Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Republican Convention Report from IPLawGuy, pt. 2!
My bud IPLawGuy is in St. Paul for the Republican Convention. Below is his report from day 2:
If you're looking for insight on the Palin situation or even the GOP convention as a whole, move on. I have nothing useful to add! This morning I went to the Virginia Delegation Breakfast and listened to great speeches from McCain surrogates for two hours. I sat with a friend and saw many other acquaintances. Then I left and went back to my brother's house. I had planned to attend the evening speeches, but those were canceled. So the first I heard of the news about the pregnancy was when my blackberry started buzzing.
Here's the best "defense" I've received from a friend:
Obama has come out and said that "Families are off limits." That is a good thing.
Obama's supporters can not make an issue out of this. Obama's mom and dad's marital status is a sketchy one too. Apparently his own father was already married to a girl in Africa when he "wed" Obama's mother. (It can not be a valid marriage if he was already married under US law.) He was conceived out of wed lock too and they married before his birth.....so Obama would be wise to not let his supporters run away with this.
A woman can be a good mother and wife and pursue her dreams too....
This is not the end of the world.
I do believe JSM knew. A 5 month along pregnancy is hard to hide.
Teen pregnancy is an issue that knows no boundaries. It effects republicans, democrats, christians, non-christians, black, white, American and Non-American, rich and poor.
Since e-mailing you I have read Sarah Palin's comments on her daughters situation. I think the fact that her daughter knew she could turn to her mother and father for help shows more about who they are as people than her political views show.
Her daughter made a mistake and is taking responsibility Sarah Palin is not responsible for her daughter's action, she is only responsible for her own.
Bottom line, she did not abort the child. Standing up for one's principals is one thing but to test them and stand BY them speaks volumes.
This is not a political issue.
OK, that's pretty well said, but I have to agree with the Prof. ... if this sort of thing happened in my family, I'd be looking for ways to cut back on work, travel and outside activities. Campaigning for office would not be on my list of things to do.
As for Obama, I believe he will not make an issue of this. But his supporters will and they're within their right to do so.
Anyhow, as for the on the ground report, I must say that the folks who came to rally the Virginia Delegation were great. They included Orson Swindle, who was a POW with McCain and later an FTC Commissioner. Great guy. Funny, irreverent, warm and genuine.
The big local news was the big protest in St. Paul that got a little out of hand. To me, this sort of thing makes the GOP look like the "normal" people. Its our opponents who are kooks. On a normal day, this would be big news, but what with Gustav and Palin's problems, it was only a local traffic report.
In other news, the Nationals won their 7th in a row.....
Comments:
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I could really care less about Palin's kids, but I am interested to see how this type of situation works in with her support for abstinence-only education over teaching contraceptive use along with abstinence. It seems to be a pretty clear example of why safe contraceptive use should be taught (namely, because teenagers make bad decisions and it's good to have a backup), so I'll be curious to see whether she considers this an exception to the rule or whether she revises her views.
She is running for office as a social conservative at the moment, so no fact will change her mind.
# posted by 
: 8:21 AM
: 8:21 AM
I have to agree with Osler on this one. What does it say about Palin that she would subject herself and her family (read, 5 month old special needs child, pregnant teenage daugter, plus her other three kids and husband) to the microscope that their life will (or has) become. A campaign is one thing, but 4 years living in DC with the press, tabloids, Secret Service, at every turn? To me, that speaks more of bad parenting than anything. That, or an ego that is way more inflated than Gov. Palin ever let on. Sure, many say she had no choice but to say yes - I disagree. I think she had no choice but to say no.
# posted by : 9:23 AM
: 9:23 AM
It does reduce to one person the problems with some (not all) pro-life positions, where they are fiercely against abortion, but unconcerned about the welfare of the children who will be born. The social conservatives are all crowing about how she brought a Down's Syndrome baby to term and discouraged her child from having an abortion, but they don't seem to care that now the mother/grandmother will be almost completely absent for months, having made that (admirable) choice to carry the baby to term and encourage her daughter to do the same.
Personal responsibility. Isn't that part of the Republican mantra? The Pro-life position, like any other political position that impacts personal choices, comes with personal responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is that if you make the choice to carry a Down's Syndrome baby to term, you shouldn't ditch that kid almost immediately to chase your political dreams.
Personal responsibility. Isn't that part of the Republican mantra? The Pro-life position, like any other political position that impacts personal choices, comes with personal responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is that if you make the choice to carry a Down's Syndrome baby to term, you shouldn't ditch that kid almost immediately to chase your political dreams.
Is she a single mother? Is it just being completely discarded that the father might be able to take care of the child? I haven't seen that possibility discussed.
# posted by : 10:10 AM
: 10:10 AM
Pope--
He apparently is working, too. That's not my point, and I would feel the same if it was him running for office. The issue isn't just that she would be working (she already is doing that)-- it's that she is taking on something that will literally take nearly all of her time and separate her from her family. It is a very unique and intense undertaking to run for national office.
The issue here is not can a woman have a job and kids. It is should a parent (either one) take on an ambition that will pull him or her away from home-- from the entire state, in fact-- for almost all of their time, for months, when they have an infant with Down's Syndrome and a pregnant teenage daughter at home.
I am not saying she should resign as governor. I am saying it is irresponsible to virtually abandon her family, which is in crisis, to run for this office. I would feel the same way if it was a man, and if it was a Democrat.
He apparently is working, too. That's not my point, and I would feel the same if it was him running for office. The issue isn't just that she would be working (she already is doing that)-- it's that she is taking on something that will literally take nearly all of her time and separate her from her family. It is a very unique and intense undertaking to run for national office.
The issue here is not can a woman have a job and kids. It is should a parent (either one) take on an ambition that will pull him or her away from home-- from the entire state, in fact-- for almost all of their time, for months, when they have an infant with Down's Syndrome and a pregnant teenage daughter at home.
I am not saying she should resign as governor. I am saying it is irresponsible to virtually abandon her family, which is in crisis, to run for this office. I would feel the same way if it was a man, and if it was a Democrat.
If Governor Palin were Major Palin, I don't expect she would be excused from service under these conditions.
# posted by : 10:19 AM
: 10:19 AM
No, but it would be wrong of her to enlist in the military at the exact time this was all going on in her home. That's the proper analogy. She isn't currently the VP; rather she is choosing to embark on an intense campaign that will take her away from her home. It is different.
She should go on being governor-- she can at least be in the same state as her family!
And this is an extraordinary situation-- to have an infant with Down's Syndrome and a pregnant teen at home. If you guys keep equating it to any other parenting situation, that's an insult to the idea that pregnant teens are a crisis situation, and that some kids, such as those with Down's Syndrome who were just born, need more attention.
She should go on being governor-- she can at least be in the same state as her family!
And this is an extraordinary situation-- to have an infant with Down's Syndrome and a pregnant teen at home. If you guys keep equating it to any other parenting situation, that's an insult to the idea that pregnant teens are a crisis situation, and that some kids, such as those with Down's Syndrome who were just born, need more attention.
Indeed, special needs child aside, I question whether she shoud have embarked on this campaign with a non-special needs newborn at home. Sure, this town is full of moms who have a baby, come home, hand it to the nanny, and go right back to work. God only knows why they have kids in the first place. That aside, being VP of the United States is a bit more demanding than even the most high powered lawyer/doctor/accountant/etc. - what does this say about her "family values"? Look, I think a parent, a woman, can be President or Vice President, but I think no matter the party, doing it when one's child is still an infant is irresponsible parenting.
# posted by : 10:42 AM
: 10:42 AM
Tradelawguy--
I don't think that I would go that far.
This is really a special, unusual, and intense situation, both in what she has going on at home and with what is involved in running for VP. It is way more than a woman with an infant going back to work or simply running for office.
I don't think that I would go that far.
This is really a special, unusual, and intense situation, both in what she has going on at home and with what is involved in running for VP. It is way more than a woman with an infant going back to work or simply running for office.
Osler - I agree completely. My point is that a woman going back to work with an infant at home is a serious and important question for a family to make. For that child to be special needs and for that "work" to be the Vice President of the US to a 72 year old guy who's had cancer 4 times, to me, tips the scales against the job almost without the need for debate.
# posted by : 11:11 AM
: 11:11 AM
One thing about this intense campaign, though, is that it will be over in two months. Her daughter will then be seven months pregnant, with two more months of pregnancy. Yes, it's a crisis. I fully agree. I also agree that there is an intense situation at home. I suspect that they've had many serious conversations as a family regarding the pregnancy and its consequences, and probably even the effects of running for Vice President. I'm curious, what exactly would you envision the difference made in those two months would be? Or is it just that those two months of her mother not being present would do some irreparable damage?
# posted by : 1:53 PM
: 1:53 PM
I trust you have all read that she returned to work (no mention of how much time) 3 days after giving birth.
I have no problem with a women being selected for this position, but I think there were other women in the Senate and/or Congress that have more experience if McCain's goal was to have a woman as his running mate. I understand that McCain's team has sent a team up to the great white north to make sure they look through all of the closets so they can handle any future surprises.
There are lots of interesting pieces in today's NY Times. Including one about the fringe lunatics that caused a ruccus in St. Paul yesterday.
Justin T.
With regard to the birth control / abstinence issue - maybe the daughter wanted out of the household and thought this would be the fastest way?
I have no problem with a women being selected for this position, but I think there were other women in the Senate and/or Congress that have more experience if McCain's goal was to have a woman as his running mate. I understand that McCain's team has sent a team up to the great white north to make sure they look through all of the closets so they can handle any future surprises.
There are lots of interesting pieces in today's NY Times. Including one about the fringe lunatics that caused a ruccus in St. Paul yesterday.
Justin T.
With regard to the birth control / abstinence issue - maybe the daughter wanted out of the household and thought this would be the fastest way?
pope - It's not just 2 months of the campaign, it's the possibility of the next 4 years as well. I work on Connecticut Ave. and see Cheney go to and from work every single day he is in town. Eight motorcycles, two limos, three suburbans, an ambulance, and, on occasion, a signal jamming truck. Nobody should think for a second that Palin's life will somehow have any semblance of "normal" or even any semblance of being governor of Alaska if they move to DC. And her kids...ask either of the Bush twins how much "fun" or how "cool" it is to be shadowed by the Secret Service. Now imagine being bigger tabloid fodder than Jenna was.
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# posted by : 2:16 PM
: 2:16 PM << Home
