Palin Dudes: "Proud To Be Voting For The Hot Chick"

She's the "hottest VP from the coolest state," she's a pitbull in lipstick, and apparently, "she's even hotter in person" according to Alec Baldwin, who continued the tradition of skimming over Sarah Palin's policies and qualifications to focus on her attractiveness on Saturday Night Live last night. While Baldwin may have been poking fun at the scary Sarah Palin hotness worship that seems to overtake some people, the phenomenon is no laughing matter. In an article published today in the The New York Times, Mark Leibovich exposes the culture of "Palin Dudes," die-hard male fans of the Governor of Alaska who have thrown their support behind her candidacy. But they aren't voting based on policy, qualifications, or experience; they're voting for the hot chick. Stay classy, America!

A fascinating and ultimately horrifying look at the male fan base that assembles at Palin rallies and fundraisers, Leibovich's article paints a pretty scary picture of the mentality of some Palin fans. Her attractiveness is often mentioned as a big draw; a man who was so embarrassed about his crush on Palin refused to give his real name and asked that the reporter refer to him as "John Deere." Deere admitted that he thought Palin was "beautiful" and that he "came to look at her." Good call, Mr. Deere- if I were attending a rally for a person who could potentially lead our country and I admitted to the New York Times that I was there just to check her hot self out, I'd keep my name anonymous, too.

Leibovich notes that the men in Palin's crowds often shout out sentiments such as "Marry me, Sarah!" or "You rock me out, Sarah!" as Palin takes the stage. (I suppose they shout these things out before they start yelling "Terrorist!" or "Kill him!", no?) Palin, as any politician would, plays to the crowds and touches on the cultural ties that the audience perceives to be between them. She enters to AC/DC, and is sure to call attention to the "Carhartts and steel-toed boots" being worn by her adoring fans. As Larry Hawkins, a truck driver from North Carolina, tells the Times "Palin is our kind of woman."

Hawkins also states that he thinks Palin is qualified because of her experience as a mother. “They bear us children, they risk their lives to give us birth, so maybe it’s time we let a woman lead us,” he says. He then goes on to say this: “The sexual drives and big egos of male leaders have gotten in the way of politics in this country.” Right! Because women don't HAVE sexual drives! They just bear your children and such. Good to know.

Rob McClain of Indiana claims that he isn't bothered by the media's tendency to mock Gov. Palin, brushing aside the Tina Feys of the world to support a candidate he feels can handle the criticism. Mr. McClain was interviewed while wearing a button that read, "Proud to be voting for a hot chick," and felt that he could easily trust Palin to take control in the White House, if need be, for, as McClain says, "who can't trust a mother?"

Much has been made of Palin's unwillingness to call out nasty crowd members as they shout hateful words towards Barack Obama at her rallies. But Palin also chooses to ignore the cat calls and the "You tell 'em, baby" shouts that come from her rabid male supporters, and she should be held responsible for that as well. Governor Palin isn't running for Super Awesome Girlfriend of the USA. The "Palin Dudes" don't seem to realize this, basing their vote on backwards sexist notions and a desire to get the "hot chick" in office. Maybe they'll be successful, and Sarah Palin will head to the White House this Fall. But as the economy falls apart, Americans lose their jobs, women's rights are threatened, and the world remains in a state of turmoil, it might be worth stepping back and going a bit deeper than lipstick and a pair of fancy glasses. Attractiveness is one thing, dudes; effectiveness is quite another.

Among Rock-Ribbed Fans Of Palin, Dudes Rule [New York Times[

Send an email to Hortense, the author of this post, at commenters@jezebel.com.

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