Palin Comparison

Throughout the 2008 Presidential campaign, I was an ardent supporter of Senator Clinton. Whatever her flaws - personal or political - I believed, both at the beginning, and end, of her campaign, that she was the best of our available candidates from either party: smart, tenacious, sensible, tough, compassionate, well-informed, with a strong work-ethic and a deep knowledge of domestic and foreign affairs. And, quite frankly, female.

After two-plus centuries of male leadership, sitting on the precipice of a world arguably as dangerous as at any point in our young nation's history, I, and many like me, felt it was time for a change. We did not vote for her simply because she was a woman, of course, but because we believed whole-heartedly she was the right woman to guide us through a very wrong time in our history. That she will not have that chance - at least this time - is still heartbreaking for many of us. But, that heartbreak has been eclipsed over the past month by the emergence of Sarah Palin, a woman, candidate, and quite obvious political ploy, who pales in comparison to Senator Clinton in every conceivable way.

Far be it for me to pile on, only adding to the chorus of voices loudly questioning Palin's qualifications, intellectual curiosity and aptitude, but the past week's Palin-related headlines warrant the attention they're getting and probably have upcoming Vice Presidential debate moderator Gwen Ifill's head spinning. Just consider how to whittle down necessary questions from the following:

"Governor Palin, you mentioned that the bailout proposal was about health care and job creation. Did you read the bill, that made no mention of either? If so, did you understand a word of it?"

"Governor Palin, CAN you name any other case heard by the Supreme Court other than Roe V. Wade and discuss its importance in shaping domestic law?"

"Governor Palin, DID you research, and find, any examples of Senator McCain's maverick ways and get back to Ms. Couric?"

"Governor Palin, do you feel adequately protected from evil spirits and witchcraft?"

"Governor Palin, when you listened to Joe Biden's speeches while in the second grade, did you agree or disagree with him?"

"Governor Palin, can you name one of those newspapers or magazines set down in front of you that you read?"

"Governor Palin, did you, in fact, have an extramarital affair with one of your husband's business partners?"

"Governor Palin, do you always copy your husband on your official governmental e-mails while using a personal e-mail account protected by law?"

"Governor Palin, where did you see photographic evidence of human footprints inside dinosaur footprints, bolstering your claim that humans and dinosaurs shared the earth 4,000 years ago?"

"Governor Palin, just what is it about President Putin's head that you find so ugly?"

"Governor Palin, we know you wouldn't second-guess Israel, but might you second-guess your decision to think you're at all ready to become leader of the free world?"

No person to whom asking any of the above questions would be conceivable has any business presenting him- or herself to the American public as a viable candidate for a presidential ticket. Whatever else Palin's flaws, greatest among them is the profound lack of self-awareness evident in her choice to accept McCain's running-mate offer.

I am thankful to have witnessed, within my lifetime, a shift to include women and people of color among those to whom the highest offices in the land are now available (and can only hope I will additionally witness a similar shift to include Atheists and the non-heterosexually-identified). To have female leadership, the likes of which Senator Clinton and others like her could provide, is both long overdue and terribly necessary at this time in our nation's history; to be offered female leadership, the likes of which Governor Palin offers, is cynical, insulting and scary. And not just because she pales in comparison, but because she increasingly couldn't look paler.