So you think you can be an American President?

Episode 7: The Oestrogen Factor

Last week on “So you think you can be an American President?”, it was pantsuits versus pageants as McCain’s top girl Sarah Palin made her on-screen debut, strutting the gender dilemma back into the presidential spotlight.

With a strategic move by the Republican team, the race for Commander in Chief is once again awash with the glamour, high heels and oestrogen made famous by recently-evicted candidate Hillary Clinton.

This week: Does hell really hath no fury like a Hillary supporter scorned?

Stay tuned to find out.

Indeed it seems the entire world is currently glued to the prime-time special that is the American election. Such a reaction is hardly surprising. After all, with the USA maintaining its position as world hegemon, the 2008 voting count will, no doubt, have a significant impact on the global political arena. It also has the bonus of being the best new show in town. With celebrity appearances, harsh comebacks, agonising setbacks and controversial scandals, “So you think you can be an American President?” is a sure fire hit in the ratings war.

This week, there’s a new character on the scene. Former beauty queen, Alaskan Governor and mother of five, Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin is already being touted as the new Hillary Clinton.

In making the selection of Palin for VP, Republic nominee John McCain has turned the predetermined Vice Presidential debate on its heel. No longer is the question, “how can Sarah Palin match up with Joe Biden?” Rather, it’s “could Sarah be the new Hillary?” Or, more importantly, can Sarah secure the votes of those 18 million women who supported Hillary in her attempt to shatter the glass ceiling?

For the Republican PR department, the answer is a resounding “yes”.

Never mind her credentials, history or political ideals - Sarah Palin has only X chromosomes and she’s not afraid to use them. Ensuring there was no doubt about her key campaign target, Palin's opening speech at an introductory rally in Ohio made reference to everything from her own 20th wedding anniversary to the 88th anniversary of women’s suffrage, her role as a “hockey mom”, “team mom”, kids basketball coach, member of the Parent Teacher’s Association, “devoted wife and mother of five”.

In other words, the Republican Party is leaving no questions asked about Sarah Palin’s genetics. For all of those who weren’t paying attention - SHE’S A WOMAN.

And so it follows, according to the Republicans, that Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton - those two renowned political starlets blessed with the gift of a female anatomy - should be able to secure votes of the same social contingent.

After all, in the most recent New York Times/CBS poll, conducted August 15-20, 36 per cent of female Hillary Clinton supporters noted that they were now either backing McCain or still undecided. That’s 36 per cent of votes that Sarah Palin has been tasked to collect (never mind the additional contingent of drooling males enraptured by this former beauty queen’s curves).

So where does that pesky little issue of political experience come into the anatomic equation?

A quick biographical summary:

Before running for President in 2008, Hilary studied at Yale Law School, was twice listed as one of the hundred most influential lawyers in America, had an eight-year stint as First Lady and was elected for senator of New York State in both 2000 and 2006 with a large portion of the votes.

Before being selected as the Republican Vice President candidate, Palin studied journalism at the University of Idaho, won the “Miss Wasilla” title in a local beauty contest, had a scandal-fuelled two-year stint as Governor of Alaska and enquired of CNBC anchor Larry Kudlow, “What is it exactly that the VP does every day?”

To put it another way, whilst Palin and Clinton may indeed both not be recipients of a Y chromosome, their levels of political experience are seemingly less in-sync than their genetic structures.

Inevitably, we return to that single commonality - the oestrogen factor.

Can Palin smash further away at Hillary’s 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling on pure account of her feminine hormones?

In the world of “So you think you can be an American President?” this scenario sounds just about right on target.

After all, as a reality TV candidate on the hottest new series in town, Sarah Palin is the personification of a ratings booster - savvy, sexy and scandalous. And, with the 2008 race to the White House playing out more like an episode of Celebrity Survivor than a presidential election, it looks like John McCain knows exactly what audiences want.

What they want is Sarah Palin.

So, what will it be America? Pantsuits or pageants? Tune in next week to find out.