Just a couple of thoughts. There certainly is the question of her lack of extensive political experience, but I think that Sarah Palin is a fairly solid pick for an "outsider" VP candidate, someone who is willing to stand up to her own Republican party when necessary, as she did in Alaska. Yes, the executive experience is there. Alaska's population is small but not that small... it has more people than Vermont and almost as many as Delaware :)
But what I also think is of importance is that, as a public member of Feminists for Life, Palin can bring greater national visibility to issues that will really benefit women and children, with real solutions to eliminate the problems in our society that drive women to abortion as their "only choice". I'd like to think that Susan B. Anthony would have preferred Palin to Hillary Clinton, but who knows. Palin certainly has the credibility as someone who has had to walk the talk with her own experience of motherhood.
It's good to see a new face and not the same old Washington faces we're used to. Does that mean she has what it takes? Not sure. Alaskan resident and blogger radicalcatholicmom, who blogs at the (mostly) left-leaning Vox Nova blog, has this to say:
My husband and I volunteered on Palin’s Alaska campaign when she ran for Governor. Here are a few of my thoughts:
First: I have known Sarah Palin for years. How? I met her through AK Right to Life. She always came to our fund-raising dinners, she always came to pro-life events (even when she took time off from politics to be home with her children), and one of her kids became AK RTL’s baby mascot for our stationery. She is the real deal when it comes to pro-life matters. This became even more clear when at the age of 44 of this year, she gave birth to a baby with Down’s Syndrome. BTW: No one knew she was pregnant until 1 month before giving birth!
Second: She worked under previous (Catholic-pro-life) Governor Frank Murkowski’s Admin and ended up resigning because the corruption was so blatant and so bad she could not effect change. She gave up her 6 figure income to do so. This catapulted her into stardom for Alaskans.
Third: When she ran for Governor, she was up against the incumbent Murkowski (the least popular Governor in the nation at the time) AND against two-time former super popula,r Governor Democrat Tony Knowles. Husband and I both had deep respect for her so we decided to join her campaign. We were not the only ones. I have worked many a campaign before and this was the first time in my experience where normal, average, non-partisan types joined the campaign. When I decided to wave signs for her on street corners (with my baby strapped on my back), I was blown away by the hundreds of other Alaskans who had the same idea.
Fourth: When she ran for Governor, the AK Republican Party threw fundraisers for Palin’s Democratic rival! No joke! They hated her because she was the one who blew the whistle on their corruption. Big Oil hates her because she refused and refuses to be bribed. She had very little campaign money and her very few tv ads always said “Frugally paid for by the Palin Campaign.” Yet, she won, sweeping the State.
Fifth: I worked the polls on voting day and Democrats, Independents and non-voters alike came to vote for her.
My advice: Don’t underestimate her, my friends.
Last night my husband and I were convinced we would support Obama. Thanks to McCain’s VP choice, we don’t know now.
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