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Palin's Kids
PALIN'S KIDS....MoJo's co-editor Monika Bauerlein is a little annoyed at some of the criticism being thrown Sarah Palin's way:
I have three kids, my youngest is three months older than Palin's, and that isn't stopping me from doing my job. Nor is it stopping Clara, my co-editor, who has a new baby....
Too many women have been patronized out of jobs they wanted with pseudo-considerate treacle like "I thought your priority right now was your family." It's happened to friends of mine; it's happened to me; if you have ovaries, chances are pretty good it has happened or will happen to you. That's the reality of living in post-women's lib America, and that's why one part of me is heartened by the Palin pick. People may find lots of reasons why she shouldn't be in the White House — but at least, having little kids didn't put her out of the running in the first place. And for that, I have to confess, I'm grateful to John McCain.
Agreed. There are loads of reasons to criticize McCain's choice of Palin, and I suspect that as Alaskans start to weigh in we're going to uncover even more. But being the mother of five children isn't one of them. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to get a clue.
Just passing through, folks: Long-time subscriber to MJ, first-time reader of...whatever this is? (I think I Googled "Palin" and "MJ" caught my eye?)
Excuse the lousy writing compared to yours, especially after working a 12-hr shift. I'm gracious and grateful, as my pal Bev says, to still have a steady paycheck with health insurance. I work with a nest of Republicans. Most of them fwd: emails from (I suppose) GOP operatives, which contain sly code or subliminal messages like, "Osama, er, Obama"; my coworkers absorb this smegma with reptilian delight, and then pass it along. "Palin is a Good Choice." I ignore most; Snopes, &tc., some.
I digress. Here's what I wanted to say about Palin.
Last week, I left a local Wal*Mart behind a pretty mommy, who was pushing a full grocery cart. A skinny little girl of about 9 lagged behind, pushing THE BIGGEST FCUKING WHEELCHAIR WITH FOLD-OUT PADDED ARMS, LEGS, ATTACHMENTS, CARRYALLS, &TC, I have ever seen in my life. . The parking lot slanted uphill, so it took everything the little girl had to push the wheelchair up...the...hill, herky-jerky, behind her mom. The gap between them widened. The gap is widening.
Curious, I strode past girl to see who, or what, was in the wheelchair. It was a barely-human older sibling, a brother, 14 or 15, head lolled over onto one shoulder. He was sleeping. He was not in this world.
Do the sainted "Look at Me, Ain't I Wonderful" types ever stop to think about the other people in their "World According to Me" scripts? Does Mrs. Supermom at my local Wal*Mart give a flying fcuk at a rolling donut about her other children and what their lives will be like after Supermom dies?
Imho, when a woman is fortunate enough to get prenatal testing?in many parts of the world, it's not an option?then decides to bring a special-needs fetus to term anyway, this doesn't prove sainthood or Christianity or selflessness. To the contrary: It's the very epitome of the Republican mindset. "As for me and my house, we'll do things My Way or the Highway."
I hope it's not McCain, and if it *is* McCain, I hope his decrepit old young-nunu-chasing arse lives out his term(s)?
Just passing through, folks: Long-time subscriber to MJ, first-time reader of...whatever this is? (I think I Googled "Palin" and "MJ" caught my eye?)
Excuse the lousy writing compared to yours, especially after working a 12-hr shift. I'm gracious and grateful, as my pal Bev says, to still have a steady paycheck with health insurance. I work with a nest of Republicans. Most of them fwd: emails from (I suppose) GOP operatives, which contain sly code or subliminal messages like, "Osama, er, Obama"; my coworkers absorb this smegma with reptilian delight, and then pass it along. "Palin is a Good Choice." I ignore most; Snopes, &tc., some.
I digress. Here's what I wanted to say about Palin.
Last week, I left a local Wal*Mart behind a pretty mommy, who was pushing a full grocery cart. A skinny little girl of about 9 lagged behind, pushing THE BIGGEST FCUKING WHEELCHAIR WITH FOLD-OUT PADDED ARMS, LEGS, ATTACHMENTS, CARRYALLS, &TC, I have ever seen in my life. . The parking lot slanted uphill, so it took everything the little girl had to push the wheelchair up...the...hill, herky-jerky, behind her mom. The gap between them widened. The gap is widening.
Curious, I strode past girl to see who, or what, was in the wheelchair. It was a barely-human older sibling, a brother, 14 or 15, head lolled over onto one shoulder. He was sleeping. He was not in this world.
Do the sainted "Look at Me, Ain't I Wonderful" types ever stop to think about the other people in their "World According to Me" scripts? Does Mrs. Supermom at my local Wal*Mart give a flying fcuk at a rolling donut about her other children and what their lives will be like after Supermom dies?
Imho, when a woman is fortunate enough to get prenatal testing?in many parts of the world, it's not an option?then decides to bring a special-needs fetus to term anyway, this doesn't prove sainthood or Christianity or selflessness. To the contrary: It's the very epitome of the Republican mindset. "As for me and my house, we'll do things My Way or the Highway."
I hope it's not McCain, and if it *is* McCain, I hope his decrepit old young-nunu-chasing arse lives out his term(s)?
Five kids may not be a reason for Palin not to become vice president, but an "emergency" with her youngest son could be the out McCain needs in a couple weeks.
Any comments on the rumors that her five kids are actually four kids and a grandkid?
Can I criticize the names she gave her children?
Well, not criticize, just ask what she and her husband were smoking when they came up with:
Track, Willow, Bristol,Piper
and Trig?
Point one, sorry, but I would suggest that the job of VP or in case of certain events the top job of president requires a bit more time than columnist or even editor. (Besides it's the Republicans who push the idea that the top priority for a mother should be their children.) Point two, and when push comes to shove, I want to know that matters of national security will come first on a mothers agenda than her daughter's soccer game. Yes, we should think the same for a man but we all know men are, have been and will continue to me more self centered and focused on the job to the expense of their family.
I haven't read any criticism on Palin being a mother with young children, but I have read a fair bit so far on her being a mother of 4 month old with special needs who's choosing to go gallivanting all over the country with McCain. Which, frankly, is a far cry from a working mother who HAS to get back to work. Raw ambition.
Here's an idea! After we piss off the elderly, we can piss off the moms!
Can we jump on the live grenade McCain just dropped, and blow up our chances of winning the White House?
Yes, we can!!!
So, Governor Palin reportedly, after her water broke before she was to give a speech in Texas, gave her thirty minute speech, and then got on an Alaskan Airlines flight from Texas back to Alaska, where she then had her fifth child.
Why The Need To Get Back To Alaska For The Birth Of The Fifth Kid?
Texas to Alaska, what is that, a six hour flight? Chutzpah and courage of the mother aside, doesn't that put the health of the baby at potentially serious risk? Especially when the family reportedly already knew that the baby faced special health challenges ( Down's Syndrome )? And the baby being what, a month or two premature? Thinking about this, if her water broke and the baby was a month or two premature, wouldn't she have gone straight to the nearest hospital? It doesn't seem to make sense.
I don't care how many children she has. She is NOT ready to be POTUS. That is the only NON-POLITICAL reason for selecting a veep. If McCain thinks "playing politics" with this decision constitutes "America First" he just lost anybody who really gives a shit.
alibubba says -- in a different way -- what I was going to say.
There are lots of reasons for not liking Palin; her kids aren't one of them.
Likewise, there are lots of reasons for not liking McSham. His age isn't one of them.
Nonsense! No one HAS to run for VP of the United States. Last I looked it was entirely voluntary, so for that reason I think second guessing Palin's priorities is absolutely appropriate. C'mon, it's not like she can look in the mirror and tell herself that her country needs her, that she actually is the most qualified person for the job. Fer Christsake, she doesn't even know what the VP does!! Or didn't until yesterday.
So the MoJo staff's faux outrage notwithstanding, this liberal feminist does believe it's just fine to query why the mom of a newborn (let alone one with special needs) feels compelled to run for the Vice-Presidency. And that fact that your editor is a little annoyed really doesn't intimidate me or make me think twice about this.
It is much more likely, it seems to me, that the fundamentalists will criticize her for leaving her children, or working outside the home period, rather than progressives. I do doubt that she lacks affordable care for her children, unlike many mothers who HAVE to work.
I just don't think any experience she does have in Alaska, which is quite the different political environment than most of the lower 48 or Hawaii, has prepared her at all to take on the vice presidency. I think McCain is putting the country at risk. (Or maybe that should be MORE at risk!)
I agree, and I question her judgment in not turning down the offer, as well as McCain's in making the offer. No one is compelled to run for the vice-presidency. I don't think she has a clue what she is getting into.
C'mon, it's not like she can look in the mirror and tell herself that her country needs her, that she actually is the most qualified person for the job.
Same too for Obama.
Fer Christsake, she doesn't even know what the VP does!!
Edumacate poor ol' me about the duties please.
All we should ever do is quote McCain about the VP needing to be the most qualified to be President. Period.
I think we should more or less ignore Palin.
She's an absurd pick, and the public will see that.
Wait a second, why can't this be an issue? Because, honestly caring for a four month old is a ton of work, doubly do for one with special needs. To think that any parent, man or woman, could possibly give their responsibilities as parents the proper attention while simultaneously running for VP in the nonstop marathon of modern Presidential elections is insane.
As someone who parented a child with a developmental disability, I question whether spending the next few months away from her 4-month-old Downs Syndrome child is a good choice for the child. Obviously it's her choice to make. And it's not going to affect the way I vote; I'm a Democrat. But I suspect that accepting McCain's invitation is something that she'll come to regret, not least of which because of time she won't able to spend with her child.
to clarify, I am talking about parents of infants, not parents in general. Five kids is not an issue, but a four-month old baby is a whole different ballgame.
Here's the thing: There's a big difference between running for office and holding office. I wouldn't expect any parent of a newborn handicapped child to run for national office. It's an appalling thought.
And lest you accuse me of sexism, I felt the exact same way when John Edwards announced he was continuing his campaign, despite his wife's cancer diagnosis.
Running for office is grueling, and leaves no time for family. When a family member needs undivided attention, such as a newborn or an ailing spouse, it's wrong to run for national office, with the demands that implies.
Holding office, on the other hand, is much easier. I imagine the governor's job in Alaska is hardly a 40 hour a week job.
Kevin, I would have been much more impressed if you'd told your new boss Monika Bauerlein to fuck off instead of crawling up her ass in one of your first Mother Jones posts.
Forget about politics, Palin is either heartless or an idiot to be throwing herself into this campaign with a special needs infant. Somehow in the last eight years there's been an inexplicable erosion in the American public's respect and understanding of what elected leaders on the national stage are responsible for. McCain feels fine bringing an unqualified running mate and idiots like Bauerlein equate their own experience to the demand and responsibilities of the executive branch.
I think we should more or less ignore Palin.
I disagree. I'm a big believer in handing people as much rope as they need. I favor more attacks on Palin's choices as a woman. I recommend that Obama pick men to be the instigators.
There's a big difference between running for office and holding office.
Then what's the worry. The campaign only has 60+ days to go, and then she'll either transition to Vice-President or go back to being Governor.
I think the Dems should confine themselves to talking about Palin's positions on the issues. Her opposition to any abortion, opposition to any use of stem cells in research, support for allowing creationism to be taught in science classes. And talk about her impending ethics problems is in order too.
The fact that she may have made personal choices about her family that some disagree with should be left out entirely. She won't be running for First Mother, she will be running for Vice President.
Five children is three too many.
Damned breeders.
Palin should be wiped off the face of this campaign with aggressive attacks.
Biden should prepare an absolute smackdown starting immediately. Yes, it will draw complaints of bullying and sexism - but when the smoke clears most people will be able to determine who knows what they're talking about and who doesn't.
Hey, look at it this way. Palin is funding her family on oil taxes. She should be able to have at least two or three more while living on drilling in Alaska or on the federal government titty if she hits the VP mansion. What is not responsible about that? Five stars for Palin!
Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to get a clue.
Remind us again, Kevin. How many kids do you have?
I don't know what your own experience has been, but most of us who have gone through parenting know that the number of hours in a day doesn't magically increase with childbirth. If you care about your child, you need to put some serious time into it and take that same amount of time out of your work or whatever else it is you do. The time commitment for parenting increases with each new child and the time investment in raising a developmentally disabled child is huge. And, no, with apologies to Ms. Bauerlein, editing some obscure bi-monthly magazine is not the same thing as running on a major party's presidential ticket.
Governor Palin has the right to make her choices, but the rest of us also have the right to question her judgment.
What kind of evangelical Christian has 5 kids and gives not one of them a Christian name? Bizarre.
We have to stop beating up mothers for the choices they make. This woman has raised a child to adulthood, and two others to their teens, and we have no reason to believe they are turning out badly. Her oldest has chosen to serve in the military. Her life appears structured so that there are many arms to hold her baby.
Some women (me included) are better mothers when they are also pursuing careers at the same time -- even if they don't "have to." Better mothers = happier babies, even if someone else is holding them some of the time.
At the risk of the starting once again the boring old kerfuffle about whether or not recent mothers can do their jobs properly, I need to point out the following.
In many, but certainly not all, workplaces --- maybe even or esp. MoJo because it IS a progressive place -- new mothers, nay probably even new parents, mothers and fathers alike, have won rights of consideration for their new status. At my university, new parents get generous leave, get to stop the tenure track, etc., etc. --- all because they have argued, correctly, that being a new mother/parent ought not to be judged according to the same time line as nonparents. Given their responsibilities these new mothers argue, they can't be expected to fulfill the demands for tenure in the same amount of time as men with stay at home spouses (although there are few enough of these anymore) or colleagues without children at all.
The implication of this argument is that although they CAN (sort of) be both a good parent and a good worker, they need to claim a handicap to get them level with nonparents.
And although I really appreciate the fact that employers are more parent/family friendly than they used to be (despite the many burdens it places on those without children), my hunch is that being the VPOTUS of the US can work according to a 'family-friendly' schedule.
Palin's job will be to advance the President's agenda by working with his staff to work on Congress, to stand in his stead, to raise money for the party, cajole good candidates to stand to for seats and work on whatever projects the President gives her [I guess we can thank our lucky stars that she won't be given the same brief as Dick Cheney --- which might be a point in her favor].
Can I say that I am increasingly offended that our touchy feely society makes us demand that our leaders 'be like us'. Why, in fact, do presumptive first ladies make speeches at conventions. It was ok, Mrs. Obama, but really a waste of time and I don't think Ms. McCain will be much more enlightening or interesting. I don't want a regular 'hockey mom', president of the PTA to be my VP. I want someone who knows the issues and who thinks about them all the time.
Ideally, I like to see a single (man or woman)atheist become president. Then we could be spared all the sanctimony about God and family that permeates these conventions.
Oops, forgot the 'can't' -- in other words, being VPOTUS isn't something amenable to a 'family friendly' schedule.
Didn't I read somewhere that she takes the baby to the office?
I am a feminist, a full-time working mother, and a Democrat. There is no way I would ever vote for McCain, so I'm clearly not his target here, but I do know something about (a) taking care of an infant and (b) the Mommy wars. On (a), I agree with the commenters that *running for national office* (which is a far cry from going back to work) with a 4 month old baby (one with Down's Syndrome, no less) is, at best, a questionable choice. If I were inclined to vote Republican, I doubt it would stop me, but it doesn't make me like or admire her. I think that I would feel the same way if she were a man, although I also think it would be more acceptable to most people and probably even to me (which I think is bad -- but that's because I don't think a man should do this either and I wish it were less socially acceptable if he did). And on (b), I think a lot of women will have the same reaction as me. I'm not talking about the religious right, who apparently love her, but the more middle-of-the-road soccer moms. I think that stay-at-home moms may be appalled (some in the "sorry, Trig, you don't get a mom, she's made her choice" way and some in the "holy cow, I gave up my amazing career to be with my kids, why didn't she" way). And working moms I think are likely not to see her as an admirable role model but as the kind of person who makes our lives *more* difficult, not less. When high profile women go back to work full=time three days after giving birth and run for national office with a 4 month old, it sure makes it harder for the rest of us if we want paid maternity leave or the ability to take a few days off when our kids are sick. And those are the kinds of policies I working families need (for men AND women). Let me be absolutely clear -- I have zero problem with her running for office with 5 kids. That is great if her family can make that work. The Obamas have. Here, it's the age of the baby coupled with his special needs. Even if a healthy 4-month old could be taken on the campaign trail, I'm not sure about this one, who likely needs all kinds of therapies already.
First, I think we should go after Palin on the issues only. Either she'll implode -- and we'll watch the spectacle -- or she won't.
But seriously, when my son -- a kid without any special needs -- was four months old and I was working full-time, my exhaustion knew no bounds. I did both, and did a damned good job if I say so myself. But I wasn't running for vice president of the United States -- on the stump all day every day, 18 hours a day, and getting home only once in a blue moon. And as for being vice president, um that's not 9-5 or even 8-7, 5 days a week.
You know there's a reason we women anguish about the the difficulty of balancing family and work. You really can't have everything, if by everything you mean 5 kids, one of whom is 4 months old and with special needs, and literally one of the most demanding jobs in the universe, where you have to be on call and in top form every minute of your life.
I'm just saying.
Democrats and Progressives don't need to say a damned thing about Palin's family situation. The fundis and evangelicals are doing it already. "How can she meet her children's needs, and especially that 4-month-old boy with Downs, AND run for Vice President?", every conservative woman in my office asked on Friday. They loved that she was "one of them", but they were confounded by her choice to run for VP. It's not a topic of conversation that will go away soon, either.
We can have our private thoughts on the subject, can't we?
wrong, kevin. she has a huge moral responsibility as a parent to provide the best care and love possible to her disabled child. period.
in no way can she meet that need as a candidate. you and you boss are wrong to an absurd point. it is not about ovaries. its about the needs of her disabled child.
if she were a dem, i would immediately disown her and obama as well.
some things just aren't right.
tango said - Then what's the worry. The campaign only has 60+ days to go, and then she'll either transition to Vice-President or go back to being Governor.
tango, either way she will miss a sizable chunk of her baby's development.
If freedom to live one's own life means anything, one needs the freedom to have children and to pursue a job or a calling or whatever. Palin is in the best position to judge how to run her own life. People need to leave that stuff alone.
Obama, reacting today to the choice of Palin, proves again to me that he understands--as a politican no less ambitious than any other--both the need to win an election and to govern afterwards. Winning politicians often campaign in ways that sabotage their ability to govern.
tango, either way she will miss a sizable chunk of her baby's development.
Obama has been on the campaign trail since the dawn of time. Is he a bad parent for missing the formative years of his children's development?
In terms of time away from kids, anybody who thinks that the duties of a magazine editor are remotely equivalent to those of a VP is manifestly...well, I won't even say it.
"Nonsense! No one HAS to run for VP of the United States. Last I looked it was entirely voluntary, so for that reason I think second guessing Palin's priorities is absolutely appropriate. C'mon, it's not like she can look in the mirror and tell herself that her country needs her, that she actually is the most qualified person for the job. Fer Christsake, she doesn't even know what the VP does!! Or didn't until yesterday.
So the MoJo staff's faux outrage notwithstanding, this liberal feminist does believe it's just fine to query why the mom of a newborn (let alone one with special needs) feels compelled to run for the Vice-Presidency. And that fact that your editor is a little annoyed really doesn't intimidate me or make me think twice about this."
Would YOU think twice if YOU were asked to run for the Vice Presidency of the United States of America. Does that happen often? Reckon you couldn't come up with temporary child care, or that you might not already have it? Suppose, as VP, you might be more able to influence legislation regarding children than you would have as governor, much less a single woman or average mom?
Do you really think mothers offered better jobs don't assess their situations and make adjustments?
Here's another idea! After we've pissed off the old folks and the moms, let's tell every American how to live life!
(Yes, we can!)
I'm sorry, but I don't think much of the righteous indignation over Palin's parental responsibilities has anything to do with compassion for her kids. The Moral High Ground is the last refuge of partisanship.
Apples and oranges, Tango.
Fist year is very important in a child development of skills and emotions (like trust).
Add in developmental dissabilities and its a whole new ball game.
catclub: "Well, not criticize, just ask what she and her husband were smoking when they came up with:
Track, Willow, Bristol,Piper and Trig?"
Michael7843853: "What kind of evangelical Christian has 5 kids and gives not one of them a Christian name?"
The kids have purely Alaskan names -- supposedly related to where they were conceived. Track, because "Trail" would've been too weird; Willow, which is a town just up the road from Wasilla; Bristol, the Bay where the Palins fish; Piper, after the airplane; and Trig because... I don't know. But his middle name is Van -- you do the math.
reino: "Any comments on the rumors that her five kids are actually four kids and a grandkid?"
That's a new one on me. Last rumor I heard was that Palin's teenage daughter was pregnant. I haven't heard anyone suggest that Trig's surprise arrival was a hoax designed to cover it up -- but it sure sounds juicy.
"Would YOU think twice if YOU were asked to run for the Vice Presidency of the United States of America. Does that happen often?"
Yes I would. Children come first. Period.
I have always felt that many of those on the Rightlove protecting fetuses more than they like taking care of live children.
"Would YOU think twice if YOU were asked to run for the Vice Presidency of the United States of America. Does that happen often?"
"Yes I would. Children come first. Period."
So, you speak from experience.
Keith, right on.
I don't want to support her 5 kids.
I wonder, Is that ok boys and girls of the republican persuasion?
It is irresponsible these days to have 5 kids. Anyone ever heard of ZPG?
Population and resources are inversely correlated, and we're doomed as it is.
What example has she set as a responsible citizen, at the very least, having 5 kids?
Has she heard of birth control or doesn't she believe in that either?
If not, abstinence is, perhaps, in order.
I wouldn't vote for a man raising 5 kids either.
Sometimes you need to decide what your priorities are. Many here are saying this.
This is totally absurd, they should be laughed out of the convention. If they aren't laughed out of the public first.
You know what they say, laughter is the best medicine.
I wasted an unconscionable amount of time today tracking down the child vs. grandchild rumor, and I have to say, as someone who pooh-pooh both the Clinton/Lewinsky story and the Edwards story until the day the guys confessed, this one looks like it might be legit. Two items stand out: 1)That she supposedly wasn't showing when she announced the pregnancy at 7 months - with a 5th kid? I'm sorry, just not possible (by was of establishing my bonafides on this, I have 3); 2) the ridiculous story about spending 12 hours flying back to Alaska to have the kid supposedly after her water broke or began leaking at a Texas conference - again beyond belief that it could be true (or if it is, she clearly does not have her enough brains or sense to even go back to being mayor of the burg outside Anchorage, let alone being VP or President.) She would risk both her life and the child's so it could be born in Alaska?
I'm assuming that Nat'l Enquirer is spreading some dough around to try to nail this down, and if it's true, I suspect there is a staff member at the hospital where the child was born who needs some $ and can be persuaded to offer up the evidence.
This is more than a tabloid gossip issue; if it is true and she decided to join the ticket anyway, her recklessness is on a par with that McCain showed in selecting her.