When I first saw Sarah Palin take the stage as John McCain’s running mate a few weeks back, I immediately hated her. Not disliked, mind you, but flat out loathed. She seemed like one big phony—a brunette Ann Coulter whose selection was merely a gimmick to ensnare disillusioned Hillary Clinton supporters. While I’m still leaning toward agreeing with the latter part of that statement, I’ve recently undergone a near 180 in my feelings toward Palin.

It’s hard to explain when I think about it, because she and I are about as different as two people can be. Beyond the obvious (such as gender, age and the like), there are beliefs. The most obvious conflict comes in the area of social policy, where (among other things) she condemns abortion as an “atrocity” (even in cases of rape and incest) and believes that any John Q. Citizen should be allowed to carry a gun. There’s also her environmental stance, though with everything else that’s wrong in the world right now I’m willing to cede a little ground here. And finally, though I’m normally all for raising taxes, the economic exigency and the current state of the market has me “spooked,” you might say, into leaning to the right on financial matters.

Beyond the issues, there’s also the shroud of controversy that has seemed to blanket Palin since she entered the national spotlight. The “Bridge to Nowhere,” her daughter’s out-of-wedlock child, the investigation into a questionable firing of a public official…I’m not denying that she’s got dirt. But who doesn’t? There have been more skeletons (and larger ones at that) in the closets of some of the greatest leaders this country has ever seen. While I’m obviously not guaranteeing that Palin will follow in such footsteps, at this point in time, nothing’s come to light that merits crucifying her or her political career.

So finally, let me explain what it is about Palin that’s got me on the bandwagon. It essentially comes down to what kind of a figurehead this nation needs. Were it a time of prosperity at home and peace abroad, then perhaps our leadership could reflect likewise. Alas, this is not the case, and in the face of a failing economy, strained international relations and a society on the brink of imploding, what we need is strength.

Now, please don’t take my words as a call to authoritarianism, because nothing could be further from the truth. I’m about as left wing as it gets, but these are desperate times. Congress is a mess, and chances are that a few new cogs won’t fix the machine. That means the fate of the nation may very well hinge on the executive branch, where the choice seems to be Obama or Palin (I say this to heed the wishes of many Palin oppositionists who have quickly dismissed the notion of a full McCain term based on his age and health).

Obama’s more likable than Palin; I don’t deny that. He seems intelligent and down-to-earth, while she comes across as humorless and confrontational. I’d love to have dinner with him sometime, and I don’t think I could stand five minutes in her presence, but this isn’t high school, where we choose friends based on likeability and “coolness.” This is the real world, and someone needs to stand up there and tell us what to do. I don’t want a kind professor with a soothing voice who tries to convince me to believe in myself, not with the direness of things today. I need the cold lecturer who hits the ruler on her desk to call the class to order, then proceeds to enumerate the rules as they will be followed.

Let me just close by saying that I know this sounds very controversial, especially coming from someone who’s normally so liberal. To espouse what could very well be described as a “new Napoleon,” if you will, may in retrospect be one of the stupidest decisions I’ve ever made, especially if either (a) Obama wins and does a great job, or (b) McCain wins and Palin fails miserably (whether it be as president or vice president). It basically comes down to the way things are and how I think they need to be handled. Perhaps I put too much stake in the past, but I feel like we need a strong-willed leader to carry us over the hill. Based on this assessment then (and barring some shocking revelation or dramatic change of events in the coming weeks) I will temporarily abandon my roots and vote Republican in the 2008 presidential election.