First impression--Sarah Palin

She is going to get eaten alive, that is my first impression...

When I listened to new GOP Vice Presidential contender, Sarah Palin, make her acceptance speech, I heard her less-than-exciting speaking style, and her words and listed credentials and thought, "I feel so like I am being patronized by Republicans trotting out the anti-Hillary!"

Then I decided that may be kind of knee jerk response, I should research her and give her a chance.

So I did that. It is all rather interesting.

I'm not sure what I think of her personally--I really don't know her yet. She seems nice enough as a person. Even if someone is not liberal leaning like me, they can be a good, stand-up person to admire. Mostly, I get the impression she is not fully formed as a political entity. I wonder if she will get a chance--this may be a debacle. Again, this is my first impression.

Right now I say her lack of national or international experience is scary to me. I would liken it to being a freshman class president of a small rural high school, and suddenly being promoted to superintendent of the the largest school system in the country. She just doesn't have the experience to know what is going on, and the learning curve will be ridiculous. At best, she is being set up to fail. It makes her in danger of being even easier to control by a hawkish cabinet than George W., which may be just what the powers that be are after. A year and a few months of being governor in a small (in population) state and a mayor and city council member of a small town before that...that isn't enough. It makes Obama look grandly experienced.

She and I do not see eye to eye on basic issues. Her credentials list that she is anti-abortion even in case of rape or incest, an NRA member (but is a hunter, not a gun nut), she is all for drilling in Alaska, is against protection for polar bears, and does not think global warming is a man made crisis. She is a proponent of creationism being taught in schools. A neocon's dream.

Actually, overall she out of touch with anything that I would consider remotely presidential material. And we have to think that way--presidential-- McCain's age and the world political climate make the presidency a chancy business. Whoever takes this position has to be more prepared to step into the presidency than anyone ever before, not just the usual funerals and light duties.

I'll be interested in seeing if she may have potential later in the political arena, or if this sudden immersion in the national spotlight will doom her. Politically, I wonder if the Republicans thought this through or are just throwing something out there out of desperation and hoping that it sticks. Look, it's young! It's white but it isn't a man and she's purty! We have DIVERSITY! (There are other more experienced women in the Republican party to choose from...aren't there? Please name me one? I don't care if she isn't pretty...)

I wonder if the neocons of the Republican party are hoping for a pretty and pliable doll to trot out and pretend that they care about the "Hillary women" (though how she could appeal to them, I don't know since she seems okay with the current party platform that is designed to continue to try to take women's reproductive rights away, block legislation for equal pay for equal work, and make it hard for working class people to make a living, afford healthcare and also pay for decent child care.)

And let's be real--just because she didn't go ahead with the Alaska "Bridge to Nowhere" doesn't make her a maverick, either--just sensible, especially since her state still got to keep the money earmarked for it for other uses, from what I understand.

Did McCain really think this out? Are they counting on women who are Independents to bring out the "It's got a Vagina!" vote? Do the Republicans really think women are that stupid?

And I wonder...if she does end up getting the job, will neocons connive make sure she is paid less for it than a man? And will McCain suggest she gets more education and job training to equalize that?