Sarah Palin

So this past Friday, everybody's favorite, Susan Estrich, who is not shy about letting folks know that she and Hillary Clinton, then Hillary Rodham went to school together, used the bold type to state that women are not fungible. For all the non-lawyers out there, fungible is an expensive, albeit grungy sounding word that basically means interchangeable. Because of her long-standing relationship with the Clintons, she naturally took offense that John McCain would choose a woman, who isn't Hillary Clinton, as his running mate. She makes clear that Sarah Palin is not a stand-in for Hillary Clinton.

I've been having a hard time figuring out whether Hillary Clinton is upset at John McCain, or not. Is John McCain doing Hillary Clinton a favor, possibly creating a larger role for her in Barrack Obama's campaign? Is she taking it personally? Why would she? Isn't this what she worked towards all her life, or at least 35 years of experience? She and McCain have been friends for decades, would he deliberately snub her? Or is it just strategy? Did anybody think Sarah was supposed to be a stand in, for anybody? She is a republican. Maybe John McCain thinks that there are some lady republicans who might enjoy voting for a woman, who agrees with them? Just saying, why shouldn't people of all ideologies get a shot? Why should every woman politician be only valid as a reflection of Hillary Clinton? Why should the nation behave as if she somehow has dibs, and no other woman should ever aspire? Why should we assume that every voting woman, only wanted to vote for Hillary Clinton? People disagree all the time, why not women?

At least Susan Estrich was a little less venomous in today's opinion piece. She's still playing the victim card, and still over-playing the sexism. People are allowed to ask Sarah Palin questions about motherhood. Having a child with Down syndrome is a thing. I don't much care myself, I'm sure she has a nanny, or a nurse or the husband and other children to help, but I can see why folks would want to know. (Please be much more gentle with the children, even the ones having children, none of that was necessary.) Of course it's only been a couple of days, and a holiday weekend, I think everything will find it's own level. I just hope we don't have to use that fungible word again. ICK.

I think part of the problem with these feminist from the '60's is that they expect everybody to be the ideal that they dreamed up in the dorm rooms. Not everybody has the same level of education, same kind of childhood, same this, that or the other thing. We Americans, are not a monolithic group. Instead of being angry and asking, "would that question be asked of a man?" why not also ask that question of a man? Sometimes, answers do come, and occasionally the answer is different than we expect. Let's have the conversations, give each other ideas, and just see what happens.

I can certainly understand why Sarah Palin's nomination would be tough for the likes of Susan Estrich. They are completely opposed on issues, and Susan Estrich had something to do with Geraldine Ferro's nod and felt like she had a stake in Hillary Clinton's run too. Sarah Palin is the first woman to be in this position without Susan Estrich's hand in the mix. No wonder she's mad.