Earlier this week, I wrote this diary about my gut level disappointment that Obama hadn't picked a female VP.
So, McCain decided he was going to go for a game-changer in Sarah Palin. And I have to tell you, yes, I felt a little more of a punch to the gut this morning on confirmation of the news.
Let me state clearly, with my political hat on, that this will not help John McCain. I'm not sure anything in particular could have helped McCain--the election may have been unwinnable for him from the beginning--and this isn't going to make things any better for him. But here are more thoughts about why this is so and how I see the road ahead--not just in this election, but for women in politics generally.
McCain obviously made a symbolic pick. He has no relationship (political or otherwise) with Sarah Palin, and nothing really in common with her. His other choices were too disliked, too uninspiring, or had too many houses (with Mitt, he would have hit the trifecta). He must know that team Obama is just going to keep upping their game from here--he had to do something.
But if you are concerned about women and women's issues or the role of women in politics, isn't it pretty telling that the woman he could come up with is by far less accomplished than a whole slew of Democratic women, up to and including Speaker Pelosi and Hillary Rodham Clinton (and I did notice that Obama used her full name in the shout out in his speech--good move, sir). We have governors, we have senators, we have the speaker of the house, and, I do think it's highly important that in the near future that we have MORE credible candidates for president and vice president in our party.
And if he's hoping to bring PUMAs on board, that's some odd logic. If you believe (and I do think there's some basis to this belief) that Clinton supporters wanted Clinton for VP or no woman, how would they square that with a different, even less qualified woman, who is a Republican beating her to the job? It's even worse than the Kathleen Sibelius "problem".
The commentator on NPR was practically sneering at the choice--I think this is excellent news, for Obama.
But beyond the immediate future, this shouldn't mask the long term issue of getting more women involved in politics and at a high level. And I hope not to hear people sneering at Sarah Palin because she's a woman. It's cheap and it's a quick thrill, but it's not the thing you'll be proud of in a year. And if this selection causes team Obama to step up its use of female surrogates (everyone from Michelle Obama to Hillary Clinton and everyone in between)--I would welcome it--regardless of the cause.
So, to Governor Palin: congratulations on breaking a ceiling of your own in a party has more than its share of them. It's a historic moment for you. But your selection only highlights how far your party still has to go to as a party for women, both in politics and outside of it. Game on.