ELEPHANT-DONKEY.com

I hate to say it, but Palin invited sexist coverage by the media by flaunting herself as a sex object via her participation in a beauty pageant. Aside from this, trying to win votes by casting herself as a "hockey mom" focuses attention on gender rather issues. A real feminist lets her work speak for itself, rather than drawing attention to physical form and gender roles. I personally feel enormous outrage that she has even attempted to paint herself as a feminist. Unfortunately, whatever sexist coverage she does receive, she deserves.

emmamoone | 09/02/08

emmamoone, do you feel threatened by the success of one female politician who happens to be attractive?

MorgMcA | 09/03/08

it seems like Palin has really freaked out the liberal base. John, yes you will see coverage about her inexeperience, but how does that negate the fact that you will also get sexist coverage. I remember on CNN the day she was announced, the anchors said something about how she could run for office right after she had a baby. That's sexist. If Michelle Obama were pregnant, would they comment about how Barack would not be likely to have time to see her? What about the two young girls that he already has? Is the absence of their father not important. And beauty queens are not exactly the same as sex objects emma. Hillary spent plenty of time trying to convince average voters that she was just like them. not to mention that the whole notion of "deserving sexism" is absurd. Can male bosses now make that call about any females they happen to have working for them. If they were slightly provocative clothing (as judged by the men in the office) I suppose they're just getting what they deserve, huh?

Skipper04 | 09/03/08

I am mad now I am about to play the SEXISM CARD.

Julia | 09/03/08

I am mad now, look out I am about to play the SEXISM CARD

Julia | 09/03/08

So she played the flute to get some scholarship money. The caption becomes: "From beauty queen to vice presidential candidate." JONATHAN ALTER writes in NEWSWEEK: "Many voters will wonder whether Palin should undertake the rigors of the vice presidency (and perhaps the presidency) while caring for a disabled infant." He's not spouting off on his own personal blog -- this is NEWSWEEK! How many editors read that and said, "Yeah, that's cool. You can get her there"? And now this crap will be sitting on coffee tables and in doctors' offices until the election.

Tahoe Editor | 09/03/08

So she played the flute to get some scholarship money. The caption becomes: "From beauty queen to vice presidential candidate." JONATHAN ALTER writes in NEWSWEEK: "Many voters will wonder whether Palin should undertake the rigors of the vice presidency (and perhaps the presidency) while caring for a disabled infant." He's not spouting off on his own personal blog -- this is NEWSWEEK! How many editors read that and said, "Yeah, that's cool. You can get her there"? And now this crap will be sitting on coffee tables and in doctors' offices until the election.

Tahoe Editor | 09/03/08

Any legitimate news organization that questions Palin's abilities based on her status as a mother needs to either quit asking the question or start questioning the male candidates, specifically Sen. Obama, as to how he plans to manage his job and his daughters? I could not believe it when I heard a CNN reporter wrap a story with the question of how Palin would balance motherhood and work. If that isn't sexist, I don't know what is. For what it's worth, I'm a liberal Democratic 46 year old woman who likely will not vote this ticket. However, as a woman, I am both disgusted and not surprised that male dominated news organizations are still this ignorant in 2008. So sad.

emp | 09/03/08

I am confused. Sarah Palin is "an everyday Hockey Mom, has a big family, and hunts and fishes." This is the Republicans promo material to help get her elected VP. But supposedly the Demos can't discuss these personal promo items? That is absurd. Just like in court, if you bring up your alibi, be prepared to get cross examined on your veracity. Also, because of her and the Republican right's views on sex education and family/country first, her own actions seem to be relevant. Her daughter will have a shotgun marriage. Is that the result of abstinence only? Her country first stuff means that she cannot spend barely any time with a disabled infant. Is that fair. I mean do traditional values women embrace leaving your infant child to a nannie? These are legitimate issues. Chelsea Clinton's looks or a fake claim about Michelle Obama's use of the term whitey despite being mean, irrelevant and bogus were brought up by the Republicans.

Lalo23 | 09/03/08

MorgMcA- you are missing the point. As a voter I could care less what any politician, male or female looks like. As a woman who believes in and fights for equality every day, and as a feminist who is raisin a strong daughter, I feel that women in power ought to set an example for other young women. Claiming to be a feminist when one so very clearly is not is offensive to me and others like me who care about the ways power and gender are manipulated. I could care less if she is pretty. I could care less if he is handsome. I judge prowess based on accomplishment and ability alone. I feel that marketing oneself based on what nature has given you, (and parading yourself as an object) and not on what you have done means that you wish to be appraised, valued, used as an object. Clinton sold herself on her intelligence and capability, not her womb and her ****.

emmamoone | 09/03/08

I don't understand anyone who is voting for my opponent. Show me the sexist reporting, show me the sexist coverage of Palin. Oh, you mean there isn't any? I guess that proves the point, doesn't it! Nobody I've had an intelligent conversation about this cares that she is a woman. We care that she has NO experience. NONE. My wonderful, now deceased, grandfather was the mayor of a town of 7,000 people. Maybe he would have made a great Vice President. Are you kidding me! Further, the Vice President is important when it comes to our international allies. She's only ever traveled to 2 foreign countries. Only two! We desperately need personnel who are going to represent the United States in a positive light when it comes to our international allies. Getting back to the entire sexist issue, the only people who are "playing the sexist card" are the Republicans, because now every single negative thing said about Palin is "well, they are saying that because she's a woman." WHAT! I truly hope that people can ignore the fact she's an unqualified woman VP and see she's just simply unqualified to be a VP, period!

John | 09/04/08

John, I already did. Why on CNN do they question how Sarah can run for office while just having a baby, when they clearly would never say such things if she were a man. Why on MSNBC this morning where they talking about how important it was that her pregnant daughter boyfriend be there? It wouldn't be an issue if she were a man. Why do they focus so much on that fact that she was a beauty queen? The fact that she is inexperienced is a valid argument (if perplexing given the democratic nominee's resume), but that doesn't affect that there is sexist coverage as well.

Skipper04 | 09/04/08

and also refer to Tahoe Editor's comments above.

Skipper04 | 09/04/08

Skipper04, the fact that shes getting these questions hurled at her is more to do with her 'family values' approach. Her underaged daughter getting pregnant undermines her stance and her reputation as does the fact that she is having a baby. The reason they may not have said these things is because none of the other candidates are having children, period. The Newsweek editor did have a valid point that looking after a disabled child as well as four others will take up a lot of time and effort. In reference to the British Comment in John's opening argument, it doesn't really matter what we think about Mrs Palin. Remember that we had the 'Iron Woman' who was Lady Thatcher two decades ago, she seemed to do okay despite the fact that she was a woman. She is remembered as a strong prime minister not because of her willingness to say whatever came into her head but because she was a strong Politician with good policies.

Miral150 | 09/05/08

It's not a legitimate concern Miral. she has a husband. How do you know that he won't be the one looking after the baby? And it never would be asked of a male candidate and Obama does have two very young girls. And i don't see how here daughter getting pregnant is hypocritical of her family values approach. The liberals would like it to be. But what if she got pregnant while still using a condom? Would that negate all the idealism of Obama and the Dems on teen pregnancy?

Skipper04 | 09/05/08

Who in a complex & sometimes dangerous world could seriously be supporting an ex-beauty pageant, self-preaching hockey mom, semi-red neck shooting riffles as the next VP of the United States?? The world is looking at the US to regain its leadership with real values for the next generations. The wild west and the Vietnam wars are behind us, can we focus on today and tomorrow's issues please?

rikuniaku97 | 09/05/08

i find it funny that you say you want to focus on issues, while not talking about them once during your attack and simply resorting to name calling.

Skipper04 | 09/05/08

emmamoone apparently you do care if she's pretty because that means that the only way she got anywhere in this "men's" world is thru her looks. really all she claimed was that she broke thru the "glass ceiling". typical how feminists complain that women don't ever get anywhere in a men's world and then when a woman does get somewhere, feminists revile her for getting there first.

MorgMcA | 09/05/08

Media investigating themselves!!!! Come on people, where's your sense of humor. You all obviously take yourselves to seriously or just plain missed the joke. Palin will be the butt of sexist remarks as Obamma has been and will continue to be the butt of racist remarks and anybody with any intelligence will ignore them and go one. How can you be anymore sexist than referring to Palin as a girl and if Pat Buchanan really said that, and he's to the right of Attila the Hun, it had to be a joke.

shaggyMule | 09/10/08