Make Way, Woman Coming Through

John McCain has chosen Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, as his VP running mate. There is an uproar about it, and I'm just excited.

Everybody is talking about her experience, family, and the fact that she isn't like Hillary, but the fact is that she is a woman. No, we don't want just any woman as a leader, but I think she had to accept that offer.

Women have been fighting for rights and leadership positions for years. Hillary Clinton was positioned to be the first female president. That would have been historic. Now we have a chance to have a woman as VP. She's Republican, and she has all of these dynamic qualities that would make her appealing to the some of the masses. She has been governor of Alaska for a few years and served as mayor. She's got five kids, a kid in military, and a new special needs baby.

I don't care what she does or does not have, as a woman, if your phone rings and somebody asks you to run to be the first _______, and offers you support and resources to do it, I think you have to take it. Often the game is being played by men, and when the boys consider you enough to invite you to the team, you got to go play. Sometimes you have to play whatever position they let you, but remember, you're now the only girl on the field. If you figure it out and don't get blamed for losing the game, you can stay on the field, maybe change positions, or suggest another girl for the team. Boom, doorway opened.

Yes, she's got five kids and might be dragging a 4-month-old around the country. Yes, she's new to the block of US politics. Yes, she's done interesting things and maybe had a little scandal. She might not have any foreign policy experience. She might not have anything in common with Hillary Clinton except anatomy, but some women will just throw her support and some others who just don't want a brother in the White House. (Then you couldn't necessarily call it The White House.) But, if somebody called me and asked me, you better believe I would take it and know there were sacrifices to the family, and that I'd get bumped around as wet behind the ears, but I would figure it out as it happened. Pay a nanny to travel if I had to, do coursework secretly, whatever it took, I would do it.

You know why? Because the reason I give for not accepting it, lack of experience or confidence in experience, family obligations, other commitments, etc., are exactly the reasons the boys on the team will not call another woman the next time. They won't risk the risk on depending on a woman and her not stepping up or giving up whatever she is doing to if they need her. They will question her priorities. Or they'll say, "She won't do it. She's got kids."

Some of this is about Republicans and Democrats. Some of this is about women's space in politics or breaking glass ceilings. I am not going to vote for Sarah Palin or John McCain, but I thank them for keeping my spot on the team open. (Next time is coming.)

The Crying Game

Hmmm….Hilary’s breakdown was a hot topic in my young women’s group last night. There’s multiple reactions to it, but most seemed to agree that it is more acceptable to cry in admitting to being overwhelmed that to get emotional over the issues and the lost potential of the country. And that the question should never have been asked.

I haven’t decided yet, but I have always been told about the “One Cry” Rule. You can do it once. Make it good and don’t waste it. After that, you’re a whiner. Suck it up. It could be a different rule for White women. (Surely it is.) I’ve seen women with the privilege (not the guts and the sweaty win) cry, and my reaction is different. Everybody needs a good cry, but timing and location are crucial to what happens after the cry.

So, I wonder in my conspiratorial lens…Funny how she lost in Iowa…Polls said she was behind in NH…She cries on camera…Then she wins and one media report says she has is a “Comeback Kid.” (Like it is the last round in a Rocky movie, and not primary number 2.) More women showed up for the primary and she won them the time. Did the women show up for their sister? What difference does crying make and are we getting sucked in to the gender game with it as a political strategy?

Let’s see what happens…