Friday, August 29, 2008
got spunk?
Posted by Rachael Daigle on Fri, Aug 29, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Things are about to get interesting with the appointment of Sarah Palin as McCain's running mate. At first glance, she seems the yang to McCain's yin--a diametrical opposite to balance out McCain's perceived weaknesses. She's a mere 44 years old. She has experience as a head of state. And she made it evident in her acceptance speech that she doesn't consider herself one of the "good old boys." Then, of course, there's those two X chromosomes.
And here's something for Idaho voters: Palin was born in Sandpoint and even after growing up in Alaska, she returned to the Gem State to earn a degree from the University of Idaho (in journalism, mind you, which she was able to do thanks to a beauty pageant scholarship).
I didn't catch the whole speech, but in the 15 minutes I did see, one thing grated at my nerves again and again. And it wasn't what was coming out of Palin's mouth; it was a word the network commentators were using to describe her. Spunky. "She's certainly spunky," they kept saying.
I'm a woman who's often had that adjective applied to my straightforward, ambitious and fearless demeanor, but the connotation is condescending and hardly positive. Rarely have I heard a man described as "spunky." Pets and kids and women are spunky. Men are spirited, courageous, ambitious and direct.
Next thing we know, they'll start poking fun at her laugh ...
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