DeGette Calls McCain's VP Choice Insulting to Women
Rep. Diana DeGette today called Sen. John McCain's selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate an insult to women. I received her statement by e-mail from her congressional office (no link yet.)
"The selection of Governor Palin is an insult to women. She has obviously been chosen to appeal to female voters, but she lacks both the experience and policy positions to serve as Vice-President of the United States." "The announcement of Governor Palin's selection on John McCain's 72nd Birthday highlights the fact t hat the Vice-President must be qualified to step into the Presidency from Day One. Sarah Palin is a 2-year governor with zero foreign policy experience whose former position was mayor of a town of 9,000."
"To assume that women will simply support Governor Palin because of her gender is insulting. In fact, the Governor is out of step with mainstream America on women's economic and social issues. For example, Governor Palin embraces John McCain's commitment to overturning Roe v. Wade and protecting a women's right to make her own health care decisions." "Governor Palin has also enthusiastically supported the Bush-McCain doctrine of standing up for Big Oil and failed economic policies that has led to a struggling economy." "American women need quality health care for themselves, economic security for their families, an energy plan that will give us energy independence, and a plan to bring our troops home from Iraq responsibly. "Barack Obama will give us the change we need, while John McCain and Sarah Palin will give us more of the same."Senator Salazar, according to the Denver Post, was more diplomatic:
"I have never heard of her. It is, in my view, still about what this election is all about, that we can't have four more years of George Bush," Salazar said. "His selection of someone we've never heard of from Alaska I don't think will change a thing for this election." Salazar also questioned whether Palin has the experience she needs but said the Democratic vice presidential candidate, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, does. "Joe Biden could step into the presidency if something were to happen to Barack Obama," he said.Among Colorado Republican leaders, the Post reports, the reaction was much different. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave said:
"I am delighted with John McCain's choice and I think it's going to inspire women around this country to think about a woman being able to be governor of the great state of Alaska and do the things that she has done already in her young life," she said.Whether McCain's choice of Gov. Palin turns out to be the death knell for his campaign or a brilliant move remains to be seen. There's no denying, however, that he succeeded in dominating the media coverage Friday and moving the focus off the Democratic convention and Sen. Barack Obama's speech.
Comments
Submitted by Bill M (not verified) on Tue, 2008-09-02 09:51.
Ms. Palin already has demonstrated how she wants to be an agent of change, by pushing in the past -- as the Colorado Independent reported Friday, Aug. 29 -- for not just intelligent design, but full-on creationism to be taught in our public schools. Funny, nobody seems to be talking about that in St. Paul...
Submitted by Cheryl C. (not verified) on Thu, 2008-09-04 15:56.
We've had 8 years of "Cracker, Redneck" in the Whitehouse...isn't that enough?! If McCain and Palin are the intellectual best that the Republicans can offer on their ticket, that Party is in a world of hurt. The citizens of this country had better wake up and elect a leader with an education, leadership skills, foreign affairs experience and the intelligence to understand the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Submitted by Brooke O'Malley (not verified) on Sun, 2008-08-31 15:28.
When I read Congresswoman DeGette’s remark that McCain’s choice of Gov. Palin was insulting,†I was an Independent. Her remarks stirred me to research Palin’s life & choose the McCain/Palin ticket.
Does DeGette really think “agent-of-change†Obama’s pick of Washington insider, Joe Biden as an “experienced†running mate, was less “insulting?â€
DeGette’s statements also belie the fact that Palin was first elected in 1992 – 5 years before Obama – as a Wasilla, AK, city councilwoman & that she was already Mayor when he 1st set foot in the Illinois legislature in 1997! Palin has already demonstrated change by challenging her own party’s ethics & has afforded Alaska a $9 Billion surplus while most of our country suffers economically. Who else can make that claim?
When DeGettes stated, "We need to remember that the vice president is a heartbeat away from the presidency,†she ignores that, on the McCain ticket, the “experience†is in first place, not in second place as with Obama’s ticket.
Submitted by Lynn M of Lakewood (not verified) on Tue, 2008-09-02 21:18.
Yes, I agree with Ms DeGette, she took the words right out of my mouth! It is insulting to me as a woman, to think I would just cast my vote for any woman.
As a single working mother, I want the first woman to hold such an office, to be a brillant business woman focused on the position. A woman that wouldn't be distracted by the type of personal baggage Ms Palin is juggling. I give her credit for doing the job she has done in Alaska as a working woman and mother of 5. Ms Palin sounds like a strong woman but bringing a newborn with special needs into the Governor's office of Alaska is far different than nursing a baby in the Vice Presidential office of the United States. Get real, fortune 500 companies expect more from us as working women!
I would have respected her far more had she thanked Senator McCain for the opportunity then suggested she seek such an office in the future.
As a woman and a mother, We may do our best, but we really can't do it all, and do it all well. As hard as we try, Superwoman is ficticoius. I want a woman in such a poerful position to have all her attention on the business at hand. No "hockey Mom" for VP for this woman.
