Women of the world: what do you think of Sarah Palin?

[Wretched Excess]

I have talked to both conservatives and liberals . . . .

a lOT of people are flipping because of her

[Tess Anderson]

I think she's extraordinarily ordinairy, and a good bet to become the first woman POTUS. Political views far more palatable than Nancy Pelosi, identifiable and charismatic unlike Hillary Clinton, tough but softer than Maggie Thatcher.

The Democrats played identity politics and got burnt.

[Wretched Excess]

I may turn this into a poll.

[Baruch Menachem]

They are conflicted, because they do things differently.

An example:

From the Jeruslem Post

Yet no one should doubt, even if it has no real bearing on the outcome of this presidential race, that this affair will continue to generate tremendous interest from the media and public - in a way that would not be the case here in Israel, were such a story to involve the family member of a comparable political figure.

That's because despite the fact that local pundits often bemoan the rise of American-style "personality politics" here in recent years, there is still a big difference in the degree to which this approach is applied in Israeli and the US.

This is especially so when it comes to the relevance of family matters in assessing a candidate's character at election time. The families of Israeli politicians are generally viewed as relevant by the mainstream press and public only when they are perceived as having an influence on their relative's politics - as is the case with Judy Nir-Moses Shalom, Sarah Netanyahu or Omri Sharon.

While a supportive family can certainly be an asset for a public figure here - and a family member deemed problematic a drawback - in Israel there is nowhere near the emphasis given this aspect of a politician's background as one finds in the US.

Indeed, scenes that we have seen on the American campaign trail in recent days - with the nominees of both parties bringing their families on stage with them at conventions and other events, and having them interact with them live on-camera in front of crowds of supporters - is still almost never seen in Israeli politics.

If Americans are more likely to make character judgments on candidates based on how their children turned out, that's surely in part because they often talk incessantly about how they themselves were shaped by the influence of their own parents.

The reality is no certainly no less true here - but when did Yitzhak Rabin ever speak to audiences about the huge impact his Labor Zionist-activist mother had on his life, or Netanyahu about the ideological influence of his renowned academic father, unless directly asked about it? While it's a natural human tendency to draw conclusions about a person by seeing how their children turned out, the world is a complicated place, and parental influence is just one factor in it.

[Hawkgirl]

She's not only had my vote since Day 1, but i am trying to convert many others along the way....

[Schadenfreude]

Of course I love the woman for so many reasons. And the more I read up on her, the more I like. She is indeed the smart missile aimed at the left's heart.... what an extraordinary position to be in right now.

[Lanie]

I like her because she's feisty, charismatic, can stand up to the big guys (from either party), can take bullshit, and appears to understand that the political is personal. While I disagree with her on some things, I like her willingness to actually say what she thinks instead of flipping for votes. McCain has that same quality of course. While I condemn the acts of sexism against her, it's nice to see women getting energized against sexism.

[formerlurker]

She's a hockey mom --meaning she will strongly advocate for her ideas, and nobody/nothing intimidates or scares her.    She is also extremely likeable.    Sprinkle approval of her beliefs/platform on that and you have a winning recipe.   She has also done the impossible in making McCain likeable too.   

Obama loses this election big.   

[Schadenfreude]

I like her because she's feisty, charismatic, can stand up to the big guys (from either party), can take bullshit, and appears to understand that the political is personal. While I disagree with her on some things, I like her willingness to actually say what she thinks instead of flipping for votes. McCain has that same quality of course. While I condemn the acts of sexism against her, it's nice to see women getting energized against sexism.

Lanie, that was an extremely wise and fair thing for you to say. It truly exposes the hypocrisy on the left. Conservatives have been subject to character assassinations by the left and the media when those conservatives haven't held beliefs that conformed to what they think a woman or a black person (or name that group) should hold.

[jendf]

She is a breath of fresh air. I think we are witnessing an important moment in history for women and for all Americans.

[DixieBelle]

I like her. My only concern is that she lives up to her reputation once she arrives in D.C. I have no doubt she will but being a maverick is never popular. She seems to have handled Alaska well. I think she'll do the same in Washington. I want to see her headline the ticket in 2012.

She speaks to my heart. She a conservative who is a family woman and she doesn't take any sh*t. Rock on Sarah.

The hottest governer from the coldest state. (I think her campaign once used that in Alaska. Heh.)

[Schadenfreude]

I like her. My only concern is that she lives up to her reputation once she arrives in D.C. I have no doubt she will but being a maverick is never popular. She seems to have handled Alaska well. I think she'll do the same in Washington. I want to see her headline the ticket in 2012.

She speaks to my heart. She a conservative who is a family woman and she doesn't take any sh*t. Rock on Sarah.

The hottest governer from the coldest state. (I think her campaign once used that in Alaska. Heh.)

Some mavericks are loose cannons, I don't get that sense from her. I think what separates her from the loose cannon mavericks is that she articulates her position concisely, dispenses with any desire to be popular and initiates meaningful action based on those positions.