Hillary, her supporters, and Palin

This started with another piece I wrote some months back after Hillary pulled out (see "What Lies Beneath" posting), but after seeing who the Republican VP choice is, I feel the need to speak a little more about legacy and responsibility.

I find it beyond difficult to imagine, and to be quite honest am offended, that there are political strategists out there that would think that women would be so enamored by seeing someone else with our body parts on a national stage that we would easily switch our vote from one party to another. That women who supported Hillary didn't actually support her for her positions on vital issues important to women, like healthcare, abortion, equal pay, etc., but instead just focused on the fact that she was a woman. While indeed it would be a national dream fulfilled to have finally broken the ultimate glass ceiling, women did not vote for, nor continue supporting, Hillary simply because of her gender. We supported her because she has been a consistent champion for women's rights and women's issues.

So when I see how Gov. Palin,the VP running mate to John McCain, honors Hillary in her first speech as a Vice-Presidential candidate, I struggle to believe the sincerity of her convictions and am more inclined to think that the campaign's speechwriter was making an obvious attempt to reach out to the Clinton supporters who have yet to embrace Obama (I am now actually an ardent Obama supporter and extremely proud of who he is and his legacy).

Seriously, how could McCain's campaign, and even Palin herself, honestly believe that I would ever vote for her simply because she's a woman? As though that were enough to erase her anti-abortion, anti-gay rights, anti-women's rights, pro-gun stance. The assumption that I would stop at her fashionable suit and heels and not look further into who she is, what she represents, and what her values are shows me how little I, as a woman, am thought of. I'm sure if we were to ask the majority of the African-American community if they were excited at the nomination of Clarence Thomas, or Latinos at the performance of Alberto Gonzales as US Attorney General, we would get the same response - extreme disappointment, sadness and pain in how let down we have been by each of these people who have failed to see their responsibility to the greater community from which they each have come.

How could ANY woman who supported Hillary ever support Palin? They are totally distinct, with different values, records and global interests. Hillary strongly supports looking for alternative energy sources - Palin believes humans have not contributed to global warming and wants to continue using her state, Alaska, as a source for oil drilling. Hillary is staunchly pro-choice, while Palin is pro-life. Hillary believes in gun control, Palin is a life-long member of the NRA. The list goes on.....

Palin should do more than acknowledge Hillary's "grace and determination" in her campaign - she should acknowledge that she is only where she is because of what Hillary has done. Does anyone doubt that Palin would've been picked as VP had it not been for Hillary's female supporters and all the attention being given to us? Palin may be making history, but it is on Hillary's coattails that she was able to ride into where she is. She is benefiting from the door that has been opened by Hillary, while negating everything that Hillary stands for. All the benefits with none of the responsibilities.

Needless to say, Palin doesn't get my vote.