There is more to Sarah Palin than just a pretty face.
The nomination of Gov. Palin, R-Alaska, as John McCain's running mate certainly caught everyone's attention, yet she remains relatively unknown - except for her lipstick joke, designer glasses and hot new action figure. Initially, for this female candidate, those seemed to be more important than her political convictions.
Throughout her life, Palin has fought her way to the top - beginning with PTA and then as a member of City Council and mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, and now governor of the Last Frontier.
Her 21-months as governor and then her nomination for vice president has resulted in controversy and criticism. Former President Bill Clinton took office after being governor of Arkansas. Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico, ran for president. How long must one be a governor before being qualified to be a vice presidential candidate, or president, for that matter? She has the same responsibilities as any other governor of any other state. Alaska may not be as populated as other states, but it certainly has the same issues economically and politically.
Many have questioned if Palin, a woman, should be at home taking care of five children, including a special needs child, and a grandchild on the way, even though she has a capable and supportive husband at her side. Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., took care of two children and kept his job after the death of his first wife. Now he's the Democrats' vice presidential nominee. People expect that because Palin is a woman she cannot do the same job as a man. This sentiment toward women is still prevalent in the United States even in 2008!
Obama's daughters are very young. Why don't people ask whether he should give up his shot at the presidency so that he can stay at home with his kids while his wife pursues her own career. Just because Palin is a woman and mother does not mean that she should not have the same opportunities as the men in this presidential race. She has already proven herself by raising a family, being so successful in such a short period of time and becoming Alaska's governor.
Some argue that Palin can't run her own family, much less a country, because of her 17-year-old daughter's pregnancy. What family doesn't have some difficulty, no matter how the parents raise their children? How many AU students come from good homes with good parents but still smoke pot and get raging trashed on weekends? Is it the parents' fault? She hasn't failed as a mother because of her daughter's mistake, and she will definitely not fail as a female vice president of the United States.
Has mocking her National Rifle Association membership been because of the reputation of the organization or because she is a woman? As I personally hail from rural Alaska, a state where subsistence life prevails, and where animals much larger than squirrels rummage in people's garbage, I know it's necessary to be gun-savvy.
Palin is a perfectly qualified woman with a proven ability to govern and negotiate at a high level. No one goes into such an election knowing everything and without making mistakes along the way. Palin is not to be underestimated - she is bright, persistent and a fighter who cares greatly for her state and country. She brings new ideas from outside the beltway. Hopefully Palin's gender won't distract voters from focusing on the critical economic and security issues this country faces and that she is capable of learning and up to the task of handling.
Dwelling on such minutia as her daughter and family is drawing both supporters and detractors away from the only thing that matters: her politics.
Rachel Lincoln is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences and the women's issues columnist for The Eagle. You can reach her at edpage@theeagleonline.com.
