Thursday, October 02, 2008

Intermission II: More Politics, This Time Without The Threat of Poop, Pelican or Otherwise*

During a conversation last weekend with Son-Two (who called from college to discuss politics, of all things), he said he thought Palin was going to "get toasted" in Thursday night's debate.

In response, I said, "Yeah, she's Political Barbie."

Hubby sitting nearby deadpanned, "After Thursday's debate, it's going to be more like Political Barbecue."


*The promised absence of poop in no way implies the absence of crap which is an entirely different thing and seemingly unavoidable in politics.

**Before you cry sexism please note that I am not calling her "Barbie" simply because she's a woman. I am calling her a Barbie because she seems to me to have been chosen for her spunky, perky cute-tough persona rather than anything of any substance whatsoever. I don't believe for one second that women should be judged on a higher standard than men, but neither should we get a pass simply because of our gender. With something as vital as the presidency it's especially important to be sure that no one is so dazzled by the gender of a candidate that they forget to ask the questions that really matter--and actually listen to the answers not be impressed by the kind of one-liners^ Palin dished out at the Republican convention. Stumbling down off the soapbox now...

^One-liners not unlike those that a '90's edition of Barbie said when you pulled a string on her back. The most famous one was something like "Math is hard." or something like that and lots of people got mad then because that was enforcing a stereotype that girls aren't good at math. I didn't really think it was enforcing anything other than that Barbie thought math was hard which only makes sense since she's a friggin' doll, for cryin' out loud.

3 comments:

  1. I'm so with you on everything you wrote here. Palin's past experience includes beauty queen and sports caster. Of COURSE, they mean for her to be Barbie. No one pulled any punches with Hillary. Is it only attractive women that we have to coddle?

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  2. I'll be watching the debates tonight like I do a good horror movie, with my eyes shielded by my forearms and my hands ready to cover my ears at a moment's notice!

    p.s. don't discount her past experience as a PTA MEMBER for crying out loud!! (Hell, now I'm feeling confident enough to run for VP too!!)

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  3. So how are we all feelin' now that the debate's over?

    Personal opinion? While Palin actually performed better than I feared she might, the debate switched my ire from Palin to McCain's campaign. It's actually offensive that they think so little of the presidency and our country that they would nominate someone so profoundly ill-equipped to govern our country. Offensive, insulting, and a little insane. Even if there weren't a laundry list of reasons I am uncomfortable with John McCain, this decision alone would convert me to Obama.

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