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 8 of 8)
106. Sarah Palin has an 85% approval rating from citizens in Alasaka. That's about 70% more approval than the Democratic Congress in Washington, who only care about promoting abortion, homosexuality, and turning the USA into a 2nd world nation, similar to the European Union.
The woman you quote has no self-respect, and she is foolish to be a hockey mom if she doesn't like the hard work, determination, and sacrifice needed to achieve. If she doesn't like the hard work, determination, and sacrifice involved to achieve -- otherwise known as the typical liberal attitude towards life.
Sarah Palin is going to shake things up in Washington, just like she has in Alaska. Palin is a genius choice by McCain.
John McCain is even giving Democrats what their own candidate refused, a woman vice president on the ticket. Barack Obama (B.O.) back-stabbed half of the Democrats by IGNORING the huge support that Hillary Clinton has. Then, instead of being a wise agent of change, B.O. picks a slimy, do-nothing, old school politician with Barbie doll hair implants, to be his running mate. How dumb can B.O. be?
Rev 3:16 at 7:54AM on Sep 5th 2008
107. WOMEN: BEWARE OF THE FEMALE PIT BULL
She can deliver a scripted speech written for her. The Rebublican Party has not allowed he to speak to anyone since he selected her. They are afraid that she cannot react to any question unless they give her a canned answer. When Hillary Clinton compained of sexism, Palin called her a whiner. Yet she says the sexism is real for her.
If you need someone to field dress your moose, she is the gal for you !!!!
G. Sprinkle at 2:28PM on Sep 6th 2008
108. Eric-
Separation of church and state. You spoke of educating oneself to make an informed decision. Our history as a nation was founded on separating church and state. End of story.
Schools that are state-run have no business teaching creationism. It is a religious theory NOT a scientific one. It simply does not belong in a state-run classroom. If people want their children to learn about it, those children can easily do so from 1) their parents 2) their church 3) send them to a church-run school.
As for Palin, forget about her stance on abortion for a moment and consider this instead: I believe it's irrefutable that someone who DOES NOT BELEIVE IN CONTRACEPTION, even for MARRIED COUPLES, is an over-the-top fundamentalist. Be that as it may, if she were happy to believe what she believes, and not try to force it on others, I'd be more ok with her.
However, the woman wanted to BAN books in a PUBLIC library, and when the librarian wouldn't go along with her, tried to have her FIRED.
HELLO!!!! Do we really want someone who would do these things ruling a country that should be one of the most freedom-loving in the world? I understand how fractious the rift between Republicans and Democrats has become. I myself am an independent and I urge those who are Republicans to not just have a knee-jerk vote in this election.
A vice president who thinks it's ok to ban books, who encourages people NOT to use contraception and wants to legislate how women should be able to live their lives (anti-choice) is a terrible pick in an election where it seems likely that McCain would probably pass away soon if elected, and the VP could soon be PRESIDENT!
Also Eric, I too have made an informed choice when it comes to abortion. I've never had one and never would, unless my life were threatened. HOWEVER, I don't think that because I feel this way, my opinion should be legislated into government policy, to FORCE others into my way of living life.
Read up on REAL conservatism, and you'll find that that idea is WAY out of whack with genuine conservatism...
Lisa
lisa at 5:32PM on Sep 6th 2008
109. What type of mother, especially an extreme religious conservative, would use her baby with Down's Syndrome as a political prop? It is clear that she is putting her special needs child aside when he needs her love more than anyone right now. She has no problem with publicizing off of Trig and her teenage pregnant daughter to gain votes. Sarah Palin should know how the media is and what she has subjected her daughter to for many years to come and the ridicule. She is very selfish and also comfortable with lying about her record and her opponents record, as well as insulting those that do community service to help out the needy. She is sickening and it is frightening that this woman could be the next Vice President (and president giving the fact that McCain is so old and in poor health). It is clear that her family (5 children & her soon to be grandchild that she will be supporting) need her more and hopefully she won't get into office or get an offer to star in her own reality television show. I haven't even mentioned her family drama and the ethics investigations that are going on against this woman. Look at the biased in the media, Bristol pregnant teenager heaven sent, black pregnant mother horrible/problem.
Vote no for McCain/Palin and think of Trig.
Also, research McCain's Anti-Woman votes & Palin's stance on Pro-life even in cases of rape and incest is Pro-Rapists and very Anti-Woman.
These are the people to be scared of!
Jewel at 9:43AM on Sep 18th 2008
110. http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20080924/cm_thenation/45363724
Her "minister" that was at her swearing in ceremony hunted witches in Kenya. The town almost stoned the woman to death.
Barb at 3:43PM on Sep 25th 2008
111. I have only ONE more comment:
McCain is INSANE.
Barb at 3:45PM on Sep 25th 2008