The Palin Phenomena – Victim of Politically Driven Sexism to Hot Commodity

Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska and 2008 Vice-Presidential candidate, is a force to be reckoned with. Palin, announced as the bottom of the GOP ticket in September, was immediately shredded by the press, for a variety of reasons, most notably the fact that the McCain campaign refused to allow press access – the result: the press, already infused with an emotional attachment to the opposition candidate, sought every opportunity to discredit her. They left no stone-unturned, from the despicable false charges regarding her youngest child, to the benign “Trooper Gate”; hordes of press descended upon the State of Alaska like locusts, hoping to dig up anything to discredit her, and if that failed, as it did, going straight to the fact that she was a “woman”, one who was in touch with her feminine side. The fact that she participated in the Miss America system (the organization that provides the largest volume of college scholarships to women in this country), gave rise to articles which began, “the Governor and former beauty queen”, as if to say, a bimbo from Alaska. She did not attend an Ivy League school; therefore, she must not be as “smart” as those other candidates, and the fact that the RNC provided her a wardrobe, for the family, at a whopping $150,000, was played out as if she were worse than a serial killer. Those that signed up for Google News alerts on Sarah Palin, were treated to hundreds of emails, all negative and all much more mean-spirited than the next – a focus on her education, her personal style, her family, were the norm – not one article came across mentioning her policy positions (unless it was to deride her for being pro-life and a Christian), her style of governing, or her ability to manage one of our nations greatest treasures: the State of Alaska.

The problem was simply that having focused on demonizing Clinton, her pantsuits, her husband, her laugh, until she conceded to Obama, the press was not ready or willing to accept another woman in leading political role in this election cycle. Simply put, she had to go, and what better way than to ratchet up the sexism: Caribou Barbie was born.

Now the election is over, and Palin is being sought out by every major network – why the sudden interest? Math might have something to do with it. The polls taken after the election found that Palin enjoyed great popularity with the Republicans, additionally, she is not an inside the Beltway politician, rather a woman who is most interesting; living on the outskirts of the Continental US, managing a household and a State, and having the ability to pose for Vogue, while taking down a powerful member of her own party – a young, attractive, intelligent woman who reaches out to those who are in the middle. Viewers are more likely to turn into these interviews in larger numbers, boosting ratings that have fallen off with the end of the election. Those that despise Palin will watch looking for further proof that she’s incompetent and those that are merely interested in or are a “fan”, will tune in to learn more about a rare phenomena: a Republican Rock Star. There is no doubt, that she is capable, she has fended off and dismissed the worst that our press had to offer, and came out the better for it. Should she run in 2012, she will be battle ready. Those political junkies and the press are already betting on a 2012 run, and they should. Palin, a natural politician, will be in a prime position in two years time (when the process will begin all over again), and depending upon who assumes the RNC chair, she will come out gunning. Should Michael Steele become the next RNC chair, Palin and those young grassroots, non-beltway, populist Republicans will be a force to be reckoned with in 2012.

A note to those who would find a woman who participates in “beauty pageants” to be somehow inferior: One should learn a few facts regarding the programs available and exactly who these women are: The Miss America Organization attracts budding scholars, and those seeking scholarships in order to further their educational goals. From Rhodes Scholars to the Girl Next Door who hopes of becoming the next Marie Curie, there is little fluff but much substance to these women. A fact: The organization NOW (an off-shoot of the women’s liberation movement of the 1960s”) should be grateful to the Miss America Program. They were desperately trying to get national attention, and failed repeatedly until they protested the 1968 Miss America Pageant. Women’s Liberation finally had the spotlight. Other prominent women who have competed in "Beauty Pageants": Diane Sawyer, and Ophra Winfrey to name but two.