. She turned down – TURNED DOWN – federal earmarks. She enacted budget reform.

The proof will be in her performance this campaign season, but this is a pretty exciting development for Republicans.

Veepstakes

~ Jim Eltringham ~ Leave a comment

Barack Obama is expected to announce his Vice Presidential pick any day now, and John McCain won’t be far behind. And, as usual, the discussion turns to which member of each candidate’s short list best complements the ticket best by shoring up the top candidate’s weaknesses. But is that the best strategy? I’m not so sure.

In 1992, Bill Clinton – a younger, southern politician – tapped then-Senator Al Gore – a younger southern politician – as his running mate. Despite questions about experience (particularly in international affairs) and regional appeal, Clinton picked Gore instead of balancing out a ticket with an “elder statesman” figure.

It worked because Gore helped establish the tickets political brand identity – the youthful Clinton was the first “Baby Boomer” president, coming into office with promises of change. Both Obama and McCain would be wise to keep this example in mind.

A “safe” pick for Obama might look good on paper, but if the junior Senator from Illinois is serious about selling “new politics” then the Democrats’ usual suspects may not help. A “safe” Vice Presidential nominee concedes that Obama’s inexperience makes him an unsafe Presidential nominee. An offbeat, non-traditional, or historic pick underscores the message of change Obama and his campaign have been parroting since the primaries.

John McCain must also consider his brand and that of his party and pick someone off-beat and historic. The GOP torch McCain carries has dimmed since its brightest days in the elections of 2002 and 2004. Win or lose, the Democrat’s rhetoric of change threatens to reverberate beyond this election and position both parties for 2010 and 2012. A young, vibrant and/or historic Republican Vice Presidential pick would establish revolutionary politics as a force without party or ideology. More importantly, it would give grassroots Republican activists a new and exciting face to rally behind.

If I was advising the candidates, I’d suggest two women Governors: Democrat Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas and Republican Sarah Palin of Alaska. They may not help electorally (neither Kansas nor Alaska figures to be in play), but they would eachfoster excitement among the core activists each candidate will need for victory in November.