Sen. John McCain’s choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as the vice presidential nominee exemplifies his anti-feminism and lack of respect for women.
As a feminist and a woman, I would love nothing more than to see a woman enter the White House as president or vice president.
However, I feel like McCain, R-Ariz, has completely disrespected me by choosing as a running mate a woman who is under-qualified, inexperienced and staunchly against many core feminist ideas.
Clearly, this is an attempt to court women voters put off by Sen. Hillary Clinton’s defeat.
Palin herself said, “The women of America aren’t finished yet, and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all.” She was referring to Clinton’s “18 million cracks,” or the 18 million votes Clinton, D-N.Y., received in the Democratic primary. I can only imagine the disappointment and humiliation Clinton felt upon hearing this.
But if McCain was thinking he could sway Clinton voters simply because he chose an attractive female with an up-do for his ticket, he needs to think again.
Both men and women voted for Clinton not because she was a woman but because she stood up for the average woman and her family.
Unlike Clinton, Palin does not stand behind many female and family issues.
She is adamantly pro-life — against abortion in all cases including rape, incest and cases in which the mother’s health and life are at stake.
Palin is also against public health care, an issue that disproportionately affects single mothers who are less likely to have healthcare and women who require extra medical attention during pregnancy.
Additionally, she wants to keep the tax cuts for the upper 1 percent of American citizens — tax cuts that could alternatively go toward funding education.
This anti-education stance greatly affects women who represent a huge portion of teachers — who have been hurting for a pay raise for years.
Finally, Palin is surprisingly in support of abstinence-only education, stating in her 2006 gubernatorial campaign that “explicit sex-ed programs will not find (her) support.”
Being on a college campus, we all know how affective this type of teaching is… not.
Abstinence-only education does not reduce sexual activity or STDs.
Clinton, on the other hand, is proudly pro-choice, pro-public healthcare and pro-education (both kinds).
But Palin’s stance on these issues is not unique. Her ideas are consistent with the overall Republican platform.
So, if any woman McCain picked would differ from Clinton on these issues, why wouldn’t he pick one of the many qualified Republican women around the country in his attempt to get the female vote?
Kay Bailey Hutchison, Barbara Cubin, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe and Heather Wilson have each worked in government for years, are educated in state, national and foreign affairs, and stand within their party lines on most issues.
Why did McCain snub them for a woman who puts “being a hockey mom” on her list of qualifications for the second most important political office in the country and possibly the world?
We all know this answer.
Palin brings home the family values and suburban gun-toting vote — another key deciding factor in this election. She shoots moose and is unfaltering in her Evangelical beliefs.
But shooting moose and promoting evangelicalism won’t benefit women in this country and around the world.
Remember, empowering women is not about blindly voting for a woman. It is about supporting women’s rights, abilities and opportunities.
The day a qualified, hard-working woman does get elected into the White House will be ground-breaking and earth-shattering. But November 4, 2008 will not be that day.
Rosie Sontheimer is a journalism sophomore. Her column appears every other Thursday.
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AmericanRepbulican 3 years, 8 months ago
Palin has more experience than Obama. Obama got to the State Senate of Illinois by default, he didn't have any competition because he got them disqualified. Obama then won the Senate seat because the other two front runners had personal stories that wrecked their campaigns. Obama has never been elected to anything without outside forces knocking his competitors out of the race. So do your research. She is a woman who has a stance and on things. She is the only person on either ticket that has any executive experience. Just because you are a feminist does not mean that your opinion resides with the rest. Besides if politician quit worrying about offending people and doing their job to the best of their abilities the system would not need people like Palin that come in and clean house. Do your research she'll protect your rights from the government much better than any democrat every would.
Chestertonian 3 years, 8 months ago
It seems more probable that McCain picked Palin for her reform credentials and not having been tainted by many D.C. connections. Her lack of a Y chromosome was probably just a bonus.
I think one of the biggest problems with politics today is our cynicism towards the other party. Some politicians I wouldn't trust very far, but I do at least think that THEY think they are sincere about the big issues.
redbull560 3 years, 8 months ago
the moment you started touting your pride and confidence in hillary clinton was the moment any credibility of what you were saying went flying out the window on fire. Honestly what did you expect? It's john mccain why on earth would he pick any VP candidate who is supporting your more liberal ideals of course she is gonna be an evangelical gun touting republican its simple politics play to your demographics and that is what he has done. Now to note on of your policy endorsements if you really think Hillary was a good candidate I would suggest you pinch yourself really really hard because you are living in a dream world. Why on earth would we want to send more money to the federal government for public education, ever since the government got involved in public education this country has gotten steadily less intelligent and the more money thrown at the department of education will go to lobbyists and teacher unions not as you so innocently believe the poor teachers in the inner city trying to create another class of "great debaters" I'm so astounded by the naivety of peoples thought in politics especially college kids as they salivate over the democrats, the dems really could care less about you or your well being all they want is your vote and for you to shut up and get out of the way. I wont even begin to touch on your notion for socialized medicine because well I don't have time or space to list out the horrendous nature and consequence of a system like that but it does tell me one thing the Feminist movement will only be hurting their cause if you are one of their think tanks.
Charles 3 years, 8 months ago
Initially I was tempted to note the extreme hypocrisy in redbull560's disdain for government involvement in education while attending a publicly subsidized university. Then I reread his post and decided it presumptuous of me to assume he's a student at this or any university with any kind of admission standards.
Dashwood 3 years, 8 months ago
Presumptuous headline.
redbull560 3 years, 8 months ago
ahh charles so witty I really hope you felt like a million bucks after you so cleverly "caught" me in a contradiction. Because surely I couldn't have been talking about the public school system in specific before getting down to ever nitty gritty detail of government funded projects and well to be honest the government has its hand in almost every cookie jar so you have to start somewhere. I'll be more cautious next time charles, and spell it out for you w o r d b y w o r d so you wont misunderstand next time.