What Does Sarah Palin Mean?

She is an insult to Hillary Clinton supporters. John McCain picked Sarah Palin in hopes that women, stung by Hillary's loss, will be just that much more likely to vote for him. McCain said that, in his VP choice, he would go after someone who shared his values. And Palin is known for going after pork-barrel spending. And using her power to get her brother-in-law fired. But Hillary supporters won't likely begrudge her that, so much as her pro-life stance, anti-gay marriage stance, and conservative record that is much more regular than John McCain's.

She is a separation from Obama, and an outstreched hand to the Republican Party's right wing. McCain is making it clear that his administration will not be the progressive, compromising, bipartisan, "Maverick" administration he'd seemed so set on in 2000. Aside from the fact that she is a woman, Sarah Palin represents a continuation of Bush's social policies limiting the rights of gays and lesbians, limiting the right of women to choose, short-sighted energy policy, and poorly conceived foreign policy.

Most importantly, she is sign that John McCain doesn't take the issues facing America seriously. Sarah Palin's lack of experience completely erases any concerns about Barack Obama's. I've got more political experience than she does. The world we live in today is one of the most dangerous in history. Barack Obama has met with foreign leaders as a member of the foreign relations committee. He's shown that he can bring America respect around the world, in his trip to Europe. And he's picked a Vice President that is, arguably, better prepared to serve in the White House than John McCain is. Has Sarah Palin ever left Alaska? She's been governor of a wilderness state, when we need people in the White House that understand America's place from a global perspective.

McCain's old. His VP is the most likely fourty-fifth president if he is elected. He may have picked the lest qualified option he had.

Also, she's hot - but that doesn't make her either more or less qualified.