She is an amazing woman , and I share her political positions, but how, how on earth, can you have five (4 still minor)kids including a newborn downs syndrome baby and be VP of the country? I just don't know. That boggles my mind.

Though I am still not sure who I am voting for, she is going to be an inspiration to a lot of young ladies if she becomes VP. She will be telling them all that not only can they be a mom, they can be whatever else they want to be as well!

Becka+Chris= Nick 8 Michele 5 Wyatt 18 months
www.learnandgrowtogether.com

And there of course is this news about her 17-year-old daughter today.

If nothing else, this will be a very memorable election season. 

I agree with what Obama said, I wish they would leave the kids out of the politics! She is not the only 1 yr old in the world to get pregnant.

Becka+Chris= Nick 8 Michele 5 Wyatt 18 months
www.learnandgrowtogether.com

I don't know anything about her so I can't say much right now. I will do my research before I vote.

There have been some odd factors that make me hesitate a little. The Wikipedia removal of information makes me feel a little uneasy. I don't have a problem with anyone's past, but I am bothered by people who try to hide it or cover it up.

There was this interesting story in The Washington Post - breastfeeding during a meeting, boarding a  flight while in labor and firing the chef at the governor's mansion because she wanted to do her own cooking.

It's her inexperience that concerns me. She is a first term govenor, in a state far removed from Washington D.C.

And placing her on the ticket takes some of the punch out of McCain's assertions that Obama is inexperienced.

...and now it looks like she may be having to help raise a grandkid. Gosh, I just don't know, but I sure do like her.

I thought her position is to teach abstinence only in the schools and wait until marriage to have sex. Seems like a complete and utter failure to me. You can still leave the kids out of it, but it seems to me that you can certainly question her socially conservative values. Since when is it wonderful for a 17 year old unmarried high school girl to get pregnant, possibly because she was denied any education about the subject? You have to question the parents in these situations. Not good judgement for someone who could be VP.

I think the whole painting "Sarah Palin as 'hockey mom'" smacks of sheer hypocrisy. Sure, a 17-year old daughter being pregnant is just a "situation" for her family rather than a "problem" because her family can afford child care. Let's not elevate her to some high status simply because she's the Mom of several children and has a career. The big difference is Palin has all the means in the world to hire nannies, gets free accommodation in a governor's mansion, a driver, etc. She can afford to support abstinence-only education because for her a pregnant teenage daughter is just a "situation."

She is an inexperienced first term governor, who rode into office on the coattails of Ted Stevens (and apparently with his friends' financial backing), who does not support environmental protection, and who has 19th century beliefs in education and science. Heck, even if I were a Republican, I wouldn't support her or vote for her, not when there's so many other more experienced women (and mothers) out there.

I am not remotely excited because she is a woman; were she the inexperienced MALE governor of Alaska, embroiled in ethical investigations and apparently unwilling to admit that global warming exists when glaciers in her own state are melting at an alarming rate, not to mention the sad fact that "abstinance only" has been shown to be quite ineffective, do you think he would have been have been chosen? Of course not. No one should be selected on the basis of his or her gender. It feels so gratuitous, so manipulative. And so she has many children, so what? It isn't as though she is taking care of them all day and attending meetings all night, after everyone is tucked into bed (although perhaps she should have kept a closer eye on just who's bed her daughter was tucked into). She is accomplished and able to work long hours with 5 children becasue she and her husband make a great deal of money. Period. And her daughter's baby, when born, will not force her daughter onto welfare, or cause her drop out of school, or, I believe, even give up her dreams of college, if she has them.

Amen to Annefairleigh! Sarah Palin has five children, including a special needs baby whose developmental needs will be especially keen during the next 5 years and a teenager who will need a lot of support as she becomes a mother herself. Who is going to give these children what they need? The Washington Post article referenced on this site that described Governor Palin as having a crib in her office, breastfeeding during meetings and showing up for meetings or speaking engagements with an infant in a snuggly was alarming to me. First, do we want a VP who allows herself to be distracted with family needs during the work day? In addition, would you want your baby to have to spend the day in your office or be dragged to off to meetings. According to this article, she took Piper to work with her the day after she was born! Second, does she allow her staff or other state employees the same options? Can they bring their infants or young children to work whenever they need or want to? The fact that she is a mother is an issue because she has made it one by not clearly drawing professional lines between her work and personal life.

I can't imagine how she plans to provide the support that five children deserve while also giving full attention to the vice presidency. I don't feel admiration for her; I feel pity for her children and her ego.

first and foremost ..she aint no hillary. she is a sheep in wolves clothing. i aint buying this baby mess either... although she claimed to have had her water break in texas and then endured an eight hr. flight with no discomfort. there r no records of the baby being born at the hopsital she listed...suddenly the hospital web site is down...john mccain is obviously enthralled w/her . have you seen his foolish display of oogling her backside ? if republicans or anyone else falls for this song and dance the republicans r putting together w/mccain and palin .look we re going to get four more years of the disaster of bush. think gas is high ...wait until your food continues to go up... and you cant heat your home... this mom needs to stay at home ...we already can see what her being an official has done to her family . to think now this boy that claimed he didnt want any children suddenly wishes to marry the little daughter. any mom who can orchestrate this fiasco and maintain her integrity....SHE AINT READY ..WE CANt AFFORD FOR HER AND MCCAIN TO GET READY.SHE TALKS ONE THING AND DOES ANOTHER. BRIDGE TO NO WHERE GOT HER MILLIONS OF PORK MONEY FOR ALASKA. YA'LL BETTER WAKE UP. oh yes if politicians want their children off limit then keep them off of stage and the limelight. no body  is interested in seeing your children.copying obama w/ his kids shot the light on her kids. seriously the kids cant be off limit when the parents push them into the limelight. personally i was angry with obama and his wife falunting their two. its just not to me appropriate.

Sarah Palin threw her own daughter under the bus to prove that she was, in fact, Trig's baby mama. She made the decision to go public to protect her political position. She appears narcissistic in the extreme. What mother could stand to leave a 3-day old baby to go back to work if she didn't have to? And - if she were giving her older children the attention they need, Track would be in college and Bristol would be applying for college. Any mother of teens knows they need MORE attention, not less, during those tough years. And, since she doesn't believe in birth control, what happens if she has a baby while VP? Well - that could be a good thing - Nancy Pelosi would be acting VP!

i do not care for palin, personally or politically.

when i see obama and his supporters they are positive and enthusiastic, i feel hopeful and happy that could be our future

i am happy to sleep tonight NOT thinking about palin or mccain

A friend of mine wrote this for the Chicago Tribune.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-090308palinparent-story,0,4334631.story

The article is called: "What I hope Sarah Palin says tonight." Basically, my friend wrote the speech she would like to hear Palin give.

Here's an exerpt:
"As you may have heard, I'm a mom. This doesn't limit me, but it does define me. And I'm proud of that. Every mother should be. Parenting is the most important, rewarding, jaw-droppingly difficult job a person can do. This past week hasn't made it any easier. Now, let's clear a few things up.
"First: I showed up for work three days after my youngest baby was born. That was my choice, and it doesn't mean I think that should be yours. In fact, if elected, I'll use my experience as a working mom to improve this country's abysmal parental leave laws. Childbirth is a major medical procedure, and the only one that results in a new human life. Why rush back to the office 60 hours after you leave the hospital? ...."

So, what did you think of her speech?

How can Sarah Palin govern a state, and can't even govern what goes on in her home.  Vice President -- that's a JOKE!!!  WAKE UP AMERICA, YOUR FUTURE IS AT STAKE.

Why does everyone think she can't govern her home because her teenage daughter got pregnant? Anyone who thinks they have that much control over a child that age is in for a rude awakening.

Personally speaking, my husband and I recieved the test with our last son to see if he had down syndrome and it came back positive. We had the amnio test just to prepare us for the worst case scenario, not as an option to end the pregnancy, and in the end it turned out the test made a mistake and he was healthy. My point is, I as a mother immediately knew that if he was born with special needs, then myfamily would be making some changes to adjust to him and his needs as well as the needs of our other children, which meant I would stay home to raise him. I can't speak for every mother and I don't know what Palin is thinkinbg, but I would never leave my three day old baby, special needs or not, while I returned to work. Family is first and her priorities seem off. Politically, our views differ,so I wouldn't vote for her anyway, but I am disappointed at the media's portrayal if her as super mom for supporting her daughters pregnancy. Super moms are all of the mothers who are sacrificing themselves to take an active part in their children's lives and teaching them responsibility and morals, and who take care of them the best way they can, even when they have to fight through it with limited resources or no help from fathers for whatever the reason may be. The real issue is making sure ourkids are the best tehy can be and hopefully she can handle family life and work life without it adversely affecting her children.

Speak for yourself Lilybug!  My two 17 year olds turned out FINE under close watch...It seems you're the one in for the rude awakening if you're not RICH, voting those Republicans in office will be like AMERICA with TERMINAL CANCER :-(

My problem with all the hoopla about Bristol Palin, is that it was
her mother's CHOICE to expose her to the national media, not the national media's "picking on" anyone. Republican spinmasters win again!
As for Palin's experience, why is no one articulating that although Palin flip-flopped on the bridge to nowhere, she ended up with the best of both worlds: able to say she turned down the bridge, BUT STILL GETTING THE EARMARKED FUNDS!!!

As a human being let's recall how many other people within our country and globally, are told what he or she can due based on what some other person is capable of doing. While I may not be able to raise 3 kids someone else is. While I may not be able to run a marathon someone else is. While we as parents can guide our children, the moment that they realize someone else exists in their universe other than us,we are no longer in control of what they choose as he or she grows. Could your parents control every choice you made? There are evangelist's families whose mothers stayed home and raised the children and even those children have had problems. We are all unique minds with free will and even though we all may be "grown up" I am certain we all still make choices that others would chagrin.

i have been googling sarah palin since I first heard of her. You might find googling wikipedia interesting. For instance, who actual authors it,edits it,where the information is obtained from and how accuracy is checked. Mistakes have been found in wikipedia perhaps the entry is being checked for accuracy and will be reposted soon.

i have been googling sarah palin since I first heard of her. You might find googling wikipedia interesting. For instance, who actual authors it,edits it,where the information is obtained from and how accuracy is checked. Mistakes have been found in wikipedia perhaps the entry is being checked for accuracy and will be reposted soon.

I am a single mom of 2,one who received an engineering scholarship and another who is attending university. I've never been rich. I have worked 2 jobs and raised my children in a townhouse in order to provide my them with private schools and experiences that would enrich their lives to all the possibilities that they could choose for their future.  I wasn't working more to pay more taxes. I didn't want the extra hours to go to support someone else who wanted the things I had but wasn't willing to go out and work 2 jobs to do it.

ArbonneMom

Respectfully, McCain's choice was a calculated, political move that he and his advisors made to cull additional votes for the ticket. They weighed her qualities, including being a younger, female and mother of five(one with DS), against any dumb political moves she may have made while mayor and governor and the fact that she had a teenage pregnant daughter and felt she was still the best choice. I agree with their choice both b/c I share many of her values and because ultimately they have improved their chances of keeping the GOP in the Whitehouse with this choice. I look forward to any debates that will involve her, as she is a captivating speaker. I think McCain will make an excellent president and he has made the best choice for his running mate.

Great to see some balance on the site!!!!!

Is it true that the baby with D/S is not Sarah Palin's child, but just a smoke screen?

Did you know that fewer people reside in the entire state of Alaska than in Wake County alone? And Alaska is one of the wealthiest states, thanks to the oil industry.

I just can't see how she would skillfully handle potential situations that could arise in China, Russia, Venezuela. I feel as though her ambitions exceed her skills & preparedness.

I don't have confidence in her.

Sarah Palin is a gutsy, energetic woman. But there is a reason she is known as "Sarah Barracuda" in Wasilla. Her mean-spirited, attack dog mentality is not what's needed at this time in our country. What's needed is the building of consensus amongst conservatives and liberals, fundamentalists and humanists on critical issues like health care, economic competitiveness in the world economy, national defense, and climate issues. Palin's destructive, snipey approach to politics clearly won't get us there. I have 3 decades of experience in state and local government. Palin looks as scarey as many of the worst "leaders" I've observed in my career. She tried to fire the local librarian in Wasilla for not censoring the books Palin wanted off the shelves. As governor she's fired Alaska's Public Safety Commissioner for not bending to pressure from the governor's office to fire her sister's ex-husband. Is this the type of pettiness we need from a vice president? And she is exceedingly manipulative, just like the current group of Bush Republicans. She talks like a fiscal conservative to appeal to "normal" voters but then makes decisions that mainly benefit corporate interests. In Wasilla, instead of funding the needed sewage treatment plant, she funded the multi-sport complex. In 1996 when she started as mayor the community had zero debt. When she left it had 22 million dollars of debt. She reduced the local property tax, particularly benefitting large corporations with valuable property holdings, and increased sales taxes, even on items like food, which hit regular people the hardest. Sounds just like the Bush gang to me. The corporations that have benefitted from the Iraq war don't need more allies in the White House. And, we don't need leaders who believe that helping the poor as a community organizer is something to sneer at. At least the Democrats give McCain credit for being a decent human being, for his military service, and prior leadership. They attack his policies not his character. Palin's snide remarks at the Republican convention left me feeling sick in my stomach. I hope women don't fall prey to the Republicans' cynical tokenism in choosing her as the VP candidate.

BULLSEYE...I whole heartedly agree Triangletwins!!!

www.factcheck.org

I'm a grandma of six kids and am working hard for this election. We need to make a huge shift in this country to live up to the foundation set by the founders of this country. Ethics and taking responsibility are essential. Vision is what will save us from the glaring mistakes our country has made to bring us to a point where we believe that killing others wantonly in Iraq keeps us safe. This blog is just great. Lots of deep thinking Moms out there, taking the time to express themselves. You are expressing my feelings clearly, and you're helping me to realize that my perspective is valid for your generation and mine. We need to have a leadership with balance that considers our many needs at home as well as the impact of reduced oil supplies. I'm willing to drive less and use public transportation in order to reduce our demand for fossil fuels, and I sense that you are too. In the process we might reduce our carbon footprint. Have you watched the Enron movie? What about those who have been instrumental in bringing our once thriving housing market to its knees? Greed and power seem to be running our market economy, resulting in hardship for all of us but the very wealthy. The polls seem to indicate that Sarah Palin has rallied women around the Republican candidates. I hope and pray that's not true. We women know that we need gifted leaders who can focus on the direction of our country. If Sarah had real wisdom, she would have very publicly refused McCain's request to be his running mate. She has her hands full at home in Alaska.

Anybody catch the SNL skit with Tina Fey? If nothing else, it's remarkable how much Fey and Palin look alike.

The imitation was uncanny. Funny stuff, and good comic relief!

That skit was hilarious. Do you know if Tina Fey is going to play Palin through the election (and beyond?)

Not sure if anyone has corrected this statement made by mmoaks55: 

"I can't speak for every mother and I don't know what Palin is
thinkinbg, but I would never leave my three day old baby, special needs
or not, while I returned to work."

Palin took her 3-day-old son Trig WITH her to work for the first few months. This is documented in one of her interviews.

Elizabeth Shugg
Triangle TRACKS - Tools, Resources & Activities for Carolina KidS
www.triangletracks.com
epshugg@triangletracks.com

I believe Sarah Palin is an inspiration to Americans--men and women. Her cutthroat commitment to reform, willingness to prioritize her constituents over her party, and creative approach to reducing government spending is refreshing. Selling the governor's jet on eBay, publicizing the state checkbook and saying no thanks to the personal chef are great examples of selflessness and humility. I believe she is exactly what our country needs.

Those who continue to denigrate Gov. Palin simply because they don't agree with her politics, might want to take heed of the polls. Clearly, they are harming Sen. Obama's candidacy and boosting Sen. McCain's.

Elizabeth Shugg 
Triangle TRACKS - Tools, Resources & Activities for Carolina KidS
www.triangletracks.com
epshugg@triangletracks.com

She was mayor of Wasilla, which is slightly larger than Selma (but smaller than Morrisville and way smaller than Clayton), then govenor of Alaska for two years.

Education: She switched colleges 4 times (not sure what the story is there) and eventually graduated with a degree in communication/journalism.

Do you really feel that she's qualified?

How much time has she spent contemplating issues like foreign policy, immigration, healthcare policy, & constitutional law (to name a few)?

Look, our country has some BIG problems. To me, it would be like asking a first-year resident to do a complicated open-heart procedure on a patient with multiple medical problems.

In my view, the in-experience factor is weighted heavily because of her tendancy to be insular; her pattern of eliminating dissenting voices and surrounding herself with people whom she trusts though may not be suitably qualified.

I don't think she is a wise choice.

Well said.  I am truly astounded at the frothing anger that proceeds from the mouths of those who are against Palin.  No matter where you stand politically, there are and always have been leaders in the white house with children.  Is there a law that says a VP nominee can't have children under a certain age?  What if it were a man with 5 children and a downs syndrome baby?  Would we think differently?  I think if Palin's opinions were liberal and she was running with Obama, the media would be falling all over themselves to compliment her on being a working mom.  It takes a smart person to sort through the media's distortions and see people's true character.  I don't think there are a lot of smart people left in America.

Bill Clinton was on "The View" yesterday, and the ladies were trying to get his opinion of Palin, and I LOVE what he said: "we don't need to work so hard at always finding things wrong with people that we disagree with politically." (paraphrased). If you don't like her poilitics, that's one thing, but no need to rip her to shreds personally.

Anybody see her interview with Katie Couric? I missed it.

I missed it also. There are a few clips on youtube, however.

Love her. She balances out Mccain. She is the reason I changed my vote from Obama to Mccain

What you think about her $250,000 spending spree? I know everyone wants her to look great and dress for success, but she could have done it on a smaller budget. My sister does the name brand thing and she always looks great and stylish...she isn't spending that much on her stuff.

I get that if you're not conservative you're not going to enjoy her, but I find it hard to believe that her wardrobe budget, issues with her kids, her level of experience, etc, would be issues to anyone who liked her politics.