Gender Gyrations

Wearing skirts has just become de rigeur in the Republican party. Did anyone else notice that all the important women who addressed the convention were clad in very nice, gam disclosing dresses or suits? Nothing androgenous or reminiscent of the Hillary Clinton Pantsuit Pandemonium! No pantsuits in this crowd...Thanks to the interested viewpoint of the cameramen I got to see many DOM bearing lapel buttons that proudly proclaimed "Hoosiers for the Hot Chick." Way to go, old dudes! You have unthroned the proud poser of questionable questions, the "chick" who asked Clinton if he prefered jockeys over boxers! How enlightening that the "conservatives", defenders of all that is moral, religious and patriotic in our great nation have found that resorting to good, old fashioned sexism is the best way to support their candidate for the Vice Presidency.

No matter where you stand on the political spectrum it is undeniable that Senator McCain did a remarkable job in his selection of a running mate. I say this not based on her qualifications, though I think there are many; not based on her politcal wisdom, though I am convinced she has a solid supply; not based on her youth and attractiveness, though that is obvious...I say this based on the how much positive effervescence has been caused by her nomination. As far as charisma and ability to cause excitement goes, Obama had McCain flat out like a pancake. There was no way McCain could have ever hoped to garner even a small percentage of the visibility that Obama takes for granted. Obama sneezes and there is a new flash in Australia. McCain could have fallen down a flight of stairs in women's underwear and barely have been noticed. And this absence of visibility was a built in black hole for the Republican Party...any message McCain wanted to get out to the light was being sucked in to the black hole!

Until Sarah.

Sarah is the center of attention, not only because of what she brings to the table in her own right, but because of what HE DOESN'T. She is celebrated because she is clearly defined in who and what she is, HE ISN'T. Is McCain a liberal conservative or a conservative liberal? Is he an independent aligned with the right or homeless Democrat whose only port in the storm was the Republicans? There is no doubt that he is a respectable man who endured great pain and indignities for his country, but he lacks a clear, identifiable personna that allows the voter to get to know him. Sarah is his solution to this lackluster predicament.

And while the conservative right rejoices in the excitement caused by this formidable woman, let the rest of us remember that her bright smile and painted pit bull tenacity only dress up the fact that she has chosen to cast her lot with a party that is more dictatorial than republican.

Personally, I find the upcoming months cannot help but be the most entertaining politically; it will be great fun to watch a true Washington outsider transform before our very eyes and become the very thing she has spent her life NOT being!