It’s going to look pretty backward to just put out two aging white guys from now on.
Basically the only time that McCain was ahead (or at least close to tied) during the last several months was immediately after Palin was chosen. Granted it wore off once people got to know more about her, but at least in the initial phase when all anyone knew about her was that she was a conservative female governor of Alaska, she was obviously pretty popular with the electorate.
So rather then making the GOP shy away from female candidates, I think Palin showed them that they can be a good idea. They just need a better one next time.
And that is in my second top ten reasons to vote Obama. I’d like to see a Muslim President in my life time (not likely). I’d like to see a woman. Hell, let’s elect a lesbian Asian-American woman who is Buddhist!
Perhaps this is the tipping point for true change.
Ugh, a buddist, you say…well, as long as she is not left handed.
I think that in 2010 or 2012 you’ll see Palin back on the GOP stage in some capacity. However, if by that time she hasn’t brushed up her bona fides, she wouldn’t make it through a GOP primary season. There would be other candidates who could wipe the floor with her, when it comes to issues and facts and figures.
And that, if anything, is the lesson of Palin. You probably won’t see another pick like her for quite some time — a candidate designed only to fill a demographic, plucked from obscurity and trained at the last minute by party faithful. The fact that she’s a woman is immaterial. Hillary did pretty damned well, herself.
I think one short term hit that she has caused is that in the next few election cycles the fact that she was touted as the best possible VP choice will be used against other prominent female Republican candidates. “Why vote for Olympia Snow(/Kay Bailey Hutchins/etc.) if even the Republicans think she was a worse choice than Sarah Palin”- type attacks.
The Republicans will need new female leaders to come out of the woods to be viable candidates for the Pres./VP. Ones that cannot be painted by their opponents at being a lesser choice than the Joke from the North.
For the Dem’s it will be a lot easier in the short term as Hillary acquitted herself quite well in the primaries.
I actually think there will be a Republican woman president before a Democrat one.
I call this the “Janeway Effect”.
I don’t know, Death of Rats: many will argue if she was the best VP choice available. She did nothing to attract moderates — actually, that was meant to be John McCain’s job, so at least one could say she was picked for strategic reasons. But Palin didn’t attract the center, in the way another female pick might have.
She did balance the ticket almost perfectly- Young vs Old, Inexperienced vs experienced, conservative vs moderate, female vs male, etc.
I suspect Palin’s effect on female GOP candidates will be negligible.
Ditzy vs crazy…
I’d buy that for a dollar.
I agree, and I don’t think that she was the best by any stretch, but the Party was forced to defend her as such. This gives the Democrats big caliber ammo to use against any female Republican candidates that were passed over for her. It is that perception of taint that any female republican candidate would have to overcome. This would put them at a disadvantage to start with. They start out already that much futher behind then even an indentically qualified Dem or a Rep darkhorse who was not on the scene for this election. Unless, there is a female Repub Obama-type that will pop up in the mid-term elections , it will be a longer time for the Republicans to get an untainted female candidate, IMHO.
Sure, but then you have to fork over $150,000 for outfits and accessories. Not to mention the Caribou Barbie Pink Wolf-shootin’ Copter! That is where they make the real money, doncha’ know.
Qualified vs unqualified.
As for her hurting their chance, let’s wait until people start talking after the election. Even before significant conservative voices, like Wills, came out against her, and a McCain adviser called her a whack job, which is pretty strong before the votes are cast. There are certainly parts of the GOP who will continue to find her wonderful, but if they triumph the GOP will be a minority party for many years to come.
As for the question, I wonder if the impact will be on qualified women without quite the sex or crowd appeal of Palin. If a woman doesn’t have the draw, will she be considered not to measure up in some fashion?