NY Times columnist Gail Collins is something of a feminist icon. The first woman to serve as The Old Grey Lady’s editorial page editor, she’s also the author of "America's Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates and Heroines."
Collins frequently and rightly criticizes those who demean a woman’s achievements while praising and promoting men who’ve achieved no more and, in some cases, less.
Collins begins her column - - -
It is conceivable that some people will think John McCain picked Sarah Palin to be his running mate because she is a woman. I know you find this shocking, but I swear I have heard it mentioned.
McCain does not believe in pandering to identity politics. He was looking for someone who was well prepared to fight against international Islamic extremism, the transcendent issue of our time. And in the end he decided that in good conscience, he was not going to settle for anyone who had not been commander of a state national guard for at least a year and a half. He put down his foot!
The obvious choice was Palin, the governor of Alaska, whose guard stands as our last best defense against possible attack by the resurgent Russian menace across the Bering Strait.
Also a woman, but that’s totally beside the point.
True, the only nonfamily members other than McCain that Palin really mentioned in her introductory speech were Democrats Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Whatever happened to Ronald Reagan? Isn’t there a rule that you have to mention Ronald Reagan?
“It was rightly noted in Denver that Hillary made 18 million cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling in America,” Palin said. “It turns out the women of America aren’t finished yet, and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all.”
O.K., the women thing might have been a little bit of a selling point. Not nearly so much as the national guard commandership, of course.
But if the millions of Democratic women who are still ticked off at Obama for stepping in front of Hillary in the line want to look elsewhere ...
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Comments:
Folks, I'm sure all of us - the fair-minded, the misogynists and the double-standard feminists - can guess what follows. It's all here.
Message to Columnist Collins: Many women, and men too, are ticked off at Sen. Obama, Team Obama and their MSM flacks not for stepping “in front of Hillary” but for stepping ON her and those supporting her.
We’re grateful Sen. Clinton brought up Tony Rezko and Bill Ayers. Why hasn’t Obama given full, credible answers to questions millions of us have about the Senator’s close relationships with convicted felon Rezko and unrepentant terrorist Ayers?
Why don’t you write a serious column explaining why those questions are so important and why Obama needs to answer them with more than “shell game” answers?
Final thought: I know you meant to be witty but you came off as petty.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/opinion/30collins-.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Gail Collins ridicules Palin; ducks Obama questions
Posted by JWM at 11:18 AM
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8 comments:
It's gotta be a tough weekend for Dem's.
They can dismiss Condi for not being "really black" - though she is much "blacker" than Obama in terms of American heritage and had a more typical experience of racial strife than BHO did.
They can also wave off Colin Powell as being a "get ahead Uncle Tom" or as "being brainwashed in the Military."
It's much hard to brush off a woman who is a mom (stay at home and working), union member, multiply elected legislator, athlete, sportsman, negotiator.
Thank god she has all the negatives they could want: religious, scandal free (AFAIK), pro-life, humorous, happily married, and (look out Feminazis) pretty.
I hope they have a good labor day anyway.
-AC
Palin should prepare for a wave of sexist and misogynist comments and the vast majority will come from the Left. Most of the knives stuck in her back will be placed their by Lefties (including many feminists). The few placed by Republicans will be put there by the crooks in Alaska that she smoked out and sent packing.
She is the sort of woman that "mainstream" academic feminists hate the most. She commits many sins.
1. She rejects the academic feminist trinity of misandry, chronic anger, and victimization.
2. She is completely comfortable being a woman. She is not debilitated by the secret self-loathing so common in radical feminists.
3. She got married and has children, clear evidence that she suffers from false consciousness and submits to American phallocracy.
4. Rather than be a victim, she takes action and gets things done. Female success does not bring success to the feminist movement (as defined by the academics) because it is about wallowing in the righteous anger and self-pity that comes with victimhood.
Fortunately, the "mainstream" academic feminists -- the well fed, generously compensated, and expensively educated shrews of journalism, academia, and feminist organizations -- are a minority.
There is a larger and more relevant group of feminists. I call them "empirical world" feminists -- women like my wife and daughter who live and work in the real world. They think this woman is great because she has adhered to her principles AND gotten things done in politics.
This is no easy task and Sarah Palin is no everyday Governor.
We have more to learn about Sarah Palin and she might or might not be the right person for the job. But, it is appalling that the putatively open-minded and pluralistic sages of the Left have had such a Pavlovian response to someone who is actually living out feminist ideals.
I expected more of an NYT editor but should have known better by now.
The Democratic Duo - Obama biden Laden - must be appalled to have their "thunder" stolen by the upstart from Alaska.
Could someone please explain to me how Palin is inexperienced, given her track record; iirc councilwoman, mayor, State Governor, router of big oil and corruption etc, compared to Obama single term senator who gave a speech in 2004 ?
Thanks
Scorpion Tongue is the name of her book. May that also apply to the author?
Pitty the petty mind responsible for that unfortunate rant...
Houston
Gail Collins was always known as "Goober Gail" by those on the forums there because the size of her brain was thought to be that of a peanut.
Gail Collins is not the only one - read Maureen Dowd's piece in today's Times.
The wisdom of the Palin selection will be seen in the coming weeks. If she acquits herself well in her nomination speech (my guess is that she will) that will be the first step. Obviously, she will need to be a quick study in the field of foreign affairs and to not make ANY mistakes when questioned - the media and the Obama-Biden press flacks will capitalize on those.
It was a brilliant choice because it underscored what the media always liked about McCain - that he is a maverick.
However, his choice does give the Democrats the ability to bring in McCain's age and health without mentioning either of those two words by their suggesting that Palin's lack of experience is troublesome at best, but more likely dangerous if something would happen to McCain. The Republicans cannot suggest worries about Biden (let's face it he has had two brain aneurysms and is at a higher risk for a third) should he find himself at the helm in the case of something happening to Obama (which in turn would be a suggestion that there might be someone gunning for Obama). Therefore, Palin has much riding on her ability to be a quick learner and a person who can think before speaking to avoid those mistakes that quite often characterize someone who is not in complete control of the material, is tired, or the deadly combination of the former and the latter.
cks
Believe Palin was a perfect pick. She's has all the creds. Left bloggers are ripping her and her family which I think is pathetic, but typical of spoiled sports. I do think she has sealed the deal. So there will much whimpering in the future as Brian (bad news) Williams showed tonight.
At least the angry have a place to vent, the Web. After all it was Gore's invention--thanks Al.
Believe Palin was a perfect pick. She's has all the creds. Left bloggers are ripping her and her family which I think is pathetic, but typical of spoiled sports. I do think she will seal the deal. So there will be much whimpering in the future as Brian (bad news) Williams showed tonight.
At least those angry have a place to vent, the Web. After all it was Gore's invention--thanks Al.
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