I'm a hockey mom, too, having spent the last nine winters ferrying my now-15-year-old daughter to and from one frigid ice rink after another. I've been there, rising in the dark to guide a warm child into a cold car, both of them balky and cranky in the pre-dawn hours, then hurtling down the highway in a mad dash only to spend the next two hours huddling in a sports facility warm room under fluorescent lights, sipping Dunkin Donuts with the other pathetic hockey parents, all of us looking at least a decade older than we appear to those who see us in the hours after nine a.m. It's a bonding experience, the same way prison must be.
And yet for years we've been sorely overlooked, overshadowed by the more popular and telegenic soccer moms – hey, it's easy to look good when your kid plays an outdoor sport during daylight hours! You can't blame a hockey mom for feeling ignored, invisible, and under-appreciated . . .
And yet for years we've been sorely overlooked, overshadowed by the more popular and telegenic soccer moms – hey, it's easy to look good when your kid plays an outdoor sport during daylight hours! You can't blame a hockey mom for feeling ignored, invisible, and under-appreciated . . .
So I figured, when Republican presidential candidate John McCain picked Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and it was revealed that she's a hockey mom, too, that we must have more than a thing or two in common. And that must be what McCain figured, too. Women like me – white, 40ish, married with children – are considered to be one of this election season's swing demographics . . .
Let's start with the things we don't have in common:
1. Palin doesn't believe global warming has been proven.
2. Palin is in favor of teaching creationism alongside evolution in public schools.
3. Palin believes abortion should be illegal, even in cases of rape and incest, except in limited cases in which it might be necessary to save the life of the mother (presumably so she can go on to have more children!) . . .
Basically, Palin's hockey-mom-dom is the only thing that might remotely recommend her to anyone but the most ultra-conservative voters. Turns out, for hockey-mom swing voters, a shared devotion to mouthguards might not be enough of a connection to outweigh her extreme-right stance, her inexperience and her randomness.
Read Tuttle's full post here.
Seriously, can anywhere out there explain to us the selection of Sarah Palin as anything other than a cynical bid for disgruntled Hillary supporters? This Politico item that lists six things the Palin decision says about McCain is helpful, but we're still confused by what seems like an embarrassingly bad choice.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 8)
1. Ada, are you serious? You and Mo have gone off the deep end w/this "hockey mom" biz. And I love all of these supposed detriments your other hockey mom blogger came up with for Sarah Palin:
1. Palin doesn't believe in global warming.
When did global warming become fact? I don't think you and Al Gore got the memo: The earth's temperature has risen less than 1 degree in the last 100 years and has actually cooled slightly in the last 10 years. And Al Gore has made $100 million preaching the doctrine of global warming. You think he's an unbiased advocate?
2. Palin favors teaching creation and evolution.
Gosh, what a threat that would be. And our public education system is doing such a great job now in math and science education, isn't it? How many times have they dumbed down the standardized test scores in the last 20 years?
How is telling somebody that they may have been created in the image of God a bad thing? Hitler was a big Darwinist and advocate for the "master race" idea. That worked out so well, didn't it?
3. Palin is pro-life.
About 85-88% of Americans favor some sort of restrictions on abortion. She believes in more than most. Other than a few strident, feminist lefties, is there anybody out there who really thinks that the 50 million or so abortions in the last 25 years is a good thing?
Dave at 11:54PM on Aug 30th 2008
2. 1. Even the bush administration concedes that global warming is a reality. the area where democrats and republicans tend to differ is whether it is a human made phenomenon or a natural cycle.
2. While there's nothing wrong with teaching the Biblical creation story in giving a historical perspective to teaching evolution, presenting creationism as an alternative has no place in a science classroom.
Arguing that Hitler believed in, but actually perverted, Darwin to discredit the theory of evolution is like arguing that Hitler loved dogs in order to discredit dog ownership.
3. Abortion is a very bad thing and you won't find anyone who is pro-choice who says it's good. Wouldn't it be better to decrease unwanted pregnancies through a well funded, readily available, heavily promoted and reliability tested reproduction education program?
Adam at 1:51AM on Aug 31st 2008
3. 1. Global warming IS fact, something that is not desputed by any climatologists not compromised by the oil industry. What IS disputed is whether or not it is A) man generated, or b) If there is anything we can do about it. But global warming is without question occuring. Or do you believe the loss of the icecaps for the first time in more than twenty thousand years to be a fluke?
2) Yes, it is a threat and an annoyance because it undermines america's technological edge by clouding the veracity of proven and documented science with a veil of faux contraversy. Schools are forced to tip toe through a minefield of potential litigation or else to not fully teach the subject of biology, ecology, and health. As for failings of scientific education, we do with what we have. If you want the best and brightest to go into the field then you must pay a competative wage, and you must tax to meet that wage. You get what you pay for. In addition, more investment in RnD rather than meeting stock records will have a far more substantial return in the long run; something that wall street has forgotten.
3) Abolutely. I would much rather have 100 million abortions than 50 million unwanted and abandoned children, paid for through state programs, elevating gang violence and straining our all ready overworked educational system. I do not care about the fate of a speck of meat that might eventually become a human being. I care about the world that human being will find themselves in once they are born. Until that. They are only meat, and as much as I would which an unwilling mother would choose otherwise I would infinitely prefer she had an abortion than to be saddled with a child that would be viewed as a regret.
Mc Cain has basically committed a rather transperant ploy for female votes. Palin brings little experiance to the table. She has no experiance with foreign policy or national security, or even with economic stimulus. She is govenor of a state with the absolute lowest population in the nation, a state that pays people to stay. What I can surmise is that candidates like Powell and Bloomberg were unwilling to saddle themselves to McCain's failing star. Even Romney would have been a superior choice. Republicans could swallow a mormon VP far easier than a mormon president. Palin is simply nothing more than a cheep bait on a hook for frustrated Hillery supporters. It's transparent, and it's insulting.
McCain should have done better. And you should hold him to a higher standard. He's your canidate after all. Can you give me one reason why he would pick Palin over some one like Romney or Powell?
Somber at 2:04AM on Aug 31st 2008
4. Check Palin's Credentials please. As a Vice president pick, she has 10 more years government experience then Obama has. She took on the corruption in Alaska govt and blew the whistle on several whom were fined. She took on big oil windfall profits with new taxes on the profits and distributed these funds to each Alaskan resident of $1200 EACH last year. As mayor first, she turned a 3.9 million small city budget into a 5.8 million city budget. Find all this and more in wikepdia. And for those that don't know, Obama is not black-snopes and wikepedia also. His people owned slaves, sad but true. His voting record does not exist because he only voted "present." Do we want to allow terrorism and others to possibly attack us or our allies, when all Obama can say is "present." Wake up America!
Peace
MIke at 3:30AM on Aug 31st 2008
5. The thing that bothers me about Palin is her priorities. The woman has a 4 month old baby with Down's Syndrome. Who is going to be raising the poor child while she is out campaigning? Her husband? Older siblings? Parents of children with special needs often deal with a lot of stress and the children need the love and support of both parents. I don't think she should have aborted the child as her friends and family urged her to consider but I do think she should play a bigger role in his life at such a critical age than just the occasional photo-op and kiss goodnight (if he even gets that). She chose to have a special needs child and she must realize that comes with a great responsability to her family. If you ask me, her opportunism is disgusting and she should never have been in the race for VP in the first place.
kate at 6:36AM on Aug 31st 2008
6. The Question of the Day: Which Presidential Candidate do you think the enemies of the U.S. want as President? - Greg---http://us.imdb.com/name/nm2734923/
GregbeingFrank at 7:03AM on Aug 31st 2008
7. You gotta love the left. "It's great he picked a woman, but...."
Listen people.
1. The world isn't going to end (literally) because the Republican VP candidate isn't convinced Al Gore is right. She's just the VP.
2. Since when is presenting both sides of a debate a bad thing? You guys want the "Fairness Doctrine" for public broadcasting but not for public schools?
3. She thinks abortion is wrong. Wow! So does half of the population of the U.S. What an Uber-Conservative! She's not a Supreme Court nominee. She'll be the VP.
Lefties love to lecture Righties about inclusiveness and tolerance. Practice what you preach. She's a nice, intelligent and successful woman. It would be alot nicer looking at her than Cheney! ;)
BTW, did I mention she's only up for the vice-presidency?
Don't Tread On Me,
Eric
ericoverthere at 7:07AM on Aug 31st 2008
8. I agree, Ada. This choice was made because McCain knew he had to compete with the compelling imagery of Barack Obama, the first African Ameican to win a presidential nomination on a major party. Sarah Palin is obviously a novice on the national stage - just two months ago, she gave an interview stating she had no idea what a Vice President does. According to Wikipedia, she is part of a group called "Feminists for Life" that opposes abortion under any cirumstance, including rape, incest, life and health of the mother. That is way out of the mainstream. Palin was obviously chosen as red meat for the fundamentalist wing of the GOP, but I wonder how those traditional "family values" voters feel about a woman with five children, some of whom are quite young (including a handicapped infant) taking on a stressful and demaning job like the Vice Presidency. Hey, after all, wasn't it Marilyn Quayle at the 1992 GOP convention who told Republican women to "stay home?" - LOL
David S. at 7:34AM on Aug 31st 2008
9. 1. no the world isnt going to end because the vp candidate doesnt understand science, and that every credible scientific mind agrees the world is getting warmer, not just Al Gore.
2. using the argument of presenting both sides...ok then , equal time in your churches for other religions and darwins theory...only fair right? oh and the reason why it isnt appropriate in public schools is because religious ideas arent science and have no place in the science classroom..i dont want my kid taught your fairy tales
3. most of the world felt the world was flat..they're wrong and so are people trying to syop abortion and birth control based , once again on religious beliefs, which arent mine...dont impose your beliefs on me and on women who dont want to be forced to have children...if you want to live in the dark ages, go ahead, i dont want to , .
doug at 7:45AM on Aug 31st 2008
10. Let's see Palin was a PTA mom, on the City Council of a burb with 6000 people, then Mayor and has been Gov. for 20 months of a State that has actually frittered away surplus under Republican machine politics.
I know condominiums with more people, voters and bigger budgets. Obama - a State Senator for 5-years of a major state (population 13 million) - with all sorts of problems and a US Senator for 4-years. Nine-years all together - He's held elected office longer than Hillary. If anyone lacks experience its Ms Palin - but don't show facts to Republicans. From Global warming (it is), evolution, fiscal problems and oh those wars, don't question Republican grasp of the facts - because they have none. Vote for McCain & Baked Alaska
JAY SULLIVAN at 8:23AM on Aug 31st 2008
11. Doug-
1. Those people you mentioned who thought the world was flat included the "credible scientific minds" of their day. Weren't these same scientists telling us back in the 70's that the earth was going to "cool" us to death? Maybe she's smart enough to wait for a little more proof before screaming the sky is falling.
2. How are you supposed to decide in what you believe if you don't get more than one side of the story? It's supposed to be an education, not an indoctrination. You don't want your children know what a large portion of the population thinks?
If people want more than one viewpoint about religion they have hundreds of CHOICES. Pick a different church next Sunday. There's only one public school. You are comparing apples and oranges.
3. Are you saying that you have to be religious in order to believe that abortion is wrong? Obviously you are not religious, so how do you decide what is right and what is wrong? The same way we all do, I'm sure. You educated yourself and made an informed decision. (see 2.)
Personally, I don't know when life begins. I choose to err on the side of life. If that makes me an extremist, I'll wear that badge proudly.
Don't Tread On Me,
Eric
ericoverthere at 8:42AM on Aug 31st 2008
12. Pretty snotty article Ada.
Wendy at 8:50AM on Aug 31st 2008
13. To paraphrase Gail Collin's funny article in the NY Times this weekend, with extremist terrorism the most important global issue of our time, McCain has picked a running mate (only a heartbeat away from the Oval Office) who has a year & a half experience leading the Alaskan National Guard in protecting us from an invasion by the Ruskies over the Bering Strait - and what a job she has done! Not a single Siberian has invaded Alaska during her reign as Governor!
Seriously, folks, she is no more qualified for that position than I am (a soccer mom who serves on Parent Council at school). And, while I believe in women's rights, she chose to bring that poor baby into the world, and now she isn't going to be home to take care of him? That is just wrong. He needs his mother - I know, I have a special needs child who was in occupational therapy, speech therapy and physical therapy 4/week for the first few years of his life - who is going with Trig to his therapy sessions? Not his mother!
She is going to be presiding over the day-to-day workings of the Senate. Could she do a better job than Joe Biden? I don't think so!
Sarah at 9:11AM on Aug 31st 2008
14. The hockey mom pick under investigation and is facing impeachment is funny as hell to me because McCain thinks he picked someone that he can possible control, but this woman will control McCain or turn on him. They both came out of the same egotistic womb. They will have fire in the White House if elected. This woman is talking about breaking the glass ceiling and never worked one day or paid one dime to contribute to breaking it.
Judy Ferguson at 9:14AM on Aug 31st 2008
15. If nothing else the selection of Palin as McCain's running mate has forced Democrats to acknowledge that a candidate's level of prior experience is a legitimate concern. Considering the number of times a VP has actually had to grab the reins of a vacated presidency, those concerns should be of much greater importance when evaluating the candidate for the top spot.
Too late for that now.
bob at 9:18AM on Aug 31st 2008