More Palin Problems

1. The reaction by women. Perhaps the bloggers here have forgotten in the sands of time, but women--particularly young women--don't like other pretty women. Competition. I've been hearing a lot of "so she thinks being in a beauty contest is a qualification for President?" It seems that women, especially swing voters have reacted with more spite than unity at the nomination of the attractive and successful Palin.

Women, with the media's help, also claim that this is condescending because Palin didn't earn this, and that McCain and the GOP are just using gender. Legitimate claim, Palin needs to blow this away fast by appearing extremely competent--more so than she likely is.

On a similar note, those most gleeful of the Palin nomination, are the NRA guys, who like myself, adore pictures of pretty women with guns, bikes, etc. We were voting for McCain anyway, all Palin did was energize.

2. Palins are just "white trash." This needs to be dealt with fast, or Americans will not vote for the ticket that puts her almost in the Oval Office. The media is hyping this one with pictures of her with guns, her knocked-up 17 year old daughter, her "first dude" and his snowmobiling, etc...So the rural vote just went up 10 points, people in the suburbs want class. Palin must exude class always, and her whole family needs to prove that they are sophisticated. The characture is pretty strong the wrong way.

This post, like this blog, is all about image. There are substantive issues that raise minor concerns (such as pork-barreling, which Peter laughed off as more meaningless than her husband's DUI, huh?), and her lack of experience. However, the focus now is elsewhere because unless the campaign/Palins can fight off jealous women and shake "white trash" image, the GOP ticket will be damaged 2-3 points on a year when they can least afford it.

They are, in fact, going for the white trash image...

Thanks for the tip. I bet those used books are rising in price as we speak. Pretty women may not be "liked" but, in my experience, they are admired. How else would you account for the women's magazines always putting pretty women on the cover, yet staying in business? Palin "earned this" when she got elected governor (like Clinton, Carter, Bush, Reagan, etc.) "White trash" doesn't work when you see her and her family. They're all presentable. None are picking their noses. Sarah will prevail. Even my Dem wife is very impressed and, I think, but prudently am not asking, quite likely to vote McCain now.

Clint, you are so right. The US WEEKLY cover was designed to stigmatize her to middle class suburnan women as the dishonest, disorganized product of backwoods lower class social chaos and ignorance.

All the psuedo scandals surrounding Palin don't actually add up to a logical argument against her candidacy. So what if her brother in law is a jerk, her daughter got pregnant at seventeen and her husband had a DUI 20+ years ago. If you hunted around alot of families (including prominent political families) you would get alot worse - except you don't because reporters usually don't report widely.

But what these psuedo scadals do is that they create an impression of ingnorance and moral squalor without having to prove it. Its even worse because the image will resonate most strongly with generally apolitical people who probably won't follow politics closely enough for the image to be discedited.

On one hand I would say fair enough. If conservatives can mock a certain kind of upper class liberalism, then liberals can mock a certain kind of working class conservatism. But its the invasion of the Palin family privacy that is being used to create the image that is so despicable.

Let's hope that Palin has a strong run tonight. Good call on that US Weekley cover Pete.

I think that the McCain campaign and the GOP organization really blew this one (not in picking Palin, but in not being ready). It doesn't seem like they had the necessary image campaign ready to back up Palin. They were too busy planning the convention, and weren't ready to properly introduce Palin to the people. Lots of damage has been done, and Palin needs a stellar performance tonight to buy some time.

Think of it this way, on the MOST important domestic issue of the day, an issue that also has tremendous strategic significance, she has more experience than any of those that sought the Presidential nomination.

So she's got experience!

Hey, guys - a girl is going to chime in here.

1. Sarah Palin is a beautiful woman. She smiles and her whole face lights up. She beams happiness and exudes confidence without being chirpy or perky or wearing a pantsuit.

2. She's one of us - more of a Reagan Republican than we could ever hope for in 2008. That's why the Left can't stand it. They want to be the party of hope, change, values and ethics and her entrance onto the stage, like a breathe of fresh air, denies them the opportunity to fully make that claim.

3. Small-town girl goes big time. I think there's enough sophistication and polish in Sarah Palin to satisfy the snobbery of some people. Why should we demand that she be anything but herself? The media is having such a hard time with someone who is so genuine, so likeable and so real because they are used to the "plastic politicians".

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to ride home on my Harley and clean my hunting rifle.

The more the media go down the ‘white trash’ road the more they will begin to invite comparison with the last piece of real white trash to occupy the Oval Office. Bill Clinton was the first white trash president, and, frankly, I don’t think the public has forgotten. Nor have they forgotten his Bimbo-in-chief: Monica Lewinsky. Next to Bubba and Monica, Sarah Palin is a saint, who would be forgiven for wearing a blue dress while smoking a cigar in public or in the privacy of her boudoir for that matter. The other thing she is, a mother, is not something that will be dismissed lightly by voters who still respect the daily travails of raising children, handicapped and otherwise, as most of them are in the throes of those very travails. The MSM will, being the pack animals they are, over-sell their position, and I, for one, can’t wait for the moment when the brightest of these ignorant pseudo-opinion makers come to recognize their utter irrelevance to thinking people.

Our Sarah is more manly without ceasing to be a woman than Maggie Thatcher. What a gal! She's an American! Sorry not to sound academic, but Peter deserves the love on this selection! She

We learn that Palin has never campaigned on being an evangelical or a mom, but always on ETHICS.



Well, that track record's gone after her speech tonight . . .

Matt, I wished for something else from her speech, but then thought that this was what she had to do. She had to introduce herself and her family to he nation on her own terms. After the last few days, she had to come on strongly on those issues, of her being a mom, a Christian and a capable politician. She did it.

She said little to nothing about being a Christian.