I don't care how politically incorrect this is, I'm going to say it.
What I see of Sarah Palin these days does not convince me in any way she is a good mother. I know she isn't running for mother of the year, but since the GOP makes such a big issue of family values, perhaps they should lead by example.
In fact, Palin's mothering reminds me a lot of the Republican approach to the issue of pregnancy and parenting. Focus all your attention on the fetus, and making sure it is born, but disregard the welfare of the child after its birth.
After parading her infant son around on the day of the big announcement and at the convention, the baby and mother seem permanently separated. Now I know she is not in the public spotlight every minute, but she certainly has been busy lately...visiting all those Middle Eastern potentates at the United Nations, giving speeches, giving interviews, debate prep, buying new suits, having her hair done, etc. How on earth does she do it?
Has she never heard of the importance of maternal bonding? Who is taking care of that baby? Does he travel with her or is he back in Alaska with Bristol, whom I assume is back in Alaska as she too disappeared after the convention? If the baby is with her, I'm glad he doesn't accompany her to rallies, but for pete's sake, when does she have time to be a parent? When does Todd for that matter, as he is always trailing behind her?
I've seen the other two girls with her - not usually together, but one at a time. What about their schooling? We have heard nothing about that. When John and Elizabeth Edwards were campaigning and brought their children with them, they made sure we knew they were being schooled on the campaign trail. But Sarah Palin says nothing about this, as if the children are mere props with no needs of their own. (Or maybe Sarah Dolittle is too busy with her own schooling these days.)
Don't give me that sexist crap. At least one parent needs to be taking care of an infant for optimal development most of the time. Even young children need a lot of contact with parents. Michelle Obama does not campaign during the week so she can be with her girls. On the weekends, her mother is there. How do we know? She and Barack told us.
Since Todd is always with his wife, he isn't the parent watching over the children. Maybe they have a nanny - provided by the McCain campaign. But a nanny just doesn't cut it. Yeh, sure, royal families always had nannies look after their young, and look how all of them turned out. Raving lunatics, most of them. And even if they have a nanny, the children are far away from their home, their friends, their schools, and a normal routine. Is that good parenting? Is there no other available qualified woman (since we know McCain chose a woman for purely political reasons) in the Republican Party, someone without a young family including a four month old special needs infant?
I can't comprehend how any self-respecting Conservative Republican "values voter" could look favorably on this scenario without knowing they were being hypocritical. I don't look favorably on it and I consider myself a liberal and a feminist. So I just don't see how these people who supposedly care so much about the family can square that with supporting a woman candidate who is such a poor role model.
Oh, right. It doesn't matter how she parents - only that she didn't have an abortion.
As long as you "choose life" I guess it doesn't matter what kind of a life that child lives.
