Subscribe to Breaking NewsWithers: A 17 year old is not a political talking point
Politics is no a tea party. Sharp elbows are thrown and words are meant to inflict as much rhetorical and political damage as possible. All fair and predictable when a pol dips his/her toe in election waters; however, that same rule is not transferable to the families of politicians, especially underage children.
The media feeding frenzy over Gov. Sarah Palin’s teenage daughter’s pregnancy is unseemly. I would use more colorful language but we have rules here at 365. The young girl was not picked by John McCain to be the Republican vice president nominee and her story adds nothing to what voter need to know about Palin. How does this story inform on Palin’s stands on the Iraq War, the economy, terrorism, Afghanistan, and the multiple other issues a new administration will face come January.
Sure politicians put their families out there as props for why they deserve our vote; however, we as voters are not required to pay attention when pols scrub the family for the photo opp. No need to take the bait just because it’s offered.
I’ll give the last word to Democratic nominee Barack Obama who says it perfectly.:
“I have said before and I will repeat again, I think people’s families are off limits and people’s children are especially off limits. This shouldn’t be part of our politics. It has no relevance to Gov. Palin’s performance as governor, or her potential performance as a vice president.”
Looking at all the negative comments I can’t help not seeing all the hate we all have in our hearts. Since when do we have the right to be so vicious? The pickings are getting slim for electing a president and vp. I personally do not care much for the republican party. To me they represent only the rich, white ones who will do anything to keep the power amongst themselves. The year is now 2008 and we have done absolutely nothing to improve the lives of Americans who only want[or should] to live their life in peace for our families. We spend billions on bombs, kill innocent children the world over, let whole nations starve and die, rape the earth to get oil so we can go get a burger or get your nails done, go be a zombie at the Mall,eat 3 times what we need,decimate the oceans, and breed like rats. Pretty sad isn’t it. It’s not our fault you say. You’re wrong my friends. We were brought up on tv and nonstop materialism brought to you by, yep, the politicians and the good ole boy system. Ms. Palin may not be a good mother, her daughter promiscuous and actually think she can fool us? 4 more years of what we have now. More I’m better than you. In my opinion we cannot afford to keep voting for people who will tell anything to get your support and then deny everything. Once the cow’s out of the barn we see the mess it left behind. As a gay man I’m seriously pissed that we still have to play games. Why do we have to fight for equal rights in a country that promises life, liberty and pursuit of happiness for all? I sure don’t want someone like McCain or Palin telling me ANYTHING. Keep your opinions to yourself. I’ll be voting for Mr. Obama. Thanks for reading and Peace to you.
Sarah Palin has put her own ambitions ahead of her children. The kid is 17 years old, 5 months pregnant and about to marry her boyfriend… then mom decides to bring her story to America’s living rooms.
Honestly, what kind of mother willingly puts her pregnant 17 year old daughter in the path of the American media and the American political machine?
I think that children need to be left out of any political campaign. The children of any candidate did not ask to be involved in such a circus and should be left alone. The only place that this would change is if it is a child that actively campaigns for their parent.
I do think that spouses are fair game as it would be considered a partnership. Otherwise, allow the kids (minor or of age) to live their lives.
Withers thinking is wrong on so many levels. The daughter was paraded around by the GOP before the announcement, why is she off limits now? What if she was a crackhead, or she had murdered someone? Still off limits? Do you think the GOP would give a pass to Obamas daughters if one of them was preggers? Palin could be influencing how my 17YO is taught sex ed in school, if condems are available and if an abortion is available after she gets raped by a couple of GOP boys on a night out.
Or we could look at Palins record, how she went after her Bro-in-law when she was GOV to get him fired. Just like the current Justice dept. Or how AK resident receive more FED gov aid per person than any other state. She will fit right in.
I too believe that families should be off limits when it comes to politics, but I also believe a person should show better judgement than to accept a position like Palin has knowing she has a newborn with down syndrome and a pregnant teenager. Sometimes you have to put your family ahead of yourself.
Palin supports abstinence only education, although this approach obviously doesn’t work.
Einstein said a definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over hoping for a different result.
The ONLY reason why this should be talked about at all is if it is viewed in the context of Palin’s positions. Conservatives say this is a reflection of her Pro-life stance.
I however am not conservative. While with in my own family I have several relatives who went through simular situations. I simply see this as an inditement of her homophobic, abstinence-only sex education policy. Clearly her daughter did not believe that sex is to be saved until after marriage. Other than that; no story here.
I long ago decided that some of the things Withers writes in his blog are so blatantly incorrect as to serve no other purpose than to push a few buttons and stir up heated discussion. After all, as a contributing editor, it’s part of his job to get readers involved with the site.
Most of you have already called him out on what’s wrong with his current comments, so I won’t belabor the issues.
I forgot to mention that I hope the poor teenager didn’t pick up any STD’s because she failed to use a condom.
Palin was picked because she is a woman, and because she appeases the religious base of the Republicans. Her stance on abstinence and abortion, in and of itself is not a problem. But, when you advocate that the choice for both should be eliminated, you become a BIG target and a walking example that abstinence doesn’t work. The fact that SHE decided to bring her poor pregnant daughter into the national limelight just reflects on her bad judgement as a parent.
I don’t say anything bad about her daughter.
But her daughter does illustrate that even for a woman with such a “moral” foundation and “family values” the idea of abstinence-only education simply doesn’t work. Her daughter’s pregnancy is the natural outcome of being against sex education and birth control. And obviously abortion. Teen pregnancy is what happens. Just an illustration of the failure of that approach.
Fortunately for her daughter tho, being the daughter of a governor (and that’s how she’ll stay, barring some horrible bad luck in Nov), she won’t have too much trouble. But for a pregnant, young teenage girl who isn’t in such a privileged position, are the Republican policies the ones that would help her AFTER her pregnancy? No.
The issue isn’t that having a teenage daughter who’s pregnant is bad, or that anyone should attack her daughter. It does demonstrate the inadequacy of GOP policies.
Oh it goes to the heart of a politician who preaches family values and pushes abstinence. She pushes one thing yet her family does another.
The reason there is such a feeding frenzy is that this yet one more example of Republican hypocrisy. Do what we say, not what we do.
James, I agree children are off limits. They make mistakes, and the consequences should be their punishment, not our insatiable desire to scream our liberal lungs out, “I told you so…” Forgive us as we roll our eyes as Focus On Your Own Damn Family’s James Dobson offers a statement of support for the Palin family while just months earlier condemns Jamie Lynn Spears and her family of loose morals, poor character, and insufficient parenting skills. I really should know better as I think back on all those times the religious conservative base roared from the pulpit that gay marriage would desecrate the sanctity of marriage and the American family. I should be ashamed as I smile inwardly at the hypocrisy of it all. Thinking it is just as bad as saying it… After all, a sin’s a sin…right?
I beg to differ. Unfortunately, Palin’s family is very important to those who are seriously considering voting for the best candidate team this November. I would to paraphrase Sally Quinn, a Washington Post reporter who is very concerned about the priorities of a VP who has a developmentally disabled infant and pregnant teenager, yet believes she can put them aside to help run the nation. Please see http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/sally_quinn/2008/08/sarah_polin.html for more on this thought. Palin’s family decisions surely provide us with a window into her thinking and decision making. Family is VERY important in this election.