McCain needs lessons in gender politics, says Hillary's lawyer pal

New York, Sept.2 : Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain's decision to pick a woman - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin - as his running mate for the November 4 presidential poll, suggests that he still needs to take important lessons on gender politics, an article appearing in Fox News, has opined.

According to the article, the view going around that Palin's selection was based on the premise that she could be an effective counter to New York Senator Hillary Clinton couldn't be farter from the truth.

"If John McCain thinks that simply picking another person with similar anatomy is going to win their votes, he's about to learn a very important lesson in gender politics," says Susan Estrich, the author of the article, and the Robert Kingsley Professor of Law and Political Science at the University of Southern California.

Estrich further goes on to say that Palin is a newcomer to the national scene, "new enough to make Barack Obama look like an old-timer."

She, however, lauds the fact that Palin had the guts to take on the corrupt Republican establishment in Alaska, and therefore, deserves credit for that.

Though she has executive experience, Estrich says Palin is also mired in an investigation as to whether she tried to get her ex-brother-in-law fired which does not exactly fit with her image as an ethical reformer.

Palin also absolutely has no foreign policy or national security experience, so, can McCain really say that he looked far and wide and she is the most qualified person in Ameerica to be his running mate?

To equate Palin with Hillary is at best plucking at the unknown. Hillary wins hands down not solely because, she is a woman, but because many saw her as the most qualified candidate in the race, without regard to race or gender.

"Hillary tapped into something deep in the hearts of women across the country; not as Nancy Peolosi wrongly described it, the politics of victimhood, but just the opposite, the unwillingness to be put down or dismissed, the courage to hang in and keep fighting and prove your mettle even when others doubt you," says Estrich.

On the other hand, Estrich says that Palin is an anti-choice woman, an anti-environmental activist, a gutsy and independent woman, no doubt, but one who has almost nothing in common with Hillary Clinton.

"They don't share the same ideology. They don't have the same experience," Estrich concludes.

ANI