[Mike Slippkauskas]

Yes. And we cross-posted on each other's points!

And I know you're speaking as the best kind of football mom. Cheers.

[Marion Shore]

At least mine don't play hockey!

[Marion Shore]

BTW, would you say there's a political demographic to these sports? I.e. is soccer more Democrat? Hockey more Republican? What about football?

[Anne Bryant-Hamon]

But I think she is deliberately playing into that macho stereotype. As well as reinforcing the image of her own metaphorical balls; reminding us that, despite her feminine sex appeal, she's in touch with her inner macho.

Funny, it seems like this image is the same thing that causes the same sub-group to despise Hillary Clinton. If she becomes VP, and then McCain croaks (which is not improbable) who becomes the VP? Is it the Speaker of the House or Senate Majority Leader? I can't recall.

[Mike Slippkauskas]

Marion,

Take this article with a pinch of salt but I at least found it amusing. And I do think they carefully consider symbolism (as they should).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008...ort.sarahpalin

Best,
Michael

(Just reread the article. I think the points are weakened by over-partisan, indeed classist, nastiness. Why bash the young Levi? Is some innocent and wholly normal trash-talking on MySpace enough to brand him forever as a thug?)

[This message has been edited by Mike Slippkauskas (edited September 08, 2008).]

[Robert J. Clawson]

Originally posted by Anne Bryant-Hamon:

If she becomes VP, and then McCain croaks (which is not improbable) who becomes the VP?

Nancy Pelosi

[Tim Murphy]

My mom was a Speech Mom. I won the State Extemp Speaking Competition, I acted in plays, I captained my debate team, was elected Lt. Gov of Boys' State, Senior Class President, was shuffled off to Yale. Pit bulls weren't even it. They didn't wear lipstick.

[Marion Shore]

Yeah, Mike, I agree. (I'd seen this article somewhere before, and had the same reaction.) It's clever and witty to some degree, but undermines itself by trotting out the same kind of stereotypes it's ridiculing.

The ending I found particularly irritating. (Reminded me of Hillary's infamous cookie remark.)

These women look empowered, relaxed, athletic and totally in control. And they're America's next crop of young female voters. Not soccer moms. Not hockey moms. But players.

Once again it's the moms who are the object of contempt. Enough already! The people who sit in the stands, cheer the kids, buy their shin-guards, clean up their wounds-- not to mention produce the future players--are players too. Bigtime.

[Kevin Andrew Murphy]

Originally posted by Mike Slippkauskas:
Marion,

Take this article with a pinch of salt but I at least found it amusing. And I do think they carefully consider symbolism (as they should).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008...ort.sarahpalin

Best,
Michael

(Just reread the article. I think the points are weakened by over-partisan, indeed classist, nastiness. Why bash the young Levi? Is some innocent and wholly normal trash-talking on MySpace enough to brand him forever as a thug?)

I looked at his MySpace page. Seems a perfectly ordinary high school kid who's got his girlfriend pregnant, and it's not like there aren't at least a couple of those at every high school in the country.

Calling him a thug is uncalled for. I do like that his MySpace page uses language that his mother-in-law-to-be was trying to ban from the public library (unless Sarah Palin had more exotic taste in censorship than the usual garden variety "fuck" which even the current vice president has been known to utter across the aisle in Congress).

But in any case, he's not running for President. Sarah Palin is. Or at least VP to a sickly President, and those have been known to kick off barely a month after taking office (and McCain would be older than Harrison), so yeah, President.

[Anne Bryant-Hamon]

Originally posted by Robert J. Clawson:
Originally posted by Anne Bryant-Hamon:

If she becomes VP, and then McCain croaks (which is not improbable) who becomes the VP?

Nancy Pelosi

Thanks, Bob. Now that would be interesting! Two women at the top

Anne