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Oct. 22, 2008
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Palin courts the female vote

Nominee focuses on women's issues in Henderson

By MOLLY BALL
REVIEW-JOURNAL
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It seemed as if everyone had something to say at Palin rally


Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin addresses a crowd of supporters at the Henderson Pavillion Tuesday Oct. 21, 2008.
Photo by John Gurzinski.



Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin and her 7-year-old daughter, Piper, wave to the crowd as they take the stage at a rally Tuesday at the Henderson Pavilion. The McCain campaign, citing officials, said more than 7,000 people attended the rally.
Photo by John Gurzinski.



Obama supporters, left, clash with McCain/Palin supporters at the Henderson Pavillion after Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's rally on Monday, Oct. 21, 2008.
Photo by Jessica Ebelhar.

Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin cast herself as the heir to feminism's legacy in her first visit to Southern Nevada on Tuesday, saying if Democrat Barack Obama were serious about respecting women, he would have chosen Hillary Clinton as his running mate.

"Our opponents think that they have the women's vote all locked up, which is a little presumptuous, since only our side has a woman on the ticket," Palin said.

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    • "When the time came to make a decision, somehow Barack Obama just couldn't bring himself to pick the woman who got 18 million votes," she added.

    Palin, who has attained celebrity status since her surprise addition to the GOP ticket, was greeted by a raucous crowd at the Henderson Pavilion amphitheater, on Green Valley Parkway near Interstate 215. Citing officials, the campaign of Republican presidential nominee John McCain said more than 7,000 people attended the event, filling the tented facility's shaded seats and much of its sun-drenched lawn.

    The emphasis on women's issues marked a departure from Palin's usual rhetoric, perhaps in recognition of the fact that she was stumping in a part of the state where Democrats heavily outnumber Republicans and where Clinton beat Obama by a large margin in the state's Jan. 19 caucuses.

    "For the women in this audience and across the country, are you ready to break the highest, hardest glass ceiling in America?" the Alaska governor shouted to thunderous cheers during her 25-minute speech.

    With Palin on stage to drive home the feminist theme were Lynn Forester de Rothschild, a former member of the Democratic National Committee and former Clinton supporter; Elaine Lafferty, a former editor of Ms. magazine; and National Organization for Women officials from California and Oregon. NOW has endorsed Obama.

    Palin painted Obama's selection of running mate as yet another instance of a male boss passing over a qualified female: "The qualifications are there, but the promotion never comes."

    There's always "some excuse," she said, but "that's one thing I so admire about John McCain: He is not someone who makes excuses."

    Clinton has been on the trail with and for Obama on a regular basis since he sewed up the Democratic nomination.

    Palin also attacked Obama's treatment of his female employees, saying the women on his Senate staff "get just 83 cents for every dollar the men get. ... You've got to ask, what is with that? I know one senator who actually does pay women equal wages for equal work."

    In fact, women on Obama's staff don't get less pay for the same work, according to Senate records, but there are fewer women in higher-ranking, higher-paid positions, lowering the overall average female salary. The Obama campaign responded to Palin's charge Tuesday by saying Republicans were trying to distract from a poor record on women's issues with an irrelevant statistic.

    "Senator Obama has fought for equal pay for an equal day's work, while Senator McCain has suggested that women don't get equal pay because they need more education and training," Obama campaign senior strategist Anita Dunn said in a statement. "While Senator Obama has proposed a plan to help working women, the McCain-Palin campaign offers just more negative attacks and distortions."

    In addition to calling for equal pay for equal work, Palin called for "a tax code that doesn't penalize working families," especially single mothers, and laws that provide women with opportunities, such as the Title IX school sports code that she said "opened more than just the doors to the gymnasium." She said it symbolized new opportunities for women in traditionally male arenas.

    "Working mothers need an advocate, and they will have one when this working mother is working for all of you," she said.

    Palin paid tribute to a local woman, Irma Aguirre, owner of La Madonna restaurant and a local GOP activist, whom she compared to Joe the Plumber, the Ohio man who questioned Obama recently about his plans to raise taxes and became a conservative celebrity.

    Obama's economic plan, Palin said, "really is just a scheme for income distribution. Joe didn't buy it -- in fact, he said he thought that sure sounded like socialism. The rest of us shouldn't buy it either, especially the millions of women who own small businesses."

    Palin also spoke of the plight of women who live under repressive regimes where they are subject to honor killings, sex trafficking and forced abortions, saying they, too, would have an advocate if she were elected.

    Audience member Cheryl Boyd, a 56-year-old teacher and Henderson resident, wore a T-shirt to the rally with the slogan, "I'm voting for Sarah Palin and that white-haired dude." She said she found Palin's emphasis on women's issues a little puzzling, considering there were plenty of men in the audience, too. "I guess they're really going for the women's vote," she said.

    Boyd described herself as "one of those feminists who were burning their bras in the '70s," but also as an anti-abortion Christian. She said she was "thrilled" at Palin's inclusion on the Republican ticket, to which she had previously been lukewarm.

    "I feel like she speaks for all women, and for life," Boyd said. "I'm appalled at the way the so-called feminists have been treating her. They're not for women, they're only for women who believe the same way as they do."

    Outside the rally, where a line stretched around the block for hours before the event began, protester Karoline Khamis wore a burgundy ball gown and plastic tiara and held a sign reading "Rape Victims Deserve a Choice." Palin opposes abortion rights even in cases of rape and incest.

    Khamis, a 30-year-old former rape victims' counselor, said the costume was a "tribute" to Palin's experience as a beauty queen. As the line of Palin fans streamed past, she and the dozen or so other pro-Obama activists on the corner of Green Valley and Paseo Verde parkways were the target of plenty of remarks, some more polite than others.

    One man, Khamis said, yelled that he could tell she was a rape victim by what she was wearing, then quickly disappeared when she tried to engage him. Others, like 62-year-old Cookie Sclafani, tried earnestly to convince her she was misguided, without getting personal.

    Sclafani, whose family owns a Henderson fencing company, said she, too, believed in abortion rights at Khamis' age, but had since seen the error of her ways as abortions have been abused as a method of birth control by people on welfare.

    "I'm a Democrat voting for a Republican because of moral issues," said Sclafani, who wore a pink button with the slogan, "Don't Let the Lipstick Fool You: Pit Bulls for McCain-Palin." "Our country is a God-given country," she said.

    Many audience members said Palin appealed to them as down to earth, a regular person who could sympathize with what they go through.

    "I personally think she represents the pioneer spirit -- purely American values," said Dan Markoff, 60, a lawyer in Las Vegas. "She has common sense, and she thinks about people before she thinks about building bureaucracies. Plus, she's not running around with a bunch of weirdos and terrorists."

    Earlier in the day Tuesday, Palin spoke in Reno, telling more than 2,000 supporters that Obama is not prepared to lead the nation.

    "I do want a president who is ready to lead on Day One," she said. "I want a president with the experience, and the judgment and the wisdom and the truthfulness to be able to meet the next international crisis or better yet, to avoid the next international crisis."

    Palin said recent comments by Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden that Obama will face a test of his leadership from America's adversaries if elected president shows why McCain is the better choice for voters. Speaking at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, she highlighted McCain's economic proposals and his plans for energy development.

    But Palin spent much of her time criticizing Obama, who she said would raise taxes and stifle business growth.

    "John and I will lower your income taxes, and we will double the child tax deduction for every family," she said. "We will cut business taxes to keep American businesses in America."

    Palin said Obama is not being candid about his tax plan, which he claims would result in lower taxes for 95 percent of working Americans.

    "He is hiding his real agenda of redistributing your hard-earned money," she said. "John McCain and I, we're for a real tax cut, which is when government just takes less of your earnings in the first place."

    Review-Journal writer Sean Whaley contributed to this report. Contact reporter Molly Ball at mball@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919.

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    Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background.

    Scott De Jack wrote on October 23, 2008 07:33 PM: Susan, I missed your comment for response: about that silly Raines comment:In later commentary the Washington Post (the original source) described McCain's attempts to connect Obama with Franklin Raines based on their reporting as "a stretch" and said all reporting they did about the matter actually stems from a single conversation a reporter had with Raines in which she recalls Raines said he "had gotten a couple of calls from the Obama campaign". When the reporter queried Raines to the nature of the calls he said "oh, general housing, economy issues".[26]
    Additionally, an email hoax falsely claims Raines was made "Chief Economic Advisor" for the Obama presidential campaign.[27]
    It's always the same silly MISTAKES you McCainiacs make; you blame Barack for something Mr. McCain is actually notorious for like the fact that Rick Davis, McCain's campaign manager, was a lobbyist for Fannie Mae and was still raking in the Fannie dough even after the financial meltdown, right until the press got wind of it!! And SUSAN, btw- Herbert M. Allison Jr., who was named chief executive of Fannie Mae on
    Sunday,"ran the finance committee for Senator John McCain’s 2000 presidential
    campaign". Again...YIKES!!


    Scott De Jack wrote on October 23, 2008 07:21 PM: Ah, you goofy kids! Joe Biden was making a point, but he can't make a crisis happen- he doesn't have secret powers. Barack Obama has Bill Ayers, who McCain called a "washed-up Vietnam activist" and "I don't care about him" but McCain didn't mention and Barack doesn't like to go there...G. Gordon Liddy is a very good friend to JM, and was a simple anti-government terroist and unlike Ayers who was never charged w/ a crime, Liddy was convicted and sentenced to 20 years and served 5. Barack is not 'friends' w/ Ayers, but both are well respected IL. Professors and have served on mostly conservative boards (more Republicans than Dem's) while McCain IS good friends w/ Liddy. Oh- McCain also was GOOD friends w/ Charles Keating who swindled thousands of customers of his bank while lavishing McCain w/ gifts and taking Caribbean vacations together. The gov't had Keating when he'd only swindled a few investors but McCain a congressman at the time went to bat for Keating and got him off the hook, giving him four more years to line his pockets and swindle lots more honest folks. They were fast friends.
    Then there's McCains Pastor Hagee, YIKES just google that sick pup...Friends and then the BEST: McCain who bashes Obama w/ hate and relish about the NON-partisan ACORN group for representing them on behalf or the US Dept. of Justice 13 years ago...WELL, there's a lovely video of McCain addressing ACORN and their volunteer's at a huge rally in 2006 and just praising the hell out of them, calling them "the best of America". Youtube it 'my friends':)
    And dont get me started on Palin's recent, even current ties to the violent and hateful Alaska Independence Party that wants to separate from America and HATES everything about America...Just t


    robyn tevah wrote on October 23, 2008 05:27 AM: Seems to me Palin is "another instance of a male boss passing over a qualified female:: "The qualifications are [NOT] there, but the promotion comes."
    I would far rather have no woman candidate then Palin.
    I do not understand how Republicans don't feel foolish claiming Obama is not experienced enough yet they put up a candidate who had never left the country? To be a world leader?


    Wake Up America! wrote on October 23, 2008 03:50 AM: to Vegasdomar
    I looked up that website and you are wrong he and his family has donated to the Democratic party! not the Republican party! When Clinton was running he stayed at the Greenspun house! Obama says he is not against guns. He's full of crap! Go to the NRA website and you will see for yourself. He voted 4 times for citizens not to have guns that is a fact! Wake up America! There was another home invasion today! Protect the second amendment! Vote McCain/Palin. You can tell a person by who their friends are, Obama has anti american friends!
    Who arranged for the Iran president to come to the US college and speak? Obama's friend! Wake Up America!!


    Mauna loa wrote on October 22, 2008 10:58 PM: First I will address J Rodriguez, A. I'm a conservative not a Republican. Big,Big difference. If you want to do some HOMEWORK,you can look it up and become educated. B. Can a deaf person hate Mozart,answer that, and you will answer your racial bias question.
    B. Is for the Disgruntled one(aka INDEPENDENT), I worked hard to be where I am, I tell you how it is, look it up, if it's wrong tell me, and we will both learn something. CAUTION:You're not going to be right a lot, and you also might not like what you learn. Sometimes it's in there just to see if you are there.
    For instances I vote the way my hero Voted...hero..is MLK...JUST what he thought, I think. 75% of JFK I believe in. Go look up what he believed in. Go see how MLK Voted. Not what or whom someone stated.
    Last question for jrod: yes I know where Mr JM is at when it comes to immigration, first he is going to give 20 million illegals amnesty(mr bo) is going to do the same. Those 20 over the next 10 to 20 years are going to be 40 million, our friends down south only have 100 million,with our baby boomers are dying off, they will be replaced by the aforementioned su pueblo. That is a fact. When that happens well guess what vamos a ser hermanos.

    By the by I like Hawaii, and love "maui"

    The great difficulty in education is to get experience out of ideas.”



    Independant wrote on October 22, 2008 10:35 PM: http://www.ornery.org/essays/warwatch/2008-10-05-1.html

    Interesting take for a lib.


    International Crisis wrote on October 22, 2008 10:13 PM: If you want the international crisis that Joe biden promises will come if Obama is elected, then you know who to vote for. Obama is percieved as weak by international community. Maybe it's because he has never been tested or accomplished anything aside from feeding at the public trough.


    Independent wrote on October 22, 2008 09:47 PM: Mauna Loa,

    You don't have a job! I see you posting all day.

    Please get a job, you are a bitter person. Get off welfare, unemployment, and spam.

    If you were truely a professor you wouldn't hide behind this stupid volcano name.

    You lost your job in Hawaii and you lost your job in Vegas. Your home is gone and your wife/husband is with somebody else. Hell your dog hate you too.


    Independent wrote on October 22, 2008 09:43 PM: Sarah Palin would had been a great VP during the Bush/Palin not Cheney.

    The United States is in serious trouble, we need real smart leadership not good looking girl who knows how to give a good speech.

    Just the wrong time. Maybe when the economy turns around she will probably run again because once again people stray away from their pocketbook and look at the social issues.


    J Rodriguez wrote on October 22, 2008 06:47 PM: Mauna Loa,

    You might be a professor at UNLV. However, that will not make you less of a redneck. You seem that you are pretty set on your Republican ideas. Right now it is about considering what’s best for the country. Yes, I am also against illegal immigration and do not forget that McCain was in favor of an amnesty for all illegal immigrants in this country. Right now we need to think if we want a president who is ready to lead a serious economic problem or someone who is ready to go bomb Iran? Please do not allow your racial bias to get on the way.. I am sure you are smarter than that!!

    Jrod.


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