Distraction as a Political Tactic

For a moment, the presidential race seemed far too easy for Barack Obama. Nonetheless, the announcement of the Republican vice presidential nominee presented a formidable challenge for the Democratic party. Not because the nominee had much merit in terms of political doctrine, but because she provided the distraction needed for the Republicans. Sarah Palin's entrance into the presidential race seemed to be an attempt to pull Clinton supporters towards the right. This theory is quickly forgotten when one recalls that Sarah Palin stands in opposition to Hillary Clinton on virtually all issues. Therefore, a vote for Sarah Palin will be a vote based upon feminist aspirations rather than relevant political and social issues. That is not to say that women don't deserve an equal say in the political sphere, it's actually quite the opposite. Women deserve to be valued on their judgments, beliefs, standards, and experience, in the same way a man would. In other words, to favor a woman on less substantial points is to downplay their values and magnify the importance of their gender. Sarah Palin's presence in the election is having this unfortunate effect. Polls show that voters favor her for her "hockey mom" background, seemingly ignoring her stance on women's reproductive rights among other issues. Sarah Palin is a needless distraction from an important political discussion on the current issues.