Vice Presidential Debate '08
Women across America pull no punches! Below are just a few of the responses out of over 150,000 that poured in from mothers, wives, daughters, housewives and businesswomen (from teenagers to seniors in their 90’s) who say “Enough!” to Sarah Palin and “No, thank you!” to her policies. This page is being updated with new responses regularly so come back daily to get your fix.
And tell us why you think Sarah Palin’s policies are alarming and potentially destructive here. We can’t wait to read your response!
Dear Sarah,
I’m raising my daughter to be a woman of tolerance, compassion, strength, and moral character. Your latest smear campaign against Senator Obama is simply demoralizing and disgusting. As a woman, you are responsible for the image you choose to project to our youth. Hate, mixed with a proclivity for violence are things I do not wish to for my daughter to witness in a leader. We want change, not school yard bullying. Our country needs a steady hand, not fear and panic. You call yourself a maverick, yet you offer no solutions to the very serious problems our country faces. You had a moment the other day at your rally to cast off intolerance and hate, yet you did not speak out against it. What else would you allow as a leader?
-Tabatha R., Montana
I totally agree that she’s not qualified. Every time I hear her talk I feel that she is just bashing Obama and doesn’t have any real knowledge of politics or plain common sense. Anyway, she definitely shouldn’t be VP, wish I could vote though. Good luck in keeping her out of office!
-Grace S., 15, Seattle
As an independent thinker, a working mother of five, past PTA vice president of my children’s school, and a proud American woman, when Palin’s nomination was announced, I kept my mind open to her. I had a lot of respect for McCain and thought, after all, it is McCain who chose her. The idea that she started out as “one of us” gave me a faint sense of connection with her. However, the more I learned about her and heard from her directly, my interest was soon replaced with deep offense. Palin and I share our gender, titles of mother, wife, and working woman, but that is all that we have in common. The more I hear her speak, she turns me off with her divisive and nasty messages and double talk. She is not my candidate, she is no Hillary, not even close. As for McCain, what a disappointment he turned out to be! He is a disgrace. How is this “Country First”? McCain lost my vote BIG TIME.
-Tami Z., Pacific Palisades, CA
While England, Israel, Argentina and Sri Lanka are just a few countries who have had women heads of state. America is well behind in our ability to access women as equals. This present nomination is clearly indicative that men still view women as a “trophy.” … As Vice President, especially to a 72 year old President, it is essential that this person be ready to step into the President’s chair seamlessly. Palin is not able to address the complex dangers of Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Russia, or Pakistan. I guarantee that she is just as confused about the Shites and Sunnis then her running mate. She is not experienced enough or knowledgeable enough to address the economic and social disasters that have to be redressed in order for the United States to regain their footing on the world stage… Women are ready and able to lead this country. It simply isn’t Sarah.
-M.L.L.E. Arant
Can you imagine facing the possible meltdown of the world-wide financial system with Sarah Palin as our President? Field-dressing a moose and shuttling your kid to hockey practices, even running the State of Alaska, does not equip you to determine whether or not to bail out AIG. We need the smartest, most capable people in place to get us out of the mess we’re in—and Sarah Palin isn’t one of them.
As a republican woman, I stand firmly AGAINST the decision to pick Sarah Palin as Vice President. She sets women back decades, and stands against everything this country has worked so hard for.
-Kaitlin T., 24, Ashburn, VA
Mrs. Palin, your stand on rape victims is beyond comprehension. Have you ever been raped, had a child raped, and saw attacker go free? Do you know what that does to a person mentally, as well as physically? My daughter suffered such a rape, and to have forced her to carry a child not conceived in love, but violence would have been a death sentence for her. The rape alone was mentally upsetting enough she had to be placed in a out patient facility to get counseling, to recognize such attacks are not the fault of the victim. Your stand, to not only blame the victim, but to force them to pay for thier own rape kits is beyond inhumanity, its just grotesque and cruel.
A VP is suppose to put their personal agenda aside, and represent the American people and their needs first, placing personal wants and beliefs last. If you cannot do that, please, step down now and let someone in who can.
-Maria T., St. Louis, MO
As a republican woman, I stand firmly AGAINST the decision to pick Sarah Palin as Vice President. She sets women back decades, and stands against everything this country has worked so hard for.
-Kaitlin T., 24, Ashburn, VA
I am a recent college graduate, registered as an Independent, who was too young to vote in the last election. I was so excited with the opportunity to get involved and educate myself on the views and policies of both candidates, unfortunately John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin as VP has left me with no choice at all.
I feel disrespected as a woman by the arrogance of the GOP! Their nomination of Sarah Palin is an absolute slap in the face.
Every time I watch her speak, batting her eyelashes and smiling amiably as she simultaneously embarrasses herself and her party with her obvious disregard for facts or knowledge, I am appalled! The women of this country have worked far to hard to gain the equality I am SO proud to now enjoy as a woman for us too throw it all away. I never thought that I would be basing my first vote, something that I honestly have waited a long time for, on the inadequacies of a vice-presidential candidate rather than the capabilities of a presidential candidate.
-Rachael K., 21, Buffalo, NY
I am 70 years old and live in Olympia, WA. I thought I’d never live to see the day when a woman chosen to be the VP candidate has such archaic beliefs. Please! The GOP must have been out of their minds to choose her. You can be sure I’ll vote for Obama!
-Marge P., 70, Olympia, WA
I have been a Republican my whole life. And as a Republican, I have seen the party change from one of fiscal responsibility and middle-of-the-road policies to a more controlling, fearful party that seems to have little understanding of the economics of today. I have been a public school teacher my whole life. As a teacher, I have seen the results of a lack of sex education and the support of anti-abortion beliefs. Children in my classrooms were neglected because parents didn’t really want them, and the parents couldn’t, or didn’t, take steps to prevent pregnancy. I have participated on committees when people have sought to have books removed from school libraries for a variety of reasons. I have read about other cultures in other parts of the world where governments control, or try to control, how their citizens live.
Seeing all this over the years, I find it hard to envision Sarah Palin leading us along a good path. She seems to be a very controlling person who wants to tell us what to read and how to plan for our families. Ms. Palin has proposed removing particular books from the public library in her community because she did not think other people should be allowed to read them (as if she was wiser than the other members of the community). She has also vocalized her belief that pregnancies must be carried to term no matter what the surrounding issues are (in essence making decisions for all others with no regard for their particular circumstances). She has no more foreign policy knowledge than I probably have and no tolerance for those who disagree with her. How in the world women who supported Hillary Clinton can be expected to support Sarah Palin is beyond me. Other than being the same gender, the two women are polar opposites. I find it insulting that Republican decision-makers can think that women who followed Hillary Clinton will suddenly see the light and vote for Sarah Palin. Do they really think we vote as an uninformed block for women as opposed to voting for the person (man or woman) who will do the best job?
I am now a Democrat voting for whomever seems the best person for the job. And this time, it is not John McCain and Sarah Palin.
-Barb T., 64, suburbs of Philadelphia
I am a supporter of Barack Obama, but consider myself an independent. I am frightened by the level of out right hatred and dangerous politics that has been started by the McCain/Palin ticket and inciting their most rabid followers. I feel that it is the beauty of America to be able to disagree, yet come together to solve our problems. This type of smear campaign goes beyond being a bad leader, it really overturns the rock of ignorance that unfortunately still exists in this country. I am very scared that with everyone already on edge over their own pocketbooks, that this type of behavior will result in violence that we won’t be able to stop. Thank you for proving to me that there are responsible Republicans/Conservatives who are able to be rational thinkers and work with people like me to improve our situation together.
-Laura S., MN
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