Can You Say ‘Sexist’?

These Republicans will do anything to get elected. Palin is an embarrassment to all women. She is a token candidate with absolutely no experience to be running for Vice President. How can they put someone like her in the possible position of becoming President if something should happen to McCain, especially when we are at war right now? Amazing! And I think this reason is this new "mega church" conservative Christian movement is undermining what this country is all about ... separation of church and state. They put Bush in the White House and are actively supporting this war as God's Will (Palin sure supports that idea!). Regular Americans need to wake up. Take a look at the documentary movie by an ex Catholic Priest called "Constantine's Sword" which shows what they are doing...how they are infiltrating the military with their fanatical religious fever for war by trying to convert everyone to their faith and world view. Please wake up if you really believe in what Jesus taught. It wasn't what these people are selling during their entertaining musical Sunday events.

I feel as though I've been published! Each and every word you wrote is exactly the way I feel. One note...on CNN last night, they were discussing Palin's religious background/beliefs. It troubled me very much that they pointed out at least 2 or 3 times that they did the exact same thing with Obama and McCain. Why the need to apologize? Because she's a woman. So to criticize her is wrong and everyone must tip-toe around for 8 weeks (I hope -- please don't let it be 4 years!)? The keep-women-in-their-place Republican party has masterfully turned sexism (that they perpetuate) to their advantage.

It's troubling that so many of Hillary's 'Traveling Pantsuits' would change to Palin. She is the polar opposite of Hillary in every area possible.

libs4palin, how can you not be an issue voter? Are you ready to overturn Roe v Wade just so there can be a woman VP? Palin's poor pregnant 17 year old is walking, talking, breathing proof that her politics don't work . What happened to the plan to spend time with her son during his last days before deployment? Because if she were gone for a few days the momentum would stop. People would have time to think. Meanwhile, I guess her son will go off to Iraq without spending time with his devoted mother.

I am a 53-year-old, white, female, veteran, working class, rose two kids on my own (who turned out great!), and am firmly in Barack Obama's corner. The republicans lose my vote on the woman part of me, the working class part, the single mother part, and the veteran part. Why has our war hero McCain voted AGAINST VA funding and FOR POW torture? I'm sure he memorized the exact Rules of the Geneva Convention that every service member has. Torture is expicitly forbidden. When I was in the Army in the 70s females represented 3% of the force. I had to work 3 times as hard to be considered equal. Watching the cautious behavior surrounding Palin has set us back decades. We've become faint-of-heart second-class citizens again. She's being used and is happily going along with it.

If it were two men candidates, I suppose you would vote for the cuter candidate if it were two, regardless of the issues they represent? Grow up.

I'm disgusted with the GOP because ever since I've been a Republican all I've ever heard from my Republican male counterparts is that women belong in the home and should not sacrifice their children for their careers. NOW all of sudden they want to switch gears?! I remember even hearing Laura Ingram make statements about the working women and how some of us women should really stay home and take care of our kids...now, she's on their side?!!! What a bunch of hypocrites...Thank god I never listened to any one of them including the morons that go to my church!

OK so Sarah Palin can bash Obama and it's ok but he's sexist if he bashes her, I have never in my 50 years on this earth seen such nieve people in all my life, The news and others make White Women seem like they will go for whoever wears the skirt, (they can relate) you people have never related to a moose eating Gov. Either White Women oh excuse White Middle Clas Women who AMerica seems to think are the only ones who Work will go for Sarah because she is a women even if she was a Prostitute, Liar, no matter what, what does that say for White Working Middle Class Women, they are either uneducated or they dont care about the future of the country and they are the one who put Bush back into the
White House.

Unbelievable. So it's OK for her to do the bashing, but no-oone is allowed to bash her. All these women simply jumping on the bandwagon because Sarah is a woman. What ever happened to common sense and using that God given brain? It's amazing how everything bad that is said about Palin is blamed on Obama. I'm a woman, but will judge Palin on who she is what she has accomplished, her views on the issues, her actions and what she says she will do for meand not because she is a woman. The fact that she is a woman plays no factor at all when it comes to my vote. She has chosen to run for the second highest office in the nation and has therefore given me the right to scrutinise her with a fine tooth comb. She wants to hold my life in her hand and she should know that she is holding God's precious daughter in hands who is deserving of only the best - and who will not expect anything less. So I will dig up everything I can about her and make my decision when I am satisfied. I have done the same for Obama, Biden and McCain. Just because she is a woman doesn't guarantee that she has my vote and that I will go easy on her. No way - she will be given the same treatment afforded the other three candidates. Only narrow mindedness and stupidity would dictate that I simply vote for her because she is a woman. She wants to hold my life, my children's lives, my husbands life and my future generations lives in her hand then she better be able to stand up to the scrutiny coming her way and stop hiding behind McCain and the GOP and their Republican mouthpeices. I want to hear her voice, I want to hear her fight for my vote. She is no different to the other candidates.

And I am insulted at all these women, taking us back to the dark ages by claiming discrimination against women. If you want to play with men, then you develop a backbone and thick skin. I am further insulted that they think us women would simply vote for Palin because she is a woman. You don't speak for me and many other women like me, so don't put us into your basket. Speak for yourselves and stop generalising all woman.

The female factor will be hard to measure, because some women will be afraid to say it out loud (that they are pro-McCain) to the media, and others won???t admit it to their liberal, Obama-loving friends. But once they step into that voting booth, all bets will be off and they will punch McCain-Palin. I wonder why it is that Obama, despite the disastrous eight years of Dubya, has not been able to have a commanding lead in the polls? With the state of the economy and the deplorable war in Iraq, Obama should be pummeling the GOP. Could it be that he is in fact THE WRONG CHOICE?
To those who say we are idiots, morons, stupid or ignorant (pick your insult) for choosing to vote McCain-Palin: Keep it up. The more you come off as smug and elitist, the more votes McCain will get. Because nothing motivates the Republicans more than pompous liberals.
PS: I think it speaks volumes about the mood of women voters in this country that HRC herself has refused to bash Palin.

Umm, it sounds as if none of you have read the article thoroughly(aside from what zachmom in the end). The article deals with the dangers of hypocrisy and the use of it to gain a means to an end. This shows the two-faced dragon that is the current conservative movement. They say one thing and all the sudden when it is convenient, and when desperation reached its pinnacle (i.e the poor poll showing for McCain pre-Palin) the Republicans turn their backs on all they have trashed. This has been the "Flip-Flop" of the century yet the party has blinded itself to it. And this is showing just how low that they are willing to stoop this low as to pander. In the end poor Palin is a pawn in McCain's sorry game. I'm all for women and power but to put the future and lives of the American people into a relatively inexperienced politician(God Forbid); and to put her family in the spotlight to use as a distraction to gain this power is despicable.

Anna Quindlen speaks as if all the females in the world think like her. She misses the point about Palin. Palin represents the other side to the left wing feminism. Just as racial equality has evolved so has gender. It may not be perfect ideology but that is the essence of change. Some change comes rapidly and some change evolve. The virtual tie in polls indicate the polarization which is gripping the U.S. No matter who wins the continued polarization will not end. The U.S. needs a third party to bring reign in the dividing two party system which divides this country.

Gosh, when I first started marveling at the towering intellect, outstanding leadership qualities and insightful and realistic worldview of one of the greatest leaders and proponents of liberty in the history of Earth, Margaret Thatcher, it didn't occur to me that thirty years later I would be labeled hypocritical for admiring another conservative woman seeking high public office. I'm sure glad that the queen of the predictable, Ms. Quindlin, set me straight. Yes, Anna, all of us rubes who are not as enlightened as you and your friends on the Washington cocktail circuit, are pleased that you set us straight about Sarah Palin and how in reality we look down on her as much as you any your elitist (but allegedly feminist friends) do.

If you are actually a feminist and not a poser with a liberal agenda (and a hypocrite to boot), quit badmouthing the Republicans and start congratulating Sarah Palin. She may not be a "feminist" according to your narrow idealogical definition but she's an awesome woman and deserves both your respect as well as your emulation. Strong women in the past never needed your foolish "feminist" label. They don't need it now. Strong women are living proof of the fact that labels DON'T MATTER. You fake "womens' rights advocates" who advocate only one view of "feminism" have held sway over this population for too long.

Anna Quindlen is right on. McCain and Palin must think women are stupid if they think we will cast our ballots simply based on gender (or rae, or religion, or sexual orientation, for that matter). With the potentially oldest President ever, it is irresponsible to suggest that someone with LITERALLY zero foriegn policy experience could run the country. Wait, wasn't it the Republicans who were bashing Obama for lack of experience? This ridiculous double standard must be stopped. I wanted to throw up when I heard Palin praise Hillary Clinton for being a leader for women; it was the REPUBLICAN PARTY that has been leading the daily atacks on Hillary for the last fifteen years! You can't have it both ways; you can't bash Hillary continuously but then use her name when it serves you politically. Get real. While I respect Palin as a woman who is breaking barriers, I could never giver her my vote; she simply does not speak for me. I completely understand being a feminist does not mean you subscribe to one particular line of thinking. Bit regardless of your beliefs on the issues, you can't bash Hillary and call her a bitch, but then cry foul when the media rightly points out the flaws and fallacies of the Republican party, hiding behind the cloak of "sexism." Unfortunately, it is flawed arguments such as those made by the conservative talking heads that causes many people to discount the fact that sexism is a truly significant issue in American society. I hope educated women, regardless of their party, will do the reserach on Palin before making their deicision, as they should before ALL elections. If you still agree with her policies, great. But don't buy into the hype that it is somehow "unfair" to ask ANY candidate, male or female, the tough questions. Instead of crying about sexism, work a little harder and overcome those barriers (as SARAH PALIN HERSELF said in June!).

Unfortunately Americans are not that bright. They'll eat up Palin lies and hiprocacy like fast food. Can they decipher the truth? Does America have a weight problem?

Perhaps the only way to fight fire is to set up a back fire. Stretch the truth a little bit on the same level that right wingers play at.

For instance, I have been told from an insider that Palin is actually a Christian-Taliban KKK extremist that s hell bent of setting up concentration camps for homosexuals, Jews and Muslims. It is true that she is appalled by our current government and thinks of herself as a 'reformer'. What the public doesn't know is that she is actually on a mission of vengeance for the government's execution of her half brother Timothy McVeigh, whom she dearly misses. Check it out, its all true.

obama is a spineless do-nothing incompetent; america can't afford him! CHANGE . . .you've GOT to be kidding me (he probably couldn't change a tire!)

and obama certainly has zero competence and experience to be president . . .THAT'S the issue!

If American women fall for the ploy of Palin,
they will deserve the country they get.

Unfortunately those of us with a memory
longer than a few seconds know that the GOP
talks about supporting women, the troops and
our country...

and yet do everything in the power to the opposite.

Please America, don't buy into their lies again.
For God's sake read, study the past and make
an intelligent decision, not a knee jerk one.

Oh and these types of statements made by a guest speaker at Sarah Palin's church aren't racist?
David Brickner, the founder of Jews for Jesus, was a speaker. He told congregants that terrorist attacks on Israel were God's "judgment" of Jews who haven't embraced Christianity. Brickner said, "Judgment is very real and we see it played out on the pages of the newspapers and on the television. When a Palestinian from East Jerusalem took a bulldozer and went plowing through a score of cars, killing numbers of people. Judgment -- you can't miss it."
Yeah, that's real Christianity...as an Evangelical Christian since I was born this makes all of us Christians sound like a bunch of wackos!

THIS IS NO MORE THAN A WHITE FEMALE VERSION OF CLAREANCE THOMAS. I AM BLACK AND PLEASE BELIEVE..........CLAREANCE THOMAS WOULD NEED TOP FLIGHT SECURITY TO WALK IN ANY BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE DISLIKED HIM FROM THE START AND WERE OFFENDED THAT REPUBS. THOUGHT WE WOULD COME TO HIS DEFENSE BECAUSE OF HIS PHYSICAL FEATURES.
SARAH PALIN'S VIEWS, THEORIES AND POLICIES ARE SO AGAINST WOMEN'S RIGHTS IT'S DISTURBING. I HAVE ENOUGH FAITH IN THE WOMEN IN THIS COUNTRY NOT TO VOTE FOR SOMEONE COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY AGAINST THEIR OWN INTEREST.