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Opinion: The New York Times supports Gov. Sarah Palin for VP?

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The Ticket knows it’s hard to believe. We had to read it twice to believe it ourselves.

But there it is for all to see, an editorial from the New York Times that calls for fairness in selection of vice presidential candidates, that it’s a wonderfully practical idea for the major parties to pick political unknowns and test them in high office and allow them to become statesmen. And especially so if they are women.

And it was the day’s lead editorial too, right at the top of the very gray page for all to wade through.

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Here’s part of that editorial to see for yourself:

‘Presidential candidates have always chosen their running mates for reasons of practical demography, not idealized democracy.

‘One might even say demography is destiny; this candidate is chosen because he could deliver Texas, that one because he personified rectitude, that one because he appealed to the other wing of the party.

‘On occasion, Americans find it necessary to rationalize this rough-and-ready process. What a splendid system, we say to ourselves, that takes little-known men, tests them in high office and permits them to grow into statesmen. This rationale may even be right, but then let it also be fair. Why shouldn’t a little-known woman have the same opportunity to grow?

‘We may even be gradually elevating our standards for choosing Vice Presidential candidates. But that should be done fairly, also. Meanwhile, the indispensable credential for a Woman Who is the same as for a Man Who -- someone who helps the ticket.’

Well, there you have it. The New York Times obviously endorsing Alaska’s Gov. Sarah Palin, who, judging by recent polls and all the media attention, certainly has helped John McCain’s Republican ticket.

This New York Times editorial, by the way, was just published on July 3.

Oh, wait. It says July 3, 1984.

Oh, and it was talking about someone named Walter Mondale plucking a New York nobody with no executive experience from the oblivion of the House of Representatives, Geraldine Ferraro.

Well, sure, he and she were Democrats. But what difference should party possibly make if we’re truly talking about advancing American democracy by making it more fair?

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Especially if we’re talking about the gender area where the other party’s candidate, Barack Obama, so ostentatiously passed over a qualified woman as his vice presidential running mate? (And another New Yorker at that!) Not to mention skipping over the female governor of Kansas and the female senator from Missouri.

Instead, he picked a male 36-year senator from the same old boys’ club. How is that change we can believe in needing? Or whatever this week’s motto is.

--Andrew Malcolm

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