What’s the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull?

The pitbull doesn’t put it’s tail between it’s legs and leaves office 2 years into her first term.

Sarah Palin – Hockey Mom.

I assume you have data to prove that point. Or is it just an observation. If so, it is no more or less valid than mine. Seems to me this kind of mudslinging, political propoganda has been a part of our country for well over a 100 years, suggesting that it is not killing this country, but a part of it’s make-up.

Such cynicism is killing this country.

In rhetoric typical of political candidates that lack their own issues, she tried to distort Obama’s stances on taxes. I challenge you to find a reference to when he’s said he would raise taxes for anyone other than the richest 2 to 5% of the population that had received the biggest tax break under Bush.

As mayor, she had a full-time city manager that did most of the work, thereby significantly reducing her responsibilities.

She is clearly in favor of earmarks; who can blame her for following the path of most of our elected officials. But this doesn’t fit well with McCain’s position on the subject. I guess he was willing to waive that point as long as she could drum up some excitement in his lackluster campaign.

Her religious beliefs, stemming from association with an extremest non-denominational church, are not just different, they are downright scary. As Commander-in-Chief, you could expect her to turn strategy meetings into prayer meetings, as she seeks God’s will (I have no reason to believe she has a unique, clear line of communication with the Almighty). She believes gays can be made straight through prayer; in other words, people are gay because they don’t pray enough. She encourages people to pray for the natural gas pipeline…yeah, the one she claims is already underway. She believes in banning books that are offensive to her (and was willing to fire the librarian who stood in the way of Sarah Barracuda). She opposes abortion, even in rape and incest cases (she also supported a move in Wasilla to have rape victims pay for their own rape kits; I guess only people with extra money to spare get raped in Wasilla).

Her environmental responsibility stops when it interferes with profit. She opposes the protection of polar bears, baluga whales and salmon; she supports drilling oil in one of our greatest natural reserves. She denies that global warming has anything to do with people. Drill, baby, drill (using money from a profit windfall tax on big oil companies, the people of Alaska were awared $1,200 each; drill more oil wells and the people of Alaska could earn even more…no wonder her approval rating in Alaska is at 80%)!

She was able to cut millions from the Alaskan budget because they had such a huge surplus on hand; not hard to cut out a few million if you’re not really using it anyway (try that when the budget is tight, like it is in most other states).

She lacks experience: with federal issues (she didn’t even know what a VP does, suggesting the job was meaningless),and she hopes the war in Iraq is following God’s will. Obama far outshines her in this area. And, running his campaign has proven his executive skills far better than anything she could do as either mayor of tiny Wasilla or as Governor of a state in which about 70% is controlled by the federal government.

My biggest concern is that our voters are too lazy to think for themselves. If Bill O’Reilly or Rush Limbaugh or Hannity or Guiliani or Thompson or Palin or McCain say it’s so, it must be so…no need to think any more about it. People have fallen all over themselves over a woman who has virtually nothing to offer our country in such an important position…other than her ability to read a speech well…and perform in front of an audience. Shoot, if that’s all you need to do to be vice president, there are a number of people out making those inspirational speeches who could be making diplomatic decisions for our country.

I truly believe McCain chose Palin, not because she would make a good VP, but because she would make a good running-mate. It was a strategic decision, and not a decision that is in the best interest of the country. After all, if she ever has to step into the president’s role, he wouldn’t really care…he’d be dead. What a hero.

Because the EMILY’s List poll has been cited in two of Jill’s postings, I thought I’d add a relevant data point. According to the latest Rasmussen poll:

[Sarah] Palin is viewed favorably by 58% of American voters. [...] 37% hold an unfavorable view of the self-described hockey mom. [...]

Perhaps most stunning is the fact that Palin’s favorable ratings are now a point higher than either man at the top of the Presidential tickets this year. As of Friday morning, Obama and McCain are each viewed favorably by 57% of voters. Biden is viewed favorably by 48%.

I wouldn’t make too much of this one poll, but it does provide an interesting contrast to the findings of EMILY’s List.

Since you asked, here are a few points …

Difference between hockey mom & pitbull? Lipstick – on divisive far right politics*

I’m amazed by the reaction this joke has gotten. (An over-the-top caller from Germany on the Diane Rehm Show this AM said the statement brought to mind neo-Nazism.) Here’s the syllogism underlying Gov. Palin’s statement: “Hockey moms are tough. I’m a hockey mom. Hence, I’m tough.” Big deal.

For one thing, as the poll that came out yesterday from EMILY’s List seems to support, there’s nothing in his ticket for moderates or Independents.

EMILY’s List isn’t exactly a neutral source and most of the respondents to the poll knew about Gov. Palin only from the pollsters’ description of her. I’ll reserve any conclusions until I see polls taken over the next few weeks.

For another thing, Gov. Palin’s speech offers up rhetoric which might play well in the arenas she’s mastered before, but we have a lot of vetting, including transcripts, of what she’s been saying – and an awful lot of it is not just finessing, it’s false.

I’m not exactly sure what you’re referencing here. Gov. Palin’s changed position on earmarks, or something else?

Gov. Palin’s comment about community organizing not involving responsibility is plain wrong

Quick, who has greater responsibility–a full-time mayor or a community organizer? You’ll remember that the Obama campaign last week essentially dismissed Gov. Palin’s experience as a mayor. If Gov. Palin’s mayoral experience is to be dismissed, why should Sen. Obama’s time as a community organizer be considered a relevant qualification?

Which brings me to a fourth reason, which, living in Ohio, I’ve seen played out: Rural v. urban. The population centers of this country are still in the urban areas, which happen to be the areas that tend to vote Democratic and tend to have a lot of newly registered voters this year.

If Democratic urbanites were the sole deciding factor in elections, there wouldn’t have been any Republican presidents in the last 28 years. I would also suggest that the rural/urban dichotomy may be a little simplistic. Think big cities, suburbs, exurbs, mid-sized cities, small towns and rural areas. Will Gov. Palin play well in Democratic cities? Probably not. In other areas she may be quite attractive to many voters.

Fifth, her message is one that encourages people to embrace fear of what is different from themselves.

I mostly agree with Brian O’Connell’s assessment on this point.

Sixth, Palin’s attachment to religion will be exceedingly troublesome to Independents. Her stance on creationism, praying in church that God can influence legislators to get them the oil deals they want and of course reproductive rights all send up red flags.

You seem to assume independents have a common stance on creationism, prayer, and “reproductive rights.” Aren’t unaffiliated evangelical Christians and unaffiliated atheists “Independents?” Why would you believe that Gov. Palin’s religious views would necessarily be a problem to all of them? (I don’t share Gov. Palin’s views on creationism or prayer, but that doesn’t disqualify her for the vice presidency as far as I’m concerned.)

[I]f Gov Palin’s first name was Stanley, the GOP would be selecting a different nominee.

That sounds similar to me to comments Geraldine Ferraro made last March about the Democratic presidential nominee. Interesting.

My overall opinion of the choice of Gov. Palin: I think she connects with much/most of the Republican base, and I believe she’ll connect with many Americans who consider themselves ordinary people. I believe she strengthens the Republican ticket. Time will obviously tell.