Mama grizzly

Mama grizzly is a term that former U.S. vice presidential candidate and Alaska governor Sarah Palin coined to refer to herself that has since been applied to female candidates she supported or endorsed in the 2010 U.S. midterm elections (collectively called mama grizzlies). Palin first used the term in a May 2010 speech at a fundraiser for the Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life women's group, and used it in a July 2010 YouTube video produced by SarahPAC, Palin's political action committee, for the 2010 elections. The persona largely served as a device by which Palin could "blend [her] feminine and masculine qualities and capabilities." By September 2010, "mama grizzly" was deemed to be "part of the lexicon" of the election by Newsweek magazine. It has never been made clear if the term is meant to refer to all women candidates supported by the former governor, or if it is just a general concept about real-life moms entering politics because they fear for their children's future.

The grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), a subspecies of the brown bear (Ursus arctos), is known for its aggressiveness; females are especially protective of their young. The state of Alaska is home to more than 70 percent of the grizzly population in the world.

During her tenure as Governor, Palin chose a design showing a grizzly bear grasping a salmon in its mouth as Alaska's contribution to the 50 State Quarters series of commemorative coins. At the April 2007 unveiling of the design, Palin said, "I like to think this is a mama grizzly doing what she does best: taking care of her young."

Nearly one year later, while promoting the Alaska natural gas pipeline project to federal officials in Washington D.C., Palin said, "Don't tell me that we should ever be on our knees to any dictator because of our desperation for energy, not when we have supplies here at home." Referring to her son's imminent deployment to the Iraq War zone, she added, "This mama grizzly ... has more reason than ever to protect our young."

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