I think you are totally 100% correct. People are just insecure, and when something different shows up, they react defensively– and strongly. Kill it, what that different thing is. Even the Dems treatment of Hillary was not even and fair– Obama got a lot of free passes, whereas Hillary had to earn almost every inch of the way. I think she made a big mistake not going after Obama aggressively. He’s got a lot of holes in his game and even his at his best spinning would have a difficult time defending if pressed hard on his weaknesses.

Palin totally disarmed and impressed me from the moment she started speaking. At first I think I regarded her as ‘just a mom’ — a good one, but I guess I don’t associate moms with strength. She had a great demeanor and made me laugh. Very likeable. Then she segued into slams against her opponents. And she pulled them off so well, yet without seeming mean. I was stunned. She was hitting him hard, but didn’t seem like a jerk doing it, which is more typical (see Fred Thompson, maybe even Giuliani, although he too was entertaining in his over the toppedness). She was articulate, firm and strong. In the end, I realized she could be both the wonderful person and mother AND the tough politician, something I’ve rarely seen. She was PERFECT.

Between Obama and McCain, I think McCain would do a better job, but I was ready to vote Obama just to break the racial lock on politics. Personally I think we’re wasting too much time on race and sex relations. we need to resolve these so we can move forward rather than being mired in the past. If I have to sac some quality in the White House, I’m willing to do it. But this Palin has tipped the scales, she seems genuine, whereas Obama is a consumate politician– a great spinner. It makes me think I can vote for a break from the legacy of sexism AND have quality.

Palin did me in. As of this time, my vote is probably belongs to the Repubs– to her, more accurately. I’m looking forward to the VP debates. I think there’s a strong chance she’s gonna gut Biden.

BA: I think that Suzette’s point is more broad. That there is an undercurrent of fear of unapologetic women that comes from across the political spectrum.

Suzette, you give Clinton short shrift when you say that she “asked permission”. I posit that Clinton is hated by Conservatives because she is an unapologetic promoter of her ideology. Similarly the most-awesome Palin is hated by the Kos freaks because she is an unapologetic promoter of her ideology.

Obama and Edwards push the same ideas that Clinton pushes. But conservatives haaaaaaaattttee Clinton.

I bet that Palin will be more despised than Buchanan, Gingrich, Rush etc *because* she is a “womanized” woman pushing the agenda.