Suburban Mom's Political Fix: Palin Denies Being Clothes Hog, Diva

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin shot back at the unnamed McCain campaign staffers who've been painting an unflatteringly horrific portrait of her in leaked stories to the media, by telling Matt Lauer that she never saw $150,000 worth of clothes, didn't set foot in Neiman Marcus or Saks, that she and McCain are on friendly terms and that she's no diva.

Lauer's Today Show interview is being aired in two parts. Tomorrow's installment promises to look at the personal costs of the campaign and include Palin's response to the media coverage her family received.

Below is the portion of the interview where Palin talked about the election results, her relationship with McCain and the infamous clothing issue. (Link is here.)



Here's a video of the portion of the interview Lauer conducted in the Palin kitchen, as Sarah Palin prepared food and Todd Palin held baby Trig. This clip includes Lauer asking 7-year-old Piper what she thought of the campaign. (Link is here.)

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: Savaging Sarah

All this jumpin' ugly on Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is unseemly and in seriously poor taste.

On Tuesday night, after the networks declared that Illinois Senator Barack Obama had won the presidency, Arizona Senator John McCain gave an eloquent, patriotic speech in which he reached out to Obama and said he'd do what he could to help the new president-elect. Class, all the way.

Twenty-four hours later, cowardly unnamed McCain staffers started dumping all manner of gossipy, trashy stories about Palin, calling Palin and her husband Todd "Wasilla hillbillies" and blaming her for the downfall of the McCain campaign.

Whatever one might think of Palin, one thing's clear: This whole thing is the campaign's fault. Palin didn't lobby the McCain people for the vice presidential post, as far as has been reported. The McCain campaign came to her. If you were the governor of Alaska of whom precious few people had ever heard and your party's presidential nominee offers to elevate you to a household name by putting you on a national ticket, who's going to turn that down?

When I read the stories from these anonymous sources saying that she didn't understand African geography, I thought, "Why did you pick someone you didn't know in the 11th hour without thorough vetting? Why didn't you use all the time you had in early spring after winning the GOP nomination -- while Obama was still battling Hillary Clinton -- to research and interview potential VPs? Why didn't you go with someone who's known on the national scene? Why didn't your campaign prep her?"

When you reach into Alaska and select someone who's an expert in Alaska politics as a vice presidential running mate and know she's not conversant about foreign policy and the ways of Washington, and you don't give her enough time to learn what she needs to know, what the heck do you expect?

All of this vicious backbiting is simply a diversion. A red herring. And really uncool.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: A New Day

Phew! Anyone else feel as though you've been through a marathon? Two years of watching every debate in both parties, of reading online and in newspapers and magazines about the campaign, of watching YouTube videos, of following every detail of the race can take a lot out of a person. And I wasn't even a candidate, the spouse of a candidate, working for the campaign or covering it as an embedded reporter. Those folks must feel as though they've been run over by a truck right about now.

At 11 p.m. last night, after the networks officially called the entire presidential election for Illinois Senator Barack Obama, I ran upstairs and woke up my kids to tell them the news. They weren't completely awake though and didn't remember that I'd woken them up when I spoke with them this morning. However after learning of the results, along with the fact that 10-year-old Malia Obama and 7-year-old Sasha Obama were promised a puppy by their dad, I saw that puppy-gleam in their eyes too. (Sorry kids, you're not getting a puppy. Your parents didn't just complete a presidential campaign.)

Kudos are due to Arizona Senator John McCain, who was eloquent and gracious in making his concession speech. I felt badly for him while watching him, a former POW, tearing up as he acknowledged the historic nature of Obama's win. He's an honorable man who was saddled with a bad campaign that made bad choices. Had he won and a woman ascended to the vice presidency for the first time in our nation's history, I would like to think that people would've been moved to see a woman succeed.

And Obama's acceptance speech, in my humble opinion, will be one children will later read about in history books.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: 'West Wing' Similarities, Political Fashion and Joe the Plumber as Joe the Crooner

Election Uncannily Similar to 'West Wing'

My gal pal Gayle and I both adored The West Wing, particularly its rejuvenated final season which focused on the fictional presidential campaign between Jimmy Smits, as an eloquent, young Democratic congressman with two young children, and Alan Alda, an older, bipartisan-esque Republican with an independent streak. During our conversations throughout the past year, we've often been thunderstruck at how that final season contained so many similarities with the real life campaign unfolding this year.

The New York Times has also noticed those similarities and has a piece today comparing the show with the current campaign:

"Certainly some of the parallels are coincidental. It is unlikely, for example, that the writers knew Mr. [Barack] Obama had an affection for Bob Dylan when they made [Smits' character] a Dylan fan. But it is the unintentional similarities that make the DVDs of the sixth and seventh seasons . . . so rewarding to watch now. In both The West Wing and in real life, for example, the Phillies played in the World Series during the election campaign."

Political Fashion . . . Continued

Today's Boston Globe has a top 10 list of political fashion moments from this never-ending presidential election including the flap over flag lapel pins, Hillary Clinton's pantsuits, who'll inherit the mantle of Jackie O's iconic fashion status and the post-Democratic primary season beard sported by New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. (Doesn't it seem like he ran for president a lifetime ago?)

Joe the Plumber . . . to Become Joe the Crooner?

I kid you not.

Joe the Plumber, otherwise known as Samuel J. Wurzelbacher, has an agent and plans to become a "show business personality," might record some country music, according to today's NYT.

What the hell am I doing wrong?

Image credit: Mitchell Haddad/NBC via NYT.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: Of Polls and Pricey Duds

About these polls -- most of which have Barack Obama ahead of John McCain -- I have this to say: Remember New Hampshire. Obama was supposed to crush Hillary Clinton, according to opinion polls. Only Clinton won. Also, it's important to note that by the mid-afternoon during the 2004 presidential election, web sites were reporting that exit polls indicated that John Kerry was going to beat George W. Bush.

No one knows what's really going to happen on election day until it finally does. While early voting is happening right now in some states, the vast majority of voters won't cast their ballots until Nov. 4. And when I hear pundits muse in print and on air that Obama's locked up this state or that one, I think: Some of the voters who responded to your poll may be a reflection of what some voters think, at the moment the poll is taken. But the results are not necessarily representative of the actual actions taken by the electorate on the big day. Anything can happen.

As for Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's $150,000 clothing -- paid for by the Republican party, purchased by handlers and stylists on her behalf, with the clothing all going to charity after the election -- a woman on the national stage, being interviewed on national TV, being photographed and videotaped at every moment, has to dress for the job. She has to look like she's ready to take over the presidency at a moment's notice, not like she's ready to skin a moose.

Yes, she's being marketed as an Alaskan hockey mom. Yes, she's trying to appeal to a working class demographic. Yes, I think spending vastly more than the average American family pulls in in an entire year in a toxic economic climate looks bad. But what the heck do people expect from a vice presidential candidate, particularly one who's a woman and whose every accessory is analyzed? If Palin showed up in her own clothes, in fleece and denim, do you mean to tell me she would not be ridiculed as a hick from the hinterlands? You mean to tell me people wouldn't be snide about the Wal-Mart demographic and fashion sense?

While I personally cannot imagine spending that much on clothing -- seriously, I'm a bargain kinda gal -- I'm not a vice presidential candidate. I'm not on the national stage. I can't even begin to compare what I spend on makeup and clothing to what a national figure spends. It's not even in the ballpark.

With pressing issues like the collapsing economy and fresh chatter from and about al Qaeda threats in the news, certainly there are more important issues than Palin's clothing.

Image credit: AP/Boston Globe.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: Sarah Survives, Joe Nearly Cries & Bailout is Greenlit

She survived. More than merely survived. She strung together aggressive sentences and strong sentiments joined with you-betcha folksy language, sprinkled with a few knowing winks aimed directly into the camera. Mentioned Joe Six-packs, hockey moms, soccer moms and a third grade class to which she promised would receive extra credit for watching the vice presidential debate. Doggoneit. She put those awkwardly awful Katie Couric interviews behind her. For now. She's not going to be kicked around. Especially not by Joe.



He didn't condescend. Or wildly run off at the mouth. Or ask anyone who is differently-abled and wheelchair-bound to stand up. He drew specific, distinct differences between the policy positions of the different tickets on several matters. While he seemed a bit stuffy, he did, in fact tear up when he recalled his days as a single father in the wake of the accident that killed his wife and daughter, and left his sons in the hospital.



As with last week's presidential race, I'd score the vice presidential debate essentially a tie. Biden won on substance and policy detail. Palin won with her Main Streeter and distinctly un-D.C. appeal to undecided voters. (If you've already decided to vote McCain or Obama, she wasn't aiming to convince you when she looked at the camera a la Reagan, trying to hop over the media and appeal directly to voters.)

Despite my pithy punditry here, a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll conducted after the debate found that 51 percent of the respondents said Biden won the debate to 36 percent who said Palin won, while 54 percent found Palin more likable to the 36 percent who found Biden more likable. On the matter of whether they seemed qualified to assume the presidency, 87 percent said Biden was qualified, to 42 percent for Palin.

While writing this post as I was listening to a Boston talk radio show, I heard this intriguing question: Can you imagine what last night's VP debate would've been like had Hillary been there instead of Joe?

Bailout is Greenlit

Despite the pork that's laden throughout the economic bailout package -- a bill both presidential candidates say our country needs lest we return to the Great Depression -- the House of Representatives has passed the $700 billion Wall Street life raft. Let the adventure begin.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: VP Debate Tonight, 'Rescue/Bailout' and Political Moms

Debate Tonight

It's on. Tonight. 9 p.m. EST. A high-wire act for the VP candidates. I hope, for Biden and Palin's sakes, they both do well. No one likes to see a wretchedly public crash and burn. It's just embarrassing for everyone. After all, this election is about the folks at the top of the tickets, isn't it? All the VP hopefuls have to do is to seem reasonable enough to possibly step in if necessary, which we all hope won't be necessary. I just hope no one asks Palin what newspapers or magazines she reads or whether Biden dodged sniper fire in Iraq. Then it could get ugly.

Rescue, Bailout . . . Tomato, Tomah-to

Notice that D.C. politicians are now calling the proposal to try to avert an economic catastrophe a "rescue" and not a "bailout?" Well the bailout bill that was approved by the Senate last night was loaded with unrelated tax breaks that could potentially prove to be poison pills for those fiscal conservatives in the House who are already skittish about approving a $700 billion life raft. According to the New York Post, pork was added to the bill including $6 million in tax breaks for the makers of kids' wooden arrows, $192 million for Puerto Rican and Virgin Island rum producers, $128 million break for auto racing tracks and money for wool research.

Are they seriously trying to take those wooden arrows and stick them through the heart of a bailout that the country's leading economic experts say we need? Seriously people. Have you no shame? Lawmakers had to be bribed with pork in order to do what's right?

Political Moms

My October column in Parents & Kids offers one last word on the media's handling of Sarah Palin, the working mom, as well as other political moms who are judged differently than their male counterparts.

Image credit: New York Post.

Palin 'Mommy Wars' Rage On

After venting my head off on my other blog, the Picket Fence Post, about the double-standard in the way in which the GOP VP nominee's parenthood is handled as compared to her male counterparts, I was contacted by a reporter from a California newspaper, the Contra Costa Times, to muse about the controversy about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the working mom.

I found some of the comments by others in the Times article regarding the criticism of Palin running for national office while a mother of five -- including a 5-month-old with Down Syndrome and a pregnant 17-year-old -- intriguing, including a quote from a UC Berkeley professor and author of a book on mothers who work:

"Palin is 'an easy target.' The latte crowd at Starbucks can sit around and shred her up. But some of the things that have been said, if it was a man would never happen. You'd think some of the hard-core feminists would come out and say, 'Give me a break.'"

One would think that, wouldn't she?

Image credit: Contra Costa Times.

Breath of Fresh Patriotic Air: Over 83 Million Watched Two Big Political Speeches

In the past week I've blogged about Mad Men, 90210 and Grey's Anatomy.

But what topic has given me the greatest satisfaction? That honor goes to the Associated Press story I read today that said more than 83 million people tuned in to watch Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's acceptance speech last week (approximately 42.4 million) and GOP VP nominee Sarah Palin's acceptance speech this week (about 41.1 million). (No numbers for John McCain's speech yet. Joe Biden's speech pulled in an estimated 24 million.)

In an age when it wouldn't surprise me if more people voted for an American Idol contestant than a leader of the free world, the fact that tens of millions of people took the time away from watching baseball, football and entertainment programming to watch the two political conventions and, in particular, two historic speeches, warms the cockles of my Mr. Smith Goes to Washington-idealistic heart.

"The audiences for the Obama and Palin speeches were bigger than the ones this year for the Academy Awards, the finale of American Idol or the Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing," the AP reported.

And if that many people tune in to watch the four debates (three presidential, one VP) -- I, sad political addict I am, watch all the debates (or DVR them) and have the small people in my house watch until it's time for them to go bed -- I will be simply over the moon.

UPDATE: The McCain speech numbers are now in. McCain's GOP acceptance speech drew 41.6 million viewers. That means, if you throw that in with the number of people who watched Obama, Biden and Palin (all on separate nights), 149 million people tuned in to watch four political speeches. How fantastic is that?

Image credit: Think Youth.org.

"Hockey Mom" of 5 Accepts GOP VP Offer

I continue to be stunned by the selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate. Some things I have learned in the last few hours:

Not only does the baby to whom she gave birth in April have Down Syndrome, but her eldest son is being deployed to Iraq next month. Her favorite meal is moose stew. She calls her husband Todd, Alaska's "first dude." Her nickname when she played high school basketball was "Sarah Barracuda." After having her baby this spring, she was back at work within days.

As MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski said, "She is the epitome of the modern woman."

Best line of Palin's first speech as a vice presidential nominee, occurred when she was giving a shout-out to Hillary Clinton and her 18 million primary voters who put "18 million cracks" in the proverbial glass ceiling. Palin said, ". . . [I]t turns out the women of America aren't finished yet and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all."



Check out the column I wrote about Palin's speech on Mommy Track'd.

I also penned a piece about the type of political convention speeches expected from working women whose husbands are running for president. It's entitled, "Michelle As First Lady: General Election Edition."

Bountiful Choices: A Beautiful Speech, Two Historic Possibilities

No matter your political affiliation, there's no way, if you have a pulse and a heart, that seeing the Illinois senator officially accept his party's presidential nomination last night in Denver seemed anything other than historic as Barack Obama invoked soaring rhetoric, talked tough and was relentlessly moderate as he reached for the post-partisan political middle.



And, as everyone was basking in the glow of Obama's speech on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luthur King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, GOP presidential nominee Senator John McCain made a first of his own by selecting Sarah Palin, the first-term governor of Alaska a MOTHER of five -- who just gave birth in APRIL to a baby with Down Syndrome -- as his vice presidential nominee.

Either way you slice it, if you pull a Democratic or Republican lever in November, you'll be making history.

What a country.