While, though prepared to be proven wrong, I don't necessarily think gov. Palin is ready to be President should McCain be elected and end up unable to serve, I have been fairly upset by one aspect of the "liberal" reaction to the announcement. Over and over again I've heard people question her ability to do her job b/c she has a young child. And now we're calling her parenting skills into question b/c of the behavior of her daughter. Yes, I think this demonstrates that the policy of abstinence-only is deeply flawed. But it seems to me that all these same people would be outraged if an employer decided that a woman having a child made her unable to do her job...or if the employer judged a job candidate by her children. I don't know what her family situation is. Maybe her husband assumes all primary child-care responsibilities. Maybe her daughter doesn't share her evangelical beliefs.

I agree that we ought to be talking about Palin's stance on reproductive issues...and perhaps these facts about her life can serve as a catalyst. But how are those on the left who question her ability to lead not equally as hypocritical as those on the right who chastise pre-marital sex while holding up Bristol as a paragon of virtue for choosing to have her baby? If you want to accuse others of dragging the debate through the mud, it helps if you elevate it. Instead of attacking Palin's motherhood, let's examine the tenability of her political stances.

I agree, it's crap to attack Palin's parenting decisions. I'm sure she is a fine parent, and in life, stuff happens that is beyond your control "There but for the grace of God go we all," right? I also think that saying she is a bad mom for not being at home with her Down's Syndrome son Trig is utter poo. But perhaps those people weren't attacking her based on what they believed, but what they see as hypocrisy from the conservatives.

I think the thing that angers a lot of people is that many liberals wonder what makes it okay - by conservative standards ? It's fine with liberals to be a career mom, even with a special needs newborn, and it's fine to have a pregnant daughter that chooses to keep her baby. It is good and admirable to be able to balance being a mom and a successful careerwoman. But the camp from which Palin hails is the camp where her actions would NOT be considered okay. She is from the far-right wing of the Republican party, who are supposed to be all about "family values," about moms staying home and putting their careers on hold to be housewives. It's also the camp that, as you note, is all about abstinence and "virginity pledges" and is staunchly anti sex ed.

So here's the kicker - let's turn the situation around.

We can be sure, that not just lowly bloggers, but the conservative "big guns" from the Pat Robertsons and the Limbaughs and Hannitys on down, would be going bonkers with the news if Obama's daughters were teenagers and one of them were pregnant. The right wing talking heads would have a field day pointing to it and mocking the whole situation, claiming lack of family values, failure of sex education, and goodness knows what else.

I truly don't think most liberal bloggers - at least the sane ones - really believe that Palin is a bad mom. But what I think they do smell is the stench of double-speak (and double standards) in the rank and file of the conservatives.

I agree with pretty much all that you say, but I still think that it doesn't help the Dems to attack Palin with the same level of personal attacks that they criticize the Repubs for. It cheapens what should otherwise be an important conversation. I also think, that in a sense, pointing out Palin's personal failings will do nothing to win over social conservatives. I suspect they look at her and think, "that would never happen to me, and I like her stance on abortion." Sure there's hypocritical behavior insofar as they would probably excoriate Obama if he had a pregnant teenage daughter, but ultimately they care more about the policy than the person representing it. And I think that the Dems are missing that point. There are some voters who are so strongly anti-choice that there's nothing that would sway them...but there are many more who live in some middle ground. Now I personally find any sort of limitation on reproductive rights overly intrusive and infuriating, but I know I'm in a minority. The bigger picture is, that while it's great that Palin can afford to raise five children including one with special needs and that she is willing and able to support her young pregnant daughter, that's not everyone's situation. And if we truly care about respecting life, then we need to look beyond campaign slogans and instead work toward policies that show real concern that those lives are lived with dignity. Turn the debate around and say, "See, Palin proves that women can work and raise a family if they have adequate child care support. And that if a person can afford to raise a child and have support, maybe they'd be less likely to have an abortion. So instead of taking the anti-American stance of telling people what they can and can't do, let's work together to make this a place where everyone has a fighting chance." But no, instead the "liberal" commentary is choosing to hijack conservative arguments against expanding protections to working mothers by criticizing the Republican VP for going back to work to soon and not being able to completely brainwash her daughter into a perfect Stepford child. Yeah, maybe the Republicans are hypocritical, but I just don't see how name calling is going to win over anyone who doesn't already agree with that characterization.

I haven't once seen or heard Obama say one derogatory remark about Palin's situation. On the contrary, he came out forcefully to remind everyone that her family situation was irrellevent to the campaign. He knows that it would be smarter to say nothing and let this all play out. He knows that Americans will figure this all out and make up their own mind and he knows that any criticism will be seen as hitting someone who is already down.

It is the right wingers who are making the loudest noise (as they always do) about non-existant liberal attacks. Aside from some private Obama supporters (myself included) who view the whole scene with glee at the hypocracy of having a right wing religious conservative who believes in teaching abstanence only have to admit to a pregnant teen daughter, I haven't heard as much from the dreaded liberal MSM.

I apologize for my mis-spellings.