Monday, September 8, 2008

Why I like Sarah Palin


(You're going to have to humor me on the picture. I'm not a hockey mom, but I have been a soccer mom, so I'm going with the closest thing I've got!)

I like Sarah Palin. As several of my more politically astute friends have pointed out... now I have someone to vote FOR and not just someone to vote against. Don't get me wrong, I totally respect John McCain for his service to our country. But he's done about as many things that I don't like as he has things that I do like. So where do you go with that? Please don't get me started about Barak Obama. I think the less said, the better for me on that one. Joe Biden? Remember I'm an English teacher at heart. I still can't get past the plagiarism thing.

So... hummm.... since Huckabee suspended his campaign, I haven't felt the call to bumper-sticker-up my car for any one candidate. Until now.

See... since we live in a representative Republic, our leaders are supposed to represent us. Mike could have represented me well, but John McCain went out and found someone who may even represent me better. Goodness gracious... she could have been one of my BFFs in high school.

I can't even begin to tell you how many pictures of her there are on the Internet, but I can say that I had the same haircut she did in high school and even wore some t-shirts with equally funny-but-not-if-you're-the-candidate-for-vice-president-funny sayings on them.

She has convictions about the sanctity of life. Not the kind of convenient never-happened-to-me convictions, but the kind that you follow when you get an abnormal amnio result and the theoretical "What would you do?" becomes your reality.

When she announced Bristol's pregnancy, the focus wasn't on how many voters she would win or lose, but on the heart of her daughter and her daughter's fiance.

By her own accounts and backed up by those who know her well in Alaska, she is very much in love with her husband, Todd, and looks to him as her hero.

She stands toe to toe with special interests and fights for what is right. Her constituents in Alaska love her for it. That fighting spirit appeals to my maternal instincts, for some reason.

When she took office as governor of Alaska, she led by example. Who on earth has a cook in their house to fix their meals for them... except maybe Oprah? She let the cook go. And part of her security detail. And the fact that she sold the governor's jet on eBay... rock on Sarah Palin!

You know, I won't presume to say I know exactly what path the Lord has for our country. He hasn't given me any divine revelation or special insight. But what I do know is that I am sick of partisan politics and ugly spins. And my prayer for this election hasn't been for one party or the other to win, but for Truth to shine forth and deception to be revealed. I long for a candidate to stand up and say, "This is how it is. Parts are lovely. Parts are ugly. But this is it. And this is what we're going to do."

And somehow, in my heart of hearts as I listened to her speak the day John McCain announced she was his choice for vice presidential running mate, I couldn't help but think of the phrase, "for such a time as this."


2 comments:

Tracey said...

I like Gov. Palin because I could totally see inviting her to a mom's night out at Chili's and she would show up in blue jeans, t-shirt and those really cool glasses! AND..we would have the same mom stories to tell...I am so jazzed about this election!

Deb Burton said...

You're not alone in your thoughts. Palin obviously stands for something REAL, and people, men and women, can relate to her. And people like her toughness. The way she stands up against the status quo and does so with virtue and character has my husband drooling with anticipation. He says, "We finally have the right man for the job, and it's a woman!"
Deb Burton
http://thegreatestmissiontrip.blogspot.com