*loud whistle of approval* It makes me queasy when I see how a female candidate is INSTANTLY judged on her appearance.

I think she might be in need of a brain makeover.

I'm sitting here giggling. You see, I do like her, but I am appreciative of the fact that as democrats, you gals are at least on her side as far as her being critiqued for her "looks"! I mean really, when will people get it that attractiveness means zero as far as qualifications.
In fact I can safely say that the one guy in High School who was totally beautiful, (and I am talking hot!) was also the biggest know nothing jerk.

**clapping!**

The Republicans are using her as a smoke screen and some women are falling for it, like this one.

I'm with Maribeth on the "I know you girls don't agree with her politics" but I do and I have a heck of a lot of respect for Sarah Palin's intelligence AND her track record in office (have we seen what she did with Alaska's Economy? Bring some of that to the rest of us!), but am a diehard fiscal conservative so of course I'd love Gov Palin.

Anyway, not my point...my point is:

Someone in response to this very same (brilliant) observation pointed out that during his speech on Thursday, Barack Obama's suit was critiqued.

I mean really, NOT THE SAME. I also heard Newt Gingrich who is a HUGE Pali supporter and actually mused on what a great running mate she'd be back in April, wrap up an interview by saying (something along the lines of), "And, she's had 5 kids and looks like THAT? WOW." Stop it Newt.

Sorry! I thought I made a hyperlink but it doesn't seem to have worked.

Anyway, my friend Heather tells a pathetic story about one woman's reactions to Palin here: http://itsalwaysdarkestbeforeiopenmyeyes.blogspot.com/

Women sure don't help each other or the cause of equality with comments like that.

Ya know, I've never noticed this before now, but thank you for bringing it to my attention. You are so right.

*Gives great Kudos to Beth*

I would stand and clap if I didn't have a cat in my lap. I agree 100%!

Ha ha ha! I whole-heartedly agree with what you wrote but also found it funny compared to your previous post.

"Maybe we would have more women in positions of power if we would all stop analyzing each other's shoes and instead analyze each other's ideas" with "Where my Breasts get Political."

That was one of the things that killed me with Clinton earlier this year. Everything about her had some mention of hair, clothes, fashion, blah blah blah. It pissed me off, and I love hair, clothes, and fashion.

And it especially made me made that the talk was Senetor McCain blah blah blah Senetor Obama blah blah blah, *Hilary*...

That was one of the things that killed me with Clinton earlier this year. Everything about her had some mention of hair, clothes, fashion, blah blah blah. It pissed me off, and I love hair, clothes, and fashion.

And it especially made me made that the talk was Senator McCain blah blah blah Senator Obama blah blah blah, *Hilary*...

Well you wouldn't really be voting for her anyway. Does anyone vote for the VICE president?

The vice president is still important, too, and you should take that into consideration when voting for president... it's not like they just sit in the white house watching reruns...

i love palin and think she's smart and driven and stands up for what she believes. plus she has more real experience in the politcal scene than barack, which i find amusing to some extent.

no matter what, women in politics are going to be criticized over SOMEthing because they're an easy target. hopefully that will change soon!

damn right, beth! it's so infuriating to stand back and watch women downplay THEMSELVES and feminism by making snarky comments like that. focus on her platform, not her jewelry.

Now there's a political common ground! Well said!

First - HELL NO I will not be voting for Sarah Palin, not because she needs a makeover (WHATEVER!) but because she's an untried neophyte and was chosen for her gender, not for her policies.

That being said, I don't think she needs a makeover. What a pathetic statement of our society that we judge a woman like this, especially when there is so much more important stuff to discuss regarding her selection for VP

Sarah Palin has great ideas, but the fact that she could possibly be one heartbeat away from being president scares the beejeebees out of me. I was on the fence but McCain just pushed me decidedly to Obama with is Veep choice. Anyone who was only governor of a state for 18 months (a state with a population of 500,000, mind you, less than the population of a large city!) and a former mayor of a town of less than 6,000 just doesnt cut it for me, whether she has good ideas and fresh views or not.

The thought of having an infant at the controls of the US is frightening. . . at least Obama has been a US Senator, and prior to that had worked abroad for difference causes. Palin has been stuck in Alaska, in her own little world, doing a lot of good, yes, but on a very, very, little scale.

Scary, very scary.

Pretty much ridiculous! Ugh.

I'm surprised someone would say that because - aside from the fact that it's so inappropriate given that she's a politician and not a frickin' model - I think she's quite pretty! I mean, I'm sure as hell not gonna vote for the McCain/Palin ticket either but I've gotta give it to the woman: she's kinda hot.

But I know that wasn't your point. ;)

word.

From one ObamaMama to another.

I agree with you. Men are not scrutinized for their looks or their wardrobe choices and women shouldn't be either. I hated it when it was going on with Hillary Clinton. The fact that so many commentators feel it appropriate to make remarks about her appearance is shocking actually as well as disappointing. How she looks or what she wears has nothing to do with whether or not she is qualified. People need to start talking seriously about her qualifications because I find it very frightening that she could potentially be our Vice President.

I agree with you. Men are not scrutinized for their looks or their wardrobe choices and women shouldn't be either. I hated it when it was going on with Hillary Clinton. The fact that so many commentators feel it appropriate to make remarks about her appearance is shocking actually as well as disappointing. How she looks or what she wears has nothing to do with whether or not she is qualified. People need to start talking seriously about her qualifications because I find it very frightening that she could potentially be our Vice President.

I agree with you. Men are not scrutinized for their looks or their wardrobe choices and women shouldn't be either. I hated it when it was going on with Hillary Clinton. The fact that so many commentators feel it appropriate to make remarks about her appearance is shocking actually as well as disappointing. How she looks or what she wears has nothing to do with whether or not she is qualified. People need to start talking seriously about her qualifications because I find it very frightening that she could potentially be our Vice President.

Word. and double word. no matter what you think of her politics it's appalling that a makover is the knee-jerk reaction that most of those stupid "political experts" have...

Amen, sister! Also, I find it repugnant that they constantly talk about how she is the mother of five, in a tone that hints she is neglecting her brood of children in order to be VP. Yet no one mentioned that Mitt Romney has five kids he'd be neglecting in order to run the country (had he won the nomination).

Not that it matters to me. I'd rather poke my eye out than vote McCain/Palin.

She needs a makeover? Huh. I thought her looks were all she had going for her.

She is totally lacking in experience. Doesn't Alaska have the smallest population of all states? And her ultra-conservative position on so many things, including abortion and abstinence only sex education (which worked so well for her daughter. Oh - and I LOVE how we have to leave her children out of it. We do? Really? We can rip apart the Spears family in the media for months but we have to leave Palin's family out of it? Color me confused. Especially when it's the party that pushes "family values") http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/01/palin-on-abortion-id-oppo_n_122924.html and her anti-environment stand.

And to the poster who said we aren't voting for a vice president. That has never been more important than in this election. We have a presidential nominee who is older than Reagan was (and what a bang up job HE did!) and has battled melanoma how many times now? Please. If McCain is elected - Palin running the country is a REAL possibility. And Obama? The man has record-breaking security around a presidential candidate - and has since days after he announced he was running.

@ Caleal:
That totally pissed me off, too! That's Senator Clinton, bitches. The pundits passed on it like it wasn't important, but talk about undermining a person's credibility.
And the only makeover Palin needs is a reality check.

Men are judged on their looks, too, but in a more general way. For instance, McCain is 72, but he looks 82. That's not good, and it doesn't instill confidence. Joe Biden looks like a confident, secure, smart man, doesn't he? I'm not analyzing his shoes, I'm giving an all-over perspective. Likewise, Kucinich looks like a weak man. However, I'm betting that Kucinich has better ideas for the nation than Biden.

Women trash women verbally, and based on appearance. Men just speak with their vote, but appearance does play a small part. I say small because Richard Gere could run for President, but he wouldn't get elected. Pretty? Sure. Qualified? Only slightly less than Palin.

WORD.