Neanderthal Thinking

Boy, these conventions are sure something!

Only not so much the one that's going on now.

Last week I was going through a tissue or three each night because of the emotions raised in me by the speakers and directors of the videos. This week ... not so much. Last week Joe Biden made me think and laugh and Obama made me hope, but this week all I keep hearing is how some nameless opposition is no good at all. "Vote for us or else" is not a campaign slogan that has much traction with me.

Then, last night, I got to see the media fall all over themselves congratulating someone for talking successfully to a very supportive crowd. I admit she did a decent job of delivering a prepared speech, but I can't help feeling that reciting something after practicing on it for a few days doesn't mean a great to me. I expect more of our leaders than that, something I had to do in Junior High.

I guess most of America can relate to her, and there's no small number of political scientists who say that's a good thing. I can't say that I do and, more, I can't say that I'd vote for anyone because I did. I want my president, whoever he or she is, to be like some sort of super-adult from my childhood, and it's hard for me to do that when I can see the strings, mirrors, and through the smoke. I know a lot of people will like Sarah Palin because she has breasts, and I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but it's not like I'm ever going to get much pleasure from them.

Many of the same people who piled on Hillary are now saying I can't judge Sarah. It's true that no one questions any men about how they can work and raise a family, but it's also true that it's a reality that in our current culture, men and women have different roles. I'm not sure that I, even as a guy, would leave a newborn baby who needed me to pursue my career goals, but I'm not saying that makes Sarah a bad parent. It just gives me pause.

I have no interest in her pregnant daughter, either, other than in her name. I would never name one of my kids after some NASCAR track, but, then again, I'd be unlikely to name her siblings Willow, Trig, Track, or Piper, either: it would make it too difficult for them to buy souvenir license plates at the county fair and kids don't need to overcome every possible challenge and disappointment just to grow up secure.

Not that I know anything about kids.

It may be a good thing that the Palins can get out of Wasilla, a city that evidently has one meth lab for every 225 residents, a number I admit staggered me. Granted, there's little to do in Alaska except come up with names for snow and, presumably, exercise your genitals, but that can't be wholesome environment.

Still, she gave a good speech to people who wanted to hear her say bad things about Obama, but it didn't make me change my mind.