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Congress's First 'Unwed Mother'
November 21, 2008 9:41 AM
Over at National Review's "The Corner," K-Lo calls it a "cultural indicator:" Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., will likely become Congress's first unwed mother, or single mom, if you prefer.
As reported by the Washington Post's Reliable Source, Sanchez -- with help from her "unofficial fiancé" Jim Sullivan -- is "poised to become only the eighth congresswoman in history to have a baby while in office -- and the first to do so while single....The two are 'unofficially engaged,' she says, and looking to buy a house. They will plan a wedding later -- but at her age, she says, planning a baby couldn't wait."
The Los Angeles Times was the first to announce the news to the world. "Twenty years ago, it simply wouldn't have been possible -- pregnant, single and a member of Congress?" wrote Patt Morrison. "Oh, the scandal! But Hester Prynne has morphed into Juno MacGuff, the culture wars have been fought to a truce of exhaustion, and 'unwed mother' has been recast as 'single mom.'"
Says Sanchez: "I'm hopeful there won't be this sort of ugliness about something that for me is really a blessed event."
But Morrison asks, "how might Sanchez's pregnancy play out in her district, which is 61 percent Latino? The national Latina teenage pregnancy rate is twice the country's average. Could a teenager point to her and say, 'If she can do it, why can't I?'
"The differences, Sanchez thinks, are substantial, and that's a big teachable moment. She's not a 'surprised pregnant teenager,' 15 or 16, poor, jobless, a dropout. 'I'm established in my life. I have a career. I'm financially stable. I have a loving, committed partner. This is something that was planned, not something that was accidental.' Sanchez is 39 and divorced, and early this year, her doctor told her that 'if your intention is to become a mother, I wouldn't put it off.' So she and Sullivan didn't. They haven't yet set a wedding date. As he told me, 'We have the rest of our lives to get engaged and married -- we don't have the rest of our lives' for Sanchez to become pregnant."
-- jpt
November 21, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (38)
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What is unofficially engaged? Why not just say that you got pregnant by your boyfriend and call it a day. If he wanted to marry her, they would be married. You can always have a big ceremony at a later date.
Posted by: Tina | Nov 21, 2008 10:48:00 AM
As a pro-life Republican I wish good health to the mother and baby.
I'm not sure what else to say. I'm more distracted, annoyed really, by the constant ABC TV network ad featuring the prostitute on the right side of my screen.
Posted by: OBAMANATION [uh-bom-uh-NEY-shuhn] | Nov 21, 2008 10:47:00 AM
it is her business at 39, but what about the latina teen pregnancy rate?
and teenagers with raging hormones will look at her and say if she can i can.
they will not make the connection about age,poor,no job,and a drop out.
and if she and man are committed, why not just go ahead and get married?
Posted by: My goodness | Nov 21, 2008 10:45:45 AM
Jake, what does Sullivan's employer think of him being a "single dad"?
Is Sullivan fired?
Palintologists want to know!
Posted by: tchanta | Nov 21, 2008 10:40:11 AM
lmao and the MSN and the left wing idiots raised hell about Sarah palins daughter friggin hippocrites
Posted by: like it or not here I come | Nov 21, 2008 10:26:23 AM
________________________________________
the reason those left wing idiots make sarah palin daughter a issue.. because The RIGHTWING nuts always liked to play the MORALITY POLICE.. and constantly went after liberals for behavior like this , so when the tables were turn the republicans were crying foul or TURKEY ..take your pick.
Posted by: sam | Nov 21, 2008 10:34:08 AM
Another disgrace with great spin on the news!
If marriage is not such a big deal anymore, why is then gays are so eager to marry!!
Posted by: frieda | Nov 21, 2008 10:31:55 AM
its 2008 ......AND.
Posted by: sally | Nov 21, 2008 10:27:54 AM
Who cares its her business we have bigger problems like THE ECONOMY STUPIDS Stay out of peoples private lives!
Posted by: ANGIE | Nov 21, 2008 10:27:50 AM
lmao and the MSN and the left wing idiots raised hell about Sarah palins daughter friggin hippocrites
Posted by: like it or not here I come | Nov 21, 2008 10:26:23 AM
I consider myself a red (if not) purple person from a very red state but, this story doesn't bother me. (A) she's 39 and established in a career. (B) This is no different, or maybe a better situation than the child having to go through a divorce later. (C) Again, no one elese's business.
Posted by: Libricrat | Nov 21, 2008 10:26:10 AM
Good for her. Why is it any one else's business?
Posted by: Brooklyn Democrat | Nov 21, 2008 10:22:54 AM
I don't know how I feel about this. Well, I guess the christian side of me won't make it easy for me to accept. On the other hand, I am a humble a christian. I guess it would've been better if she had just married the guy.
Posted by: D | Nov 21, 2008 10:22:17 AM
This is a clear indicator of nothing more than how far the right has NOT come in moderating their institutional prejudice. In this case, against women.
it is no joke to state that there have been dozens of MEN in congress with children out of wedlock.
Why is it never story about that? well they get a pass because A0 most them are illigitimate progeny of afairs and B) because they are men and above such moral accountability.
Strom Thurmond, possibly the most openly racist and sexist man in American political history fathered a (gasp) black child, hid it for his entire public career and was nonetheless rewarded by his white christian brethren for "owning up to it" when it came out. (The daughter was in her, what, in her fifties maybe, when it leaked.)
This is the exact kind of junk that the incindiary right thinks is ok, because it is at the margins, but it turns good people away from them a few more each time...
Posted by: andyd | Nov 21, 2008 10:19:39 AM
Another great example to young women in America. Have a baby first and then get married later and lets not forget the divorce. But hey, this is all normal now for Liberals.
Posted by: CHARLIE | Nov 21, 2008 10:12:27 AM
Miss Sanchez is an excellent role model for young women. I wish her well in the future.
Posted by: Jeffrey12342001 | Nov 21, 2008 10:06:23 AM
How is this even an issue, it wouldn't be an issue if it were a man.
Posted by: samhiguchi | Nov 21, 2008 10:01:11 AM
The woman is 39 not 16 people. Think more Murphy Brown rather than Juno.
Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Nov 21, 2008 10:00:38 AM
Another example of degradation masked as being "progressive."
Quite the example.
And one wonders why society is going down the tubes?
Ever notice that the more we "tolerate" and "accept" the more garbage we encounter?
Posted by: drjohn | Nov 21, 2008 9:48:59 AM
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