Can sarah palin be a parent and vice president, too?

As if we'd not been subjected enough already to the fruits falling from the collective uteri of the Palin women, we were astounded to hear of the revealed pregnancy of Bristol, the 17-year-old daughter of Sarah Palin, the presumptive Republican vice presidential nominee.

Despite the McCain campaign says they knew about the pregnancy before Palin's selection, we highly doubt it. In light of Monday's revelations, it's clear that Palin was vetted using neither the "do no harm" vice presidential criteria nor the traditional, sticky Republican insistence on the appearance of propriety.

The family portrait of this clan with its two babies, one belonging to the 17-year-old; the other to the 44-year-old politician/grandmother who looks like a naughty librarian, plus the stair-stepped kids in between, doesn't exactly fit the picture of "vice presidential," let alone "presidential."

A high schooler with a baby bump padding around the manse at Number One Observatory Circle would be as difficult an image to many Americans to accept as the one we keep hearing from racist commenters about black folk who wouldn't look right milling around the White House unless they work in the kitchens.

It's the sort of soap opera Democrats usually find themselves in -- what's next? Will one of the boys steal a car? Will the girls be fitted with chastity belts? Will house hubby with the recently exposed DUI run off with a cute salmon slimer or an oil lobbyist?

We're liberals, and we don't care about appearances so much, but we're wondering: Can Sarah Palin be both a mother and vice president?

Can she deny she might have screwed up the mother part a little?

We wouldn't even ask this question -- except as a vice presidential candidate, Sarah Palin wants it both ways: to be taken seriously as a national stateswoman and a Christian values mother -- the motherhood part is a major part of the "wonderful life story" we keep hearing about.

First: Did she think of Bristol first when she chose to expose her to the glaring spotlight and massive press that her national candidacy would bring to her expectingness? And let's face it: being so busy with being governor, Palin lost contact with her teenage daughter. Not even house hubby picked up on the sexual activity of their 17-year old.

(All that church-going, strong Christian teaching, the youth group ice cream socials resulted in teenage humping no different than if she'd been hanging the mall and drinking Moose Drool in the parking lot. Or was the baby conceived in the governor's mansion while the family was at a snowmobile race or campaigning at an NRA meet-up?) 

We're parents and we know teenage sex and pregnancies can happen no matter what you do. But Sarah Palin gives lip service to the Christian motherhood line -- that a woman shalt not work "outside the home" so as to give full attention to the maternal guidance of their kids. It's biblical, they say.

(We can attest to that politics, as other high-powered careers, can rob kids of parental face time. After our dad was elected to the Legislature, and began a political climb, we rarely saw him again… except on the legal holidays that his services as a public speaker were not requested or required. His absence led in a great part to the break-up of our parents' marriage, and put a huge rent in the family).

Doni Ingram, an Alabama bureaucrat attending the RNC told The New York Times she felt sympathetic to Gov. Palin because she had raised four children herself.

“She’s [Palin] raised five kids and has a professional career, and she’ll be just fine,” Ms. Ingram said.

Excuse me: Sarah Palin hasn't "raised five kids" -- after Bristol, she's got three more at home, and one is a babe-in-arms with special needs!

If the Christian motherhood part of the equation that makes Sarah Palin politically viable has been compromised, what's left? 

An 18-month governor of a state with the population of Fort Worth, that's what.

Comments

[Duffman]

Absolute rubbish!

[sparky]

Nobody would care, other than sympathy for a young girl who has changed her life forever, if her mother's wing of the party didn't spend so much time telling the rest of the world to keep their pants on.
Their political platform is explicit on demanding abstinence only, no sex ed, no birth control, no premarital sex. That's fine, but they shouldn't be surprised when this happens. People are always going to take a bit of satisfaction when this happens to people who want to impose their own rigid morals on everyone else.

It has also come out that Sara Palin once belonged to the Alaskan Independence Party--who want Alaska to be their own country, and do not accept statehood. She dropped out once she was mayor, but they are thrilled that "one of our own" has gotten to this place in government.

One more surprise, and she may not last on this ticket.

[sparky]

Duffman, you forgot to say "God Bless You."

[Duffman]

..something about those who live in glass houses would be wise to not throw stones...can we say John Edwards ! [Undoubtedly, he's already blessed Bla'M and you]
-smile-
ps: sparky/joanie - what say ye 'bout the Bellevue teachers strike move?

[Puget Sound]

Duffman, you've become nothing more than a gnat. One of these days you'll get slapped in the right place and simply disappear.

Posted by: joanie | September 02, 2008 at 12:49 AM

Duff,
Since I speak Sleddadler let me break this down:

You have made the mistake of offering a differing opinion. You better fall in line or else!

Or else the Skeddadler is planning to take you out, 'Old School' if you will.

Just don't get too close lest the Vino breath take you out.

[Duffman]

Yeah puts, you know in terms of being a 'pest' I can identify with being a 'gnat'...and I'm sure I'm a 'pest' to the 'regulars' herein...and I'm lovin it. [Thanks for deciphering 'joanie-speak'; you're very good at it, I must say]

[Puget Sound]

Looks to be a fairly normal family to me. Maybe not by Seattle Standards given they have more than the one designer child. Hell, in Seattle you usually got the DINK crowd that think having a dog is the equal to having a kid but that is another story.

But most of us from other parts outside of Seattle find large families to be a good thing.

The DUI is from 1988 when the father was 24 so the statute of limitations kind of runs out on that. I like his story albeit working on the oil rigs or racing snowmobiles. Looks to be a guy who takes good care of his family.

A son in the military, a pregnant teenage daughter, and the rest of the kids also look to be normal. They'll fit in well at the VP digs.

What isn't normal is the viciousness in which the family has been attacked by the lefty bloggersphere. Go ahead and we'll see if it backfires on ya come November. Normal people find that crap reprehensible.

I would hope that some of you -especially the 'schoolteachers' in this crowd- would stop snarking on this and leave the kids alone. No matter how good it feels to engage in schandefreude.

Abstinence is a goal. Just like those awful 'rigid morals' of wanting young people to wait until they adults to have sexual relations. They sell contraception up in that part of the world and young people know what and how it works. We got plenty of sex education going on down here and it doesn't seem to stop the children from getting pregnant. So I would stop crowing about how effective sex education has worked in Seattle.

I actually have an Army friend of 25 years who lives in Wasilla, AK. He told me that it was kind of known that the daughter was with child already.

[Puget Sound]

Duff
The great thing about Skedaddler-speak is that is a fairly simple language. Just take the opposite of the truth, add a dash of denial, and a large dollop of name calling and it becomes clear: she's full of crap.

You have already reduced the Skedaddler to only making those midnight runs bombing runs when the Board is clear.

I had to laugh at the Skeaddler's attempts to post up against Pudge over at SP. Now THAT was funny. Pudge don't mess around.

[Duffman]

Indeed 'pudge' takes no prisoners and has his facts together!
'Just take the opposite of the truth, add a dash of denial, and a large dollop of name calling and it becomes clear: she's full of crap.'
Excellent! Might even qualify for Sunday's BlatherMunch.

[Puget Sound]

Here is some talk of the backlash. The Skedaddler shouldn't listen as it will cause great discomfort ie alternative point of view.

But this goes directly to the point of this thread.

Susan Estrich makes great points

[Coiler for rubbers for republicans]

We don't know if SarahCuda is going to stick around for this. It's possible someone else will be nominated before long... If this is how well the McCain campaign did this, what does it say about his decision making? Unless they planned on bringing in Lieberman or Tom Ridge after the convention.

[DT]

Can Obama, being a (closet) Muslim, be both the President and a good father, too?

[joanie]

can we say John Edwards...

Why not? You've been doing it in every thread so far.

Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk... that's what the right does. Now, if only they'd walk the damn talk!

I forgot, pests are known for flying in circles aren't they?

[Puget Sound]

Would be nice if Skedaddler would elucidate a bit on the walk the talk. Instead we get a little spewing and then it leaves the area. A true Skeaddle.

17 year olds get pregnant. To make this a slam on Sarah Palin as if she was at fault for this is ridiculous.

Geraldine Ferraro said it best in the link provided above. But hey, it isn't Skedaddler approved.

[chuck]

Oh gee, maybe the mysogonists on this blog are right. Women should be at home raising the children and not out in the work force. Stay home and take care of the babies. That way our children won't have sex and make babies themselves.
Single women should be secretaries, store clerks and stewardesses until they meet a man to take care of and support them, while they raise the children. Widows, divorcees and those too ugly to get married can become teachers or nurses.
What? No! You are bullshitting me. What do you mean, teen-agers
had sex and got pregnant in the forty's and fifty's? Yes, probably so, but not so much as today.

[rev]

>A high schooler with a baby >bump padding around the manse
>at Number One Observatory
>Circle

If the daughter is five months along already, the baby would most likely be born a couple of weeks before the inauguration.

More importantly, a reporter from The Nation told Pacifica's "Democracy Now!" that Palin was the favorite VP choice of the religious Right, who expect her to push their agenda in a McCain White House.

My prediction: she will continue to accumulate baggage for another two or three weeks, as the news media and others continue to investigate her background. She will withdraw from the ticket before October 1.

[Puget Sound]

chucks, et al.
isn't it ironic how they can't see that they are being such misogynist? i guess she should stay home and tend to the kids? make some cookies...
no one said that to biden when he was tending to his kids after his first wife died. he was able to still keep his position in the senate.
hey, she has a husband. and let me say that anyone that thinks they can keep a total lockdown on a healthy/normal 17 year old kid has either never had kids or fooling themselves.

funny how it is the 'reactionary' right that has to school the educated, sensitive, self styled 'progressives' on this blog about true equality.

you can't make this crap up! and they wonder why the american people will once again not give them the keys to the whitehouse. even clinton had to run as a 'new democrat' to win! (which begged the question what was wrong with the 'old democrats') the whitehouse is where the grown up decisions are made. go ahead and play around in the toolshed/garage (congress/senate) all you want...

[Coiler]

The Palin's parental ability is being called into question along with Palin's stance on abstinence that is being raised here. If the daughter is the town ride, so much for selling their evangelical beliefs along with their lack of knowing what she was up to. This along with "troopergate" is going to blow up like rev said and buyers' remorse will set in.

[Herb]

This is too fuckin funny. Stupid ass christian dumb fucks daughter gets knocked up! LOL. Good job McCain.

[Tony]

The Palin pick becomes increasingly curious as the days wear on. What first seemed to be a desperate attempt at creating some level of excitement within the republican ranks now appears to be the end result of a complete and total breakdown in the vetting process.

What the McCain Camp has been left with is an inexperienced MILF (soon to be GILF) from a state with a whopping 3 electoral votes. I would venture to guess their only remaining hope is a breakthrough in the often ignored "Boner Suffrage Movement". This would be a worrisome turn of events, as while I will surely cast my ballot for Obama-Biden, I fear that Little Tony would prove to be a one-issue voter.

[Perry S.]

We do not need this controversy right now. our convention is rolling and all anyone is talking about is Sarah Palin's daughter's uterus. Why didn't McCain pick someone for his or her experience, known abilities on the campagn trail and elsewhere and wisdom instead of someone the media couldn't take their eyes off of? Now as the negatives are piling up, the attention is just a distraction from our candidate who is one of the most qualified in history. this woman was not vetted. I'm shaking my head in disbelief.

[Puget Sound]

ah coils, by your over the top approach i can see a little flop sweat must be on your brow.
calling the daughter 'the town ride' and trying to make out that all parents are failures if their children engage in premarital sex -despite admonitions not to do so- will be a real winner amongst the voters.

you ain't helping obama. but by all means keep it up.
now if we could only arrange for the republican party to provide an hour of free tv to play the greatest hits of reverend wright.

[Brian]

Ha-ha!

Now Obama is having to defend the fact(?) that he has more experience than Palin. He's counting the months he's run his campaign as executive experience.
Is it just me or isn't he running against McCain, not Palin? I think he just fell into a trap...

Poor Barry doesn't have much to stand on & it seems his "Uh" quotient is increasing in his speeches as the days wear on.

[Coiler for rubbers for republicans]

Not all parents are failures, Putz, just this one from Alaska whose selling point that she is moral and knows what's reich for everyone else except telling her daughter how a condom works.

Trying to build up some sort of guilt on my part, Putzie? Her mother is the god fearing mouth piece and so-called maverack who is a fraud based on the Revelations LOL that have come forth. As the above posters agree, why don't you just admit she is a shitty candidate for VP and move on?

[AuthenticAndrew]

The dems that hate on Palin's family aren't going to vote for McCain anyway. The real question is wether she will excite conservatives wnough to vote for McCain.

I think it will depend on her performance in the upcoming debates. I suspect that Biden will do his usual outrage thing and Palin will be directed to respond much like Bush did, with conservative absolute one liners, and once again libs will see Biden and thoughtful, Palin as simple while conservatives will see them for what they symbolize; Biden as whiny and hypocrtical and Palin as straight shooter, maybe even as the wife that pays all the bills and makes everything work.

Palin reminds me a lot of Bush in 2000, a young person interpreting old conservatism. It seems to work.

[AuthenticAndrew]

It's not fair to hold parents accountable for what their kids do because a kid's behavior is only partially related to how they're raised. Some kids from bad homes become community leaders and some kids from great homes go on to shoot up heroin. You can't apply credit to the parents selectively.

[Coiler for rubbers for republicans]

Oh sweet geezus, it is too the parents responsibility. I hear conservatives all the time whining about the "nanny state" and how parents need to be in charge. Where's the outrage? I bet a lot of conservatives are bitchin' over this.

[chuck]

Lets see now. How many of us did not fuck anything willing whilst in high school. The best day of my life was the day I figured out that is you caress a teen-aged girls nipples, she would forget anything she was ever taught about sex. They are all insecure in their own way and craving attention. Very few ever asked if I had a rubber. If the asked, and I did not, I just promised to pull it out. Only one rejection recorded. We had sex ed in our schools.
Teen-agers are stupid. Nothing you can do about it.
Any way, you libs keep pounding away. We will not forget Ayers, Wright etc. And to find that Palin has a strong libertarian bent just excites the hell out of us. In another 12 or 16 years, when you get your next shot at the White House...........
It just drives you all freaking nuts that we just love that woman.
You don't get it and you never will. Bwahahahahaha.....

[Coiler]

Were you running for class president based on abstinence? That is the difference.

[AuthenticAndrew]

Yes, it's true that conservatives want top put more responsibility on parents, but conservatives are stupid, and this is simply one item in a long list of things they do not think through to its logical conclusion.

They believe in dropping bombs but not condoms. They believe in due process and justice for all unless you're an arab. They claim to follow the teachings of Jesus yet they prize personal wealth and opulance. They're simply full of shit.

[Ben]

This is just grubby, and beneath the debate we should be having. I cannot understand McCain's thinking in regard to this. It is a political decision that obscures the real issues and not in a positive way.

[chuck]

That was a pretty moronic post Andrew. Parents are responsible for their children. It is idiotic to think that the same people who brought you the DMV and Social Security can raise your children. That goes back to "it takes a village". Well, that village has child molesters, drug dealers, burglars, and various other crap in it.
None of us are perfect parents. Does that excuse anything?
My first father-in-law sat me down and explained the birds and bee's to me when I was dating his daughter in high school. I suspect he had the same conversation with his other daughters boy friend. He has been married to her for 36 years, having raised their 36.5 year old son.
So Andrew, do you have a daughter? If so, have you encouraged her to have sex and use a rubber? I remember having sex with a rubber when I was a kid. Damn thing couldn't keep up and broke. I probably should have told my partner, but was too embarrased.
You will learn to love Sarah. After four or eight years as VPOTUS, she will be POTUS for twelve. Sarah Baracuda, leader of the free world.

[Parker]

John McCain made the most important decision of his political career based on 1 interview with Sarah. That bothers me, and I am a Republican.

[Bofus]

"Sarah Baracuda, leader of the free world."

That says it all: this nomination is ridiculous on its face.

[sandra]

Floyd McKay wrote my sentiments exactly today in the P-I:

"The out-of-wedlock pregnancy of Sarah Palin's teenage daughter is not news by itself. Many American families have faced the same situation.

What it implies about Palin, however, is not flattering.

The Alaska governor's decision to accept Sen. John McCain's offer to be his running mate says one of two things, take your pick: 1) She is so naïve and clueless that she didn't realize her daughter's condition would place the 17-year-old and her lover in a national media spotlight, or 2) Palin knew that and went ahead anyway, throwing her own daughter under the train in a reckless rush for national fame and power.

If this is an example of a family value of the religious right, it is one that surely is repugnant to many Americans. Both Palin and McCain are giving us a display of raw ambition that is truly staggering.

McCain has rolled the dice, and now we have a national sideshow featuring kids whose mistake would never have been known beyond their hometown had McCain and Palin shown any respect for their privacy."

[Duffman]

Methinks the Obamanites are breaking out in a bit of a cold sweat.....haha

[Coiler]

Actually it's Christmas come early... praise Allah!

[Mark W.]

In his own words, here's the baby-daddy that Sarah Palin is trying to force Bristol to marry. Gotta love these born-again Christians! They'll try to make their baby marry this immature creep just for the appearance. He'll make a great addition to the administration -- maybe he could be Secretary of Hockey.

http://www.usmagazine.com/news/new-levipalin-draft
Father of Bristol Palin’s Baby: “I Don’t Want Kids”

Tuesday September 2, 2008

Levi Johnston, Bristol Palin’s high school sweetheart, and father of her unborn baby may not be ready for fatherhood just yet.

Bristol, the 17-year-old daughter of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, is five-months pregnant.

Palin announced the pregnancy in a statement to Reuters on Monday. She also used the occasion to reveal Bristol and Levi’s marriage plans. She said, "Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family."

The New York Post reports that although Levi admits to being ‘in a relationship’ on his personal My Space page, the teen hockey player makes the candid revelation that he does not want to be a parent stating, “I don’t want kids.”

The teen also uses the site to talk openly about how he likes to spend his time. He boasts, "I'm a f - - -in' redneck who likes to snowboard and ride dirt bikes. But I live to play hockey. I like to go camping and hang out with the boys, do some fishing, shoot some s- - - and just f - - -in' chillin' I guess.”

He warns, “Ya f - - - with me I'll kick [your] ass."

[chuck]

Quoting anything out of the PI is comparable to quoting DailyKOS.
A few Republicans will be concerned. That is to be expected. Crap, how many democrats are concerned about Obambam?
Most of us on the right are thrilled with Sarah. She sends a tingle up our legs. All that you have found is petty compared to Ayers, Wright, Peelosi, Dingy Harry and Rezco's guy.

[Duffman]

Well then Mark W (yeah, Okay), I would say you're due for an 'ass-kickin'.

[Puget Sound]

Were you running for class president based on abstinence? That is the difference.

Posted by: Coiler | September 02, 2008 at 11:33 AM

At times I kind of wish your parents had practiced abstinence, Coils. Just joking, you and your ilk have done more to elect Republicans then you will ever know. Can we get you to burn some flags over in St. Paul to go along with the Anarchists? Makes for some great footage and gets the base going. Law and Order is another reliable theme for Repubs.

I would really like to agree with Andrew on the point about the base. It has excited the hell out of them. Talking to some of my non voting relatives over the weekend I have not seen them this ginned up since 2000. Moreover, the continuation of flogging on the Palin family just gets them more and more revved up.
So keep it coming DailyKos. Anything on the oldest son? Maybe he is secretly a member of Al Queda?

[Puget Sound]

Hey Mark W
Sounds like Levi is a fairly normal 17 year old.

But go ahead and drag him through the mud.

And Coils, any chance we could get more of that praise Allah stuff in the Obama Campaign?

[Bammer]

Sarah Palin may have been a member of the secessionist "Alaska Independence Party". Also "Palin oversaw the hiring of a lobbyist, Steven Silver...Silver listed as a client Jack Abramoff's lobbying firm"

WashPo

[NYLucky]

What a fucking soap opera! BWAHAHAHAHAHA........ this ticket is joke.

[coiler]

I knew it would leave you disaffected, puts. Plus there is money to be made on this.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/09/02/place-your-bets-intrade-starts-palin-market/

[Mark W.]

Hey Duffman; when do you start saying something besides one-line insults? You never say anything any deeper. You are a tool, and a dumb one at that.

Puget Sound - Sarah Palin dragged Levi Johnston's name through the mud and thoughtlessly put her daughter's delicate, grubby, condition into the national conversation.
Her political ambitions come before her family's privacy obviously.

[Duffman]

Insulting a young man you've never met or really know anything about is akin to likewise voting for such a person.

[chuck]

Ashley Biden (Joe's daughter)arrested forobstructing a police officer, while making intimidating statements to that officer (2002).
Sen Biden and his spokesman declined to comment, calling it a private family matter.
After years of discussion about Dick Cheney's multiple deferments from military service, I hear nothing from the left about Sen Biden's 5 deferments before finally scoring a 1-Y for asthma. That is despite his athletic accomplishments.
How much do we hear about Sen Biden's son, Hunter's involvement in a hedge fund deal gone bad and his feud with his partner James Park (Rev Sun Myoung Moon's son-in-law).
There is plenty of poo to be flung.

[Banks]

Thank God General Palin has been leading the Alaska National Guard for the past 20 months. Why during that time period, not a single Russian invader has dared cross the Bering Sea to take over our oil wells and Polar Bears in Alaska. Without her leadership and her demonstrated marksmanship as a life member of the NRA, those Russians would most certainly have taken over Alaska by now, and would most probably be making their way down the Trans-Canada highway on their way to taking over those states governed by wimpy democrat led National Guard generals like Montana and Washington.

[Duffman]

I love how aliases are used herein to make it seem like there's more interest than there actually is. [But we know better....haha]