And I Said To Myself, Self...

...what do Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan think about Sarah Palin?

The pick of Sarah Palin as McCain’s running mate tells me that reproductive rights are a massive issue for him. I’ve been saying from the get-go that McCain has been screwed insofar as he has to appear strongly anti-woman for the base, but pro-woman for the low information swing voters. Lieberman, I think, could have pulled that off. But this is simpler---a female anti-choicer, a straight-up sexist colluder. The base will be appeased that she shares their anti-woman sympathies, but the swing voter will simply see that she’s a woman and assume that she can’t be anti-woman. Sadly, as we feminists know all too well dealing with those women who collude with sexism, it isn’t at all true or inevitable that a woman will be a feminist.

This is also a sign that the Republicans are taking all their cues from the Democrats this election. The Democratic convention is a non-stop discussion of women’s rights to reproductive health care, equal pay, and freedom from violence. Republicans grab their asses and pick a female V.P., hoping that they can get in on some of that action.

And Melissa?

Well, that took—what?—an hour? Petulant just emailed me to say he heard someone on the Stephanie Miller Show calling Palin a "bimbo." (Presumably because she's a former beauty queen.) And I'm already reading indictments of "her" that include information like "her husband works for an oil company."

Fuck.

Says Pet: "The slaughter of your gender begins anew!" Sob.

For the record, there is plenty about which to criticize Palin that has absolutely fuck-all to do with her sex. She's anti-choice, against marriage equality, pro-death penalty, pro-guns, and loves Big Business. (In other words, she's a Republican.) There's no goddamned reason to criticize her for anything but her policies.

And I'll go ahead and put it right in the fucking inaugural post in this series: I will defend Sarah Palin against misogynist smears not because I like or support her, but because that's how feminism works.

Cheesus. I'm exhausted already.

Both of them have 100% completely valid points, as usual.

UPDATE: and Taylor Marsh nails it.

This is a desperation play. McCain's trying to mute his geezer quotient with Palin's babe vibe. On that, well done, John. With McCain turning 72 today, this is beyond obvious.

However, so much for the "war on terror" being the transcendent issue of our time. The thought of Palin as commander in chief is frightening.

Women voters, especially HRC voters, were pro Hillary because she was very experienced and qualified. Palin's abuse of power problems is not a plus.

As for Palin, not even Kay Bailey Hutchison knew anything about her when she appeared on CNN today. McCain and his team didn't even bother to get her a fact sheet on his veep pick. That says it all.