Marlo Thomas | 08/29/2008 3:54 pm

Marlo Thomas: They Don't Understand Women

I am aghast at the cynicism of this choice. As if Hillary’s voters will go for any woman. Hillary’s constituency (myself being one of them who has now moved to Obama) is not going to vote for a woman who is against choice, against stem cell research and thinks creationism should be taught in schools. They may have chosen a woman but they don’t understand women.

Read more about: John McCain, News, Politics, Sarah Palin

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Yeah, how can anyone spout off about equal pay and caring about working people and so forth, and back McCain/Palin?

By James the Game on 08/29/2008 5:43 pm

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Kay, are you serious? - “And I have to add Nancy Pelosi who has the lowest approval ratings of anyone, with Congress having worse ratingss than Bush and as Speaker she could not get the Equal Pay act passed with a majority of democrats …” a majority of how many? No where near the 60 % to overturn a veto by GW, and only by one (1) in the Senate. How does that equate to a “majority” should pass any good bill? Think about that, in your indecision & upset. IF you really want REAL changes - let go of having the “first woman” in the White House, and work to get more representatives in the Congress & Senate that share all our views! I am.

By Kathleen E Lo Pinto VIgnolini on 08/29/2008 8:56 pm

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kay sara, i am so sorry but not surprised to hear that you lost your job. good luck in your lawsuit and in getting another job. i agree that palin will be no worse prepared than george w. bush was when he took over the job, but do we really want such a learning curve? this choice is to blunt the arguments for obama/biden, not to find the best candidate available. at least obama shows ability to learn fast, and biden nicely shores up his foreign policy inexperience. mccain wants war, war, war, and i doubt if he takes palin seriously.

By mary lou s on 08/30/2008 2:09 pm

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Kay Sara/Susan B. Anthony As someone said earlier today “That was fricken’ beautiful!!!” You hit the gong today for me. Yeah, where is Nancy anyway? On her book tour trying to make some more millions while her constituents are still suffering economically. Nancy “the dog ate my homework excuse” Pelosi.

By Frannie Em on 08/31/2008 4:10 pm

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I think the Obamas put the myth that they’re in it for themselves to rest with their great speeches at the Democratic Convention. They are for the working people, the hurting people, the types that the Bush Administration has long since forgotten about. When Obama said he’d kill the tax breaks for those making more than $250,000 per year, and re-invest those savings into universal health-care, that spoke volumes. It is McCain who supports the rich and the oil companies, not Obama. As for equal pay, I sure haven’t heard McCain support it.

By James the Game on 08/29/2008 5:25 pm

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McCain has voted against it. Also repeatedly against raising the minimum wage.

By DeBúrca obj on 08/29/2008 5:54 pm

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The fact that McCain picked a women for VP is not just about wooing “Hillary voters”. Believe it or not the GOP also has women in the party and the women in the GOP are very pleased about Palin—she represents us. The Republicans don’t need to understand liberal women, they need to understand conservative women and their base. Of course Palin is not a substitute for Hillary —she is the Republican’s pick not the Dems. Most republican women wouldn’t vote for Hillary or any other Dem woman—(though I’d prefer her over Obama)—anymore than Dems would vote for Kay Bailey Hutchinson or any other GOP woman to be Pres. If Obama had picked another woman for VP other than Hillary, then your argument would be valid. If anybody doesn’t “get it” it’s the Dems not understanding that they are not the only party that can have a “first woman” VP.

By eleanor roche on 08/29/2008 5:59 pm

eleanore, Too bad you & the GOP are a few years too late with: “If anybody doesn’t “get it” it’s the Dems not understanding that they are not the only party that can have a “first woman” VP.” - candidate, that is. Way back In 1984 the Dems had Geraldine Farraro - highly qualified, well spoken, and a moderate. But the “Rove-like” GOP of the time smashed her down, as a woman, and because (unlike themselves - hmmm, oh really?) her husband once knew some “unsavory” people.

By Kathleen E Lo Pinto VIgnolini on 08/29/2008 9:04 pm

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Kathleen—I wasn’t talking about the first woman VP CANDIDATE—I was talking about the first woman VP—you know actually holding the office. All due respect to Geraldine, who I admire, but obviously she was not the first woman VP—The Republicans may beat out the Dems with that honor.

By eleanor roche on 08/29/2008 9:15 pm

“The Republicans don’t need to understand liberal women, they need to understand conservative women and their base.” Would you say this is more polarizing, or elitist?

By Zera Lee on 08/30/2008 3:12 am

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Zera Lee As to your comment:——“The Republicans don’t need to understand liberal women, they need to understand conservative women and their base.” Would you say this is more polarizing, or elitist? I was speaking about McCain’s VP pick—the only constituency McCain should be completely concerned about in his VP pick are other republicans. If he can bring others—ie independents and moderate Dems along with him with it, that’s great, but it shouldn’t be his primary concern. The Republicans don’t have to please the dems with their VP pick anymore than the Dems need to please the Republicans with theirs. Obviously, once someone is President, the conditions change and he represents all people. But for now he is the REPUBLICAN nominee. Obama certainly wasn’t thinking of me or others like me when he chose Joe Biden. As to polarizing, I think the Dems are doing just fine with that on their own. Elitist?—Have you read the comments some of these women have written about Palin? —Elitism at it’s best!!! These women knocking her down (Palin) actually think they are better than her. I would love to know by which criteria they assess that judgement.

By eleanor roche on 08/30/2008 9:09 am

That familiar right-wing chip-on-the-shoulder showing again, Eleanor Roche. I don’t feel that the women you are complaining about think they’re better than Palin. I think they’re scared of her because she appears to be so cheerfully, imperviously narrow-minded, sheltered, provincial; they’re scared that she isn’t equipped to begin to acknowledge, let alone understand, the realities of USA 2008. Hey ho, hey ho … just whistle a happy tune … and smile, smile, smile, eh?

By Dunbar Dunbar on 08/30/2008 2:54 pm

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Hey Suzanne, time to up your meds.

By eleanor roche on 08/30/2008 9:59 pm

Hi, eleanor. What you said was true during the primaries, but the primaries are over. We are now heading into the general election campaign, and the purpose of the general election is to determine who the majority of voters believe best represents their interests. By saying “The Republicans don’t need to understand liberal women” and “the only constituency McCain should be completely concerned about in his VP pick are other republicans.”, you are saying that Republicans should not even consider the concerns of, or attempt to appeal to, liberal women or non-Republicans. This is not polarizing? (to break up into opposing factions or groupings) This is not elitist? (the selectivity of the elite; especially : snobbery ) This certainly rejects McCain’s boast of “reaching across the aisle” even as his shift to the far right has put the aisle out of reach. As for Palin, most posters seem fairly clear on what point they are criticizing, and why. I have not seen anyone claim to be better than her, but as a VP candidate, she is subject to critical evaluation - as are all candidates. No one is being any harsher on her than you are on any candidate you dislike.

By Zera Lee on 09/02/2008 2:42 am

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Well Zera Lee, If we follow your argument, then why did Obama pick Biden? Biden certainly doesn’t do anything for conservatives or moderate republicans. You can’t have it both ways. McCain may be a “maverick” but he is still the REPUBLICAN nominee and he certainly shouldn’t pick a democrat (lieberman) for VP—would Obama picking a republican make you want to vote for him??? I don’t think so. Sorry if you libs don’t like it, but us conservatives are very happy with her as the pick and thats what McCain should be worried about and he was smart enough to realize this. As to the primary versus the general, Obama moved farther to the left than Hillary—something I didn’t think was possible—that’s why he won the primary, now he’s moved to the middle—how do you feel about that?

By eleanor roche on 09/02/2008 10:37 pm