Last night Sarah Palin smashed through a glass ceiling, officially becoming the first woman to occupy a spot on a Republican Presidential ticket.
Despite recent criticism, she effectively and pointedly made the case against Obama while highlighting her executive experience as Alaska's governor and down-to-earth, small town roots. She electrified the GOP delegates and brought an unmatched level of excitement to the entire party.
What baffles me is the critical media coverage which seems to be asking questions of Palin that would never be mentioned with other candidates. The other night, CNN's John Roberts had the audacity to question whether Palin could continue to be a good mother to her children if elected vice president. Would this question be asked of ANY other candidate? Barack Obama has two children and a working wife. Where is the concern for his paternal aptitude?
Surprisingly much of the criticism of Palin, who should be an icon in the women's rights movement, comes from those who have dedicated themselves to that very cause! A statement from the National Organization for Women arrogantly asserts that "they [women] will surely not find Sarah Palin to be an advocate for women." But who is that bulwark of a candidate standing strong for women's issues? Rather than celebrating the first woman ever on a GOP Presidential ticket, the National Organization for Women said, "Sen. Joe Biden is the VP candidate who appeals to women." Really? An organization whose sole goal is to achieve change for women is ignoring Palin in favor of a man who has sat stagnant in the U.S. Senate for more than half his life? It wouldn't be because she happens to be pro-life, would it?
Palin has been hammered by Democrats for a lack of experience, but she has more executive experience than Obama or Biden. In her words, "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities. She's done more than ask people to put faith in some kind of amorphous change; she's actually inspired substantive transformation, stopping excessive spending, successfully challenging the institutional politics of her state, and defeating an incumbent governor. Gov. Palin embodies change in a way Barack Obama never has or will.
I've disagreed with Sen. McCain's positions and decisions on a number of occasions, but this isn't one of them. Sarah Palin is a great choice for VP and we ought to be celebrating her historic ascension in American politics rather than questioning whether she will have time to be a mom.
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