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Lisa Murkowski Wants You to Vote With Your Ovaries, Not Your Brain.

When John McCain nominated Sarah Palin to be his running mate, the country was shocked.  But we also knew part of the reason he did it. She was a woman, and she had exactly the same double-X chromosomal makeup and body parts as Hillary Clinton.  There were a lot of people who were pretty miffed that Hillary wasn’t the nominee, and (the strategy went) all those women would flock to Sarah Palin and fill in the bubble next to the name of this utterly unqualified woman because … well, because she’s a woman!  It would be cool to have a woman Vice President, wouldn’t it?  And all women are the same, anyway.  Women don’t really care what’s inside another woman’s brain or anything.  A woman is a woman. If we can’t have this one, we’ll just take that one.  And so, in the mind of John McCain and his campaign, we were just switching out one female political action figure for another. Nobody would notice.

Our cynicism was validated when we learned that McCain had only met with Palin on one occasion before her whirlwind interview in Arizona for the nation’s second highest job.  He saw everything he needed to see.

McCain’s  jaw-dropping pander to women left me speechless. Almost.  As I sat down to start blogging on the morning of August 29, 2008 when Sarah Palin was nominated, I had this to say:

McCain obviously is looking for the Hillary vote since apparently he thinks women need no other criteria than a set of ovaries to mark their ballot, right?  I mean women don’t actually make policy decisions, do they?

Never did I imagine that the next time I’d feel this particular brand of pandering, and the insulting suggestion that my vote was based solely on whether the candidate sat down to pee, would be from another Alaskan woman.  Yes boys and girls, now Lisa Murkowski thinks I ought to vote for her just because she’s a woman.  And because men can be really mean.

Lisa just told women via full-color glossy mailer paid for by corporate donors that “for all the times you have been overruled”, “for all the times your accomplishments have been ignored,” and “for all the times you have been called names or ridiculed” we should vote for her.  This flyer goes on to tell me that Lisa is only one of 17 women in the 100 member Senate.

After talking about how mean Joe Miller’s ad campaign lied about her, and how another outside group called her a ‘princess’ she says:

“Fair? Not. But it’s what women have been dealing with for centuries.  For every woman who has stood up to the Joe Miller’s [sic] of the world – and those who wished they had… Write in Lisa Murkowski… it’s a vote for you.”

While Murkowski stands at the podium of my mailbox, calling people out on lying, it seems a good time to remind everyone that Lisa Murkowski’s last mailing was full of blatant easily provable lies targeting her Democratic rival Scott McAdams.  But, you know… political candidates have been putting up with that for centuries. And women lie too.

Gloria Steinem, when talking of Sarah Palin’s unlikely nomination said, “Feminism has never been about getting a job for one woman. It’s about making life more fair for women everywhere.” Steinem may as well have been talking about this race too.

“Write in Lisa Murkowski… it’s a vote for you,” says the Murkowski campaign.  Is it, really?  If I used Murkowski’s “women should vote for women because they’re women” logic, I’d be voting for Sarah Palin for President in 2012 too.  And that’s not going to happen.

Writing in a vote for Lisa Murkowski isn’t a vote for me. It’s a vote for Lisa Murkowski.

If it was a vote for me, it would be a vote for someone who would have been proud to vote  for two bright and qualified female Supreme Court nominees who support women’s issues. Lisa Murkowski didn’t.

If it was a vote for me, it would be a vote for someone who didn’t waffle about reproductive freedom.

If it was a vote for me, it would be a vote for someone who didn’t vote against the vital interest of my state including on issues of domestic violence because my party leaders told me to.

If it was a vote for me, it would not be a vote for a woman who got handed her job by her dad, and only kept her job because her “Uncle Ted” went on TV and begged Alaskans to allow her to keep it when it looked like she was losing.

And while this is not a gender issue, a vote for me would be a vote for someone who knows that an apostrophe does not make a word plural. Just saying.

On October 16, one of the panelists on the Alaska TV program Moore Up North was long-time Murkowski supporter, campaign volunteer and former Republican Woman of the Year Bonnie Jack.

Jack was asked about why she was supporting Lisa Murkowski in the senate race. She talked about how Lisa Murkowski had reached across party lines when she was in the state legislature.  Moore pointed out that she did do that when she was in the legislature, but that now in the Senate, she voted more than 90% of the time with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.  Jack, who had stated that she’s known Lisa for a long time said, “I think that was because she was a woman trying to work her way up in the party structure.”  Audible groans arose from the audience.

I don’t know if Jack was right or not, but Murkowski’s voting record speaks for itself, and her record of partisanship speaks for itself. If it’s true that the reason behind this is that Lisa Murkowski is willing to compromise her true principles, and vote against her conscience and against other women because she is “a woman trying to work her way up in the party structure” then women have some serious soul-searching to do.  Are we willing to vote for the chromosomes regardless of the fact that they vote against our interests?  Is it worth it to sell out our own principles just to see a smiling female face in a blue power suit in the halls of the Capitol?

Should we have more female representatives in Washington?  Yes, I believe we should.  But I also think that women owe it to themselves, their children and their country to vote for substance over form.  The right candidate for women isn’t always a woman.

And a woman who tells you that her gender is all you need to know cast your vote, thinks you’re not very smart, or principled.  A woman who tells you that a vote for any woman is a vote for you, isn’t being honest.

November 2nd, the only organ you should be voting with is your brain.

Comments

comments

Comments
73 Responses to “Lisa Murkowski Wants You to Vote With Your Ovaries, Not Your Brain.”
  1. Polarbear says:

    In Murkowski’s campaign ads, she uses the phrase “…the failed stimulus act.” Her statement is not just a campaign exaggeration, it is an outright lie. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has been massively successful in generating jobs and causing economic stimulus, and the facts are right there to prove it. Money is still pouring into Alaska for basic infrastructure projects funded by the stimulus act, and will continue to pour in over the next 3 years. This and Murkowski’s continuing opposition to my family’s health care rights is enough to not vote for her. Scott McAdams is the true centrist in this race

  2. Laurainnocal says:

    Ah, Leasa is so obviously desperate. To patronize woman is revolting, which is why we were all so disgusted with the AZ dinosaur. I judge my representatives on their logic and care for my community’s welfare.

    Let’s early vote!

  3. leenie17 says:

    I would bet money that Lisa was among many women (myself included) who were extremely offended by the comment made by Colorado Senate candidate Ken Buck that people should vote for him because he “doesn’t wear high heels”.

    I see no difference in his comment and her suggestion that women vote for her because they share anatomical parts.

  4. Kath the Scrappy says:

    Wow AKM! That is one of the most powerful posts I’ve ever read from you – worthy of a 2nd read. Thank you!

  5. fishingmamma says:

    There she is, another embarassment to Alaskan Women.

    When she was appointed by her father, I sent her a letter telling her that accepting that job was wrong, and that she insulted every hard-working alaskan woman. My son was in the same boy scout troop as her son, and we saw each other at events over the years. She knew who I was, and she did not bother to answer my letter.

    Now, she insults alaskan women again, telling us that she wants our vote because she is a woman.

    She can kiss my hanging chad.

    • bubbles says:

      She can kiss my hanging chad.
      ********************************************
      priceless

  6. physicsmom says:

    Can I hear an “Amen!” Well-done AKM and other thoughtful posters. Sorry no local channels carried the AK debate (I’m in MI and they showed the FL debate and one of the CA debates). Is there a link to an archived version of the broadcast? Thanks.

  7. Bill Vogel says:

    Excellent. Well said. Vote for McAdams early and often.

  8. blue_in_AK says:

    I must be very, very special because I have received BOTH of Lisa’s ridiculous flyers, the one lying about the Democrats and the one encouraging me to vote with my ovaries. What a tool she is. At this point, I’m kind of glad Joe Miller kicker her ass in the primary.

    Go, Scott!

  9. Lee323 says:

    Murkowski is a Republican write-in candidate who will consequently split the Republican vote, so she’s trying to form a broader support “coalition” drawn from outside party lines….Natives, fearful (of Miller) Democrats, and women are some of the demographics she’s targeting to reach a majority.

    There’s nothing wrong with a politician trying to widen her support base …..unless:

    1–A Senatorial debate is shut down at the major Native convention, so that the attendees don’t have the benefit of hearing a debate between those candidates who are not “officially” endorsed by the leadership.

    2–Deceptive mailers are sent out to Democrats which state that prominent Democrats will not be voting for McAdams…..and then a disingenuous apology is issued claiming an inadvertent “mistake” in the mailer headline.

    3–Mailers which pander explicitly and emotionally to gender grievances are sent out to target women, instead of the candidate running on her own (poor) record on women’s and children’s policy issues.

    Typical cynical, manipulative politicking by a desperate Murkowski.

    Vote for the real Alaskan….transparent politics with integrity….Vote McAadms!

  10. JUST A THOUGHT says:

    Excellent post! Send on to Huffington Post!

  11. Well done, AKM. Once again you have sorted out the murkiness of this campaign and clearly defined what is really going on behind some of these women candidates. The way you described the choice of Sarah Palin and Murkowski’s latest flyer is also the attitude we are seeing with candidates like Angle and O’Donnell. They are not in any way qualified and the only appeal they have has nothing to do with their abilitiy to govern.

    • CrossBorder says:

      Hey PWA, are you also getting upteen of those ridiculous flyers for Dino Rossi? I know I shouldn’t have, but I burned them in the woodstove instead of taking them to the transfer station. All of the attack ads are making me crazy, and I’m almost ready to say “A pox on all your houses!”

  12. Millie says:

    I can’t believe how many Murkowski cards were in my mailbox when I picked up the mail this a.m. I immediately tore them up and didn’t even review them. I watched the debate last night on Channel 2 and thought her to be one angry woman. She was a significant part of the ‘party of no’ in Congress and I don’t know how anyone could vote for her….especially after ‘the people’ already fired her in the primary.

  13. Martha Unalaska Yard Sign says:

    Ohhhhh…wonder if she knows how much she is channeling the Twit. OK, Lisa, you are now officially Twit Junior!

  14. GoI3ig says:

    *********************DISTURBING ROBO CALL ALERT**************************

    This morning I got a call that sounded very official. They were checking to see if I had received my absentee ballot that I had requested. It then went on to tell me who to vote for. (Miller, Parnell, Young, and any other republicans in the house races) The call concluded with more official sounding instructions for filling out the ballot.

    That’s pathetic that the DOE provides the list of people who requested a mail in ballot, and then the GOP is allowed to make a call that was obviously intended to sound like an official call from the division of elections.

    • Martha Unalaska Yard Sign says:

      I did a mail in absentee ballot, and that call has not come to my house, yet.

  15. Susan says:

    Best thing about the graphics in Lisa’s ad is that I initially thought it came from the Mudflats art department.

  16. Barack Like Me says:

    The gender gap isn’t male-female; it’s Republican-Democrat. Here’s how it’s really expressed, from the experts at the Center for the American Woman and Politics at Rutgers:

    http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/press_room/news/documents/PressRelease_10-25-10.pdf

    Encourage all the women in your life (except those in Bumpits and Kawasaki eyeglasses) to vote!

  17. ibwilliamsi says:

    Jury nullification worked for OJ, Lisa is hoping that voter nullification will work for her.

  18. bubbles says:

    this post has got me going today AKM. i am fired up and ready get going……to Washington DC.
    we got to fire up the people to send our president some intelligent senators and congresspeople he can work with to turn this country back from the brink of utter chaos.

  19. Enjay in E MT says:

    Excellent piece AKM

    I don’t want to be critical – and WE certainly didn’t start it – but I find these female politicians (Palin, Angel, O’Donnell) saying this “Man up” phrase quite often (and obviously we’re picking up on it and even I’ve caught myself a a couple times) but am finding it to be sexist & derogatory.

    Much like if a male politician told a woman candidate to “Just lay down & take it”
    Perhaps I am being overly sensitive these days.

    • tigerwine says:

      No, Enjay, you aren’t being sensitive. I find this sort of rhetoric offensive, too. And to hook it up with references to cojones is just plain crude. Like you said, if a man said something like that about a woman, can’t you just hear all the fuss? And rightly so!

    • Alaska Pi says:

      You step right up and be critical!
      As someone who started in a so-called non-traditional field for women over 30 years ago I am appalled at this horsepunky.
      In the early years, everytime I had a beef with a coworker I had to listen to the crap about being on the rag etc…
      Or how I had taken a man’s job…
      blah, blah, blah…
      It has yet to change enough but it has changed a lot.
      I didn’t work all those years
      to help develop respect for women in the trades to have the likes of whatzername et al come along and take it away with their phony tough-guy gobbeldygook.

      Respect for women includes respect for men.
      Respect for women is part of respect for all human beings…

      I despised being treated like a little girl
      I had the nickname of Tinkerbelle in the early years, for crying out loud!

      That bunch of yahoos like whatzername treats men like little boys
      We don’t need to go there again … we need to move on…
      we need to work on this growing up thingy.

  20. Susan says:

    And who gets these mailers anyway? I never get Murkowski ones, and I’d really like to start collecting them. This stuff is classic.

    • LoveMydogs says:

      I’ve been getting them. I am a registered democrat and sent Scott money. It just occurred to me that she probably got my address because I have e-mailed her my concerns as well as signing petitions that went to her in the past. Funny how she cannot remember my letter that vowed NOT to vote for her when she continued to be an obstructionist. Foolish politician….

      Appealing to someone to vote for them based on gender is as bad as appealing to someone not to vote for someone because they aren’t the same color. Bad Leasa….bad…

      • Alaska Pi says:

        I have gotten some too but not this one…
        and the stoopid phone call I got about how this is a race between LM and JM and how LM is gonna save us from this evil still has me fuming.

        How can you call a Democratic household and pretend our perfectly wonderful candidate does not exist? Like not even on the horizon?
        Like anyone with eyeballs could miss our wonderful big sturdy fellow?
        Sheesh…
        Like anyone with ears could miss that sane rational humorous voice amidst the soap opera of JM and LM?
        Double sheesh…

        They have the same lists for phone calls we do… I know everyone’s party from those lists…
        ACK!!!!

  21. Susan says:

    I had so many people express surprise that I wasn’t voting for Sarah Palin (I thought the choices were between McCain and Obama, but whatever). The couldn’t believe I wasn’t voting for a woman. I pointed out repeatedly that there was a white guy in the VP slot on the Democratic ticket, why weren’t they voting for the white guy? Somehow, I was told, it was different.

  22. Well thought out, and well-written. You are an amazing writer.

  23. Ali girl says:

    People should ask Leeza “how come she’s had so much more experience than others and has done so little for AK”????

  24. Rick says:

    Brilliant Jeanne!

  25. InJuneau says:

    Amen, AKM, AMEN. And I agree with Alaska Pi and cg about what else a vote for me would mean. I WILL NOT be told that I have to vote with my ovaries by anyone, least of whom that woman.

    BTW, we’re tempted to “Return to Sender” the mailers we got from Alaskans Standing Together. tallimat, would you like us to send them to you and Auntie instead?!?

    • tallimat says:

      LOL = “return to sender”
      I suppose a little clarification is warrented… auntie has been collecting all those colorful, glossy, don’t say much, campaign flyers for two weeks. Heading up to Fairbanks, for AFN week, just meant “new pickin grounds” for those “re-donk-u-lous” flyers. I been packin auntie’s “pickin(s)” all week.

  26. tallimat says:

    So we made it back from the wonderful town of Fairbanks. AFN week was soooo full of joys and tears. Always is.

    It is good to be home.
    Auntie has taken over the living room. By the end of the week, boxes of fabric, yarn and other craft goodies will be ready to mail back to the village. Auntie is the craft master. She has taught many to sew, knit, crochet and now make paper kites, airplanes…

    That’s right folks, auntie is collecting campaign flyers. All those glossy, thick paper ones that ARE NOT okay to burn in the sauna or house woodstove.

    I’m tellin ya, it IS obscene with the amount of campaign flyers out there this election cycle.

    This particular flyer Senator Lisa McConnell sent caught her interest.
    “Talli, don’t ever fall for this kind of talk. This is crazy stuff. Girls and boys today are beyond this. …”

    auntie nails it again…
    We are going to spend the week making parkas for my grandkids and some kids back in the village.

    I’m more pissed about all those campaign flyers that are borderline recycable and total crap to use as fire starter than who might of yelled at me in the past.

    • scout says:

      Thanks for your boots on the ground, Tallimat. I love your auntie; she is an inspiration.
      Blessings to you both.

  27. Lacy Lady says:

    I have always said it takes a woman to know a woman—–And I think I have a good read on Palin, O’donnell and the rest of the wing nuts in this election.

  28. Chaim says:

    That’s a powerful post, AKM. Neatly sliced, diced, garnished and served. But in your justifiable anger as a woman and on behalf of women, you had to omit something obvious, which I will say anyway.

    This mailer does what feminists have been complaining about for decades: it ignores the opinion of half the population. If women are insulted by being asked to vote for Murkowski because she’s a woman and women are and have been oppressed by men, how are men supposed to feel? You can’t say, “it’s us against them” without turning “them” against you. I doubt that even male feminists think that electing Lisa Murkowski is appropriate “affirmative action,” and as for the rest of us XY’s, the most polite expression would be “forget about it.” This is a blunder worthy of Joe Miller, and if that flyer was distributed widely, I’ll bet it costs her whatever chance she had.

    As a side note, telling John McCain to “man up,” i.e., display courage and integrity, reinforces the idea that these are particularly masculine virtues. This is obviously a two-edged sword. In the short run, it works in women’s favor, because a woman’s saying a man lacks “cajones,” as Sarah Palin put it, is a stinging insult, while there is no corresponding male retort acceptable for public use. [IIRC, “cojones” are testicles, but “cajones” are large boxes.] In the long run, it reinforces the stereotype that “real women” are not courageous and assertive, which disqualifies them for leadership. Note that it was Sarah Palin and Christine O’Donnell who introduced this note into their political rhetoric, and they are hardly feminists.

    • AKMuckraker says:

      Yes, you’re absolutely right. I had intended to make that point and somehow didn’t. Thanks for bringing it up.

    • Ninufar says:

      This comment makes me curious how you responded to $P… Unlike Sen. Ludowskee’s selection, I think that $P’s was done very much with XY-bearers in mind. McCain saw starbursts, the campaign saw someone who had ovary power, decision made.

      The other XY-oriented consideration that I’m sure was involved in $P’s selection was a response to Joe Biden’s fame as a political brawler. Can’t hit a lady, they thought, we’ve defused his power!

      Of course, when it comes to protecting vulnerable women and to caring for kids and families, Joe Biden happens to be the REAL DEAL. (And yep I’m a 4th-generation feminist!) When the post-debate polls clearly gave him the win over $P it restored much of my faith in the people of this country!

      Best wishes to AKM, AK voters, and Mr. McAdams!

    • CrossBorder says:

      The phrase I’ve always liked is “Cowboy up,” meaning to take responsibility and do what’s right.

      I agree, “Man up” does imply those virtues are strictly masculine. Hmmm…what gender-neutral phrase can we use instead?

  29. Shamus says:

    To put it another way…Lisa is saying…vote for me because…because…I’m you…and I’m not a witch.

  30. Polly says:

    That mailer was insulting.

  31. Martha says:

    This reminds me of Thurgood Marshall speaking about his replacement, Clarence Thomas:

    During Marshall’s four years of service on the appeals court, none of his over 130 rulings were reversed by a higher court. With this stellar record, President Johnson, in 1965, named Marshall the first African-American solicitor general of the Department of Justice, where he was victorious in 15 of the 19 cases he litigated for the Justice Department.

    Two years later, President Johnson selected Marshall to sit on the Supreme Court. After enduring repeated Congressional hearings, he became the first African American to hold a high court seat. During his tenure on the bench, Marshall wrote the majority opinion on many cases upholding civil rights and constitutional democracy.

    Marshall served with great distinction until his retirement on June 27, 1991. He was replaced on the bench by neo-conservative African-American judge Clarence Thomas.

    This choice did not sit well with Marshall.

    Shortly before he died, in 1993, he warned against “picking the wrong Negro,” adding “there’s no difference between a white snake and a black snake. They’ll both bite….”

    http://www.black-collegian.com/issues/35thAnn/marshall.shtml

    There is no difference between a male snake and a female snake………they both bite!

    • bubbles says:

      ohhh Martha. see, this comment is why i love you and why i always look for you.
      i thought of Judge Marshall just the other night and what a wonderful man he was.
      George Bush’s (the first moron) nomination was an insult to Americans of African descent.
      it was quite obvious, the contempt for me and mine. that is the reason i wholeheartedly return scant regard for them and the people who continue their policies.

  32. dowl says:

    Leesa Mookowskee ought to be ashamed of herself. She’s not, of course, but she should be.

    Go Scott McAdams. Go ‘flatters. Go AK ‘flatters. Y’all can do this thing for AK and the other 49.

  33. scout says:

    If Miller-lite wishes me to vote with my ovaries do I get two votes?

  34. Writing from Alaska says:

    Excellent – I do hope this goes up on Huff-Po.

  35. Alaska Pi says:

    Nothing Ms Murkowski has done in the last few years is worth my vote “just to see a smiling female face in a blue power suit in the halls of the Capitol…”
    The smiling female faces I want to see are on my aged frail ma, my aunties, my sisters, my wonderful DIL who works with autistic children, my grandchildren, my cousins, my friends, my neighbors…
    Ms Murkowski has over and over again voted against measures which would help each and every one of these people .
    If working one’s way up in a party structure means slapping everyday people in the face , over and over, Ms Murkowski has got it down pat now.And it sure doesn’t seem like a useful attribute to meet the needs of America… sustain a party, maybe, sustain America. nope.
    Implicit in the idea that working one’s way up a ladder like this, is the notion that she will arrive somewhere someday and be free to vote conscience … pfffttt! We have to live with what crap she’s churning out on that path to wherever… if she gets conscience someday it won’t undo the messes she’s making now for the rest of us.
    If it was a vote for me, it would be for someone who was seriously looking to the future changes we need to make in clean air , water and energy, not someone throwing a hissy over the EPA meeting it’s regulatory responsibilities.
    Our children and our grands have to live with what we hand them.
    I don’t want to be handing them excuses and blame game stories. I want to hand them honest solid work .

    And if I have to listen to Ms Murkowski start very many more lectures with “what you need to understand… ” in that PATRONIZING tone very many more times I shall go screaming off into the bush…

    • Crunk Petrol says:

      NO!! Not “into the Bush”! Please, nothing is that bad. 🙂

      • Alaska Pi says:

        bush Alaska is a wonderful place actually…
        and a whole lot of the most important work in America to free ourselves from oil is going on there
        right now.
        go rural Alaska!

        • fawnskin mudpuppy says:

          perhaps, that was intended to be a play on words, mz alaska pi?
          like towards the dark side, aka, gwbush?

          i’m sooooo projecting here.

    • Cammie says:

      Alaska Pi: “Our children and our grands have to live with what we hand them.
      I don’t want to be handing them excuses and blame game stories.”

      That is one of the most dead-on statements I have read this political season about what modern conservatives today have to offer to this country. I will never, never forget that when this country was down on it’s knees, their response was to try and yank away the very safety nets that were catching large segments of the population before they completely crashed to the ground. That when health care costs were out of the realm of reality, their solution was to take away the citizen’s right to seek malpractice redress in the courts. That when our bridges and roads were crumbling, and abandoned buildings numbered in the tens of thousands, their solution was to screech at rallies that we had all lost our honor and only God and tax cuts for the rich would bring it back (and I say that as a Christian who is disgusted at how these frauds have hijacked Christianity). And that when millions of providers of families were out of work, their solution was to tell these people they should be ashamed of themselves for taking “Un-Constitutional” unemployment benefits.

      I also won’t ever forget that a good deal of Democratic politicians enabled this either through cowardice or because they’re closet conservatives themselves, but that’s a different rant.

      At any rate, Scott McAdams appears to be a very steady, genuine man who doesn’t have a cowardly bone in his body. I don’t agree with his pro-drilling stances, but am definitely on board with most of his other economic stances. If I lived there, I would vote for him. I was in the “Vote Lisa to vote against Joe” camp a few weeks ago, but now I say let the chips fall where they may.

  36. Indigo Dancer says:

    I did vote with my ovaries: If Scott hadn’t married up with Romi, I might have too choose him as my main man in my life. His heart is where it should be. He isn’t the guy sitting at the dinner table with his iPhone while I serve something amazing. He’s getting things done around the house that need to be fixed. He’s the smart man when the teenagers are harping and can’t get along. He knows how to balance the budget when wants and money collide.

    What can I say? McAdams is my dream man!

    • bubbles says:

      sigh…and them there eyes. and that smile…and that noble head that has a brain in it.

  37. megacephalus - berlin says:

    One of your best comments! Thanks.

  38. cg says:

    If it was a vote for me, the repeal of Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell would have already been implemented.

    • jojobo1 says:

      I think if it is left like it is by the judges decision it will be appealed to the supreme court and we all know how conservative it is right now. I think it would better be a law made by congress and signed by the president.

  39. London Bridges says:

    Read this Joe story about how he has learned – (to be sneakier?)!
    http://tinyurl.com/26q9lm3

  40. Mom2Ellie says:

    Thank you AKM – I couldn’t have said it better myself. Good luck in Alaska. Here in VA – I have had liberal women give me that same “vote for (Insert Krystal Ball’s name) because she’s a woman” speech. I want to vote for Krystal Ball because she has thoughtful answers to the problems facing our country and some solutions/ideas worth considering. I want to vote for Krystal Ball b/c she believes and will vote for women’s reproductive health issues; etc. I want to vote for Krystal Ball because she’s going to represent me and her constituents, and not corporate interests, in Congress. But, I don’t want to vote for Krystal Ball just because she’s a woman. That is no better than the Lisa Murkowski ad, the John McCain pandering, etc.

  41. ks sunflower says:

    Well and truly said. I would like to see this post on HuffPo because these principles apply to every race for every office.

    Lisa’s approach seems desperate. If this is all she has to offer, considering her voting record, then it is not enough. If all she has left is to appeal to gender identification, to play to emotions rather than to her record, then she is an empty vessel. She will say and do anything to votes, then promptly disregard the interests of those she conned because she has more important issues to consider “to work her way up” in the Republican Party. Since when has the Republican Party (and now the Tea Party) really been interested in and worked to address interests of women?

  42. jimzmum says:

    Thank you, AKM. What I so wish people would remember is that a US Senator or Rep, no matter their state, is making decisions for the whole of America. Ms Murkowski is not a good fit for America.

  43. Ali girl says:

    John McCain should “MAN UP” and admit he made a mistake picking SP for VP. “MAN UP” JOHN MCCAIN.

    • Gramiam says:

      Grampy Crankypants McCain will never admit in a million years that he made a mistake Ali! I live in Arizona, and I can see his office from my house (If I climb up on the roof of my apartment building with strong binoculars!). This man very likely doesn’t remember why he picked Palin. He is lucky to remember what he had for lunch!

  44. Ali girl says:

    I can’t for the life of me understand what people see in Sarah Palin. Can you picture how humiliating it will be to see her speaking to a foreign leader? Christine O’Donnell has more appeal than SP. AND that’s not saying much. Sarah’s voice sets off a 4 alarm. What a turn off.

  45. LiladyNY says:

    Excellent post AKM. It’s a stark reminder that we must not accept being pandered to, most especially by other women.

    Thank you!

  46. Gramiam says:

    Thank you, AKM! This post says it all. I love coming to this Blog because of all the smart, articulate and thoughtful women I have come to know here. There are equally smart, articulate and thoughtful men who post here too, but to hear so many women fearlessly speak truth to power is a wonderful thing to see!