Just a pretty face?

After all the strides that women have made in the past century, does it really still all come down to "just a pretty face"? Is this the key determinant of success?

This is what occurs to me when I read about the popularity of Governor Sarah Palin, Vice Presidential nominee in the United States General Elections. Pretty Gov. Palin certainly is – she actually is a former beauty queen. What else does she bring to the table? Looking at what she has actually done is another matter - nothing really spectacular, and some quite unspectacular except for the smell of corruption or impropriety.

I am quite incensed that the GOP would think that Gov. Sarah Palin could possibly be a counter for Senator Hilary Clinton. This seems to have been the thinking in the Republican party - let’s get Hilarys disgruntled 18 million supporters by proposing a woman as VP. Indeed, this was presented as a real trump card, particularly since Senator Barack Obama went the more conservative route and selected an older, white male as his running mate.

There is no doubt about Senator Clinton’s intelligence, savvy and ability to think big and bold. Indeed, many believe that she is the brighter of the Clinton duo. To counter her, one would need someone equally intelligent, savvy, seasoned and competent. Surely there must be many such women in the GOP? So why did McCain and his crew think that Gov. Sarah Palin would be a good candidate for mobilising the voters?

Listening to and reading what Gov. Palin has said and done, I cannot but help think that it is because of her looks, for I can see little else. She has played the classic female line to the T – from the soccer-mom ("I’m JUST a soccer mom" in her syrupy sweet tone) to the constant parading of her baby at all hours of day and night in all sorts of situations that could not possibly be healthy for the child. She has failed to address the issues – sort of an "I won’t worry my pretty little head about such things" type of approach. And her spending of US$150,000 for wardrobe and grooming falls right into this plan. She looked quite fine to me before – why the need for this makeover, except to play up the one thing she brings to the table - compelling good looks?

It is sad that in 2008 I could even be wondering such a thing. It is sad that it seems that this actually matters to a significant number of voters in the United States. It is sad that McCain and the Republican party could be so desperate for power that they foist on the world the possibility of Sarah "Prettyface" Palin as Vice President, and more frightening, Sarah "Prettyface" Palin as President.

Lest you wonder, I have no problem with pretty faces and good looks. I love to look at beautiful people. I spend a lot of time trying to make myself beautiful, but that’s secondary to what I bring to the table in terms of my intelligence and competence. What I have a challenge with is when this is seemingly the major competence that someone brings to the Presidential candidacy. Not even in beauty contests nowadays is a pretty face enough - why in the world would one think that it could be enough for the election to the Vice Presidency of the United States of America?