The great debate - VP divide

There has never been a VP debate like this one, probably never will be again. I cannot remember any  VP pick at all (other than Al Gore who went on to be a environmental hero). Why? Because normally no  one really cares about the VP pick. In this case they do because she's a woman, and that means they can question her intelligence, record, history, family,  role as a parent. They have never done this with a man. I'm confident when I say there must have been so many VP picks in the history of America with less brains and experience than Palin. I  am not supporting either side. I can't vote anyway I'm not American. I' m one of those who think it will make little difference who is chosen. Because politics all works it out in the end. As Geraldine Ferraro Said to a sexist Bush snr. " Don't patronize me because you know more about this issue than me". Well it seems that in a "free and fair" democracy like America a women must always have a man lording it over her and get her yahoo account hacked into. Maybe next time. Click here After Bill Clinton put his weight and personality behind supporting Obama I have my money on them winning. Maybe I'm wrong, but a woman won't figure in that winning vote. Economics is a man's arena. Have an opinion? send it to us in a message. Please read the other comments first before you respond that way this becomes a conversation and not a repetition of the same old lines. Wisequeen

Comments

[Miranda]

Palin should be subjected to scrutiny -- any candidate should be. And while I agree that she shouldn't be discounted because she is a woman, I can think of several other Republican women who are more qualified and who have MUCH more experience than she has. Palin was picked because of her ideology and because her gender brings her a great deal of media attention. Enough that for weeks she has been compared to Barack Obama, rather than to Biden, her counterpart.

And I certainly hope she doesn't win. I am a woman and a feminist, but I have nothing beyond anatomy and a love of fishing in common with Palin. Her political views, policy statements and public record all paint a picture of someone I would never want anywhere near the White House.

[wisequeen]

Thanks for your viewpoint which is interesting and is obviously shared by many. I felt Joe Biden handled the debate in a calm and reasoned way and as I said before, my money is on the dems to win. It has become clear that she makes feminists and also more liberal men and women nervous because of her very conservative views and because she speaks with a village mentality.

[Richard Quick, Esq.]

I believe Sarah Palin proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she is the best candidate for the Presidency. A Republican win and then an unfortunate gun-cleaning accident in the Oval Office and we'll keep this country on track and keep the economy sound.
Her ability to connect with soccer moms and six pack swilling Dads and divert their attention while we loot their paychecks and steal their kids piggy banks is uncanny. She is the ultimate magician's assistant... and she's so doggone cute doing it, doggone it.
Thanks for supporting her because she's a woman. That's important. So's Vanna White, but she's too old for the job anymore.

See you on the veranda!

http://www.franworst.com" rel="nofollow">Millionaire Richard Quick, Esq.

[wisequeen]

I aint supporting her because shes a woman Richie Rich. I'm just saying her cutsey factor shouldn't come into it. She needs a voice coach to get out that high pitched whine and all I'm saying is all candidates should be treated without gender bias so the right person can be picked. As I said I think the dems have it in the bag cos we miss Clinton and his cigar sharing with interns so much!

[michelle of bleeding espresso]

Oh Dan Quayle was pretty closely looked at (and ridiculed) when he was the VP candidate too--precisely because most of America didn't know who he was or whether he was experienced enough to do the job. People questioned Obama in the same way, incidentally, two years ago when he started talking about the Presidency--and many still do, although attacking his intelligence is really not even possible.

The problem with Palin isn't that we question her experience, intelligence, or "world view" as she loves to say--we have a complete right and DUTY to do that as voters in a democracy. The real issue is that her own party has shielded her from giving interviews, answering tough questions on her policies as well as on her character (which ALL candidates must do), and giving her a chance to become her own person rather than a caricature. THAT is sexist on their part, and I think that was all by design so at least some people would see her as a victim. The GOP is genius in campaigning, except that McCain doesn't like to listen to them all the time...so he did the whole "suspending the campaign" thing, which, IMHO, was his single most critical mistake and probably why he'll lose.

And yes, I've already voted for Obama :)

[Ninapilar]

The McCain/Palin Campaign is using her looks and charm to (hopefully) win votes and keep the ones they currently have. Make no mistake - Palin is not a victim. It may look that way on the surface, but she is very intelligent when it comes to psychology (or at least the speechwriter is).

She defintely went a bit too far with the "lingo" trying to identify with "the average American." That's a whole other issue. She is "dumbing down" the office in my opinion. Her job would be to run the country, not sweet talk soccer moms and men who drink beer everyday. That is not an "unfair portrayal" - this is from her own mouth.

The fact that the cameras "filmed" the candidates from behind a number of times was interesting to me as well. The media is focusing on her looks, but I don't think she has a problem with this. The media is going out of its way right now to make her look stupid (and she isn't helping the matter), but at the same time I can't let her and the expericences she is facing speak for the experiences of most women. This is just one big circus - not a realistic view of women's career based challenges.

[wisequeen]

America just loves that spin doesn't she. I don't think Palin is a victim or that the McCain Palin ticket is a sound contrast to the Obama one. But that's your democracy America, it's not the best leader who wins, but the best fundraiser, and that leaves only the very rich and the unscrupulous left to compete to be president.
Spin plays the biggest role, just look at the last two Bush campaigns. America wanted revenge and she got it. Every thinking, liberal business- minded person voted for Kerry plus lots of youth who never vote, but it wasn't enough. Spin won again, and it will win again this time.

Obama's very economical use of the truth about his past and alliances will come back to bite him and America on the asss. But right now no one's listening. just like they never listened to the experts about the financial markets who have been warning about this crash for a year. America the invincible! like a teenager on steroids.
My point in the post is there is no equality in the way the candidates were handled.