It's not the hockey shtick or the sarcasm-with-a-smile that makes Governor Sarah Palin a "game changer" in this election. No, the former small town mayor is John McCain's secret weapon for reasons the East Coast Elite can't fathom. Unbeknownst to the Ivy League talking heads, there are smart folks out here in the Heartland. How can that be? (Have they heard of Warren Buffet, the first generation billionaire who's based in Omaha?)
First, let me say how entertaining it was to watch Sally Quinn, the self-appointed Doyenne of DC, squirm in Bill O'Reilly's hot seat and be bitch-slapped by Soledad O'Brien, who has four kids and a demanding job as an cable news anchor. Lacking any discernible talent for journalism or writing, Quinn's official job at WaPo has been Editor's Wife Who Thinks She's Smarter Than You Serfs Who Work For People Like Her Husband. Nevertheless, Quinn took it upon herself to lambaste GOVERNOR Palin for being a self-made working mom. Presumably, members of Quinn's bunko group only dabble when the whim strikes them.
O'Reilly made Quinn look like a simpleton. Dressed in a teal blouse - with an unwisely low neckline that emphasized how far her 67-year-old boobs have sunk, Madame blathered on about special needs kids and the challenges of raising them. One assumes that the Quinn-Bradlee household of three eked by.
But let's return to the subject at hand, how Sarah Barracuda has single-handedly changed the presidential race. As reported by Rasmussen, Gov. Palin's approval ratings top both presidential candidates. Here are my reasons why the Palin pick is absolutely brilliant, and not "brilliant" as in Michelle "1100 SAT" Obama. I mean the Merriam-Webster's definition of brilliant.
1. Todd Palin is part Yup'ik. Can he connect with Native Americans in the Lower 48? If so, he should be dispatched to the Dakotas and New Mexico pronto. The Dakotas should be red but have been wavering and NM looks like it will turn blue. Maybe Palin, who is proud to call himself part Eskimo, could be a strong advocate for Native American rights and make a difference with voters.
The McCain-Palin ticket has played up Todd's heritage for another reason, one that can't be mentioned in polite company (Sally, if you can find your ears under that white helmet of a bob, cover them): it insulates Palin from attacks that she's racist and frees her to go after Obama with impunity. What the Obama campaign seems to have forgotten but I'll say out loud is that not all Americans of color are black. And, the ones who aren't wonder how much influence Obama's old church has had. This could be big issue with Hispanic voters who consider McCain's failed immigration bill a valiant effort. Also, Asian voters, few that there are, granted, are skeptical of Obama's sympathies and despise affirmative action, which has been used to limit their numbers at top universities.
2. Sarah Palin will attract Hillary's voters. While there are thousands of Democrats who will vote for McCain/Palin rather than the candidate they believe stole the nomination, they aren't the target. Blue-collar white males and their spouses are.
When a fancy suited young man alights on a factory floor, workers think one thing: layoffs. So, you can't blame blue-collar voters for not warming to Obama. He reminds them of every other corporate trailblazer whose favorite words are longer than his resume. And, they know what happens after his "synergies" and "efficiencies" are realized. They need a new job.
These are the workers Palin is supposed to attract. Until a few years ago, her husband, a union member, was the primary breadwinner. The Palins juggle their work schedules through hard work, flexibility, and family support. They understand the challenges of childcare and mortgage payments.
The Democrats' veep pick was supposed to appeal to working class voters. Whatever. Is it me or does Joe Biden need to stop talking about taking the train home from the Senate? Doesn't that make Delaware a suburb of DC? Wouldn't that make Biden part of the entrenched establishment Obama is supposedly running against?
3. The Base. This is a no-brainer. Really, Hillcrats, he wasn't going to put a Hillary clone on the ticket. McCain is a Republican.
4. The Media hate her. With a passion. So, of course, American wants to know why. Frankly, I have no sympathy for members of the nattering class who claim ignorance about a sitting governor, the most popular governor in the country, no less. I knew who Sarah Palin was before that fateful Friday. If they didn't, they should be docked a month's pay. Shouldn't these "experts" know their subjects?
5. Suburban women see themselves. No matter what their political persuasion, suburban moms see one of their own running for vice president. They can't help but relate.
It's difficult to be a working mother. Most women still handle more than their share of household duties. Once you have a baby, you're "mommy tracked" and you don't get the same responsibilities and raises. Then, along comes Sarah, ready to show the world that moms have brains as well as uteruses. And, her supportive husband sits beaming proudly, comfortable in his skin as snowmobile champion and dad that cooks. "We CAN do it!" shout these suburban moms.
But, it's not all roses and sunshine for Gov. Palin. There are her detractors. The Loony Left has gone bananas seeing a pro-life Christian woman on the undercard. Strident feminists are penning columns implying she's not a real woman. And, then there are the divorced moms. They are a category unto themselves and a lost cause for McCain-Palin. In order, here are the candidates most despised by these women:
1. Women married to "flawed" men who stay married. This drives the divorced moms crazy since they ditched their jerks only to end up lonely and living hand-to-mouth waiting for the child support check. Yes, they're jealous.
2. Happily married women, happily married/committed gay men, lesbians of all relationship status because they don't deal with men. Yes, again, the divorced moms are jealous. Many are insanely jealous. Too bad for them.
3. "Flawed" male candidates like Bill Clinton. Interestingly, these women can overlook the men's indiscretions but not their wives for staying. Petty. That's all I'll say.
4. Happily married men, like Obama claims to be. Honestly, they want to marry him. It's a school girl crush. And, immature.
5. Single gay men. Divorced women LOVE single gay men! They aren't a threat to these women's worldview and they can dish about what louts men are.
In other words, these women hate other women. I can't tell you how many divorced women I know who hate Hillary for not leaving Bill. I believe they want to marry Obama. And, they hate McCain for dating Cindy while he was separated from his first wife. They overlook two facts, that McCain's first wife remains on good terms with him and that John and Cindy raised the three kids from the first marriage. Not that it matters, except that it speaks to his character, but John had adopted his first wife's two sons from her previous marriage. Cindy and he raised these sons, one of whom is on tap to take over Cindy's position as Chairman of the Board if John is elected.
Let the media focus on distractions like Palin's foray into beauty pageants and her patchwork scholastic career. She's smart and tough. And, best of all, unlike her Democratic rivals, she seems disinterested in courting the DC elite. Of course, playing hard to get will get you one thing: more attention.
The media may not "get" Sarah Palin but she seems to "get" them.
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