‘Voting for the chick’ - Signs point to Palin across the county, Valley

By Bob Stuart

Published: October 13, 2008

Blue Ridge Lumber Company President Tom Sheets believes in Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin’s integrity and accountability and is convinced she “is the face of most Americans.”

Sheets showed his faith in Palin by paying for and ordering two “I Am Voting For The Chick” signs for his Fishersville business several weeks ago.

And what started as Sheets’ small show of faith has evolved to now include a total of 27 4x8-foot signs and 600 smaller ones, all paid for by the businessman.

The signs are now displayed in yards across the Shenandoah Valley and in a number of states, including the Carolinas, Michigan, Florida and Tennessee.

While the signs have engendered criticism as sexist in a letter to The News Virginian, Sheets said the major response has been overwhelmingly positive.

“I’m getting the most wonderful, amusing and heartfelt response[s]. People are saying, ‘this sign has resonated with me,’ ” said Sheets, a lifelong Republican who is also supporting Democrat Mark Warner in this year’s Virginia U.S. Senate election.

Sheets is convinced that Palin’s experience as a governor in Alaska helps with making her more accountable and accessible to the electorate.

He does not, however, find such accountability to be the norm at the federal executive and legislative levels.

“The track record of elected politicians and self-appointed bureaucrats is horrendous,” said Sheets. “She’s accountable, she has integrity. I would take that over experience any day. The experience has gotten us into this mess.”

Del. Chris Saxman, the co-chair of the McCain-Palin Virginia campaign, said he sees nothing wrong with “I Am Voting For The Chick” signs.

“People are having fun and it’s a show of support,” he said. “It’s voicing freedom of speech. It’s fun, not offensive.”

Sheets believes Palin has gotten especially harsh press. He is not happy with the current state of politics.

“We are so hungry and so tired of what we’ve got across the board,” he said.

Sheets said one of the signs on his property was vandalized, and said other signs have been tampered with in Augusta County.

But Sheets can only reflect on what happened after he distributed the first 300 signs — the e-mail and phone calls asking for more of them.