There is a backlash rising among Hillary supporters against John McCain's selection of Sara Palin as his running mate. In a call with the press today, three Obama supporters gave voice to their feelings of being insulted by McCain's presumption.
"I was insulted by John McCain's selection," says first-time Obama volunteer Terry Holland of Williamsburg. "I supported Hillary on the issues. Hillary fought for families. Hillary's issues are Obama's issues and that's why McCain has another thing coming if he thinks he's just won my support by picking a woman." She went on to list a litany of critical issues, ranging from oil company giveaways, to choice, to equal pay for women, noting that in each case Obama and Hillary are on one side of the issue and Bush, McCain and Palin are on the other. "That's why I'll back Obama".
Susan Swecker was an early and outspoken Hillary supporter and and Super-Delegate at last week's Convention in Denver. "I've followed Hillary's career since she was First Lady of Arkansas. I was proud to support her, but a woman's support does not automatically go to a woman on the ticket. I am 100% behind Barack Obama. There is no difference on the issues between Hillary and Obama. While I respect any woman who puts themselves in public life, Obama and Biden will bring the troops home with honor, get the economy on track, and address the critical issue of healthcare in America. We don't know much about Palin, and I have to say that this process was very odd. This was John McCain's first major decision and it was handled in a seat of the pants, last minute way. McCain knew he would be the nominee back in the early spring, but he made this choice at the last minute. That raises a lot of questions. If we're going to change the country we're going to do it with Barack Obama and Joe Biden."
Finally, State Senator Mary Margaret Whipple took the opportunity to discuss some of the political issues at hand. "McCain made a quick pick to energize his campaign. This pick catered to the right wing. It says a lot about McCain's campaign that he wasn't supported by the base of his own party and thus had to make this dramatic pick to lock down his base. This selection, and the way it was made is insulting to women. I am supporting Obama enthusiastically and will vote for the person who represents my values. Sara Palin does not represent my values or my hopes for the nation."
She continued, "John McCain has done Democrats a favor by energizing women to support Barack Obama. It is insulting to believe that just any woman would do."
"I was supporting Barack Obama, but this Palin pick cemented my support and it forced me to get actively involved," Terry Holland concluded.
What we're seeing is that to personally like Sara Palin is not necessarily to vote for her. While recent polling shows Obama making gains among independents and Democrats of both genders, McCain is only making inroads among Republican women. We can't tell how much of this has to do with Obama's stellar performance at the convention, but one thing that is certain is that since announcing his Palin pick, John McCain has plainly lost ground.
Clinton supporters: Palin won't get our voteVirginia's Clinton backers say election about more than gender
On the day of Sarah Palin's speech before the Republican National Convention, former Hillary Clinton supporters in Virginia said McCain's vice presidential choice would fail in its attempt to woo former Clinton voters.
"I was incensed and insulted that Sen. John McCain thought he could easily replace my vote for one woman with another," said Terry Holland, a Clinton supporter in Williamsburg who was inspired to volunteer for the first time for Barack Obama's campaign on Saturday following the selection of Gov. Palin on Friday. "It was the choice of Palin that motivated me to get personally involved in the campaign. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. That was what picked me up and made me go down there and offer to help."
Holland, Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple (D-Arlington) and Clinton Superdelegate Susan Swecker held a news conference call Wednesday to discuss McCain and Palin's stances on the issues that matter to Clinton supporters.
Palin will deliver a major address Wednesday night to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn.
"Clearly, McCain decided that he had to do something very unusual to try to pull this election out. He made a very quick and obviously somewhat un-vetted choice for Vice President to try to energize his campaign," Sen. Whipple said. "McCain has done the Democratic Party a favor. Women are even more energized for Obama and are going to work very hard to elect him."
Swecker, a superdelegate and a member of Clinton's Virginia Steering Committee, said Palin stands for more of the same policies of John McCain and George Bush.
"Women's support is not automatically transferable and it is condescending to us to think that it would be," Swecker said. "There's not any difference between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and Joe Biden on the major issues facing our country. Too much is at stake in this election -- and this team of Obama and Biden is the one that will bring our troops home, get our economy on track and help middle-class families."
In fact I think the candidates that have the most successful recently down South in ole Republican areas are just that; pro-gun and pro-life Democrats.
I will take more hits on this but the point that I think gets lost on this to offends my wife and other woman appears to be the implication as stated that:
"it is insulting to believe just any woman would do"
This is a dangerous construct and a false one at that. The implication he did not chose Palin on merits or for any other reason "other" than she is a woman does not sit well with conservatives.
Your are telling woman she only got the selected because she is a woman first and has the views and merits and not because she is qualified based on work and merit. This is what my wife and her teacher friends have taken away from the last three days.
The rhetoric that she is not even the most qualified "woman" also is an irritation as it implies the pillars of quotas and affirmative action that many conservatives oppose.
I know it will not get any mileage here, but the lense sought is not that of the Clinton voter but those evangelicals and pro-life independents that have not been engaged in the process our are young.
Mind you people like to paint the picture that all the new registrations favor Obama, but with tuenout rates in my district at a mere 35% with thousands of age but not voting could they not also be inclined to get involved for the same reason we see our base increasing with the attraction of Obama.
There seems to be this misconception that all elgible Republican voters in the battleground States are already engaged in the voting process. The polling and turnout data does not reflect that when a district votes Republican 70-30 but only 35% of voters voted. Not all the new registrations can simply be stated as going Democrat...well unless you believe in crystal ball politics I guess.
Yes, Palin is a woman whose beliefs match so many conservatives and some independents. Palin is also extremely socially conservative. Polls would indicate women tend not to agree so much hence why they are a traditional Democratic voting bloc. Palin may have been picked on merit but then the burden is on you to show me where her merit is because all evidence seems to be to the contrary.
Also, I do not understand your arguments here:
The rhetoric that she is not even the most qualified "woman" also is an irritation as it implies the pillars of quotas and affirmative action that many conservatives oppose.Are you saying that we shouldn't pick experienced women over inexperienced women because we would be filling a quota? Also, conservatives like immigration quotas.I know it will not get any mileage here, but the lense sought is not that of the Clinton voter but those evangelicals and pro-life independents that have not been engaged in the process our are young.
BTW no one was making the case for any of the other woman anyway at any point in the GOP until after the selection was made. Unlike the Obama camp who leaked that Clinton was never being considered or vetted for VP but that the Kansas Gov Sebilus was.
Whose more qualified Clinton or Sebilus? Works both ways I guess.
These determinations are not made on experience or qualification but on politics. Apparently that has gotten lost on a few people.