It is hardly a surprise that news of Bristol Palin’s circumstances — teenaged, unwed, five-months pregnant — has been on the front page of the New York Times, the Boston Globe, and just about every paper in the country that covers national news. Absolutely, 100% predictable.
A race for national office is going to put strains on any family, including the Obamas. A candidate for national office sacrifices his or her children to some degree. If Bill Clinton hadn’t run for and become president, would Chelsea Clinton have had to endure what she went through, including, but not limited to, McCain’s awful Janet Reno “joke.” But, aren’t there some situations where you say, because of particular circumstances, this just isn’t worth it?
Doesn’t Bristol Palin face enough challenges already?
I realize that it’s different for every family and it’s hard to put yourself in someone else’s position. That said, if I somehow were the governor of Alaska and the father of five kids, one an infant with Down’s and another a pregnant teenager, I think I’d be trying to figure out how to reduce my work load to deal with the family issues.
If I were a state Senator in Illinois with two daughters, I wouldn’t abandon them by embarking on a life as national politician and presidential candidate, either.
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p>Maybe its OK for certain people to abandon their families for career ambitions, but not others. What is the “progressive” position on this issue, anyway?
As I said in my original post, probably all politicians’ children suffer from the demands of campaigning, fund-raising, and actually governing. That includes Obama’s children.
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p>But, I think that with an unwed, pregnant teenager you might want to think twice about entering the national fray. Independent of your political position, there are some things that a family should address outside the glare of the national media, if it can be helped. I’d say this is one of them.
We’re voting for president/vice president not father/mother of the year.
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p>There are plenty of legit reasons to find the McCain/Palin ticket a poor choice, the fact that Palin’s family life is complicated is not one of them.
But, then, the Republicans shouldn’t be talking about what a great family person she is, either.
Please be sure to note to NOW that women cannot have an ambitious career without being bad mothers.
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p>I’m impressed at the speed with which so-called progressives are dumping their so-called deeply held values the minute that there is a point to be scored by so doing.
It doesn’t matter whether Palin is a mother or a father, I question the judgment of a parent with an unwed teenage daughter putting that daughter in the national spotlight.