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Baby Politics: Separating Personal and Political
September 02, 2008 12:02 AM
"It has no relevance to Gov. Palin's performance as governor, or her potential performance as a vice president."
That was the response Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., gave when asked about the revelation that newly tapped Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, is five months pregnant.
Obama may have called the pregnancy "off limits," but there's no doubt the baby news, which came on a Gustav-shortened Night One of the Republican National Convention, had people talking all day.
The Alaska governor's bio -- so far filled with intriguing details of adventure (guns, fishing and snowmobiles) and bedrock Conservatism (she's a pro-lifer in practice) -- hit a much more awkward note.
But is it damaging as well?
September 2, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (68)
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The life of the VP should represent and reflect Traditional American Values...not American Values as seen on Jerry Springer.
Posted by: NoToGrandpaMunster | Sep 2, 2008 2:59:03 AM
Even Obama declared Sara Palin's latest challenge off limits. So good old A.B.C. runs a segment on Nightline. I am constantly amazed at the depths to which desparate, mean-spirited liberals will sink to attempt gain their objectives. All of you at A.B.C. news disgust me.
Posted by: Jim | Sep 2, 2008 3:18:16 AM
I think Senator Mccain has a problem with beautiful women. His first wife was a model. Cindy was a beauty queen and he meets the next beauty queen, 'I WANT YOU TO BE MY VEEPEE'. Senator Mccain talks of putting Country first, As far as am concerned he just put Politics first. Now Sarah Palins daughter so called father to be identifies himself as a Redneck in his facebook blog and is eighteen. In Georgia, a 17 year old boy was put in jail for having consexual 's.....x with a 16 year old boy. That boy went through hell before he regained his freedom. That boy's name is Genarlow Wilson. Now, the Republicans and that fake pastor 'Dobson' are trying to spin this as having 'FAMILY VALUES' I dont know the law in Alaska but anyone spinning this otherwise is really idiotic. I find the GOP to be energised but one thing this has also made for once all the Democrats energised too. Make no mistake we will be coming out in large numbers too. Barack Obama was never many people' choice in the Democratic party but we would be putting country first. A vote against Senator Mccain is a vote to save the United States.
Posted by: jayjay | Sep 2, 2008 3:24:06 AM
some typo errors, the seventeen year old boy had a consexual with a sixteen year old girl
Posted by: jayjay | Sep 2, 2008 3:27:09 AM
Barack is doing what McCain should have done for Obama while there was a litany of right-wing conspiracies floating around. Here's my 2 cents: Palin herself is using her children. She touts herself as a champion for the ability to produce life by constantly invoking her baby Trig's name and makes sure to remind us that her son is a hero going to Iraq. But, if her daughter does something of a sordid nature, all of a sudden McCain starts threatening anyone who even mentions a candidate's child. Hey John "my friends" McCain, were you a POW? Cause, you know, we didn't hear you the first 5000 times you mentioned it
Posted by: me | Sep 2, 2008 4:59:10 AM
McSame's decision to select Paulin as running mate is a clear demonstration of his lack of judgement, his weackness for young and beauty queens. McSame has a clear unability to undestand the world around him and putting Country First, Pauline will not bring experience, knowledge or values to this ticket. Poor old McCain.
Posted by: BKMC | Sep 2, 2008 5:01:25 AM
I think there is a level in which it might damage the GOP a little, in that it sort of has echoes of some of the 2006 scandals, in an are they being slightly hypocritical? kind of way.
I think the other thing it does a bit of is question Palin's own judgement, not because of the child itself, or because of the having a downs baby, but because Palin's family is obviously going through a ton of stuff right now, and is this the right moment to leave Alaska and run for national office? Seems like she would have been better staying in Alaska and caring for her family to me. (Plenty of candidates ahve postponed or abandoned runs at national office for family reasons, Al Gore, Ted Kennedy, Evan Bayh I think. There might even have been one or two conservatives as well.
Posted by: markymark | Sep 2, 2008 5:47:21 AM
Does anyone remember how hard it was to be a teenager. I can't imagine the harm that all of these Obama bloggers are causing Palins daughter.
I have been offended by the Obama bloggers so many times but this is just ridiculous.
I am a democrat who is proud to vote for Palin!
Posted by: Mike | Sep 2, 2008 6:34:16 AM
Good for Barack. I hope his minnions follow his example.
Posted by: a reader in georgia | Sep 2, 2008 6:51:57 AM
1. To those who say Palin can't be VP because she has a 4 month old baby. Well Obama has two young children too. Oh, that's right, only women can take care of babies.
2. Leave the kids out of it. Anyone who has had teenagers knows that no matter how well you raise them, they make mistakes. You can't lock them in their room 24 hours a day.
3. Obama agrees, leave the kids out of it. Will the press listen? Probably not!
4. "51% have never heard of Palin". Oh yeah, how many had heard of Biden if you weren't from the NE? For that matter, how many had heard of Obama before he launched his campaign... 5%? In today's world it is sometimes GOOD to be unheard of, that means you haven't been scandalous enough for the media to focus on you!
Posted by: NMA225 | Sep 2, 2008 6:54:39 AM
Mike just said he cannot imagine the harm that "all these Obama bloggers are causing Palin's daughter." Taking both McCain and Palin at face value, that they knew of this pregnancy before he offered and she accepted a place in the spotlight as a major party nominee, I'd say the source of the pain was McCain and her mother.
Posted by: ricky | Sep 2, 2008 6:56:49 AM
If she had no views on other people's morals and sexuality those of her own family would be off limits. She does, and they aren't.
Posted by: Moral Quandary | Sep 2, 2008 6:57:47 AM
Why did Diane Saywer waste 15 minutes on the morning show interviewing an outsider about about Palin's daughter's pregnancy? Would you like your private lives smeared in the news. You ask questions that are none of any body's business but the family.
Find some news that means something. Start reporting the news instead of trying to make news. I was a fan of ABC morning show, but the interview about Palin's daughter was rediculious.
Who made Diane the moral judge about how families handle their personal problems. Leave this out of your so called news break.
Posted by: Ernie from Georgia | Sep 2, 2008 7:24:26 AM
Evidently Palin was for earmarks, including the "bridge to nowhere," until she was against them.
Posted by: Joel | Sep 2, 2008 7:40:23 AM
I know its silly to compare barack to Miss palin MY FRIENDS , but i have to try anything .I know barack was involve with community politics locally and state when he finish school.
While Miss palin was busy doing beauty pageants and at the news station pointing that news thingy around at the weatherman My FRIENDS.
I even finish at the bottom of my class at the naval academy while mr. showoff Barack went to harvard. i have NEVER run anything in my life; And not even educated to run for the Oval Office. but i have the P.O.W card that i can use every time.... and it shut people up.
You can say i am living a charm life MY FRIENDS .think about it with my education if i was to go on WALL STREET to look for a BOARD job they would laugh me right out the office ,
No doubt Mr . Obama and his law degree from harvard can get HIRED anywhere anytime.. and is question more than me into being President , you got to love America MY FRIENDS.
Without my P.O.W card i would really be screwed; and people would actually challenge my education and resume
Posted by: spd | Sep 2, 2008 7:42:28 AM
JHW539 you are a typical obama hussien character assin. There were 5 senators - 4 Democrats and 1 Republican. The 4 Democrats were severly censured by the senate. McCain was not even repremanded.
GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT - SHAME
Posted by: Rusxs | Sep 2, 2008 7:49:11 AM
MY only qustion is what would the Republicans be doing now if the news had been in reverse concerning Obama? And for them to claim that Palin is the BEST qualify person to be vice president at this momonet is disengenious to all people that have a little bit of a commen sense, don't you think...."those who lives in a glass house should never cast stones".
Posted by: lionel | Sep 2, 2008 7:52:28 AM
Just watch dittys video on ABC, this is the intellect that the obama worshipers are bringing to bear on our government. When this country is turned over to rappers, then the average age of a high school graduate will become 30. If they live that long.
Posted by: seebogodown | Sep 2, 2008 8:04:40 AM
D*** straight! It SHOULD be a matter of separating personal and political. But according to Palin, McCain, and the rest of the religious right, it's not. Not when they want to impose their beliefs on the rest of us. If "abstinence only" doesn't work in their household, why is it ok to impose it on the country as a matter of policy? By the way, Alaska has the highest rate of std's in the country. So much for abstinence only.
Posted by: cat on a hot tin roof | Sep 2, 2008 8:16:56 AM
If Senator Obama's daughter was pregnantwould everyone think he shouldn't run for office?
Lets hear more about what they are going to do instaed of digging dirt.
Posted by: Sandra Grant | Sep 2, 2008 8:18:53 AM
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