John McCain definitely shocked the nation Friday morning with his announcement of Governor Sarah Palin as his vice-president. Most people—including myself—had absolutely no clue who this woman is. Within the past few days, completely different views have emerged about his surprising choice.
The New York Times’ article “Drawing Women’s Attention, Maybe Not Allegiance” refers to the mixed reaction of women towards McCain’s choice. On one hand many people are drawn to the conservative, relatable self-described “hockey mom” while others feel that she is unfit and unprepared for such an important national position.
But maybe that “hockey mom” is exactly what McCain needs. Many people feel that he’s out of touch with what the youth and younger generations of this country want. Sarah Palin helps to bring a younger perspective to the ticket. Some women call her relatable and say that it makes them “feel a little better” about voting for McCain. Others talked of how the choice turned them away from McCain. Citing her strong anti-abortion and gay right stances along with relative lack of national experience, they noted that this choice was only a ploy to sway women voters.
Many are saying McCain only chose Palin to lure strong supporters of Hilary Clinton to his side. Maybe he did and while we will not know the outcome of this choice till November, he definitely succeeded in his other goal of turning the water cooler talks from Obama’s convention speech to his vice-president choice.