Palin v. Clinton: It's Policy, Not Personality (Or, Just Say No to Stepford Votes)

Wish I could tattoo "It's Policy, Not Personality" on the eyeballs of Hillary Clinton dead-enders, otherwise known as PUMAs.

For ardent Clinton supporters somehow still wavering in their decision to vote for Obama (a number that's decreasing by the day), let me just do a little gentle reminding from the senator herself.

Instead of watching Clinton deliver her speech live on Tuesday night, I was racing around the Pepsi Center helping MOMocrat Julie P. set up her interview with Senatorial candidate Jeanne Shaheen (NH), so I missed a great deal of Clinton's speech as it occurred. (The entire day was devoted to celebrating women's suffrage on the 88th anniversary of its granting via the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, and culminated with Senator Clinton's speech that night.)

But here's the relevant section I was able to catch up with, thanks to YouTube:

Go to 4:52 in.

There were so many stirring words and images in Senator Clinton's speech, probably the best she's given of her career so far. I found it courageous, tough-minded, and generous. I was filled with admiration that she so gracefully and forcefully reminded her supporters that

We don't have a moment to lose or a vote to spare...I want you to ask yourselves, were you in this campaign just for me? [emphasis mine] Or were you in it for that young Marine and others like him? Were you in it for that mom struggling with cancer while raising her kids? Were you in it for that young boy and his mom surviving on minimum wage? Or were you in it for all the people in this country who feel invisible?

Thank you Senator Clinton, for making so clear that in the end, IT'S POLICY, NOT PERSONALITY that won the support of so many who campaigned and canvassed in your name, and that if those supporters care at all about the issues--really care about the people affected--then they'll work to elect Barack Obama president BECAUSE HE'S AT LEAST AS GOOD AS, IF NOT BETTER, ON THOSE SAME ISSUES.

I've been waiting a long time for Clinton to say all this. And last Tuesday night, she did. It's Policy, Not Personality.

And riffing off a slogan from that uber-Stepford wife herself, Nancy Reagan, I'd say when it comes to Palin, Just Say No to Stepford Votes.

Our country is getting increasingly more complex and diverse. It's entirely possible for a progressive white, Asian Pacific Islander, or Latino politician (Nancy Pelosi, Mike Honda, Bill Richardson) to be better on civil rights than a conservative black one (Alan Keyes, Clarence Thomas); for one woman (pro-child, pro-choice, pro-family Clinton) to be better than another woman (anti-choice Palin) on women's issues. What it comes down to is what part of the political spectrum the politician occupies, what their legislative record yields, and how they've voted. What is that elected official's commitment to social and environmental justice and equal opportunity for all?

Compare Palin's troubled less than two years current experience as governor of her state, and 6 years as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska (population 6, 715) to Senator Clinton's 7 years in the U.S. Senate and years of activism as First Lady in Arkansas and in the White House. Both in scope and depth, Palin's record hardly compares to Clinton's impact on national political life.

We're finally getting closer to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream of evaluating people by the "content of their character" instead of the color of their skin or the kind of plumbing they were born with, and the Republican Party is still playing some tired old version of identity politics circa 1980. Where, for the GOP, superficial demographic profiles stand in instead of the three dimensional actions of candidates who have real records of hard work in favor of equal pay, equal rights, help for middle class families, and child- and family-friendly policies. Here are just a few of the amazing, dedicated, and PROGRESSIVE women in elected office who will be making waves in the next 4-12 years. We don't need a token like the GOP's Palin when we have 71 damn fine accomplished, proven, experienced Democratic Party women in Congress and several more about to join them.

I may have disagreed vigorously with Senator Clinton over policy, and disagreed vigorously with her supporters over those same policies that Clinton put forth, but I have never believed women vote with their vaginas instead of their brains. So far, McCain's VP pick Palin has garnered LESS support from women than men. (Chalk one up for brains! Yay!)

A vote for a woman isn't the same as a vote for women's rights. Republicans must think women voters are lobotomized Stepford Wives with Stepford Votes. Here's our chance to show them how wrong they are.

H/T to QueenofSpain for the Rasmussen/Gallup polls on Palin dragging down the McCain ticket among voting women.

ETA: H/T to Glennia for the PUMA link.

Cynematic also blogs at her poor neglected personal site, P i l l o w b o o k.

Comments

[Ronald Ross]

Ummmm... WHY are you comparing Clinton to Palin again? Hillary IS NOT Running for OFFICE, well not for 4 more years. And if your wanting to compare apples to apples, need we pull out all the Garbage on Hillary in her long exhausted pathetic career? It always has and always will amaze me how there are so many people that can't tell the difference from a sincere person and a fake. When H.C. talks it is kind of like sniffing rotten eggs poured over a dead possum, makes my stomach churn. It is just a knack I have always had to be able to tell when a person is talking B.S. and when they are speaking from their heart n soul. H.C. speaks to benefit Herself, THAT is the bottom line. She could care less about even ONE of you, UNLESS it means it makes her look good and benefits her future.

I'm not a Dem., not a Rep. I stand for whom I believe in. I would vote for a Democrat, as soon as there is one with integrity that comes along.

[Ronald Ross]

PS.. is Nancy Pelosi included in that 71 Damn FINE women you mention? Funny how all 71 are democrats, so no woman is FINE unless she is a Democrat woman? Truth is, that isn't what its about, its about Palin is a FINE woman and scares the beJesus out of you that your sorry excuse for a President Candidate won't get elected. But I've gotten off subject...as for Pelosi, what a great example that sorry excuse of a human being is. She said to HELL with all Americans, sent ALL her Minions on a 1 month vacation while the decision to drill offshore just hangs in the rafters. OH YEAH, Theres a fine woman looking out for your best. It doesn't MATTER if it takes 3 or 5 or 8 years to get the oil, The Problem Exists NOW... G.W.BUSH did what he had to move towards fixing the mistake B.Clinton Made. You all Whine how gas prices have raised in Bush's time, but your girl Nancy won't help fix it! Your Party is seriously screwed up. HECK Yes its about the POLICY, to hell with all of us, they are driving POLICY, but holding onto POLICY until they can Make themselves Look good with it. P.A.T.H.E.T.I.C.

[cynematic]

Well hello, Ron, it's you again. My you've been all over our site today. I encourage you to keep clicking. Try some of our posts from January and February 2008.

When you said this: "When H.C. talks it is kind of like sniffing rotten eggs poured over a dead possum, makes my stomach churn. It is just a knack I have always had to be able to tell when a person is talking B.S. and when they are speaking from their heart n soul."

I wondered if your special knack has ever led you to sniff yourself?

Hey, have you taken our poll? See sidebar. We polled people during the primary and now we want to know what issues are of importance to our readers during the general election.

We like to discuss issues here, Ron. Do you have something concrete to add regarding the details of either Clinton or Palin's record? I compare the two because it's obvious the McCain campaign would like to peel off disgruntled Clinton supporters to their campaign.

If you continue to run on with little substance to offer, I'll edit you for length.

[Christian Prophet]

What an amazing political season! Obama Democrats are ignoring all truth and attacking Sarah Palin like rabid dogs. Reason: she is more qualified than Obama. Read:

[clramsay]

August 30, 2008
Palin booed for mentioning Hillary Clinton
Posted: 07:35 PM ET

From CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby

Palin is praising Clinton on the trail as the GOP woos the New York senator’s supporters.
WASHINGTON, Pennsylvania (CNN) – This might not be the best way to reach out to those disillusioned Hillary Clinton supporters.

In just her second appearance on the campaign trail with John McCain, newly-minted GOP running mate Sarah Palin was showered with boos on Saturday for attempting to praise Clinton’s trail-blazing bid to become the first female president.

As she did at in her debut speech in Ohio yesterday, Palin appealed to the women in the crowd here in Pennsylvania with a political shout-out to Geraldine Ferraro, who preceded Palin as the first women to be tapped as a vice presidential candidate. The reference was met with polite applause.

But in contrast with the mild reception that greeted the comment at the Ohio event, when Palin praised Clinton here for showing “determination and grace in her presidential campaign,” the Alaska governor was met with a noisy mix of boos, groans and grumbles around the minor league ballpark where the “Road to the Convention Rally” was held.

Palin quickly recovered, promising the audience that female candidates weren’t yet finished, and that she and McCain were on their way to victory in November.

Filed under: Hillary Clinton • Sarah Palin

[Stefania/CityMama]

Cynematic, Shhh, Let Ronald Ross come back as often as he likes! Our ad revenue thanks him for it!

[cynematic]

@clramsay: Good to know. Pennsylvanians aren't dummies! They know the difference between local girl made good Clinton and a pale shadow of an imitation (Palin).

@CityMama: I confess, *I'm* "Ron Ross"! Heh.

[Catherine]

Hey Everybody....check this out for a lighter side of things. You'll love this!

http://vodpod.com/watch/979007-stewart-and-colbert-on-palin-captioned?pod=billc