Joe Six Pack--Please Stand Up

I don't know Joe Six Pack. Do you? Perhaps he's married to Hockey Mom. But then, here in California, I don't know many hockey moms. Soccer moms--yes. Little League moms--yes. Are they the same as hockey moms*?

The soccer moms, the Little League moms that I know are intelligent, thinking, admirable women--not people easily conned by winks, nose wrinkles and ya betcha's. They are not women who want to be condescended to. They do not want to be spoken to or about as simple minded.

The women I know have opinions based on their own understandings of deep and consequential matters. They are women looking for answers that speak to questions and concerns. They are bright enough to see through bs and recognize it when it is thrown at them. They want and demand respect. Nothing else will do.

And, they may not be wealthy but they do not want their husbands demeaned as Joe Six Packs. By the way, six packs? Beer or abs? Let's get some clarification there. Oops, did I just defocus and become vapid?

Sarah Palin does not speak to these women. These discerning women do see through non answers such as this from last night's debate when asked by Ifill:

“Governor, you mentioned a moment ago the constitution might give the vice president more power than it has in the past. Do you believe as Vice President Cheney does, that the Executive Branch does not hold complete sway over the office of the vice presidency, that it it is also a member of the Legislative Branch?"

And Palin said:

Well, our founding fathers were very wise there in allowing through the Constitution much flexibility there in the office of the vice president. And we will do what is best for the American people in tapping into that position and ushering in an agenda that is supportive and cooperative with the president's agenda in that position. Yeah, so I do agree with him that we have a lot of flexibility in there, and we'll do what we have to do to administer very appropriately the plans that are needed for this nation. And it is my executive experience that is partly to be attributed to my pick as V.P. with McCain, not only as a governor, but earlier on as a mayor, as an oil and gas regulator, as a business owner. It is those years of experience on an executive level that will be put to good use in the White House also."

With this, I do not understand why the pundits continue to say that Palin uttered none of her trademark nonsense. This rambling dissertation on the role of the vice-president was meandering gibberish that ranked right up with her bizarre responses to Couric.

Now today I read that she attributes her dismal performance with Katie Couric to the fact that she was "annoyed" with the questions--they were not the questions that "she thought" were appropriate. No matter what she would say it would be wrong so she didn't answer intelligently as she could have. Sharing the print mediums which she reads would be a wrong answer? Knowing Supreme Court decisions would be wrong? Aw shucks, Sarah, dog goneit, do ya really want us to buy that? You were annoyed? What will happen if you become annoyed when working with leaders of other counries? That is if you are "so privileged to be elected to serve this great country."

And, I love to picture Ms. Sarah, in delicate meetings with Russia, sauntering up to Putin, sticking her hand out and saying: "I'm pleased to meet ya. Can I call you Vlad?"

Oh my, let's hope she returns to Alaska, shooting wildlife from above and calling it sport.

*Actually, I do know that hockey is played here in the Golden State.