Identity politics and Sarah Palin

As they say, "great trains . . ." Glen has posted a response (at TennesseeFree) to Newscoma's "Girl Politics" post, so I thought I'd post my Friday night draft on the subject. I have a little different take on it, but . . .

Newscoma raises the issue of identity politics in regard to McCain running mate Sarah Palin. It's a fair-minded and lucid post on the subject, but it highlights how most Democrats/Liberals are exaggerating (for effect) one purported consideration of McCain in making this choice: the potential for peeling off some of the likely Hillary Clinton voter demographic.

As Newscoma concedes, Palin is right on most issues important to the GOP base; she's talented and winsome; she's a rising political star with more than winning political campaigns to her credit (especially campaigns against inveterate, carpet-bagging, firebrand opponents). Actually, Newscoma didn't concede the parenthetical comment . . .

The Hillary Clinton voter that McCain has in mind is not this variety, which makes up a very small portion of the American population. As Rich at ShotsAcrosstheBow asserts, it is the "uncommitted moderate female vote" he was after.

Which raises, for me, another issue that ACK touched on yesterday. I think the Left, especially in the area of "social issues," doesn't realize how out of touch it is with the average voter, much less "traditionalists."

"Average voter" doesn't mean the 15-20% on each end of the political spectrum, mind you. And given that the diehards of each party/movement often drive the political debate, the key in winning a presidential election is how much a party's respective diehards overlap--in values, with the average, middling, non-partisan voter.

I think Democrats are misunderestimating Palin's strength in this area.