John McCain's Sarah Palin pick is the epitome of tokenism

[FriendOrFoe]

Originally Posted by purple rain

And please don't try to convince me that Obama would have had the media profile to run for President if he weren't a black man. If he were John Doe, white Senator, ranked 99th in senority and little record of authoring and passing legislation, he wouldn't have stood a chance.

I am voting for Obama this year, but this statement is undoubtedly true. He would not have gotten the attention in the media he did if he were not half black.

On the other hand, once he had the attention he had to deliver. Apparently enough voters thought he did, thus he got the nomination. His race got him noticed, but his race did not get him the votes. If that were true, other black men who had tried in the past would have succeeded.

Palin on the other hand was just handed the VP spot. She did not have to campaign for it and earn votes. If there were a vote for that spot, it would be interesting in both parties to see who would be there.

[january]

Originally Posted by tkdgirl

Well then there's balance because anyone who questions Obama is a racist and wants to keep the black man down.

It doesn't matter if she doesn't appeal to you. She appeals to conservatives, and her on the ticket has united the Republican party.

TKD, I agree with you that it really doesn't matter what us Democrats and Independents think regarding the pick. Thats true. I'm curious as a Republican, do you support this pick or do you think he could have done better? I guess what gets me about this pick is that he only met with her once. To me, that screams that she was a "token" pick, picked only due to the fact that she was a woman. I know some people will say that regardless of why she's there, its progressive that a woman is on the ticket. I disagree, respectfully. I just think its an example of a woman getting promoted for the sole reason of having a vagina, which I don't think is ever right. And for the record, I'm an Independent, and I don't hate Palin, I just think she's a token pick and he could have done much better. Avoiding every other issue, all I want to know is - are you satisfied with the pick? Does that bother you as well? I don't ask you in a condescending manner, I really want to know how a Republican feels about this.

[kingcap72]

Originally Posted by FriendOrFoe

I am voting for Obama this year, but this statement is undoubtedly true. He would not have gotten the attention in the media he did if he were not half black.

On the other hand, once he had the attention he had to deliver. Apparently enough voters thought he did, thus he got the nomination. His race got him noticed, but his race did not get him the votes. If that were true, other black men who had tried in the past would have succeeded.

Palin on the other hand was just handed the VP spot. She did not have to campaign for it and earn votes. If there were a vote for that spot, it would be interesting in both parties to see who would be there.

Amen. I couldn't agree more.

That's what annoys me when I hear the PUMAS say that Obama got 'handed' the nomination by the Democratic Party, as if the voters had nothing to do with it. Palin got handed a VP spot, without doing anything to earn it, and now she has to prove that she deserves it.

[nycgirl]

Originally Posted by kingcap72

When has any Obama supporter accused somebody of being racist for questioning Obama's experience? People keep throwing that around but can't give any examples of it.

And to say that Obama's race got him to where he is is ridiculous, because he had to fight his way to the Democratic nomination, whereas Palin got picked for the VP slot just to appeal to female voters. Obama has made his case to be president for 18 months and now Palin gets just over two months to make her's after coming out of nowhere. McCain picked her after only meeting her ONCE.

And, true, neither one has all of the experience they need for the respective positions. But at least Obama knows what the president is suppose to do.

They have. Sorry I can't go back through every single post right now to find a specific example, but it has been thrown out there quite a few times. I didn't just pull that out of the blue though

As for Obama's race, it has definitely hindered him more than it has helped him. Would there be so many questions about his name, or patriotism if he were white? It's been a very difficult race for him, and I have to give him credit for taking all the BS in stride. He always seems to keep his cool.

[kingcap72]

Originally Posted by nycgirly101

They have. Sorry I can't go back through every single post right now to find a specific example, but it has been thrown out there quite a few times. I didn't just pull that out of the blue though

Well, I know I haven't thrown it out there. But, then again, you had some Hillary suporters who kept bringing up the fact that Obama was playing the race card, even though he wasn't the one telling voters to vote for him because of his race.

[laynes]

Originally Posted by NicoleWasHere

Oh, so people can't have a valid reason to not vote for Obama, or McCain/Palin? Give me a fucking break. I'm not voting for McCain/Palin. Does that make me sexist? Nope. They're both against everything I stand for.

If I were a Republican or conservative, would it make me racist if I didn't vote for Obama? No, because if I were a Republican, chances are he'd be against a lot of what I stood for, then.

There ARE racists and sexists everywhere, but they don't make up the entire country. Some people have POLITICAL REASONS to not vote for one or the other.

Open your mind a little bit. It's not JUST about racism and sexism.

You said people who trashed Obama were only racist if they made a racial slur..which is simply not true. Perhaps it's the way you worded your statement or the way I interpreted it?

I completely understand that there are political reasons why people will or won't vote for someone. Those are the reasons that you and I use when we vote.

But, you're giving this country and it's people a lot of credit and IMO in THIS election there are going to be many other reasons why people will/wont vote for someone and it's going to be based on race, sex, and age vs. the issues at hand.

[nycgirl]

Originally Posted by kingcap72

Well, I know I haven't thrown it out there. But, then again, you had some Hillary suporters who kept bringing up the fact that Obama was playing the race card, even though he wasn't the one telling voters to vote for him because of his race.

I know you never have King, and I didn't mean to point any fingers at anyone in particular. And one thing Obama has never done is played the "race card"... I couldn't disagree more with those supporters.

[kingcap72]

Originally Posted by nycgirly101

I know you never have King, and I didn't mean to point any fingers at anyone in particular. And one thing Obama has never done is played the "race card"... I couldn't disagree more with those supporters.

I didn't think you were pointing a finger at me, NYC.

[january]

IF someone is referring to my previous statements, I never said that ALL people who question his inexperience were racist. If that was inferred, I'm sorry. What I said was that there will be SOME people who will make any argument against Obama solely because they will never vote for a black President. When I said it I was crucified, but I still believe it. There ARE people out there who will use his inexperience as a convenient excuse to not vote for a black man. Does that mean that I think all people who aren't voting Obama are racist? ABSOLUTELY NOT. I respect people of all views and if that wasn't clear, then I need to make it clear - because I think I'm being referred to in this thread. And no, I've never ever heard anyone say "if you don't vote for Obama, you're racist." But I also think its naive to think there aren't some out there who would never vote for a black man, especially with a name such as his. Some people will never vote for a woman either.

[kingcap72]

Originally Posted by january

IF someone is referring to my previous statements, I never said that ALL people who question his inexperience were racist. If that was inferred, I'm sorry. What I said was that there will be SOME people who will make any argument against Obama solely because they will never vote for a black President. When I said it I was crucified, but I still believe it. There ARE people out there who will use his inexperience as a convenient excuse to not vote for a black man. Does that mean that I think all people who aren't voting Obama are racist? ABSOLUTELY NOT. I respect people of all views and if that wasn't clear, then I need to make it clear - because I think I'm being referred to in this thread. And no, I've never ever heard anyone say "if you don't vote for Obama, you're racist." But I also think its naive to think there aren't some out there who would never vote for a black man, especially with a name such as his. Some people will never vote for a woman either.

Exactly. Which is why I could never understand those people who were so certain that Hillary was a sure-thing to win if she got the nomination. Neither Obama or Hillary would be a sure thing, since you do have some people who believe that the president should only be a white male because that's the way it's always been.

[McJag]

Originally Posted by kingcap72

Exactly. Which is why I could never understand those people who were so certain that Hillary was a sure-thing to win if she got the nomination. Neither Obama or Hillary would be a sure thing, since you do have some people who believe that the president should only be a white male because that's the way it's always been.

Lots of white males,anyway!

[kingcap72]

Originally Posted by McJag

Lots of white males,anyway!

And in McCain's case, the oldest of them all. But Obama's half-white so that should count for something.