Sometimes You Gotta Eat Crow

Some time back I wrote a column that explained that I wouldn’t vote for a female politician if there were any male alternatives. John McCain’s choice of a Vice Presidential running mate has made me reassess that position.

The VP candidate of whom I speak is, of course, Sarah Palin, the erstwhile Governor of Alaska. The more I hear about this gal the more I like her. The first thing I heard was that she was the governor of Alaska, a state that I much admire. Then I found out that she won this office from an incumbent Republican. Palin is also Republican. She beat this guy out with an attack on the corrupt Republican “good old boys” network that had flourished in Alaska.

She has gotten my attention by now. Next I found out that she is a lifetime member of the NRA. Her likeability factor went up a notch. It went up a couple more notches when I was told she is a serious hunter. Her favorite meal is moose stew. How good can she get?

She just keeps getting better and better. Her husband is a commercial fisherman and she helped out on his boat before she became involved in politics. She first volunteered for the PTA at her child’s school. That led to a run for a city council seat where she lived. Next was a stint as Mayor. Then she was appointed by the governor to an oil and gas board of some kind. When she found out about corruption on this board she demanded the governor correct the situation. When he refused she resigned from the board and ran against the governor. She beat him like a rug. Since she became governor she has enjoyed an 80% approval rating from the citizens of Alaska.

The next thing that got my attention was her appearance. She’s a babe. Her car carries a bumper sticker that says Alaska—Cool State, Hot Governor. And she has saved Alaska a ton of money. She instituted a tax on the oil companies. When that tax brought in more than expected she wrote every Alaskan a check for something like $2500. The Governor's office also had a fancy jet airplane that she considered a waste of money. She sold the plane on E-bay.

In her acceptance speech she proclaimed herself to be a hockey mom. That’s Alaska’s version of a soccer mom. She proclaims proudly that the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull is lipstick. The most profound thing she said was that some politicians (meaning Obama) used change to further their career. But her running mate, John McCain used his career to institute change.

This woman is so likable it’s easy to forget she’s a politician. I would vote for her over John McCain. But since he’s already won the top spot I’ll settle for her standing in at number two. Keep your eye on her. She is a rising star in the world of politics. In fact she’s a redneck’s political dream.