So, Sarah Palin has was only selected by McCain to run as VP a few hours ago. In reading just a few web pages I saw several repetitions of variations of “Can you/I can’t imagine her staring down Putin.” A quick google search showed dozens of instances, many of them in comments. Either this represents some coordinated message or the internet spreads things even quicker than I thought.
I find the choice of the phrase “staring down” very interesting. “Staring down” describes an unsubtle test of will. You don’t have to be smart, sophisticated and cunning to stare someone down. You just need emotional strength and determination. You can be dumb as a fence post and stare someone down as long as you don’t loss your nerve. If they thought her to be unintelligent or unsophisticated they would have used a phrase such as “can you imagine her outmaneuvering Putin?” By choosing to use the phrase “stare down”, Palin critics reveal that they believe her emotionally weak and easily dominated.
What is it about her being a governor, a mayor and a hunter that makes these assumedly-spontaneous critics think Palin possess no emotional strength? It’s doubly strange given that the Left never stereotypes Republicans as lacking resolve in foreign affairs. Indeed, they usually make the opposite criticism that Republicans hold their ground when they could relent and compromise. So why do so many leftists look at Palin and see someone who will crumble under pressure?
I think it can only be because she is a mother. Leftists associate mothers with doormats. They believe a woman who rejects the narcissistic, me, me, me vision of capital “F” feminism must be a wimp and a chump. For the leftist, the fact that Palin chose to have a large family automatically means she doesn’t have the willpower to stand up for herself. Since she cannot stand up for herself, she cannot therefore stand up to Putin.
It’s bigoted and silly and like a lot things leftists say, this tells us more about the Left than it does about Palin.
(Addendum: Of course, it almost goes without saying, that a lot of people cannot imagine Obama staring anyone down. Given that his in his five-sentence statement on the Russian invasion of Georgia he couldn’t stop himself from making a dig at unrelated American policy. I think Obama’s response to Putin will be to grovel and beg for forgiveness.)