Capitol Hill Blue Forums Capitol Hill Blue Opinions CHB Columnists Banging Sarah Palin's daughters

i would also add that we should look at the most recent examples of pols with children. while it is fair to assume that national pols with younger children would involve them in a certain amount of politicking, the two most obvious examples of how this is done are the clintons and the obamas. the clintons chose to keep chelsea out of the limelight to an extreme. when i wrote for an online children's sight we tried to get a couple of e-mail questions answered about what it is like to live in the white house through the first lady's office. heck, they wouldn't even agree to that. with the obamas, their girls have not been entirely sheltered but they haven't been bandied about like trophies, attempting to prove the republican premise that they are the family values party. the palins, on the other hand, chose this path and they have been exposed as hypocritical and continue to hold their so-called values up, ultimately resulting in ridicule, and obviously to the extreme. sarah palin's response to the tasteless jokes was no less absurd, attempting to make herself out to be some sort of role model for the modern woman, championing issues that have been relegated to the likes of NOW in the past. of course, i admit my biggest concern here is that there are enough people ignorant of her ineptitude to give her a go in 2012, but i pray that is not the case.

I knew that David Letterman had volunteered to replace Senator Clinton. I was not aware that he was a partisan politician. Learn something new every day!

I agree, Digby was spot-on in every respect.

Thanks, Digby, saved me a whole lotta typing!

There were a lot of good (and a few not-so-good) comments about the piece, but a couple are worth repeating, as added points not immediately obvious:


Also good points, on both counts.
(earlier one person disputed the idea that 'Bristol didn't ask for attention' because she volunteered to be a spokesperson for 'abstinence is the best policy, although it doesn't work' - and although that is an 'invitation' for comment, I still think the joke was crass, stupid and - worst of all from a comedian point of view - unfunny... sorta like the Kramer thing...)

Careful with your word choices. You're about to get slammed for sexist commentary!

It was actually worse than you describe. Bristol, Levi, and the unborn child were paraded on the national stage as testament to the strength of the family by which they were warmly embraced. Actively using children in this way is unconscionable. Mocking the mother for it is just good comedy! The joke was not about the daughter for cripes sake; it was about the mother!

Like it or not, 2wins, Sarah Palin is practically worshiped by millions of people. She and her family are role models to them. These same people believe that everything she has done has been in the best interests of America and in the best interest of her family and her career and that she is acting in their best interests. Granted it's stupid, but they are Republicans after all and haven't the good sense to come in out of the rain. And I pray that it is. It will further split the Republican Party and it would give president Obama a relatively easy win.
Still, and yet, because you disagree with her politics and everything she stands for it is no reason to attack her children.

Palin-Paul, the Libertarian Dream ticket!

i'm not a sexist so if that is where someone wants to take it, by all means let it fly. beyond that, what you said, yes, i agree. of course you probably figured that out.

greger, what gets me is that you and a couple of well meaning people on this thread keep going back to the whole child thing, when i and others have made it clear that the jokes were tasteless and had no merit. again i say, this is not about the court jesters - whose roles are much needed - but rather the very woman who set herself, and her family, up as targets. if you get that point, and have said so, i missed it.

Don't know about Greger; I certainly missed it. But thanks for the clue - life is way too short to spend it talking about Sarah Palin, so I can finally let go of this thread.

Heh. Not everyone's, apparently...