Nice Job Governor

Tonight was a very different story than last night in relation to the RNC.  Earlier this year, I praised a speech given by Senator Obama.  Tonight I have to give equal praise to Gov. Palin for her speech tonight.  I realize that most of the speech was written by someone else, but I'm not thinking that the Senator writes all of his speeches.  However, both know how to deliver a speech.  She was staunch and was strong enough to say what many people seem to think.  Any thought that she might not be strong enough was squelched.  I'm still not sure I agree with all of her positions and I am really looking forward to hearing more from her and the others in the next two months, but tonight was fun.  Again, I was proud to be an American because my parents never would have seen this at my age...wait they did, but it was at the other convention!  Regardless, we've come a long way to see a female in a position like Sarah Palin is in right now.

My favorite line of her speech tonight was:

"Some people use change to promote their careers, while others use their career to promote change."

I was also stopped in my tracks by another statement made during the night.

"How dare they question whether Sarah Palin has enough time to spend with her children and be vice president? When do they ever ask a man that same question?" 

- Rudy Guliani

Does asking that question infer a certain amount of sexism on my part?  I like to consider myself open and an advocate for women's rights in our culture and especially in our churches.  I am more "liberal" than most of my friends when it comes to women's positions of leadership and authority, but tonight I felt like that was being challenged.  Maybe rightly so, and maybe not.  I don't think that we never ask a man that same question.  I often think about that when a father takes a job that removes him from the home more than not, whether it's president, vice-president, shift-worker, coach, CEO, CFO or whatever.  The difference is that it is so frequent with men, that to ask the question every single time would simply ask it all the time.  For the first time, I'm asking it of a woman and it hasn't been asked.  I am concerned for our nation, but I am also concerned for our families.  Our kids need us as parents, and our country needs parents in the White House.  I think that Governor Palin could do great good in explaining how she does manage to raise a family and manage a high profile career.  Even the great Billy Graham has admitted his failings as a father during his traveling and high profile career.  Nobody is above a hard look for their family's sake.  Maybe she and Todd, a business owner and world champion snow mobiler, have taken a hard look and made the decision they believe is right for their family and their country.  

Nice night.  I am looking forward to more from her.