"Progressive" Family Values

The idiots Daily Kos and the other insane asylums where Democratic party leaders often congregate continue attacking Gov. Sarah Palin and her decision to serve as GOP Sen. John McCain's running mate even as she has five children, including an infant, Trig, who has Down's Syndrome.

Let's just say that their arguments fall flat.

Nancy Pelosi has five children. No one claimed her family got in the way of her serving the constituents of San Francisco. She's now the House Majority Leader.

Al Gore had four children.

John Edwards, who ran as John Kerry's running mate for the same position as Gov. Palin, and who later sought to be President in the 2008 election season, had four children. One died in a car crash, and his youngest son was born in 2000.

FDR had five children (a sixth who died in the first year of life), an affair, and a dysfunctional marriage to Eleanor. He's consistently ranked as one of the greatest Presidents in the history of the nation. He raised those five kids despite being bound to a wheelchair later in life and running for office for much of his adult life - as State Senator in NY, Governor of New York, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and finally as President.

Sen. Barack Obama has two young girls. Do those girls need their father to fawn over them and be available to them? Or do we want to perpetuate a double standard?

Well, flat out - the answer coming from the "progressives" (aka leftists) is yes, they want a double standard. No wonder feminists are caught in a bind. Their progressiveness has been shown to be nothing but empty platitudes where only their kind of woman can serve at the highest levels in government. Any woman who doesn't meet their political tests doesn't qualify.

I agree that it's hypocritical of the "traditional values" crowd to suddenly lionize Palin, when they've been arguing for years that a mother's place is with her small children. (Dr. Laura, to her credit, has been consistent on this, and is duly critical of the Palin pick.)

But for the media to claim that there's no double-standard in how they treat Palin's family obligations and how they treat Obama's (or other male politicians, for that matter) just can't withstand scrutiny. Either it's okay to delegate one's parenting responsibilities to pursue political ambitions, or it's not.

As far as the media is concerned, they clearly believe that it's okay for Democrats to pursue higher office, but that it isn't okay for Gov. Palin. In that respect, I find the media's continuing focus on this to be offensive and that reflects itself in the latest polling that shows that the McCain-Palin ticket continues to do well.