Intriguing Or Disturbing?

That's the question I am asking myself since Sen. McCain selected Governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate.

Forget about the fact that it took the Republican party 24 years after Democrat Geraldine Ferraro - just a few extra years of learning curve in there to acknowledge the potential of gender in the election mix.

So is McCain's choice intriguing? Or disturbing?

First, the former. It may have been a stroke of political genius to select a woman. There are a lot of Hillary supporters just waiting to jump ship on the Democrats and vote for any ticket that has a woman that will symbolically break the glass ceiling. She's young and tenacious. She's a former Miss Alaska runner-up. She's a fresh voice in Washington. Those are all positive elements. She has some understanding of oil and natural resources from her time as Governor of Alaska. She's married to a steelworker and commercial fisherman - so it would certainly sound like she just might be in touch with the heartland of America.  

Now, how about the disturbing side of all of this. McCain selected someone with zero experience. Palin was a city council member, a mayor, then a Governor for two years. Sure, having 5 children gives you the background to manage a small third world nation (relax everyone, tongue is firmly in cheek and respectful of the role of parents!) - but not the United States of America! She's pro-life - so before all you women jump on this train, you might want to truly establish the future importance of the Supreme Court in Roe vs Wade. Oh, and she's a creationist, wanting that to be taught alongside evolution in schools across our great country.

And then there's Trooper-Gate - putting her ethics into question.

McCain would be the oldest President to be elected - age 72. Lest we forget, should anything befall the President and make him unable to serve the role, the Vice President would then take the responsibilities of President. So that makes your previous mayor and city council member of Wasilla, Alaska (population 8,000) and Governor of Alaska (population 670,000 - not even the size of Austin) the President of the United States of America.

And people are wondering about Obama's judgement in this election?

I had to laugh when I saw this photo and article:

McCain's Choice - Another Perspective

This presidential campaign gets more and more amusing by the minute. It never ceases to amaze me how campaigns are driven by fear more than anything else. We have got the "war on terror" and the "war in Iraq". Those issues instill fear, without a doubt. Now we have "gender" thrown into the race. I have no doubt that "race" will be soon to follow. The fact that things like gender and race still haunt this country in the year 2008 scares me to no end.