hurricane palin

Since John McCain introduced Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential candidate, the Obama campaign has been spinning its wheels, desperately trying to shift out of defense and resume its plan of attack, which was successful pre-hurricane Palin.

The Palin surge can be attributed largely to the shortsighted, ADD-affected, and, quite frankly, stupid American people. Too many Americans are willing to roll the dice and elect now, ask questions later. Too many Americans refuse to read past the headlines. Too many of my fellow citizens are swooned by campaign images and slogans.

Case in point: McCain claims he will put "country first," but was he and his cronies putting country first when they chose Palin? Palin: a person McCain had met only once prior to the VP announcement on 29 August 2008. Palin: a person who has been governor of Alaska for a mere 21 months and served two terms as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska (population 7100). Palin: a vice-presidential candidate who, in her first interview as McCain's running mate, wouldn't rule out an armed conflict with Russia.

Is there a single McCain supporter who can look me in the eye and say Palin has the resume to sit just one heartbeat away from the presidency?

The McCain camp deserves credit, however. Not only are they using Hillary Clinton's absence to exploit Palin's sex and thereby playing the gender card, they have also tapped America's idiotic fascination with image and celebrity. Since her nomination, Palin's exposure to the voters and media has been limited to one interview and a series of carefully orchestrated -- and repetitive -- campaign speeches. (But despite the McCain campaign's best efforts to reconcile the obvious distance -- both political and personal -- between McCain and Palin, their joint appearances remain tainted with awkward exchanges and forced smiles, as though McCain were the estranged father and Palin the scorned yet determined daughter.)

If Americans weren't so easily sold on the used car promises of political candidates and the media's coverage of election year "issues" such as pigs and lipstick, perhaps more of us would realize the significance of this year's presidential election and become more engaged in the political process. How many potential voters are aware of Palin's stance on abortion? (She's a staunch pro-lifer and does not support a woman's right to choose even in cases of rape and incest.) How many Americans know Palin's view on sex education? (She supports abstinence-only sex ed, despite her unwed 17-year-old daughter's pregnancy. If abstinence-only doesn't work in her own home, how can it work in the halls of public schools across this country?) And do Americans really believe the Iraq war is a "task from God"?

Will Barack Obama change the face of politics if elected? Probably not. But change has to begin somewhere. And I have faith that the citizens of this great country will awake to this fact, break the cycle of cynicism and cast their vote for Barack on 4 November 2008.

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