Sarah Palin’s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention was inspiring on a multitude of levels. Cindy McCain called her a “pistol packing, moose hunting” mother. The nation was formally introduced to her family. The most endearing moment caught on camera during that speech was of her youngest daughter licking her hand and smoothing down her baby brother’s hair. Any mother claiming never to have spit a child’s head smooth, nor to have uttered “just let me get it” before going at a boy with ketchup on his chin is questionable. Those acts are what make people real on a base level - those acts bespeak the common bonds between us. And wouldn’t it be refreshing from the female perspective for politics to be real on a base level. I pray no one tells that child not to lick her hand again when the cameras are rolling. That’s how it happens you know - the stuffing of instinct. A lesson in how to turn left, when you feel to turn right.

And so, more than likely, many voters attached to Sarah Palin on that base level: a mother who loves her family, who is not above spitting them presentable and whose daughter is obviously learning the same. She is a woman who has aptly demonstrated that women can have the proverbial “all.” Times appear to have changed, even more perhaps than we believed possible over all that Hillary Clinton accomplished this election season.

Without swimming the deep end of political philosophy, what gets in the way of “real” is politics i.e. the snagging of votes. Most disconcerting to this editor is not the fact that Sarah’s speech was penned by a hired gun. That is an accepted political practice. The problem is that the author of Sarah’s speech was Matthew Scully, who is by all accounts the antithesis of Sarah Palin with regards to animal rights. For the discerning voter, this presents a problem. Will she stuff her pistol packing, moose hunting self in order to garner support from wealthy environmental groups and the HSUS despite her personal beliefs? Was Matthew Scully the only speech writer in the nation available to write Sarah's words? What’s been compromised by the “Killa from Wasilla” in choosing Scully, if in fact she is the one who chose him at all?

As an aside, in 2002, the voters of Florida approved an amendment to their Constitution which gave rights to pigs during pregnancy. Pregnant swine in that state have the constitutional right to be free from chronic stress, depression and other maladies from which they are prone to suffer during their pregnancies allegedly due to the use of gestation pens. Matthew Scully was a vocal proponent of Article 10, Sec. 21 of the Florida Constitution to wit: Limiting the Cruel and Inhumane Confinement of Pigs During Pregnancy. Ironically,the following right belongs to people, Sec. 22 of Article 10 of the Florida Constitution is titled: “Parental Notice of Termination of Minor’s Pregnancy. Sarah Palin advocates the aerial gunning of wolves and has argued against a protective classification for polar bears. In politics when polar opposites associate and voting is involved an explanation to the American citizenry is warranted. Explanations pertaining to a candidate’s personal family matters are not. Those matters speak for themselves and can be judged by the voter without cruel intrusion.

Whether you agree with her platform or not, women in general appear to be excited for Sarah and hopeful that she will not find it necessary to succumb to political stuffing. Whatever the motive behind her selection, time will weigh it all out. What matters now is that she is on a party ticket and voters must educate themselves as to the entire foursome. Insist upon explanations that are politically worthy and insist upon no family intrusion into their lives that you would not want in yours. And to Sarah, keep it as real as you are able in the arena into which you have been thrust. All of our daughters are watching you – little hair smoothers such as they are.