Sarah Palin, Queen Esther & Strong Women

Palin Purim Cartoon, originally uploaded by rbtenorio.

During her political career, Sarah Palin has considered the role of women in the public sphere, saying of current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton:

Compared to the guys she squared off against, a lot of her supporters think she proved what Margaret Thatcher proclaimed: 'If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.'

Perhaps Palin should also look beyond 20th and 21st-century leaders like Thatcher and Clinton for proof of this statement -- and consider, say, the story of Queen Esther, heroine of the Jewish holiday Purim, which I celebrated this past Saturday. Read more in this week's cartoon.