Sheila Nevins | 08/30/2008 9:17 am

Sheila Nevins: Why Palin Is a Great Choice

WOW ladies take a breather. This is a wonderful choice. It is a clear choice and that’s what America stands for. The issues that Palin represents though reprehensible to me - represent a constituency and a voice. American democracy represents the right to disagree. It also represents majority rule. The cards are on the table - race, abortion, gun control, stem cell research, taxation, godliness - you name it. There’s no fudging here - no middle of the road. rhetoric. Americans will declare their absolute preferences. And a woman will stand for this. Being a woman doesn’t mean agreeing with the WOW dames. Palin may not be in whom we trust, but there is an odd equality in the sheer selection. Women can be as arbitrary and right wing as any man. And for those of us for whom Sarah Palin’s beliefs belie our deepest convictions. So be it. The great truths lie in an honest ballot box. Vote and live in America or flee if you must. Great choice in the divide A civil war without bullets. Three cheers for clarity.

What Other wOw Women Are Saying About Sarah Palin:
Whoopi Golderg on Sarah Palin and Joe Biden
Joan Ganz Cooney: The Choice of Palin Is Irresponsible
Marlo Thomas: They Don’t Understand Women

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

379 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Deliberately misconstruing and misinterpreting what was said and then being angry about it? Really. That’s useful.

By Mugsy Peabody on 09/02/2008 3:11 am

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Dear Mary, “a democrat woman”. Democratic is the proper term, as Republican is the proper term for any member or members, of the Republican party . Democrat woman rather than a Democratic woman, is the sort of terminology used by people who want to show disrespect for the Democratic Party. From The New Yorker There’s no great mystery about the motives behind this deliberate misnaming. “Democrat Party” is a slur, or intended to be—a handy way to express contempt. Aesthetic judgments are subjective, of course, but “Democrat Party” is jarring verging on ugly. The terminology Democrat Party, rather than Democratic party has been traced to the time of Senator Joseph McCarthy, the infamous red-baiter and witch-hunter, who brought shame to the Nation by his use of fear and smear tactics.

By Deni G on 09/02/2008 2:56 pm

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Not to mention that we, as democrats and liberals and progressives (not to mention educated women), actually do believe that Ms. Mary has a right to hold and express her honest opinions. It’s sad that she’s used that right to espouse prepackaged propaganda, rather than looking around her world, seeing that in the past eight years her neighbors are losing their jobs, their homes, their health insurance, their savings, their ability to survive in the world, that their children are coming home maimed from Iraq — look at those truths, those facts staring her in the face, and think, “Now, how did this happen?” No, it wasn’t Osama, Mary. It was Bush, Cheney, and their friends who screwed you and your neighbors.

By Mugsy Peabody on 09/02/2008 3:09 pm

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And here we go! The GOP has passed its platform: “We renew our call for replacing ‘family planning’ programs for teens with increased funding for abstinence education, which teaches abstinence until marriage as the responsible and expected standard of behavior. Abstinence from sexual activity is the only protection that is 100 percent effective against out-of-wedlock pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS when transmitted sexually. Who exactly is the party that sticks their governmental noses into Americans personal lives? Expected standard of behavior? They have expected standards of behavior for teenagers, as part of their party platform? Yet they insist that it not be part of a political discussion? Do Republicans actually agree with this, the Government having standards of behavior for their teenagers? They really need to revamp their ‘holier than thou’ morality platform positions or expect them to be a point of lively discussions. On the one hand they are appalled at discussions about an unwed pregnancy and on the other hand, they make it part of their party platform.

By Deni G on 09/02/2008 7:19 pm

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How many faces do these people need?

By Mugsy Peabody on 09/02/2008 7:23 pm

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Mugsy from what has been posted here there is no example of progressiveness linked with democrats and liberals. It appears that yours is an exclusive group for people who only agree with your point of view. Not very progressive. And oh, love the comment about educated women - is that meant as a put down for me and others who do not agree with the bs from the democrat party? This is were you guys will always lose and my team wins. Your arrogance is not lost on us dumb hicks and you are so way off base and frankly its just offensive. Are you from New York?

By Mary in California on 09/04/2008 12:35 am

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No, rather than fall for the nonsense coming out of the progagandists on your neocon right, I actually pay attention to the news. The fact that you think this is a “team winning” situation when our government today illegally invaded Pakistan is not lost on me. You see “an exclusive group” but in fact these people do not know me and I don’t know them. We happen to agree that fascism is a very very poor idea for America, and we are very disgusted that you don’t even seem to get it. I am not, as it happens, arrogant. In fact, people who know me well think I could actually hold a much higher opinion of myself, based on the evidence. But you don’t base things on evidence, apparently, because invading foreign nations illegally doesn’t seem to be so important as making snide remarks about me.

By Mugsy Peabody on 09/04/2008 1:22 am

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Mary in Calif………….Thank you — and Amen!!!!!

By Lady Gator on 09/03/2008 9:40 am

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Dr. Mark Klein — What a nasty piece of trash!!! I think we’ve all heard what this creepy blogger spewed!! And, I’m not suprised that YOU would be the one to repeat such malodorous s%#@!!! But, then, we, on this site know that you don’t think your opinions smell! Well, sir, I can smell your farty flatulence from many miles away!! My eyes are tearing up from the smell of rotten gas!!!!!

By Lady Gator on 09/03/2008 9:36 am

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Thank you, Sheila.

By Marjorie C. on 08/30/2008 10:17 am

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Once again, Sheila speaks truth to power.

By Meg Umans on 08/30/2008 2:53 pm

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What power is she speaking to? She is speaking to all of you. -She isn’t speaking to our Founding Fathers—the most brilliant men of the 18th C that risked and lost their lives to create this country on 18thC French Enlightenment Ideals and Rousseau’s “Social Contract”…that was based on Plato’s “Republic”….ideals and values and intelligent thought that created four of the most valiant and vital civilizations in human history. -She isn’t speaking to those millions of US troops that have died horrific deaths on battlefields around the world to protect your freedoms which come with responsibility to honor the Constitution and all that it stands for, and respect the sacrifices made that require due dilligence on the part of the citizenry to have and keep a republic according to the prelates of Jefferson, Washington, Madison, Franklin, Adams etc. -She isn’t speaking to me—-that’s for certain. Because I do not buy this crass, vulgar pop culture that says anything is OK and that America isn’t worth the dignity of a thoughtful choice, a respectful choice for all that went before. Our Founding Fathers are rolling over in their graves that we have devolved into this. Presidential scholars around this country are in a state of shock. What POWER is she speaking to? You idiot women think that a puppet who is being used as PR for the patriarchy is somehow an advancement for you? Don’t you know you are being “Had by a Cad? How dumb can you get? It is really sad to read many of the comments here because I know from these just how dumb the US really is. Not wasting any more time here. When a TV producer can write an idiot piece like this one…..I do not want to be here. It isn’t worthy of my time.

By No Way-No How -No McCain on 08/30/2008 8:39 pm

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Maybe you’ll do better in France. Shame it didn’t work out for you here.

By Meg Umans on 08/31/2008 12:04 am

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Your argument seemed somewhat intelligent until I got to the paragraph…”You idiot women”…..and I thinks to my self….Duh….now rightch here is a creature who done has thunk it all thru and has such respect for we women folk.

By Terri Kay on 08/31/2008 6:06 pm

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I think what he really meant was,”you idiots (who happen to be women.)” Actually, I didn’t appreciate his use of the word, “idiot”, but that’s just me. The man’s fired up, clearly. And I understand his frustration with some of us. But let’s all try to use more respectful adjectives with each other. Epithets never win converts.

By Susan B on 08/31/2008 10:35 pm