Part of what irks me about Palin is how so much of her identity, image, and (ultimately) failings are tied up part and parcel with her being a woman.

When I think of Chancellor Merkel, Sec. of State Albright, Prime Minister Golda Meir, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and so on I honestly think first about the nation these people are connected with and then second about their position of leadership and their accomplishments then only third or fourth about them being women. By sharp contrast whenever Sarah™ thrusts herself into the spotlight, angling for publicity in the most shameless and undignified manner, I do not think of a diplomat or national identity or any substantial accomplishments (as with even women who I am not particularly a fan of, like Margaret Thatcher and Hillary Clinton). After all, what accomplishments? Instead, thanks to the way McCain and Sarah™-PAC have marketed the Sarah™ brand, I think of Alaska's Greatest Gift to MILF Fantasies & political satire. She has been complicit with that branding, so yes it is in large part her fault.

This is really annoying because the world needs more, not fewer, girls going into politics and women becoming leaders at the state, regional, and national level -my daughter included. The whole military-industrial dick-size contest has less of a chance of thriving with more gender balance in the leadership of communities, states, and nations -or so I believe. There are differences in female brains versus male brains and the contrast could be useful if the focus was on the mind of the leader rather than on her spunky smile and perky tits. Sarah™ does not shine in this regard with her self-descriptions as "hockey mom," "pit bull in lipstick," and suchlike. By being a big bimbo for McCain and the Right she is further disenfranchising and distancing girls and women from stepping into the realm of diplomacy and political leadership. Who wants to be lambasted with the shitstorm of ridicule Sarah™ has stirred up for herself, Alaska, and women in general?

Every group has its bimbos. Gay men who --out of diminished sense of self and internalized self-loathing-- mince and lisp and act like pathetic ludicrous clowns do the same sort of service for gay boys and men at large as Sarah™ does for girls and women. The vast majority of gay boys and men are far more like Jack and Ennis on Brokeback Mountain than they are like Liberace and Charles Nelson Riley, but the media cameras track the shallow stereotype of the bimbo for both groups, women and gays alike. I have not yet seen Sasha Baron Cohen's new film "Bruno" but suspect that I am not going to be a happy camper when I do. I never enjoyed seeing Richard Pryor act like a diminished caricature of a black man or Jerry Lewis act like an idiotic Japanese and really doubt Cohen's "Bruno" will be any more enjoyable or make any more of a positive contribution. If "Bruno" is as I fear then "Bruno" may be to gay boys and men in society as Sarah™ is to girls and women in American politics.

Perhaps I should have more of a sense of humor about all this, but my tax money has paid Sarah™'s salary all this time she has been posing as Playmate of the Month for rabid Right-winger calendars, signing million-dollar book deals, and positioning herself to dig the religious conservative goldmine for as much as it is worth while she can. Her brand is hot right now, so forget about being governor- there is more money to be made flitting to and fro making an even more total fool of herself than she already has. Drill, baby, drill!