She was standing before an arched doorway, over which were the words `QUEEN ALICE' in large letters, and on each side of the arch there was a bell-handle; one was marked `Visitors' Bell', and the other `Servants' Bell'.
`I'll wait till the song's over,' thought Alice, `and then I'll ring the--the--which bell must I ring?' she went on, very much puzzled by the names.
`I'm not a visitor, and I'm not a servant. There ought to be one marked "Queen", you know--'
~ Through the Looking Glass, Chapter 9. Lewis Carroll
This card shows Alice, decked out in crown and sceptre, imperiously knocking on a door to be let in. She's surrounded by an entourage of oysters.
In the story, the door Alice is knocking on is the entrance to a party that she is supposedly giving... it is her own turf (though she's never been there before) and inside there is a crowd of guests who've shown up for a party she is supposed to be hosting, singing praises for everything they expect her to give them. But for the moment, she's not even sure how she's supposed to get in, much less do what is expected of her.
I can't help but associate this card with Sarah Palin this morning, in the aftermath of last night's debate - she made no huge errors in presentation after a month of careful preparation, but I'm not at all sure she herself understood completely what she was coached to say. I'm sure she worked hard to prepare for last night - she's arrived, as they say, and certainly has her entourage of fans and coaches, but it does seem to be that there is a difference from being crowned Queen and actually having the credentials to be one.
(Yes, I am showing my preferences there)
A recent conversation with one of my daughters highlighted my frustrations here - her husband, who supports McCain, said he thought it would be great to have a 'hot' Vice President. And didn't understand why B, who had supported Clinton, wasn't happy with this turn of events. She said - putting the problem here into focus - that while she does want a woman on the ticket, it is discouraging that she's getting there based on appearance - as if, even now, a woman is supposed to get somewhere for being cute, not qualified.
Indeed. (And mind you, 'cute' should not be a bar to being qualified either - but it seems to be all she has. For anyone to straightfacedly suggest that "I can see Russia from my house!" is adequate foreign policy experience is no different from pinching a baby's cheek and cooing 'whosa woosy cootchie coo')
Watching last night the carefully inserted folksie comments and the opening salvo evoking hockey moms ("I'm one of you! If I can be Queen, anyone can be queen!") I'm reminded that Bush was carefully presented the exact same way. Enough, already. Even if she is more what she seems to be than he was (and I think she is), we don't need plain folks in that position..we need someone who actually understands the responsibilities of the office with the ethical fiber to make them happen.
Sarah Palin may be closer to my demographic than Biden is, but that also means I can see the sort of person she is by looking at her attempt to get a man fired for having the gall to divorce her sister... those little dramas happen everyday in 'normal' America. And I don't like vindictive people in my personal community much less want to hand them the power to be petty in big ways.
I think any ground Palin might have gained was lost by the mob afterward. It looked exactly like the end of Wheel of Fortune. That little girl who was carrying the baby sort of said it all. No one is in charge, certainly not Palin.
I enjoyed using this deck, I'd forgotten so much of Alice's adventures it was a pleasure to refresh my memory. Sharyn/Quirkeries
Posted by: Sharyn | Friday, October 03, 2008 at 11:44 AM
Oh, I'll have to look for some of the post commentary reactions! I confess I fell asleep shortly before it wrapped it. I do hope that's so.. I want so much to believe that after 8 years of nonsense the public is more tuned in to not being taken by more fluff.
Posted by: Morgana Fillion | Friday, October 03, 2008 at 12:56 PM