Wanna know why they chose Palin?

[WritersBlock]

Lemme share with you a conversation with someone on a recent trip to the States. She said, "I just don't like Obama. And it's not because he's black. I just don't like him." That was followed shortly by "I don't really like McCain, either. But I'm gonna vote for him. And we're Democrats!" (My response was "not if you vote for McCain, you're not.")

Now, she obviously felt it necessary to point out that race had nothing to do with her dislike of Obama, so logically, if that were truly the case, I would expect her also to say that McCain's race has nothing to do with why she doesn't like McCain. For some reason, though, that didn't happen.

Her sentiments were by no means expressed in a vacuum. I heard the same sort of thing from others who professed to be Democrats (so don't think racism ain't alive and well, folks - we've got a fight on our hands and we're fools if we don't believe it.)

So... now the Republicans have given her and her ilk a perfect excuse to vote for McCain and *still appear to be progressive* because now they're not voting against a black man.

Oh no, that would be racist.

Now, they can say they're voting FOR A WOMAN -- and proudly declare how forward-thinking and liberal they are.

Tell me Rove ain't gloating through his fat little cheeks over this shit.

[amitten]

1. This VP pick won't sway any Dems. That's grasping at straws. nt

[WritersBlock]

3. Sorry, but I disagree, based on the discussions I had, as noted above. n/t

[Mike Daniels]

18. Voting for Sarah Palin is not progressive by any stretch of the imagination

Anti-choice, anti-gay and for teaching creationism in public schools.

I think the person you spoke to needs to be educated about Palin.

If she still wants to vote for Palin after all that then she wasn't voting for Obama even if Hillary had been on the ticket.

[WritersBlock]

25. That is exactly my point.

She isn't going to vote for Obama. She's already said she's voting for McCain.

My point is that Palin's presence on the ticket gives this person, and others who share her closet bigotry, an out.

Now they don't have to say they're not voting for Obama, but it's not because of race.

Now they can now say they're voting for a woman, so surely that means they're open-minded and can't be considered to be bigoted. (Their logic, not mine.)

Maybe I'm not making myself clear here. Apologies if that's the case.

[pokerfan]

40. "teach both!"

"Teach both. You know, don't be afraid of information."
Palin, Anchorage Daily News, 2006

:puke:

[booley]

41. Not to be cynical but

do you have any idea how many conversations I have had with cons that like to end their statements with .."And I'm a Democrat"?

I even had one guy who said how he was a Democrat.. who wouldn't' vote for any Democrats and hadn't for years.

Maybe the lady you talked to is a Democrat. But I grow cynical when people throw that line out there because it looks suspiciously like a fallacious argument, statement of conversion: "I'm a Democrat. So believe me when I tell you you shouldn't vote for a Democrat!"

And yeah, the "It's not because he's black" thing is kinda a give away too. Obama wasn't my first choice. And not because he was black. His being from Illinois had nothing to do with it either. Why would I need to mention either?

[roguevalley]

14. anyone who uses that excuse, that a woman is the vote they are

going for is still a bigot because Our Sarah is to the right of Ghenghis Khan.

[Sal Minella]

19. I'm a little unclear on how lacking a penis qualifies anyone for anything

except sitting down to pee, of course.

[CLG_News]

2. K&R. n/t

[TahitiNut]

4. It just continues to bring new meaning to "Bush League"

:hide:

[Ganja Ninja]

5. I think it's a nod to the anti choice loons.

The first thing I heard some right winger say about her is how she was "pro-life" for having here downs syndrome baby instead of an abortion. And with the daughter pregnant too my guess is that is the angle they're playing.

[angstlessk]

6. well, if SHE prefers to BE a slave to corporations and big oil...

rather than vote for someone who is the same skin color and the slaves were, then that is her perogative..she is a fool, but as Barnum, or was it Bailey said..one is born every minute!

[tjwash]

7. Can't wait for the VP debate...that'll be entertaining.

A pitbull vs a cocker spaniel.

Joe Might actually have to hold back his bite tremendously to keep from looking like a mean cold hearted SOB.

[Stellabella]

28. Oh, that is going to be fantastic!

Biden will wipe the floor with her. Politely, of course, because he's a gentleman.

[riverdeep]

8. The people who would vote for McCain were marginal Democrats anyway.

Most of the true Democrats who are frustrated with the Obama pick are staying home, not actively voting for McCain (staying home IS voting for McCain, but that's another story).

But no doubt the fact she's a she was the overriding factor in their choice. Too bad for them she'll be the Geraldine Ferraro of the Republican party and lose badly.

[tjwash]

9. "staying home IS voting for McCain"

meh...I'd say that the ratio is 2 to 1 of conservatives staying home rather than vote for mcsame over the dems choosing to not vote, so in all likelihood it's going to be a wash in that department

[riverdeep]

17. You're assuming a fair election count scenario.

I'm not. With one of the top makers of electronic voting machines admitting their machines are faulty, the now confirmed debacle in Ohio, and the election months away, our side has to not just win it, but win it with a margin they can't steal.

[WritersBlock]

10. I wish you were right. I hope you are right. But I'm afraid this may be different.

I heard similar things from life-long... and do I mean life-LONG Democrats. People who have, up till now, prided themselves on never having voted for a Republican in their entire lives.

[amitten]

27. Then you are definitely in the minority. I have never heard such

a thing from anyone even remotely affiliated with the Dems.

You hang with a very strange group.

[bertman]

38. Apparently I hang with a very strange group too, because I have a long-time Democrat friend

who is talking about voting for McAnus.

During the Kerry campaign he and I and other Dem friends would be cracking on Bush and his policies big time. But now he's all quiet whenever I start talking about how McAnus is a Bush clone and will do/say anything to be elected.

He will not say it's because of Obama's race, and I have never heard him utter an overtly racist remark. He does say that he thinks Obama just came "out of nowhere" and doesn't have the experience to be President.

I cannot tell you how distressing this is to me. I have tried to use facts and figures to sway him, but I'm not gaining any ground.

We must get every single person we know who is for Obama to register and vote. Otherwise, we will give this election to Diebold, I mean McAnus.

[CC]

11. delete

oops double post.

[CC]

12. No real Dem would vote for McCain

no matter who his VP is. Now they might say they are Dems but I bet they are the same supposed Dems that voted for Reagan, Bush and then idiot Bush at least once if not twice.

Yes racism is alive and well in this country, unfortunately. If you have to qualify that it has nothing to do with his race before saying you won't vote for Obama you can be damn sure it is because of his race. Even more it is something you know is a bad reason for not voting for a person and you know it makes you looks like a racist. I'm not letting people like that get away with it anymore. I hit them with facts and let them make their false excuses until they run out of them. My answer after the facts is all they are left with is because he is black. Some care enough to look with in themselves and rethink things. Some just admit it and don't care. For me it is worth it if even very few look with in and come to a different conclusion.

[lutefisk]

13. I thought they chose Palin because Harriet Miers declined . . .

:shrug:
Actually Palin seems like the kind of inexperienced/Margaret Spellings type Junior Bush likes. I'm surprised Junior hadn't already tapped her for Secretary of Interior or something.

[BurtWorm]

15. If you vote for a ticket because it has this particular woman on it, you're no progressive.

This particular woman is as fascist as they come in the GOP. Anyone who can lie to themselves that they'd be true to their progressive instincts by voting for the GOP ticket just because it has a woman on it, though, is just as likely to pretend their vote against Obama has nothing to do with race. They're lost anyway. Good riddance.

[Froward69]

16. thats the drum

rush limpballs is banging today...

he almost said the first woman to run for VP, caught himself and said "the first woman to serve as vp. yes I know its a woman BUT she is a conservative." blah blah blah...

[riverdeep]

21. Well, his pudgy head must be exploding trying to prop up a

WOMAN! According to him woman aren't fit to serve (except lunch at Hooters).

[spanone]

20. when they take the time to tell you that 'race has nothing to do with it'

race has everything to do with it

[Iggo]

22. I'm not a racist butt.

:rofl:

[WritersBlock]

37. Exactly. n/t

[mojowork_n]

23. Dude, I think you nailed it.

G.O.P. talking points -- pandering to fear, ignorance, and prejudice ever since...
they had any actual, good ideas. (Teddy R.?)

Their whole media message is aimed squarely at the pit of the gut, that big mass
of nerve bundles that lights up when (1) threatened, or (2) scared, or (3) angry.

The message is repeated over and over and over again, and echoed by the concern
trolls on the news channels, who finger it and poke it a bit more delicately:

1. America is in danger of losing it's place in the world.
   
   
2. You're in danger if those demented, nasty Lib'ruls get control.
   
   
3. It'll be the end of everything if the good white daddy and the good white mommy don't win...
   

To which the only proper reply is a chorus of "U.S.A., U.S.A., U.S.A."...

I think the Obama folks know this, based on last night's speech.

Barack took on the subliminal messages in their scare refrain, directly, and shoved all of them right back into their faces, only with specifics, honesty, and some real grace and emotion. (The last 2 guys we had gave it their best, but he was really good, wasn't he?)

[Captain Sensible]

24. Quit hanging out with racists then...nt

[WritersBlock]

26. Thank you for your condescension. n/t

[newtothegame]

29. I think that's a bit misleading.

I don't pretend to have any idea why they chose Palin because who knows how these psychos think. However, they always seem to find the perfect blend on neocon-ism and diversity because they've had the first:

Female Supreme Court Justice
Hispanic White House Counsel
African-American Secretary of State
Female Secretary of Agriculture
Female Asian-American in Cabinet position
African-American Secretary of Education
Female U.S. National Security Advisor
Cuban-American in Cabinet position
Female Secretary of the Interior
Female Secretary of Transportation

I'd like to see Obama make some strides here.

GoBama 2008

[newtothegame]

30. In addition

I agree with alot of earlier posts that I don't see Palin siphoning off lots of the female vote simply because she's a woman. Women aren't stupid; a wolf is a wolf, even if the Repugs try to put her in sheeps clothing.

[WritersBlock]

32. I'm not saying she'll siphon off lots of the female vote. I'm saying she'll be a great excuse

for those who have already decided they don't want to vote for Obama because of his race.

This isn't about the female vote. It's about closeted (and not so closeted) racists.

[newtothegame]

35. Ahhh...

I understand. Read a little closer the 2nd time around ;)

[Javaman]

31. I don't believe anyone that says in the same sentence,

"I'm a democrat and will vote for mclame".

sorry, I have long believed that this kind of propaganda bullshit is the latest tactic by the righwing.

in their infinite pea-brain like wisdom, they think that if they state that they are democrats and say they are voting for mcletch, than other democrats will think them some sort of wise fucking genius and suddenly vote for mclobbyist.

it's thinking like this that always amazes me. repukes take marching orders without question. "walk off the cliff!!!" "yes, sir!!!" Where as Democrats question things, especially lately.

more bullshit from the really bad bullshitters.

[WritersBlock]

33. Whether you believe it or not, I heard her say it. n/t

[Javaman]

34. my point was, I don't believe she is a democrat. nt

[WritersBlock]

36. She may not be. But she wasn't the only one I heard say this sort of thing.

And I know for a fact that one person who said it has never voted Republican before.


But anyway, enough for tonight. I obviously didn't get my thinking across clearly in my post; maybe I'm just tired.


Let's just not get complacent, is all I'm trying to say.

[earth mom]

39. I think this may push people 3rd party. Cynthia McKinney is running for the Greens.

There are many people who don't like Obama because they see no difference between him or McCain.

[krabigirl]

42. Big Oil chose her.

[IronLionZion]

43. Maybe that's why they chose a woman, but why Palin?

There are Republican women with much better qualifications out there than a first term governor of Alaska who has a 5-month old baby. Even racists would want a qualified leader a heartbeat away from the presidency of an elderly cancer survivor.

This is a real :wtf: choice. Republicans still think a woman should take care of her small baby, that would come before leading the country. I wonder how they will spin this during the convention.