Paglia Loves Palin's 'Annie Oakley' Feminism

Sarah Palin represents “an explosion of a brand-new style of muscular American feminism,” writes Camille Paglia on Salon. After Barack Obama’s convention speech, Paglia assumed the election was over. "Hoary, barnacle-encrusted“ McCain seemed unthinkable as president. Then came the Palin pick, and "the biggest step forward in feminism since Madonna channeled Marlene Dietrich."

Like “an ambassador from America’s pioneer past,” Palin represents a “can-do, no-excuses, moose-hunting” spirit, in contrast to traditional feminism’s “whining.” Portrayal as an extremist on women's issues reveals Dems’ own intolerance, she writes: “Democratic ideology itself seems to have become a secular substitute religion.” Paglia, though pro-choice, says Democrats attack pro-life Palin because they don’t “want to open themselves to deep questioning about abortion.” (More Sarah Palin stories.)