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 4 of 8)
46.
Ada,
Babble.com is currently running an article discussing a rumor that Sarah Palin's baby Trig is really the child of her oldest daughter, Bristol.
http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/famecrawler/archive/2008/08/30/bristol-palin-pregnancy-is-sarah-palin-s-baby-really-her-daughter-s.aspx
This is very worrisome regardless of whether or not on supports Gov. Palin.
PLEASE, Ada, as editor in chief of Babble, weigh in on this article.
Worried at 6:25PM on Aug 31st 2008
47. Well, Adam (#44) if you believe is abortion is "killing" as you say, why isn't McCain pounding the podium and screaming for abortion to be outlawed and women to be tried for murder? I wonder...maybe you need to hold the GOP accountable: and as to Ms. Palin, yes, her views are extreme, but I will bet my next paycheck that once her feet are held to the fire for those views she will change quickly and spout the GOP mantra: abortion in the case of rape and incest and to save the life of the mother. Even as clueless as I think Palin is, even she knows the vast majority of Americans would never tolerate a complete abortion ban - or even being illegal. The majority favor some restrictions yes, but not illegality or criminalization.
David S. at 6:34PM on Aug 31st 2008
48. fact: the chances of a woman over 35 giving birth to a down's syndrome is significantly high...so high that the ama recomends early pre-natal testing for that possibility
fact: those chances are even more greatly increased in women over 40 years of age
fact: sarah palin chose to get pregnant over the age of forty (as opposed to adoption)...and pre-natal testing confirmed the presence of down's syndrome... and she chose to have the pregnancy continue to term...she gave birth to a down's syndrome baby
sarah palin's choices mentioned above are her personal decision, and i would fight for her right to make them...i even applaud her conviction to care for her child
but her decision-making capability or propensity leads me to greatly suspect the decisions she would make and the chances she would take in the nation's best interest...in the second highest (and half a heart-beat away from the highest) office in the country...as a life-long republican i cannot support the republican ticket in this presidential election...the naming of sarah palin as the vice-presidential candidate has made this voter choose to support the democratic ticket (i will not cede my right to vote)
phil at 6:59PM on Aug 31st 2008
49. 1. Polar bears have been sited in Manhattan rattling change cups. What kind of idiot can't see there is a global change in weather and make the connection?
2. My very wise High School Principal solved the Creationism in the classroom issue with one sentence. "We teach Evolution according to God's design. Who can say how long one of God's days is? (refering to creation in 7 day). When God woke up this morning there might have been mastodons and by lunchtime Sigmund Freud was born!"
3. Haw many children starve, are beaten to death, and live horrible lives? You want more of them?!!! Tell you what, when every Evangelical out there adopts 5 kids...we can outlaw abortion!
kitty sinned at 6:52PM on Aug 31st 2008
50. Palin is under investigation for doing exactly what the Bush administration has done for the last 7+ years--using political power to punish political enemies. There is considerable evidence that she and her allies pressured police officials to fire a personal enemy (a la Karl Rove, Scooter Libby, and Valerie Plame).
Elections should be about ending political abuses of the past. McCain/Palin just insures more of the same, a continuation of Bush/Cheney policies that have diminished America.
I'm sick of being lied to by corrupt politicians.
I'm Republican and I'm voting for Obama/Biden!
Nick at 3:36PM on Sep 1st 2008
51. In the glow of the limelight, Sarah Palin will knuckle under to become a "yes" woman quicker than a date-rape drugged freshman can say "Do Me !"
kitty sinned at 8:52PM on Aug 31st 2008
52. "Praise God that you gave birth to Trig; what a beautiful choice!" Jane
Hi Jane,
Finally you see it my way. Exactly, it was HER CHOICE!
She made her choice, as every women should make theirs.
Botts at 7:32PM on Aug 31st 2008
53. I, personnally, can't wait for the campaign ads to surface. What are they gonna say? Who's gonna say it? Is Sarah-cuda the new Republicon spokesmodel?
And if disaster strikes and they ARE elected, will she be relegated to the White House kitchen while the Big Boys play?
More to come...
Robert at 7:50PM on Aug 31st 2008
54. Just another example of “The Media” not getting it. Your Hockey Mom theory is ludicrous, as if anyone who has dedicated their life to politics would consider that their ace to election. As for the reason’s you’ve listed against Sarah Palin, I have to wonder….why are you wasting your time blogging about a Republican VP choice. I would think that you are far more concerned with the Democratic choice, since I wager that is where you will be placing your vote this November.
cholesommers at 12:52PM on Sep 1st 2008
55. 14. Judy says: "The hockey mom pick under investigation and is facing impeachment..."
Wow, how did that slip through the vetting process?
Say what you will because you libs are going to make up your own little pathetic reasons for McCain picking her. Just like 9/11, the fire is still smouldering and you are already coming up with conspiracy theories. All the whining won't matter come November. What you should be doing is practicing excuses...."those Christians, those Hillary people....they stole it, Bush did it....big oil....greedy corporations....blah, blah.
Lizard at 9:20PM on Aug 31st 2008
56. 46. David S, Adoption is an alternative to abortion, life no matter how conceived is so precious. It should be a criminal act to kill a helpless child.......would you allow someone to kill your children now? Not seeing a baby with your eyes does'nt make the baby any less alive!! Think about it.
Adam at 10:15PM on Aug 31st 2008
57. Kitty... How would you do in the limelite? Sure you wouldn't be a yes person now would you?
Adam at 10:17PM on Aug 31st 2008
58. One can smell the republican desperation.
How are all the conservative "soccer moms" going to feel when they hear the story of Palin's youngest child's birth?
Story is that Palin was in Texas to give a speech when her water broke. Story is that she stayed to give her speech in Texas then flew all the way to Alaska for the birth.
One has to ask if there is a difference between being, "pro-life" and being a, "breeder."
Amusing the way republicans are trying to spin Palin (with her own "Troopergate") into a wise choice. They should have vetted her more thoroughly.
McCain is coming across as a cynical, impulsive misogynist. PUMA's I've seen in the media and know personally say they are insulted by McCain's choice. The only thing McCain has going for him is that most people have already decided how they will vote.
Captain Negative at 11:31PM on Aug 31st 2008
59. Adam, I wholeheartedly support adoption as an alternative to abortion. However, making abortion completely illegal would drive women back to the days of desperate measures; back alley butchers, coat hangers, etc. Lecturing women to not have sex will change nothing, Adam. And I will repeat what I wrote earlier: if elected Republicans are so hot to outlaw abortion, why isn't McCain saying so? Even Bush has not said such a thing, he allows abortion in certain circumstances. And we know why, Adam: speaking of throwing women in jail would be political suicide for them. Women do vote, don't they?
David S. at 11:32PM on Aug 31st 2008
60. the sexy petecostal is a shell game so that yall wont notice that mccain-cheney-bush and jindal have all disappeared into hurricane gustav together,
all the republicns over here started talking about him being president since last year--
and newspapers in india years ago printed that some americans promised him/them all kinds of political power.
the first part of their front pages has come true.
he's the governor now supervising an orderly evacuation that katrina transcripts and emails published by brinkley (tulane) prove they thwarted in 05 so that voters would turn on blanco
(who left a billion dollar surplus that jindal already spent.)
Louis IX KingofFrance at 12:32AM on Sep 1st 2008