Sarah Palin is not an obvious running mate. In a political race dominated by novelty, though, we really can't be too surprised. Palin, the current governor of Alaska, is a fresh addition to a McCain campaign hinging on what supporters call "experience" and detractors call "geriatrics." And while Democrats have rallied around the youth and vitality of Barack Obama, John McCain has finally unleashed his retaliatory broadside with a simple announcement one week ago. And the smoke has not settled. Palin flies in the face of Democrats expecting a stereotypically stodgy GOP operative to stand in as McCain's VP choice. The current round of debate over Palin's legitimacy as a candidate, however, is demonstrating an elemental reversal in the standard views of Democratic protestors and Republican defenders.
So far, the biggest knock against Palin is something often seen as a political necessity: her family. Palin is in a stable marriage with five children. She is a self-proclaimed "hockey mom," a down-to-earth woman with a highfalutin career, and a traditionalist in a modern world. Yet small cracks have seemingly formed in the Palin family's pristine surface. First, one of her children is a 4-month-old with Down's syndrome. Caring for a mentally disabled child is difficult enough, but the situation is compounded by the fact that Palin has four other children, all of whom are under the age of 20. People are beginning to ask about her decision to become McCain's running mate while raising such a young family. Who will be the sitter? Will Todd Palin become a stay-at-home dad? Think of the children! Yet, these concerns are being raised by members of the same party that reveled in alpha-women like Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton's membership in the "sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits." What is more, detractors haven't wasted any time in criticizing Palin for returning to work only three days after the birth. While Democrats are concerned about Palin's priorities, the GOP, defenders of traditional family values and stay-at-home moms everywhere, have come to her immediate defense by praising her strength as a politician, woman, and mother. Republicans are more than happy with Palin's choice to join the ticket, and more than that, they are happy to see a semblance of McCain's "maverick" instincts that made him notorious.
Another knock against Palin is that her 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, is five months pregnant. As a refresher, premarital sex is a no-no for Bible-fearing Christians, one of the largest subsections of the Republican Party. Yet, the party has welcomed the situation with open arms. Most evangelical Christians asked about the topic fully support both Bristol and Sarah and cite this as a great achievement for the anti-abortion movement. Their collective response has been "everyone makes mistakes." I must have missed something, because I seem to recall the GOP's unrestrained hellfire following the sexual escapades of our 42nd President. On the other side of the hat, Democrats immediately lambasted Palin for the poor example she has set for her family. Even though Bristol plans to marry the father, the party of progress suddenly isn't running forward so quickly.
Nothing has seemed right for the last week. But like I said before, in a race dominated by novelty, we shouldn't be surprised. This is especially true when four years of power are on the line. Republicans need Sarah Palin like a soccer team needs a rested set of legs. She is a shot of adrenaline, and party boosters will have her back even if that means living a few contradictions. Democrats recognize the threat of this new, young, attractive opponent, and they are willing to bring her down, even if they have to silence a woman with a career to do that. It is all a matter of political convenience, where it is far easier to cheer for your side and make a few excuses than it is to reprimand your best chance for victory. It is a longstanding and colorful tactic, and I don't think we will see an end to it even after the final votes are tallied.
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