While I may not be the first person to go out on a limb and declare that Barack Obama will win this year's Presidential election, I may be among the first to declare that Sarah Palin will win the Republican nomination and challenge him in 2012.
Those of you familiar with my blogs may recall that I am a Clintonite. And I am a Hillary, rather than a Bill, leaning Clintonite, at that. I maintain that this year was Hillary's year and that Obama has ruined the chances of 16 years of continuous Democrat rule in the United States by jumping the queue.
With her working class cred, cross gender appeal and Clinton smarts, Hillary would have walloped McCain, taken Obama as her running mate and known exactly what she needed to do on her first day on the job in the White House.
That said, full credit to Obama for realising the opportunity the calamitous Bush Presidency represents for aspirational Democrats and seizing the moment. Having the courage to claim the prize is what separates successful politicians from the rest - the difference between, say, a Paul Keating and a Peter Costello (currently in the discount bin and your nearest Borders bookshop).
The other benefit of a Clinton candidacy is that the world wouldn't have been subjected to Sarah Palin - well, not yet, anyway.
Palin was not John McCain's choice as running mate. According to reports, McCain wanted Democrat Joe Lieberman - the bloke who ran for Vice President with Al Gore, when Gore lost the unlosable election to W.
However, the powers that be in the Republican Party insisted McCain needed a right wing Christianist (not to be confused with most well meaning, God fearing folk) to excite the Republican base. The McCain strategists also thought they would be clever in picking a woman to take advantage of the huge levels of Hillary-inspired female engagement in the election.
So, they picked Palin.
Since winning her party's nomination for Vice President, it has become clear that Palin is a reasonably ordinary person whose success in politics to date has been based more on style than substance.
Palin was crowned Miss Alaska in 1984 and, while this should not be an obstacle to her being taken seriously in the workplace or in public life, the fact that she doesn't appear to know very much or have many views that she can express in a coherent manner should be.
And, in this election, I think it will be.
The Palin candidacy has undermined John McCain's credibility so much that it is likely to contribute to a landslide defeat in two weeks time. How on earth did his advisors think that McCain could present himself as being an experienced figure with superior judgment, when the only decision he has made while under the national spotlight of a Presidential election was to apparently pick a reality TV character (with supporting family) to be next in line to the Presidency.
Hell, why didn't they just pick Peggy Bundy as his running mate, compete with Al, Bud and Kelly? At least Al could have cut the $250,000 Palin wardrobe bill in half by sourcing cheap shoes.
If Barack Obama had used the same methodology in picking his running mate as the Republicans, we may have ended up with GI Joe or Sergeant Slaughter, as Obama sought to sure up his national security credentials, instead of the wise and experienced Senator Joe Biden.
Anyway...
After the votes are counted on 4 November, John McCain will head back to the Senate and will not have been diminished by being defeated by Barack Obama. McCain is apparently a pretty decent fellow. If you need a measure as to how decent he is, remember that the Republican Party didn't want him as their candidate - they just didn't really have anybody else.
But, where to for the moose-shooting foreign policy expert who can see Russia over the pile of hockey sticks and burning magazines and books (don't ask me the titles) on her front yard?
Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska will head back to the Governor's mansion on 5th November and, without a doubt, will start putting together her campaign team for the 2012 Presidential election - that is, if she hasn't already.
Sarah Palin is now a national celebrity. Just as Barack Obama used the opportunity to deliver a keynote address at the 2004 Democrat National Convention to launch his Presidential bid, Sarah Palin will do the same this year.
The Republican Party will come out of this year's election believing nobody can beat Barack Obama in 2012 and, as a result, all of the aspiring protestant white men in the Republican Party will sit the election out and wait until the Democrats have to find someone to replace Obama in 2016.
The door is open for Sarah Palin and she can read a lot of books and memorise a lot of speeches between now and the 2012 primary season.
As awful a possibility as this appears, those of us who believe everyone should have the same opportunities as everybody else in this world should be happy someone like Sarah Palin can aspire to the Oval Office.
As Hillary Clinton sits back on election night and wonders what might have been if Barrack Obama had just waited in line, she should console herself with the knowledge that she has been part of a truly remarkable achievement.
By running for President and ultimately losing the nomination, she opened the door for Sarah Palin and created the possibility of a woman as limited as George W Bush being elected President of the United States.
Now that's equality.
Comments (1)
:-/ written by Israel Henriques, October 24, 2008 - 1:27:32 pm CDT
Sarah Palin = Embarrassment
Thanks for the article Daniel.
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The 2008 Pride Parade may have been among the smallest, and certainly
the fastest in Pride's 19 years, but it remains a relevant and
important event according to this year's convenor, Charles Denham.
Gay favourite Rachel Berger is among the headliners this year as the Wild West Comedy Fest returns
to Perth for 26 days of hilarity and hijinks. Other Australian comedy
stars on the bill include Bob Franklin, Tom Gleeson, Fiona O’Loughlin
and Scared Little Weird
Guys.
Rebuilding trust was the key to the success of this year's Pride events
according to festival convenor, Kieran Bycroft. While some events did
less well than expected, many attracted good crowds and some film and
theatre sessions were sold out.
African-American and Latino voters were a powerful force in electing Barack Obama and also in passing Proposition 8 to ban same-sex marriage. Exit polls
showed 70 percent of black voters, and a majority of Latino
voters, voted yes to the ban. More here.
Three US states ban marriage
Three US states passed amendments banning same-sex marriage in the historic vote that also saw the election of the nation's first black president. Voters in California, Arizona and Florida approved proposals to outlaw same-sex
marriage. More here (free registration retired)and here.
California's marriage war rages on
Having failed to save same-sex marriage, GLBT Californians are taking their fight to court. City attorneys from San Francisco, Los Angeles and Santa Clara will seek to invalidate Proposition 8 on the grounds that it conflicts with the equal
protection pillars of the state Constitution. More here, here, here and here.
Caught with their pants down in Malaysia
Malaysian police raided four gay "parties" on the weekend and arrested some 70 people after finding DVDs, gay magazines, lubricants and boxes of condom. A small reminder to be cautious in Malaysia and Singapore, where the aptly named Straits Times gleefully prints your photo. Details here.
Burning in hell on Earth
God Hates Fags! posters have become one of the symbols of the great divide in America. Now the son of
vile and crazy Rev Fred Phelps speaks out for the first time about the violent abuse he
suffered at the hands of his father. Read it here, along with
the response from his delightful sister, Shirley.
Circumcision HIV benefits in doubt
US analysis of data on 53,567 men who have sex with other men has
found that circumcision is ineffective in reducing HIV rates.
African trials have shown circumcision cuts the likelihood of male to female HIV transmission by up to 60 per cent. More here and here.
Only gay in the village proud but sad
Australian Olympic gold medalist, Matthew Mitcham, is proud but also sad to have been the only gay in the village at Beijing. The champion diver says his decision to come out before the games was a vital part of the gold medal performance that denied China a clean sweep. More here.
Lover cooked and served with herbs
A plague of gay cannibals threatens to overrun the planet, with the latest outbreak reported in Leeds, where a former Mr Gay UK is on trial for killing a former lover and attempting to eat part of his thigh. Anthony Morley, 36, is accused of murdering Damian Oldfield and cooking parts of his flesh. More here.
Big HIV rise among China's gay men
HIV infections have increased alarmingly among gay and bisexual men in parts of
China according to new data. There were an estimated 700,000 HIV/AIDS cases in China as of
October 2007, up 8 percent from 2006. Cases among gay and bisexual men jumped to 3.3 percent in 2007 from 0.4 percent in 2005. More here.
Dancing in a circle with your friends, it's quickly becoming the
perfect night out. However amid the fifth round of drinks and
renditions of I Kissed a Girl, you can't help but feel a rift over the
dance floor.
From the Pride theatre and film seasons through to the Great Gay &
Lesbian Debate, Parade and Party, I thoroughly enjoyed this year's
Pride Festival. View footage from the debate and Parade and read about my festival highlights and the challenges I think Pride faces next year.
In winning today’s Presidential election, Barack Obama has provided the
world with the opportunity for a new beginning and his country with the
opportunity to put the disastrous Bush years behind it.
For some time now it's been popular among members of Generation Y to
declare that something is "so gay" to indicate that it's dumb, silly,
bad, ugly, unattractive, geeky, embarrassing, gaudy or even just plain
dull. That’s so gay. That’s so gay.
That’s so gay. It's the dull that hurts the most.
While I may not be the first person to go out on a limb and declare
that Barack Obama will win this year's Presidential election, I may be
among the first to declare that Sarah Palin will win the Republican
nomination and challenge him in 2012. That is, if she hasn't
bankrupted the Republicans with her wardrobe expenses first.
The global financial meltdown and impending economic Armageddon may
have an unexpected upside. For the first time in half a generation,
there may finally be a pool of people with the time on their
hands necessary to build exciting Parade floats.
Love All will return in 2009, with organisers bringing the event
forward to February to take advantage of the guaranteed summer weather.
The 2008 Pride Parade may have been among the smallest, and certainly
the fastest in Pride's 19 years, but it remains a relevant and
important event according to this year's convenor, Charles Denham.
Gay favourite Rachel Berger is among the headliners this year as the Wild West Comedy Fest returns
to Perth for 26 days of hilarity and hijinks. Other Australian comedy
stars on the bill include Bob Franklin, Tom Gleeson, Fiona O’Loughlin
and Scared Little Weird
Guys.
Rebuilding trust was the key to the success of this year's Pride events
according to festival convenor, Kieran Bycroft. While some events did
less well than expected, many attracted good crowds and some film and
theatre sessions were sold out.
African-American and Latino voters were a powerful force in electing Barack Obama and also in passing Proposition 8 to ban same-sex marriage. Exit polls
showed 70 percent of black voters, and a majority of Latino
voters, voted yes to the ban. More 
Three US states passed amendments banning same-sex marriage in the historic vote that also saw the election of the nation's first black president. Voters in California, Arizona and Florida approved proposals to outlaw same-sex
marriage. More 
Having failed to save same-sex marriage, GLBT Californians are taking their fight to court. City attorneys from San Francisco, Los Angeles and Santa Clara will seek to invalidate Proposition 8 on the grounds that it conflicts with the equal
protection pillars of the state Constitution. More 
Malaysian police raided four gay "parties" on the weekend and arrested some 70 people after finding DVDs, gay magazines, lubricants and boxes of condom. A small reminder to be cautious in Malaysia and Singapore, where the aptly named Straits Times gleefully prints your photo. Details 
God Hates Fags! posters have become one of the symbols of the great divide in America. Now the son of
vile and crazy Rev Fred Phelps speaks out for the first time about the violent abuse he
suffered at the hands of his father. Read it 
US analysis of data on 53,567 men who have sex with other men has
found that circumcision is ineffective in reducing HIV rates.
African trials have shown circumcision cuts the likelihood of male to female HIV transmission by up to 60 per cent. More 
Australian Olympic gold medalist, Matthew Mitcham, is proud but also sad to have been the only gay in the village at Beijing. The champion diver says his decision to come out before the games was a vital part of the gold medal performance that denied China a clean sweep. More 
A plague of gay cannibals threatens to overrun the planet, with the latest outbreak reported in Leeds, where a former Mr Gay UK is on trial for killing a former lover and attempting to eat part of his thigh. Anthony Morley, 36, is accused of murdering Damian Oldfield and cooking parts of his flesh. More 
HIV infections have increased alarmingly among gay and bisexual men in parts of
China according to new data. There were an estimated 700,000 HIV/AIDS cases in China as of
October 2007, up 8 percent from 2006. Cases among gay and bisexual men jumped to 3.3 percent in 2007 from 0.4 percent in 2005. More 
Dancing in a circle with your friends, it's quickly becoming the
perfect night out. However amid the fifth round of drinks and
renditions of I Kissed a Girl, you can't help but feel a rift over the
dance floor.
From the Pride theatre and film seasons through to the Great Gay &
Lesbian Debate, Parade and Party, I thoroughly enjoyed this year's
Pride Festival. View footage from the debate and Parade and read about my festival highlights and the challenges I think Pride faces next year.
In winning today’s Presidential election, Barack Obama has provided the
world with the opportunity for a new beginning and his country with the
opportunity to put the disastrous Bush years behind it.
For some time now it's been popular among members of Generation Y to
declare that something is "so gay" to indicate that it's dumb, silly,
bad, ugly, unattractive, geeky, embarrassing, gaudy or even just plain
dull. That’s so gay. That’s so gay.
That’s so gay. It's the dull that hurts the most.
While I may not be the first person to go out on a limb and declare
that Barack Obama will win this year's Presidential election, I may be
among the first to declare that Sarah Palin will win the Republican
nomination and challenge him in 2012. That is, if she hasn't
bankrupted the Republicans with her wardrobe expenses first.
The global financial meltdown and impending economic Armageddon may
have an unexpected upside. For the first time in half a generation,
there may finally be a pool of people with the time on their
hands necessary to build exciting Parade floats.
written by Israel Henriques, October 24, 2008 - 1:27:32 pm CDT
Sarah Palin = Embarrassment
Thanks for the article Daniel.