Campbell Brown, Sarah Palin, sexism and the 'Novelty' Presidency

...I call on the McCain campaign to stop treating Sarah Palin like she is a delicate flower that will wilt at any moment... She is strong; she is tough; she is competent. And you claim she is ready to be one heartbeat away from the presidency. If that is the case, then end this chauvinistic treatment of her now... Sarah Palin has just as much a right to be a real candidate in this race as the men do. So let her act like one.

Read the full transcript from CrooksandLiars - Free Sarah Palin

Some have speculated that Campbell Brown was deliberately patronising in her diagnosis that McCain is shielding Palin due to her gender. She is clearly gifted with charisma and mass appeal (crowd turnout, rejuvenated base) and has shown poise and tenacity (GOP convention speech). The only credible reason the McCain camp would be wary is her lack of experience, despite assurances that she's a "quick study". Whilst most people might look towards metrics of governance - gubernatorial, executive or foreign policy experience. In actually the only relative experience she lacks with any objective certainty is national exposure. Until she was introduced as McCain's VP pick a month ago, most people (including her supporters now) had never heard of her.

The measure of which isn't weight. By the very nature of her newness and the compressed time the nation has left to get to know her. All of Palin's laundry - dirty or otherwise have been dropped on the nation's lap in the space of a month. Rumours surrounding her family, pending investigations and her headline making faith and Church continue to unfold. This not only tells us more about the Republican Vice Presidential nominee but it's more instructive of McCain's judgment.

The measure of national exposure is length of time. Whilst Barack Obama has had to repel charges that he is a Celebrity would-be President, Palin has to fight the more damaging charge that she is a Novelty could-be President. Time has weathered Obama's initial mystique and voters now judge him with a more clear-eyed skepticism. Palin won't have that, we'll know in 2 months whether that works to McCain's favour.

Interested to know what Sexism looks like in wrestling?

VIDEO: HBK as the media. Chyna as Palin. HHH as the McCain campaign

(skip ahead to 4m40s mark)