I’ve heard a lot lately about the effect the Palin veep choice has had on the white woman voter. Palin was in part chosen to appeal to disillusioned Hillary supporters. From blogs like this one (with posts like this) and statistics like this, I gather that the strategy is working. The problem started much sooner, as well, with perceived slights from the Obama camp regarding women.
But why are women who once supported Hillary Clinton, a strong woman with strong ideals and visions about where this country should go, are now supporting Sarah Palin? Worse, why are they supporting John McCain?
On issues important to women, like contraception, abortion, education, and equality, McCain/Palin have a horrific record. The American Association of University Women, perhaps the leading professional organization for women, put out a voter’s guide on the stances of the candidates that shows McCain in a very poor light. This is the same group that funded Marie Curie’s research and had such notables as Eleanor Roosevelt as a member.
The National Organization for Women has officially endorsed Obama because of his strong stance on a variety of women’s issues, as reflected in his record. This group is also a premiere feminist organization that has worked tirelessly for women’s rights.
McCain has spoken openly on The View about his belief that Roe v. Wade was a “bad decision” and has said more explicitly:
But McCain’s voting record is solidly antichoice. He said directly in South Carolina that Roe “should be overturned” and strongly reiterates that position on his campaign Web site. He told the American Conservative Union that one of the three most important goals that he wants to achieve as president is to promote “a nation of traditional values that protects the rights of the unborn.”
Palin’s stance is even more hard-lined than McCain’s:
The candidates were pressed on their stances on abortion and were even asked what they would do if their own daughters were raped and became pregnant.
Palin said she would support abortion only if the mother’s life was in danger. When it came to her daughter, she said, “I would choose life.”
But there are women out there who aren’t pro-choice, so this might not convince them. So, what about sex-ed, a good alternative to prevent unwanted pregnancies in the first place? Palin explicitly opposed such programs in Alaska:
Q: Will you support funding for abstinence-until-marriage education instead of for explicit sex-education programs, school-based clinics, and the distribution of contraceptives in schools?
SP: Yes, the explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support.
McCain on equal pay for women? While he pays lip-service to the idea, his opposition to the Lilly Ledbetter Act says otherwise. Interestingly enough, this is a bill that Hillary Clinton strongly supports and criticized McCain for his opposition. She says:
“Senator McCain has yet again fallen in line with President Bush while middle-class families are falling by the wayside,” Clinton said in a statement following the vote. “Women are earning less, but Senator McCain is offering more of the same.”
While this isn’t particularly feminist related, Palin has come out in support of teaching creationism, a decidedly unscientific “theory,” alongside evolution, an extensively studied scientific theory.
But, I hear you cry, what about all the sexist remarks Obama made against women, like calling that reporter “sweetie?” Well, Obama apologized to that reporter personally and, hell, my friends can testify to me calling many a woman and man sweetie, honey, darling, and dear.
McCain, on the other hand, said that women needed more “education and training” in order to receive equal pay. In his “younger days,” when he was a mere 49 years old, McCain made a joke about a woman being beaten and raped by a gorilla. Dirty jokes are fine for the back of the bar, but not at a political function, sir. But that was a slip of the tongue, I’m sure he has plenty of respect for women, right? That’s why he allegedly called his wife a c**t and glossed over the question when asked about it with offense at the word itself. That’s poorly documented and iffy, but this is not: McCain offering his wife up for a topless beauty pageant in front of a crowd of motorcyclists. Neither is the fact that he cheated on his first wife.
So what is this about? Do women just want a woman, any woman, to be in the White House no matter their beliefs? As a woman myself, I don’t understand how someone who believed in Hillary, an amazing woman who still works to give women all the rights they deserve, the same woman who made this speech, could now believe in McCain/Palin.
