The press is of course in a tizzy about Sarah Palin’s pregnant 17-year-old daughter, and her bona fides as a reformer and cost-cutter are being called into question, while conservatives rally to her side,
I think Palin’s supporters are right about the pregnant daughter thing. It’s a personal family matter concerning a near-adult child’s bad choice, and should remain private, as Obama rightly acknowledged. As to Palin as reformer and cost-cutter, her alleged flip-flopping on the “bridge to knowhere” and “troopergate” — yup, she’s a politician, like the rest of them.
I think what bothers me more is that Palin has a baby, Trig, who was born with Down Syndrome only five months ago.
I respect Palin’s right to make her own choices about her family and career. I’m thrilled, actually, that there is a woman vying for this high office. But — I know first-hand how difficult it is to raise a child with a significant disability. My wife and I both have had to accept some limitations in our own careers and lives to care for our children, and particularly for our youngest son, Garrett, who has a severe language disability. Everyone has to make their own choices about this sort of thing, and in our case the burden falls more on my wife right now than on me given our respective career stages. Yes, we both work hard and we aren’t always “ideal” parents to any of our kids, including Garrett, but I don’t think either of us would contemplate a job right now that would involve being on call 24-7 and constantly traveling around the globe. Presidential politics is on its own extreme level in terms of time demands and ambition. I’m not sure that anyone, male or female, who seeks that sort of office while raising young kids can be considered a champion of the family.