Carrie Prejean Hearts Sarah Palin

categories: Election 2008, Gay Marriage, LGBT Rights and Politics, Marriage Equality, Republican Party and LGBT Rights

Published August 16, 2009 @ 05:45AM PT

Carrie Prejean and Sarah Palin

The Republican Party's new recruitment weapon, Carrie Prejean, was working the crowd at a Young Republican gathering in California this weekend. The former beauty pageant contestant, who made a name for herself by coining the term "opposite marriage" and by saying that while she doesn't hate gay people she just doesn't want to see them in loving relationships, is being tasked by the Republican Party to bring more young people into the fold.

And if Prejean's comments this past weekend are any indication, the young people she's trying to reach are from the Sarah Palin wing of the Republican Party. That wing of the Party certainly showed how influential it was in 2008, losing the Presidential election margins by the widest percentage (for a GOP candidate) since 1964.

Prejean told the Ventura County Star that she looks up to Sarah Palin, and that in turn the former Alaska Governor has been a trusted ally since Prejean became famous for trashing marriage equality. "(Palin’s) been very supportive. I really admire her and look up to her, and I know she’ll do great things," said Prejean.

But are Palin and Prejean really the two messengers that young people want to hear from? Polls show that people under 30 overwhelmingly support marriage equality. But beyond that, more than 53 percent of the country has a negative impression of Sarah Palin. She might be as popular as pie at a bake-off for social conservatives, but if 53 percent of the country thinks your message is poisonous, is it worth holding Palin up as a hero?

Carrie Prejean may have no regrets about her positions on same-sex marriage, which she reaffirmed in talking with folks from the Ventura County Star. "A blessing in disguise," she said of her chance to support marriage discrimination on national television. But placing Prejean at the center of an effort to recruit young voters, when the issue that made her famous runs contrary to the position of most young people in the country, seems a bit foolhardy.

Which could lead one to conclude yet another similarity shared between Prejean and Palin: the more national in profile they get, the less people really like them.

Share this Post

Comments (5)

Carrie Prejean and Sarah Palin are intolerant conservatives which have an incorrect view of LGBT rights. However, equality for the LGBT community is superior to the statements Carrie Prejean or Sarah Palin say. With the former beauty peagent trying to get young people for the Republican Party, especially the conservative wing, she will achieve very little in gaining support for young people. It's good that many young people support the important right of same-sex marriage.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 08/16/2009 @ 04:13PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 1 person likes this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Edwin
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
That carrie prejean idolises sarah palin just goes to show that sometimes...The dumb blonde steriotypes are all too accurate... :(

Perhaps theyre trying to lure more idiotic fanatics ?

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 08/17/2009 @ 02:15PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 1 person likes this comment. Like
Hey, I'm a blonde and I support same-sex marriage. However, I have to agree that Carrie Prejean does seem to fit the "dumb blonde" stereotype to the point where she is an embarrassment to blondes nationwide.

Posted by Amanda Woods on 11/10/2009 @ 12:10PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Like
Reply to thread
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Thomas
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
WHO CARES ABOUT EITHER ONE? maybe while Sarah's looking out her front window to keep an eye on Russia, Carrie can look out the back window to keep an eye on Canada.

Posted by gilbert barrett on 08/17/2009 @ 03:17PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 1 person likes this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by gilbert
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
I am very proud of Sarah & Carrie, they're gutsy! aren't they? I just love it! People recent Sarah, because she has common-sense(real intelligence) which all those Elitist can't ever learn no matter what University they attended.

Posted by g b on 09/01/2009 @ 07:14AM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by g
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply

Add a Comment

For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

Comment

Check Spelling

Email me when there are new posts to this thread
Comment Policy

Comments on Change.org are meant for further exploration and evaluation of the ideas covered in the posts. To that end, we welcome constructive comments. However, we reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive, abusive, or off-topic; that contain ad hominem attacks; or that are designed to subvert or hijack comment threads rather than contribute to them. Repeat offenders may be permanently removed from the site at our discretion.

Author

Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.