10 thoughts on “Governors of Small States”

  2. Slightly OT but not completely: when Margaret Thatcher became PM she was described as nothing but an ambitious politician. Wooo, an ambitious politician! Not seen one of those before. Oh, and, of course, there was the grocer’s daughter meme, as if that could hurt anyone. The leftie feminists hated her for many of the same reasons they hate Palin. I am not saying Palin will necessarily be another Thatcher but a wait-and-see policy might have been appropriate. With some criticism, of course. This is an election, after all. Oh yes, I love the comments that say McCain picked her simply to help him win the election. Duh!

  3. Oh, and, of course, there was the grocer’s daughter meme, as if that could hurt anyone.

    I read about that when I was kid. It was the first time I really understood that even countries as closely related as America and Britain differed strongly in their political culture. In America, being a grocers daughter would have been nothing but a plus. Indeed, in American politics, the more humble your background the better. We have to be the first culture in history where people are somewhat ashamed of growing up rich and high status.

    Oh yes, I love the comments that say McCain picked her simply to help him win the election. Duh!

    Yes, it makes one wonder if they think Obama chose Biden because their deeply in love.

  4. Dear Ms Love–

    I believe the comment about the choice of the lady was not meant to suggest that picks are not in part political but rather than in her case she had no background–a Democrat view–and could bring no state to the electoral college 9they would get Alaska no matter what) but rather than her choice was based solely on the fact she was a woman and that McCain was trying for the Hillary supporters.
    Of course choices are all political. Biden chosen for his foreign affairs experience. Now whether or not the McCain move was wise or not remains to be seen at election time–for sure she has made the social conservatives very happy, and that is useful. But will it win over the Hillary supporters?

  6. Helen, interesting point about the “grocer’s daughter” meme. How big a deal was this?…an occasional slam, or a major pattern of attacks?

    Shannon…”In America, being a grocers daughter would have been nothing but a plus. Indeed, in American politics, the more humble your background the better”…I think this has *traditionally* been true, but I’m not sure it’s so true anymore. Class snobbery is getting stronger in this country, as is very visible in the attacks on Palin.

  7. Fred Lapides,

    …but rather than her choice was based solely on the fact she was a woman and that McCain was trying for the Hillary supporters.

    I think that is a rather narcissistic viewpoint on the part of democrats. Palin seems wildly popular on the right because of her life story and viewpoints. McCain may have selected her precisely because he knew she would shore up his republican base.

    As I blogged before, such a massive gap exist on policy between Palin and Hillary that anyone who would jump one from other just so they could vote based on a candidates sex is a stark raving loon. I feel confident in asserting that McCain did not view the votes of such people as critical.

  8. “McCain may have selected her precisely because he knew she would shore up his republican base.”

    It is delusional to think significant numbers of Hillary voters will switch. Activist female Democrats are loyal to their party, and they think abortion is a sacrament.

    I heard a lady on the Blue Line today loudly telling her friend that “as a feminist” she is “offended” and “angry” that McCain picked a woman who has views that “against women”. I could not make this stuff up. It was almost a self-parody. But it shows the more likely response of Hillary supporters to Palin. This not about them.

    The Palin selection is 100% about activating the base — which it has done, massively — and increasing turnout in the potential swing states where a church-going, pro-gun, anti-corruption person who is not from DC will have appeal. The female aspect is icing on the cake.

  9. David,

    I lived through all that but I still find it hard to tell whether the “grocer’s daughter” insult worked with anyone but people who hated Thatch anyway – i.e. the Left, who love the lower classes if they are completely helpless but absolutely hate the self-reliant middle class and lower middle class (hey, that’s a Brit speaking), many of whom are from a nonconformist background. The odd thing is that the original founders of the Labour Party came from a very similar background themselves. On the other hand, many people identified with her. Those to whom she represented the possibility of moving forward, out of their class and condition, to which they had been consigned by the previous governments.

    Then there was the rather nasty Tory tendency who consider that their class is somehow preordained to run the country and how dares this upstart usurp their rightful position. Of course Heath had not been exactly from the right class either but he was so wet that they did not mind. So, it is all very confusing.

    She did keep winning elections very handsomely, despite so much of the media being against her and the cleverdicks hating her worse than poison. Moreover, Major won in 1992 at least partly because he was seen as her chosen successor.

  10. I’m sure the selection was political (and wise in that way – many people I know have become energized over the last week-end, some pro-choice, some pro-life, but all of us out in the hinterlands).

    Still, when John McCain beamed and said he’d found his “soulmate”, it rang true. Whether that is necessariliy a good thing in terms of either the campaign or governing might be another thing – the stubborn, maverick, reformer may be a bit myopic. But Congress’s pathetic ratings might tell the average person that Americans see a need for reform in Washingtonh; besides, a stubborn reformer is surely better than a committed activist who votes present to obscure any paper trail.

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