"The Era of GOP Women"

I must admit, I was briefly excited yesterday when I went on the Washington Post’s website and saw this headline: “The Era of GOP Women”. Then I saw Meghan McCain’s picture next to it. I should have just stopped there and not clicked on the link. Foolishly, I did. Sigh.

I should have known that it was a column by Kathleen Parker. I also should have known that when talking about GOP women, Parker would work in a slam against Sarah Palin. She did:

In the past few months, several conservative women have emerged as candidates and critics to challenge the notion that the GOP is the party of men. They're also putting to rest any thought that Sarah Palin is the female face of the party.

The McCain campaign had the right idea; it just picked the wrong woman.

Honestly, I have no idea why Kathleen Parker thinks it is okay for her to continue to speak on behalf of GOP women. She is no more a Republican woman than President Obama. When you drop the green eyed jealousy monster bomb against the most popular GOP woman in the United States right in the middle of an election, you generally lose the credibility to speak on behalf of GOP women. When you fawn over the new Democrat President while riding on Air Force One, you have lost all integrity with GOP women.

Ms. Parker, let me tell you about GOP women. I am a GOP woman and have been for years. I talk to GOP women every day. I have helped get GOP women elected to office. I started a GOP women’s group in our county back in 2005. I am currently the chairwoman of the Republican Party of Kenosha County. I have enjoyed membership with the National Federation of Republican Women in the past. The NFRW membership is well over 100,000. These ladies are the experts on GOP women because they are GOP women.

Ms. Parker, I hate to inform you of this, but you do not represent GOP women or the opinions of GOP women. In fact, most GOP women don't actually like you. See, we haven't forgotten the stunt you pulled during last year’s election (not to mention what you said this summer).

Reading through your column and seeing you hold up Meghan McCain as a GOP role model shows me exactly how out of touch you are with the average Republican woman. Ms. Parker, Republicans have about as much respect for Meghan McCain as they have for you. Republicans look at her as a conservative sellout. Like yourself, Ms. Parker, she cares more about being popular with the liberal elites than she cares about conservative policies and principles. She's perfectly free to speak her mind, but I know quite a few young conservatives, and they are not falling all over themselves to be like Meghan.

Ms. Parker, the liberal media elitists in Washington love you and Meghan McCain. Somehow the liberal media elitists have suckered the two of you into saying anything they want you to say.

Let me tell you about the conservative women Republican's like and look to for leadership:

-Liz Cheney - yes, Ms. Parker, you got this one right.

-Congresswoman Michele Bachmann - the more the liberals hate her, the more we love her.

-Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn - taking on Obama's Czars.

Of course there are many more and time will tell which direction we will be heading. Perhaps Whitman and Fiorina are part of the GOP's future. Right now they are relatively unknown.

Ms. Parker, I am also sorry to inform you that Sarah Palin is absolutely at the top of the list of conservative women that the GOP is looking towards for leadership. To deny this, is to completely deny reality.

The reality is that no woman in the history of the GOP has, to date, excited the GOP more than Sarah Palin. Once again, to deny this is to deny reality.

If you want to know who GOP women consider to be their leader, look no further than the NFRW. They will tell you exactly who they look to for leadership among GOP women.

There it is, right there on the front page of the NFRW website, a link to an article "GOP Women take a page from Palin's Facebook". Of course, Sarah Palin is the leader of the women in the GOP.

If you read the article linked by the NFRW, you see this:

Sarah Palin's effective use of Facebook is echoed in the campaign trainings conducted by the National Federation of Republican Women, which put growing emphasis on Internet technologies.

Ms. Parker, I am not certain where you get the notion that Sarah Palin is not at the top of the list when it comes to GOP woman, but you are absolutely fooling yourself.

I assume you will continue to make frivolous assumptions and will continue to write about them. That is fine. That's your right. However, could you at least be honest with yourself when writing these columns?

It is time to face reality. The reality is that Sarah Palin is beloved by the GOP and conservatives everywhere. Nothing you can do or say will change that. Palin has a still unreleased bestseller to prove this point.

Ms. Parker, I am a GOP woman and you are not. I am asking you to stop making assumptions and stop speaking on my behalf.

Ms. Parker, you do not represent my values or my politics...Sarah Palin does!

Update by Mel: (h/t Doug) Apparently, Peggy Noonan, someone who (like Ms. Parker) has let her PDS get the best of her in the past, is having some trouble at her new gig.