The seemingly bizarre choice of Palin as VP choice for McCain has many heads swimming. Who is he aiming for with this choice?
Gretchen Wilson's
Redneck Woman
, a popular song on many country music stations, provides some interesting insight into this:
Well I ain't never
Been the barbie doll type
No I can't swig that sweet champagne
I'd rather drink beer all night
In a tavern or in a honky tonk
Or on a 4 wheel drive tailgate
I've got posters on my wall of Skynard, Kid and Strait
Some people look down on me
But I don't give a rip
I'll stand barefooted in my own front yard with a baby on my hip
Cause I'm a redneck woman
And I ain't no high class broad
I'm just a product of my raisin'
And I say "hey y'all" and "Yee Haw"
And I keep my Christmas lights on, on my front porch all year long
And I know all the words to every Charlie Daniels song
So here's to all my sisters out there keepin' it country
Let me get a big "Hell Yeah" from the redneck girls like me
Hell Yeah
Hell Yeah
Victoria's Secret
Well their stuff's real nice
Oh but I can buy the same damn thing on a Wal*Mart shelf half price
And still look sexy
Just as sexy
As those models on TV
No I don't need no designer tag to make my man want me
You might think I'm trashy
A little too hard core
But get in my neck of the woods
I'm just the girl next door
Hey I'm redneck woman
And I ain't no high class broad
I'm just a product of my raisin'
And I say "hey y'all" and "Yee Haw"
And I keep my Christmas lights on, on my front porch all year long
And I know all the words to every Tanya Tucker song
So here's to all my sisters out there keeping it country
Let me get a big "Hell Yeah" from the redneck girls like me
Hell Yeah
Hell Yeah
I'm redneck woman
And I ain't no high class broad
I'm just a product of my raisin'
And I say "hey y'all" and "Yee Haw"
And I keep my Christmas lights on, on my front porch all year long
And I know all the words to every Ol' Bocephus song
So here's to all my sisters out there keeping it country
Let me get a big "Hell Yeah" from the redneck girls like me
Hell Yeah
Hell Yeah
Hell Yeah
Hell Yeah
Hell Yeah
Hell Yeah
I Said Hell Yeah
In general, this song, like much of what I would refer to as "feminist" country music, glorifies the limited empowerment and constrained liberation of rural, working-class women within a social world that is still dominated by traditional male rules and norms. In this world, women are expected to be fierce and independent, but still are ultimately utterly emotionally reliant on men and family life for their completeness as a human being.
These songs are stating that women have to be independent, fierce, and strong because the world is a harsh place that destroys more timid, traditional women - but they also say that women, deep down, ultimately long for a strong, traditional male to come in and rescue them from both their economic circumstances and lonely, solitary existence.
The most appropriate metaphor is one of a wild horse (the cowgirl) being tamed and ultimately ridden by a strong, gentle cowboy that is able to tame the horse by building up trust through sacrifice.
Two women in my office who I would describe as 'cowgirls' - independent and liberal-minded, but ultimately deeply committed to the more traditional notions of male-orientated family life - have both commented that they like McCain's choice. As background, know that they are in their 50s, live in rural Mississippi, and come from working-class background.
Now, the question is, what is the effect of this on election day?
My guess is that while this may build up support for McCain amongst this group, other groups will find this a poor, even offensive choice.
The group that will hate Palin most will be the group, after fundamentalist men, who are the most important part of the GOP electoral coalition - corporate and national-security males. These individuals will find Palin unacceptable due to her stupefying inexperience and the fact she is a woman.
The second group that will hate her will be older, pro-life but otherwise moderately conservative, wealthy and upper-middle class professional women who will see the choice of Palin over more qualified, pro-life older conservative women as a slap in the face. While the ostensible reason will be over inexperience and ideology, a significant psychological subtext in their dislike of her will be their subconscious view of her as a 'vamp' stealing another, older woman's proper place. This will play into misgivings over McCain's womanizing to make their dislike of her spillover onto him.
Third, fundamentalist males, while appreciating Palin's ideological beliefs, will disliker her for some of her more slightly more modern views on some social issues - particularly marijuana and gay rights. Furthermore, as Huckabee is arguably a much more qualified pick they will see Palin as being there solely because she is a woman.
Finally, fourth, the potential exists that committed, stay-at-home moms who view political life through the prism of family life will dislike the fact she will go on the campaign trial while leaving a downs-syndrome baby at home.