Minnery added that his boss, Dobson, has yearned for a conservative female leader like Margaret Thatcher to emerge on the American scene. And while Palin is no Thatcher, "she has not rejected the feminine side of who she is, so for that reason, she will be attractive to conservative voters."

Yeesh -- I loathe what Thatcher did to the UK (I lived through it) but even I am astounded that they could even breathe Margaret Thatcher name in connection with Palin.

Thatcher was a political heavyweight of the highest order.  She had decades of experience in government behind her when she became party leader, and was a seasoned political campaigner.  Really comparing her with Palin.... Andrew Sullivan would fall into a dead faint if he heard that (Thatcher is his idol, but is an enthusiastic Obama supporter this time around).

Not only is Palin a lightweight, but the more we find out about her, the messier her family life seems to get.  We just found out her teenage daughter is pregnant (and apparently was offered the chance of an abortion, given the way the press release was worded).  She's deeply enbroiled in troopergate because a department head wouldn't fire her sister's husband while they were going through a messy divorce, and we also just found out that her own mother-in-law may not vote for her.  Perhaps Jerry Springer should be called in to help her out?

Of course, I expect none of this to affect the religious right.  As long as Palin says the right things (not including claiming that the founding fathers said the Pledge of Allegiance, lol) then it doesn't matter whether she practices what she preaches.  

That's why I am afraid this gambit of McCain's will actually work.  I shudder at the thought of the mess the US will be in after another four years of right-wing administration.  

by tacitus on Mon Sep 01, 2008 at 03:11:19 PM EST