“The Difference Between a Hockey Mom and a Pit Bull”: Sarah Palin's Faux Maternal Persona and Performance of Hegemonic Masculinity at the 2008 Republican National Convention

Abstract

Despite the presence of the first woman on the Republican national ticket, this article argues that the rhetoric of the 2008 Republican National Convention (RNC) followed traditional gender scripts to celebrate hegemonic masculinity and denigrate the feminine. First, the article argues that the key RNC speakers rhetorically constructed John McCain as the archetypal hegemonic man best-suited for the U.S. presidency while simultaneously emasculating the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama. Second, the article analyzes Sarah Palin's acceptance speech to argue that, although she crafted a persona of motherhood by employing domestic examples, maternal appeals, and a feminine discursive style, she effectively subverted that persona by joining the RNC's celebration of hegemonic masculinity. The analysis reveals the rhetorical texture and potential consequences of a faux maternal performance, particularly within a conservative rhetorical context.