Going After Palin

This is going to be a very short blog entry, because as we all know we are not allowed to go after the new vice-presidential candidate. This tactic is not new. It was very much true in the Obama/Clinton campaign. Every day Hillary Clinton was savaged in the press and sometimes by Obama operatives, but any criticism of Senator Obama was deemed racist. When Bill Clinton said it was a fairy tale to believe that Obama had always been consistent in his criticism of the war from the beginning, his words were distorted and he was deemed a racist. He had brought up a legitimate issue, but instead of addressing it with legitimate debate and illuminating the issues, he was just called names. I believe this election is too important not to talk about the elephants in the room.

It is true that the issue of Sarah Palin's seventeen year old daughter is not a topic for political discussion. It is also true that many in the media and blogosphere have gone way over the line in attacking Governor Palin and even spreading lies about her. That said, there are plenty of legitimate issues that may be getting lost now as everybody tries to appear not to be picking on Sarah Palin. The McCain camp has even gotten it down to a science in defending her. If someone asks a legitimate question about her qualifications the question is not answered. Instead, in the old bait and switch tactic, the McCain operative will bring up some inappropriate question that may have been asked earlier to show that their vice-presidential pick is being treated unfairly.

Let's look at just a few things that do need to be considered carefully over the next two months. Although, the Governor's daughter is absolutely off limits my own daughter has questioned why, when the issue first arose, did not the Mother consider declining the offer in order to avoid placing her daughter into the media spotlight. Did it not occur to her that it might be best to refuse the offer in order to protect her daughter's privacy and better address family issues? Her daughter and family could be enjoying blissful anonymity as they address private matters, except for a choice that Sarah Palin has made.

I might also briefly touch on the question of whether it is such a great idea for the daughter to marry the child's father. It might be, but if the descision is being made to satisfy some preconceived notion of family values, it could also be a disservice to the baby and her parents. It is one thing to make a mistake. It is another to compound that mistake. I don't know what is best, and I know nothing about the relationship the couple may have, but I do object to anyone who believes that it is always and automatically best for the couple to marry.

I am also troubled by the Republican talking heads who are working overtime to defend every aspect of Sarah Palin's background. The question in my mind is whether or not it is a plus to have to be working so hard to defend one's vice-presidential pick. I thought such choices were supposed to generate as little controversy as possible. Senator McCain and others have insisted that the primary qualification for a vice-presidential candidate is the experience which makes them qualified to be president on day one. Now, Republicans are tripping over themselves to try to explain away apparent contradictions about her experience. There are other issues which are coming to the fore such as an ongoing ethics investigation, apparent reversals on her actions as mayor and governor such as being for the 'Bridge to Nowhere' before she was against it. Is she really the maverick and fighter against corruption that she is portrayed as being. It almost seems as if there are two Sarah Palins; the one we are learning about through the media, and the one being portrayed by Republicans at their convention. Stay tuned.