From Mark Morford, column at SFGate on Friday 9/19:
Every white woman I know is positively horrified.
Mark Morford
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Wait, that's not exactly true. It's more accurate to say that every thoughtful or liberal or intuitive or open-minded white woman I know worth her vagina monologue and her self-determination and two centuries of nonstop striving for equal rights and sexual freedom and exhaustive patriarchal unshackling is right now openly horrified, appalled at what the addition of shrill PTA hockey-mom Sarah Palin seems to have done for the soggy, comatose McCain campaign -- that is, make it not merely remotely interesting and melodramatic, but aggressively hostile to, well, to all intelligent women everywhere.
Truly, among women in the know and especially among those who fought so hard to bring Hillary Clinton to the brink of history, nausea and a general recoiling appear to be the universal reactions to Palin's sudden presence on the national stage, stemming straight from the idea that there's even a slight chance in hell such an antagonistic, anti-female politico could be within a 72-year-old heartbeat of becoming the most powerful and iconic woman of all time.
They say: You've got to be kidding me. They say: This is what we get? This could be our historic role model? Two hundred years (OK, more like 2000) of struggle, only to have this nasty caricature of femininity try to hijack and mock and undermine it all?
It cannot be true, they say. The universe must joking, would not dare dump such a homophobic, Creationist evangelical nutball on us, this anti-choice, God-pandering woman who's the inverse of Hillary, this woman of deep inexperience who abhors birth control and supports abstinence education and shoots exhausted wolves from helicopters and hates polar bears and actually stands for everything progressive women have resented since the first pope Swift-Boated Eve.
But now, the truly bizarre part. Despite this defiant outcry, a great many pundits and reports have suggested that, just after the Palin VP announcement, a sizable chunk of predominantly white women nevertheless abandoned their tentative support for Obama and leapt into the lyin' arms of McCain, presumably simply because of Palin's gender and PTA momhood.
And thus did the harrowing wail go out: WTF? Could it be true? Are cadres of formerly Obama-leaning white women really so enchanted by Palin's gender and motherhood status that they openly ignore the fact that she basically wants to shove women's rights back about five decades? Can it be so simple, crude, sad?
Let us analyze. Let me, being a straight white male and therefore only capable of gazing in awe at the spectacle that is the indecipherable female intuitive response, foolishly attempt to decipher some of it anyway, and explain why in hell some women might jump to Palin, despite the fact that she essentially hates them. Shall we begin?
"She's one of us." This was the resounding quote from many deer-in-the-Palin-headlights fans, a bizarre, dangerous sentiment that echoes the blue-collar Midwest's blind love of George W. Bush, simply because he came across as the kind of simple-minded aw-shucks guy you'd want to have a beer with, never you mind that giant silver spoon sticking out of his mouth or that giant daddy's-boy chip on his droopy shoulders.
Is this all it is? Does "one of us" merely mean white women really believe Palin could, if McCain didn't survive his first term, effectively lead the most powerful, flawed, complicated nation on the planet merely because she's a hard-workin' mom with moxie, that she's managed to raise a gaggle of strangely named kids who hunt and don't believe in evolution and get pregnant before they're old enough to buy a pack of Marlboros?
Or does it mean they agree with Palin about not giving a damn for equal pay, or honest sex education, or separation of church and state, or alternative energy, or a woman's right to choose, or their own daughters' rights if they get knocked up after being raped or incested? Nah, that can't be it.
Maybe we're just not used to seeing the female voting demographic depicted this way. Truly, it's usually men who are the knuckleheaded ones, who will flip their vote merely over a single inconsequential issue ("I like everything about Obama except he supports gun control, and I love my guns, so I guess I gotta go for McCain"). Women, according to the eternal mythology, are no such dupes, and choose more wisely, from deeper intuition, instinct. Right?
Wrong. Maybe this is our simple summary, the blaring headline we should be reading in the wake of recent events. "Easily duped Palin supporters prove: Some white women are just as dumb as men." Is that all it is? Maybe so.
Ah, but there is good news. It appears the bloom is already off the McPalin rose, the baby bump she gave McCain is already gone, as everyone from here to Wasilla is sick to death of hearing about her. Every day that goes by it comes clearer that the Sarah juggernaut is no juggernaut at all but merely an increasingly disturbing PR stunt, and a bit of a disgrace for John McCain himself, whose once-noble aura of integrity and class has essentially vanished.
A potent backlash is coming fast. Actually, it began almost immediately, just after the Republican National Convention, when the GOP cheerfully announced they'd raised a whopping one million bucks in the 24 hours following Palin's speech, so inspired was the heavily drugged conservative base by her teleprompter-reading skills (she didn't write a single word of her own speech, of course; it came from a former Bushite, well before she was the VP pick).
Well, gosh. Really? A million? Wow.
But then Obama's campaign issued a statement of their own. Turns out they'd raised a bit money in the exact same time frame, a rather impressive outpouring of cash from all those on the left who could be heard screaming "oh my God no way in hell" to their TV screens as Palin's finger jabbed at the heart of all that's right and good with the world. The amount Obama raised in the same 24 hours? $10 million. Well now.
How much of that staggering amount came from the newly galvanized, infuriated female populace from the left who see right through Palin's shrill charade and damn well recognize an imposter in their midst, it's impossible to tell. But I think it's a damn safe bet to assume, they are legion.
And let me tell you, they are pissed.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
A Little Clarification Needed...
Found this on Crooks and Liars.com
I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....
* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."
* Grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers, a quintessential American story.
* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, and you're a maverick.
* Graduate from Harvard law School and be President of the Law Review, and you are unstable.
* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.
* If you spend 3 years as a community organizer, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years i n the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.
* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex edu cation, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
* If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible.
* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.
* If your husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DUI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.
OK, much clearer now.
I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....
* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."
* Grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers, a quintessential American story.
* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, and you're a maverick.
* Graduate from Harvard law School and be President of the Law Review, and you are unstable.
* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.
* If you spend 3 years as a community organizer, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years i n the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.
* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex edu cation, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
* If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible.
* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.
* If your husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DUI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.
OK, much clearer now.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The Real America
Democrats are stymied with the results of polling lately. Bush's approval ratings are so low....how could the country be leaning Republican AGAIN? Who are these people??
Some of these folks are those who are willing to admit to themselves that yes, McCain might have lied here and there, that Sarah Palin may have stretched the truth a little bit, but that is okay. Some follow blindly and progressives think they have awakened in some alternate Universe...."how could they vote against their own self interests? How can they follow a man like McCain who wants to continue the Iraq war? After all, wasn't Obama's popularity due in large part to the fact that he was against the Iraq war from the beginning? Isn't this one of the main slams against Hillary, that she voted for it? Aren't the American people interested in ending the war in Iraq?" Judging from Obama's ads of late, one wouldn't think so. He is not campaigning on the war theme at all anymore. So how CAN the American public be so gullible as to fall for another war-monger we say to ourselves.
Living on the coasts as most of my friends do, and those progressive folks in New York City sometimes forget that America in large part is The Waltons. America is Dollywood. America is Deliverance. America is Beavis and Butthead. America is Pimp my Ride. America is Survivor. America is County Fair. The majority of these Americans are not at all adverse to wars.
I think Democrats made a miscalculation when they attributed the disapproval ratings for Bush as a sign that the 67% were therefore going to all vote Democratic this time around to end the war. Perhaps the disapproval of Bush was that he had not had a decisive victory in Iraq, like Desert Storm. Perhaps they were angry that he had not managed to capture Bin Laden and given them SATISFACTION and prestige; they haven't yet been able to high five each other and woo hoo it up.
These are the Americans who have no problem supporting a crusty old war monger POW who says things like "I see victory in Iraq. I know how to leave, by winning it!" or "There will be wars ahead, many wars." or "I will follow bin Laden to the gates of Hell!" They have no problem with Palin saying "Perhaps so" we will have to go to war with Russia." These Americans have no problem with war.
Sure, some of their kids will have to go to these wars and die, but think about it, the spin is that when they die it is for a "noble cause" and they become automatic heroes. Not to be cynical here but a war hero might be better for some of these families than a lackluster ne'er do well son or daughter that would have otherwise been an embarrassment. Now they can be heroes. Like Sarah Palin's son; he is being touted as a Patriot and hero for signing up but it is not mentioned that the judge ordered him to sign up to the military or go to prison for vandalizing school buses. I cannot believe he is the only one in that circumstance. For the parents of these kids it is 'whew! thank god there is the military option." Even with the possibility of death looming out there, the military option is still seen as superior to having your kid be a punk or criminal bringing shame and blame on the family.
The majority of Nascar families, small town families (who overwhelmingly vote Republican) will not see their children go to wars. They will sit back and watch the (sanitized) war news on TV and pass the popcorn.
I am one of those who believe that Americans are never gonna get it about war, unless and until it is fought on their doorsteps, their loved ones are killed right in front of them and their towns and cities destroyed. Then at long last, Americans may well lose their taste for war.
Some of these folks are those who are willing to admit to themselves that yes, McCain might have lied here and there, that Sarah Palin may have stretched the truth a little bit, but that is okay. Some follow blindly and progressives think they have awakened in some alternate Universe...."how could they vote against their own self interests? How can they follow a man like McCain who wants to continue the Iraq war? After all, wasn't Obama's popularity due in large part to the fact that he was against the Iraq war from the beginning? Isn't this one of the main slams against Hillary, that she voted for it? Aren't the American people interested in ending the war in Iraq?" Judging from Obama's ads of late, one wouldn't think so. He is not campaigning on the war theme at all anymore. So how CAN the American public be so gullible as to fall for another war-monger we say to ourselves.
Living on the coasts as most of my friends do, and those progressive folks in New York City sometimes forget that America in large part is The Waltons. America is Dollywood. America is Deliverance. America is Beavis and Butthead. America is Pimp my Ride. America is Survivor. America is County Fair. The majority of these Americans are not at all adverse to wars.
I think Democrats made a miscalculation when they attributed the disapproval ratings for Bush as a sign that the 67% were therefore going to all vote Democratic this time around to end the war. Perhaps the disapproval of Bush was that he had not had a decisive victory in Iraq, like Desert Storm. Perhaps they were angry that he had not managed to capture Bin Laden and given them SATISFACTION and prestige; they haven't yet been able to high five each other and woo hoo it up.
These are the Americans who have no problem supporting a crusty old war monger POW who says things like "I see victory in Iraq. I know how to leave, by winning it!" or "There will be wars ahead, many wars." or "I will follow bin Laden to the gates of Hell!" They have no problem with Palin saying "Perhaps so" we will have to go to war with Russia." These Americans have no problem with war.
Sure, some of their kids will have to go to these wars and die, but think about it, the spin is that when they die it is for a "noble cause" and they become automatic heroes. Not to be cynical here but a war hero might be better for some of these families than a lackluster ne'er do well son or daughter that would have otherwise been an embarrassment. Now they can be heroes. Like Sarah Palin's son; he is being touted as a Patriot and hero for signing up but it is not mentioned that the judge ordered him to sign up to the military or go to prison for vandalizing school buses. I cannot believe he is the only one in that circumstance. For the parents of these kids it is 'whew! thank god there is the military option." Even with the possibility of death looming out there, the military option is still seen as superior to having your kid be a punk or criminal bringing shame and blame on the family.
The majority of Nascar families, small town families (who overwhelmingly vote Republican) will not see their children go to wars. They will sit back and watch the (sanitized) war news on TV and pass the popcorn.
I am one of those who believe that Americans are never gonna get it about war, unless and until it is fought on their doorsteps, their loved ones are killed right in front of them and their towns and cities destroyed. Then at long last, Americans may well lose their taste for war.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
"In what respect Charlie?" Charles Gibson's interview with Sarah Palin
Palin reminded me of the typical Bible thumpers who ring my doorbell on Saturday mornings. They are not interested in REALLY having a conversation, they view my time with them as an opportunity to hammer me over and over with their talking points. If I ask a detailed question, a question which requires a thought process, a sophisticated grasp on the basis of the question, they go into "wash, rinse, repeat" mode. They act as if simply repeating their beliefs and talking points over and over is suddenly going to become convincing. It doesn't. Sarah Palin's repetition of her memorized talking points did nothing to convince me of anything OTHER than her hubris and lack of depth. This woman does not think in nuanced ways, she does not dive deeply into critical thinking.
These are deal-breakers as far as I am concerned. I have lived long enough, read widely enough, traveled extensively enough to know that the world is simply not black and white. The world is not a cartoon between Bullwinkle and Rocky vs. Natasha and Boris. It is complex, having complicated and entangled issues. I want a leader who grasps that directly with great powers of perception.
Plus I want a leader who understands Science. Palin believes that dinosaurs lived on Earth 6,000 years ago. This kind of ignorance is embarrassing and a big clue to the mind of the woman. As my husband said "A beauty pageant contestant, with beauty pageant answers."
These are deal-breakers as far as I am concerned. I have lived long enough, read widely enough, traveled extensively enough to know that the world is simply not black and white. The world is not a cartoon between Bullwinkle and Rocky vs. Natasha and Boris. It is complex, having complicated and entangled issues. I want a leader who grasps that directly with great powers of perception.
Plus I want a leader who understands Science. Palin believes that dinosaurs lived on Earth 6,000 years ago. This kind of ignorance is embarrassing and a big clue to the mind of the woman. As my husband said "A beauty pageant contestant, with beauty pageant answers."
Sunday, April 20, 2008
McCain, the retired military "analysts" and the Myth
of Al Qaeda in Iraq. McCain talks about Al Qaeda in Iraq taking over if the US leaves...he doesn't seem to realize that the US presided over the ascension to power in Iraq, of pro-Iranian Shiite parties. There is a danger that pro-Iranian Shiites will take over? They are already IN power. Or Al Qaeda will take over? They cannot coexist.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Friday, April 11, 2008
Al Gore's brand-new slideshow on the climate crisis
Al Gore presents evidence that the pace of climate change may be even worse than scientists were recently predicting
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Petraeus, Iraq and the Lebanon Analogy
What if the US is playing the Syrians here, and the Iraqis, the Lebanese?In this analogy, the war is not ended by foreign occupation troops. If anything, the Syrian policies just keep the pot boiling.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
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