To cap off your day, here’s Framingham State College’s Virginia Rutter with a great post on what exactly Sarah Palin doesn’t seem to get about “feminism” and “sexism” and how this allows her to erroneously invoke identity politics in her favor.–Kristen

Sarah Palin wasn’t the first to be confused about what is sexism—and what is feminism. Remember This is Spinal Tap, the rock mockumentary from the eighties? In an oft-quoted scene, dufus rocker Nigel Tufnel responds to the news that the next Spinal Tap album won’t be released because their cover is sexist with, “Well, so what? What’s wrong with bein’ sexy?” When, earlier this week, Palin said, “There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t support other women,” she was missing the point—and the words—sort of the way Nigel did. Her so-called feminism is really a form of sexism. She revealed just how much her candidacy is about identity politics—not issues.

In response to Palin’s misquote of Madeline Albright, Kristen asked, “Am I going to hell?”and clarified that feminism—in the sense that Albright meant it, and that many who are part of feminist movements intend—is about reducing inequality (all kinds!).

We don’t get to ask our candidates too many questions. But a friend offered a question for Palin, in light of her voicing the imperative of women for women: “If Hillary Clinton had been the Democratic nominee instead of Obama, would you, Governor Palin, be voting for a Democrat this year?”

Well, of course not. Because politics is done best when it is about ideas and interests, not passions and identities. (Thanks A.H!)

–Virginia Rutter