Loving mother or appalling ambition?
by thepenpusher

Bristol's pregnancy isn't the appalling part of this situation; she isn't the first young girl to have made a poor choice and been "caught" and she certainly won't be the last. What I so find appalling is her mother's behavior.

When I first heard about Sarah Palin as John McCain's choice for vice presidential running mate, I immediately went to the internet to find out more about her. I was dismayed to find that her only experience in politics has been councilwoman and mayor to a very small city and only 1.5 years in the position of governor for Alaska, a state with less than one million in population. Prior to these, she was a soccer mom and beauty pageant winner. Hardly what I would call over qualified for the job. Even her constituents in Alaska are scratching their heads over the VP offer. 

Then, we hear today, that her older daughter is pregnant. Unfortunately, while Palin is crying "private, family matter," it was the Republican party that hand-fed the information to the media, saying they were aware of Bristol's condition prior to the offer of Republican VP candidate. This bothers me. 

I'm a mom; my son is a 34-year-old adult, a productive citizen living well on his own. As a single mom however, there were job offers I turned down, not because I didn't want to take them, but because I felt accepting the job would have been detrimental to my son's well being, mentally, physically, emotionally or spiritually. From this standpoint, I tried to put myself into Sarah Palin's position. 

Here's a woman, grossly underqualified, and yet being offered the second highest position in the country. Her oldest daughter also happens to be pregnant and unmarried. Did Palin really believe this would remain a "private, family matter" with the publicity attached to such an office? Or did she accept the position feeling it would bolster her staunch position as pro-life advocate? Did she not know this decision would throw her daughter (her husband and her other children, the baby's father and his family) into the limelight? If this is the case then the possibility of her being Vice President is even more alarming. 

Palin has been portrayed as a political go-getter. If she accepted the position out of her ambition, couldn't she have waited for another four years to further her career when it wouldn't have put her daughter in such a humiliating, very public position? I don't see this as the act of a loving, self-sacrificing mother, but as a narcissistic, attention-grabber. I feel sorry for Bristol and even sorrier for the country if this woman makes it into office.  

Submitted by thepenpusher (view blog) on Mon, 09/01/2008 - 5:46pm

Comments

 

I agree and I'm appalled...

...by this politician's narcissism, as you aptly described.

From my blog entry today where I call out -

Governor Palin's profound lack of sensitivity and willingness
to haul her daughter into the international spotlight in order to plow
ahead on her twisted path to power.

Thank you for courageously speaking out against the actions of this politician.

Grace Davis

State of Grace

Submitted by Grace Davis on Mon, 09/01/2008 - 21:04
 

but she can skin a moose!

One thing that struck me about some news from Wasilla, Alaska, was that the town seems to roll with the punches of life fairly well, including young women's pregnancies, industrial accidents, the sh*t happens kind of stuff that hits day in, day out, in a small town. I honestly wonder if the "it's not that big a deal" thinking went into the decision to run for VP despite the pregnant daughter, despite the Down's Syndrome baby. I think these folks come from a different and rougher kind of life than most people can imagine. After all, what's a pregnant teen and a disabled baby when you kill and skin your own moose?

That said, however, this woman so accurately resembles other young Repub women I've encountered professionally during my own state's Republican (woman) governor's reign-- ambitious, prone to forming tight, loyal circles, quick to punish those who aren't "team players" and hell-bent on "reform" and recognition. To these women, bad news is good news, criticism an elixor to make one stronger and help them gird for battle. Everyone else is always wrong and they are always right. I seem to recall that the Bush Justice Department had a few of these characters. They thrive on, in fact crave the attention this gets them and earn lots of praise, that is, until the retaliatory gestures start to backfire and the low hum of human suffering in their midst starts to vibrate the building.

My family values are not your family values, and I will bite my tongue on how other women manage their lives, as appalling as this situation seems to me personally.  I'm astounded that any parent, man or woman, would hit the campaign trail with not one, but two major events unfolding with their children. But hey- as for her ambition and her children, don't be too sure they won't take this all very matter-of-factly. Somehow I don't think her 17-year old is in pain right now, rather, I think she's wondering what all the fuss is about, after all, she's just pregnant, marrying the guy with only a first name, so what's the big deal?  What a great pick for VP, huh?

Submitted by Meleana on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 00:50
 

Sarah Palin's response to Domestic violence

Please check this out in the Anchorage Daily News archives.

http://media.adn.com/smedia/2008/07/18/
13/071607-palin-monegue-050205-interview-transcript.source.prod_affiliate.7.pdf

You watch and call for help because I have to go to a meeting.

I'm glad this woman is not my sister or aunt.

Submitted by Deb S on Wed, 09/03/2008 - 12:41
 

All a political move

I think that the Palin and daughter situation was all planned by the Republican Party. I can't believe that the GOP did not conduct a full background and family check before she was offered the VP ticket. This leads me to assume that they planned on the information getting out and spinning the story as a positive character trait. Especially since, they are parading her unwed pregnant daughter and boyfriend at the Republican Convention. I think the situation with her daughter will solidify her position to pro-life voters especially those that voted for Bush and oppose stem cell research. Why else would you publicize that, you didn't educate your daughter on safe sex or allow her birth control. She is 17 years old and while abstinence may be a method of birth control, it is not the only method. If limiting a woman's right to control her own body is a platform Palin stands on I am afraid that she is not the type of candidate I would vote for.

Submitted by meowingtons on Wed, 09/03/2008 - 15:25