Real issues matter to women

Gary Pederson (9/20, Letters, “Women picking on Palin”) doesn’t get it. He wrote “liberal females are bashing Gov. Palin because she is opposite of them: a meat-eating, gun-shooting, good looking, pro-drilling, decision-making, heterosexual, female, basketball-playing, churchgoing mother who didn’t abort any of her children.”

Is it possible females are criticizing Gov. Palin because they don’t believe she is qualified based on education and experience, not because she eats meat and played basketball? Do those attributes mentioned by Mr. Pederson have anything to do with being qualified to be vice president or president of the U.S.?

Pederson apparently thinks women aren’t smart enough to judge candidates based on education, experience, knowledge and judgment, but instead focus only on candidates’ looks, lifestyles, food preferences or hobbies. That is insulting to all females — liberal, conservative or somewhere in between.

Teresa Fry
Kansas City

Comments

[kmb]

The letter writer states, "Gov. Palin ... is ... a ... mother who didn’t abort any of her children.”

Abortion is a private decision. How do YOU know she never had an abortion? Just because she says so? (Yeah, 'cause politicians NEVER lie. Uh-huh.)

[Engineer]

TinaMcG
Well Joe (Lemme copy that) Biden had some original thoughts for you today. He informed us that in the 1929 crisis President Roosevelt went on television in 1929 and ..... Only some small problems with his statement. FDR wasn't President in 1929 and television wasn't yet operating. What a mind to have in line as next to be President. But Joe does get some things right. The other day he pointed out that one of Obama's "approved" ads was "objectionable".

[TinaMcG]

"BTW: IMO the Reps are blowing it by not letting Palin talk. She speaks quite well, appears fast on her feet, also appears quite bright, seems to like the rough and tumble of politics and definitly has a likability factor going on."

I don't get what you're saying. I don't think she sounds quite bright at all. I thought her convention speech was shrill and snarky, and her voice makes my ears bleed. And as for thinking on her feet, I am not impressed so far. She speaks in talking point snippets. I have yet to hear an original thought out of her. This frightens me. I am also not getting this "likability factor". There is nothing about her I like, and almost everyone I've talked to about her thinks she's just plain scary.

[solomon]

Welcome WaddaBug,

Don't worry about getting eaten alive, you've entered a land of mendicants.

[H2OBug]

I'm new here, and judging from the reading I've done of postings, I'm sure I'll get eaten alive. However, I have to post regarding the "experience" arguments.

If the consensus is that we don't want "politics as usual", and "career politicians" are the problem, is it logical to use the argument that experience matters?

The founders of this country didn't have experience in creating a new government. I'd gladly take the innovation and intellegence of a John Adams or Thomas Jefferson any day.

The inexperience of Palin isn't what bothers me about her. Nor is Obama's lack of executive experience. As an "undecided" voter, I'm looking for something so much more inspirational than the standard sound bites.

[jack]

"Like a little kid on an allowance..."

Hows this for a "complete the sentence" exercise?

Like a little kid with an unlimited allowance, George Bush never once suffered the cost of his failures. Bought out of every problem by his family's money, GW came to believe that no matter what he did, no matter how much money was spent, he would never have to pay the account.

I love how the far right likes to ridicule those who WEREN'T born with a silver spoon.

BTW: IMO the Reps are blowing it by not letting Palin talk. She speaks quite well, appears fast on her feet, also appears quite bright, seems to like the rough and tumble of politics and definitly has a likability factor going on.

[ME262]

And thank God for that. Four more years of the National White People's Party running this country for the benefit of the top five percent would culminate in rioting in the streets.

All will turn out well, I venture. Eight houses, twenty-three vehicles; perhaps Senator McCain could trade half a dozen of the vehicles in on a nice recreational vehicle and see the U.S.A. with his lovely wife. Governor Palin, one supposes, will be much happier back in God's country, a-chasing the wild deer and following the roe. President Obama will return our nation to a position of international respect, and with the grace of God find a way to stop financing our activities by selling the country to our enemies security by security.

[Engineer]

Simple_Jack
The den of thieves known as the Illinois Senate is not the US Senate. Of course, in view of his attendance record, Obama may not recognize the difference. He has zero executive experience. His job as "community activist" and his law firm job were mostly concerned with extracting funds from government for this or that project. Like a little kid on an allowance, he knows all about spending, but he has no idea of how the funds he is spending were generated or the effort required in generating them. And he is running for President. If elected his untrained and unprepared hand will be on the wheel from day one.

[Simple_Jack]

quick fact from the US Census bureau:
Illinois 13th district Population (the district which Obama represented for 7 years in the State Senate)
653,647

Alaska's Total Population:
626,932
http://fastfacts.census.gov/servlet/CWSFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=04000US02&_geoContext=01000US|04000US17|50000US1713&_street=&_county=&_cd=50000US1713&_cityTown=&_state=04000US02&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=500&_content=&_keyword=&_industry=

Knowing that Obama represented more people in the Illinois STATE SENATE than Palin does over her entire state, Obama's experience is far greater than Palin's few years as Governor, and certainly greater than Palin's time representing 2000+ people in Wasilla.

People who question Obama's experience seem to forget that he has spent over 10 years as a Senator of some sort. Selective memory is a bitch I guess

[whispering_to_kc]

"I love how this little gal ..."

Little gal?

Current national polls:

FOX News - Obama +6
Gallup - Obama +3
Rasmussen - Obama +2
Hotline/FD - Obama +6

[ME262]

"The one thing McCain has done is to prepare Palin for the debates."

I'm so upset that I'm afraid I won't be able to eat dinner.

[Simple_Jack]

"Oh and don't be surprised if Palin absolutely destroys Biden in the debate."

One Side

I highly doubt that this will happen. Unfortunately, people don't seem to care too much about debates anyways. In 2004, it was widely viewed that Kerry won every debate, yet he still lost the election...hence, even if Biden makes Palin look completely unqualified, it doesn't necessarily mean that McCain will lose the election

[kcstar_is_one_sided]

"Apart from the vague and vacuous answers she has given Charlie Gibson and Sean Hannity, the only words we've heard from her are "that's nice" (in response to Karzai's son's name), "good, good" (in response to how her meetings with world leaders went at the UN), and "yup, yup" (when asked if she's ready to be VP."

Perhaps Biden can learn something from this and keep his yap shut. He is out embarrassing the Dems with his statements. Regardless, there is a debate coming up and I'm sure you'll get to hear everything you need to know about Palin at that time. Frankly though, I know from watching Olbermann and Rachel that this is a big talking point for the Dems, but why do you care what Palin says or doesn't say? It is obvious you are not going to vote for her regardless. The one thing McCain has done is to prepare Palin for the debates. We don't have any recent quotes from her similar to Biden such as FDR getting TV and playing down fears at the start of the Great Depression (should have been Hoover and on the radio), or how bad it was to make fun of McCains inability to use a keyboard in a commercial approved by Obama.

I'd recommend that you worry a little more about your guy than Palin. Oh and don't be surprised if Palin absolutely destroys Biden in the debate. Biden is apt to pull something else out of his nether regions as he usually does.

[ME262]

"My God, what century are you from?"

Late Cretaceous, I believe.

[TinaMcG]

"I love how this little gal who speaks her mind, and has basic values and good characther just absolutely drives the wing nuts totatlly bananas. They can't stand when she totally shuns their blessed sacrement of abortion."

I won't dignify that "blessed sacrament" swipe. Instead, I'll take issue with your use of the degrading term "little gal". My God, what century are you from?

Palin never seemed to mind being called "the hottest gov from the coldest state", yet she decries everything else said about her in the press as "sexist". Sorry sweetie (oops, was that sexist?) -- but you can't have it both ways.

The irony here is that the selection of Palin is THE single most sexist thing about this year's campaign. It's as though McCain walked into a bar looking for a woman, scanned all the available meat, and picked the best looking "gal" in the place. All he needed to know about her was what she looked like -- and her stance on abortion rights.

Apart from the vague and vacuous answers she has given Charlie Gibson and Sean Hannity, the only words we've heard from her are "that's nice" (in response to Karzai's son's name), "good, good" (in response to how her meetings with world leaders went at the UN), and "yup, yup" (when asked if she's ready to be VP.

If McCain has a working brain cell and any shred of rational temperament, he should be kicking himself for passing on Romney.

God help us all.

[ME262]

I think "absolutely drives the wing nuts totatlly bananas" is a fair description of the situation. I don't think the Democrats would have had a snowball's chance in hell of stopping McCain if it hadn't been for this brilliant choice of a complete incompetent who, per the polls, has destroyed any chance McCain might have in November.

[Rogue]

I love how this little gal who speaks her mind, and has basic values and good characther just absolutely drives the wing nuts totatlly bananas. They can't stand when she totally shuns their blessed sacrement of abortion.

[kcstar_is_one_sided]

"Is it possible females are criticizing Gov. Palin because they don’t believe she is qualified based on education and experience, not because she eats meat and played basketball?"

No you are critical of her because you think every other woman should share the same view as you. Pretty pompous, aren't you?

[jack]

The Reps are doing nothing BUT demeaning women. Especially Sarah Palin. They write her speeches for her, tell her what she is allowed to say and keep the "little woman" away from any and all unscripted questions.

After all, we all know what women are like. We gave them a vaginal VP candidate. Now they and she should shut up and stay in their place until they are told what is good for them.