On the Palin pregnancy
We agree with Senator Obama's assertion that candidates' minor children should be off limits in political debate. We agree with the blogger Hilzoy who wrote: "To my mind, this extends to using [Sarah Palin's] daughter as evidence that abstinence-only education doesn't work: presumably, no one thinks that it works 100% of the time, and that's the only claim to which this one counterexample could possibly be relevant." We don't think the issue of whether the Palins' youngest child will be properly cared for if his mother becomes vice president is relevant, either. However, as parents, we wonder at the judgment of the two adults who put a 17-year-old child in the position to have her premarital pregnancy become front page news. And as cynics, we suspect that Karl Rove, Rush Limbaugh and others would be handling this matter rather differently if the pregnant teenager were the child of Democrats.
Brilliant move on McCain's part, I would say. He throws red meat to the Right Wingers who were threatening to stay home on election day---and does it in a way that liberals who criticize look heartless and mean.
I went walking with a Republican friend this morning. Her view? Palin comes across as someone who can understand the problems of the average American family---working mom, special needs infant, pregnant teenaged daughter. Oh, and the fact that she hunts and her son is going to Iraq? Big bonus points!
Would Democrats be held to a different standard? You betcha. (Hint: Hillary and Bill stayed married, despite his infidelities. Unlike John McCain. See which one is the candidate of the "family values" crowd...)
Paige Baker
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September 2, 2008 2:16 PM