If Palin were a man, no one would raise those issues.

The daughter is going to be gettig married, why does she need her mother to brood over her so much? The mentally retarted kid will be taken care of I'm sure, if not this will make a really big story.

I for one like the example the daughter and the family is setting by not aborting the baby and the daughter getting married to the father. All in all this pregnancy is a positive thing.

And it's too bad these issues are never raised for men; families need Fathers for more than just a paycheck. Careers could be balanced with needs of family...not and easy task but possible with the right focus.
Actually, I do remember a certain man changing his career path to put his family first - his name is Danny Ainge. And he didn't wait for a crisis in his family.
But I digress from the issue at hand...

Pure sexism!

Oh how ironic.

So when young Joe Biden is elected US Senator (interestingly enough with the same number of electoral votes as Alaska but no one seems to care the size of his state) his wife and one child is killed tragically. That leaves him a young, newly elected Senator with a child at home. The grueling schedule of a US Senator and no one whined about his duties at home.

I suppose you're right. Sarah Palin should be home, bare foot and pregnant. How dare she even leave the kitchen!

Fact is, you Democrats are being pig headed about this. Your arguements are designed to win, not be fair, honest or ethical.

Now to see if the moderator will dare post a comment, schathing in truth. Or if they are going so support this sexist rant by silencing those who would disagree, again.

Joe Biden, who STILL goes home every night to his home in Delaware (following the pattern he established when his wife was killed in a traffic accident and he had two motherless sons to raise). At the time he had children with special needs (trying to cope with the loss of their mother) and answered their needs apporpriately. He's a true exemplar of "Family Values" and of the proper way to put family first. Kudos to him.

Palin has two needy children, but is forcing them into the shadows (or the limelight, depending on how people look at it) to the detriment of her families. Unless her husband is going to become a 24/7 stay-at-home househusband, she needs to rethink her priorities and put her family first. She's young enough to make a mark on the political scene later -- when her family is less needy.

Thanks, but no thanks, Sarah. We don't need or want you.

Come on Roland, while you are correct, think back to Murphy Brown and Dan Quayle. Then a fictional TV character was attaced by the Republican VP for having a baby and career?

Remember how for the last 35 years that Republicans have fought giving women equal rights (remember the Equal Rights Ammendment and GOP opposition)?

Remember the Southern Baptist Convention, part of the evangelical base of the GOP, adopting rules stating that women should submit to the will of their husbands? Remember Titus 2:5 "To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands" and Ephesians 5:23 "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body."

How is she upholding this biblical responsibility?

Apparently it doesn't matter if she can help McCain win.

If Palin were a liberal no one would raise those issues.

Wow, Marc. Haven't read a statement that sexist in a long time. The same holds true for Obama I guess. He should put family first and bow out of the race. And it is a good thing Hillary did not get the nomination, her family is WAY screwed up.

I guess all our candidates for the future need to be like John McCain, whose family is grown and is on his death-bed anyway because he is so old. We should raise the age to be president (or VP) tp minimum 65. That would fix all of this right?

Wow are the libs grasping at straws to say anything bad about Palin. Fact is, the republicans have trumped the dems and will get the "Hillary" vote. Palin's speech about the 18 mill cracks in the glass ceiling will bring all those hillary supporters over.

GWB- How is Sarah Palin not being "obedient" to her husband? Has he opposed this decision? And remember, Murphy Brown was choosing to be a "single" mother, who did not want a father involved. She would leave her baby with a nanny everyday. Very different from Sarah Palin, whose husband probably will be a stay at home dad.

Contrast with Biden- Sarah Palin will be 10-minutes from home as VP. Biden was over an hour away and had no parent at home with the kids like Palin will as her husband will be at home. Why did Biden not step down and put his family first by working closer to home? What about Obama? He has 2-young children that he will be away from, and he is young and could wait until a later date to pursue his political dream job. Why doesn't he wait? Is it somehow different because he is a man? Can only a woman be a good stay at home parent? That seems very sexist to me.

How is it that Marc singled out only Palin, as needing to stay home and take care of a family? Why were not the same concerns raised about Obama and Romney and Bush and Clinton, and anyone else who still had a family at home?

Any person (male or female) who seeks an office that demands as much attention as the President of the United States, has to sacrifice time with family for the office. But who is Marc to make that judgment for, or of, Palin? She must decide for herself. Just like Romney did when he accepted the assignment to rescue the Salt Lake Olympic Committee.

Gee, I wonder if anyone said then "Mitt has no business working 75 to 80 hours a week for the SLOC. He belongs at home with his young family." Probably not. After all, he is a man, and in this society it is acceptable for a man to cast all the responsibility for the family upon his spouse, but not so for a woman. Interesting hypocrisy.

As a woman, Marc, I am highly offended. I have not read anything so sexist in ages. Who are YOU to judge? Do you know her life circumstance? Do you wonder if Obama should be home with HIS young daughters? How about all the single mothers that Obama is trying to cater too. Liberals are so hypocritical. It's cute to have John F Kennedy's kids running through the White House -- but we CAN'T have a woman with kids. She'll be 10 minutes from home as Vice-President -- 10 minutes -- I would guess that's a lot closer then you are to your kids. Grow up!

Well, the Democrats have clearly won this argument. Their logic and reasoning is clear. Their principle is just. We Republicans should be ashamed that we believed that women could step outside the home. Come on Republicans, shut up about this. Let the Democrats insist that every working mother in America quit her job and stay home.

Nancy Pelosi, did you hear the clarion call from your fellow Democrats? Pack your bags. Dianne Feinstein, the Democrats think a working woman is a disgrace. Pack your bags.

You female judges, doctors, teachers, scientists; all of you; pack your bags and go home! The Democrats have decreed that a woman's place is at home!

I really dont understand the contrast - but I see the double standard.
What makes you think that Palin doesn't go home at night - it was the media that put Palin's children in the limelight.

As I understand it Mr. Palin has become a stay at home dad to help care for the children, while Sarah Palin has been Governor, why would that change?

Why is it that democrats and/or liberals are fine with fighting for women to have equal pay for equal jobs and for women becoming CEO or the like, but when a REPUBLICAN woman reaches for a top political office she is ridiculed and degraded for trying to "have it all"? I believe that democrats are running scared, they have two men, one black and one white, one with no real experience and one with experience. The republicans have one man and one woman, one a war hero and more experience, and a woman who has led a state and is the embodiment of what women have been fighting for for decades. Unfortunately for the democrats, Sarah Palin is what many women in the nation have been waiting for, a woman on the presidential ticket.

Does put family first, and WILL NOT be voting for this ticket.

It's fine to have a career. I support it. But not at the expese of your family. Whenenver possible (and Mr. Palin has a job too) the mother should be in the home. Take offense all you want, but this conservative woman won't be jumping on the McCain bad judgement express.

And Sarah Palin?
Nancy's kids are gown, MARRIED and have families of their own.

Sarah's kids are not. Who's raising the next generation? Nannys? Oh, I've got a bunch of warm fuzzies. Thanks, but no thanks. ID Politics at its worse.

And Mike? I gave up a VERY lucritive job to be a mom. I married in my late 30's, and while I made 3 times the money, we felt it was more important for me to be IN THE HOME, raising the kids. so far, so good. I don't have a preggies 17 yr old who wants to marry her drop out boyfriend. My 17 yr old will be going to college then a mission, if she chooses. Guess there IS a difference, when your priorities are put in line?
Yup.

Marc - how brilliantly insightful!

I did not know that you knew the Palin family circumstances better than themselves.

Why weren't you concerned for her family while she was a governor? Why didn't you suggest she step down? Actually, I bet one week ago you had never heard of them before, and didn't have such caring insight for their affairs.

If she can be Governor, she can be vice president.

Lastly, there are two parents. I'm sure the father will be able to help more with the family while they are in Washington.

Yea, she did not choose abortion. Neither did. In Sarah's case, she also did not choose motherhood. she's just a re-born baby factory. (MO only.) Her daughter? She's entering into a marriage to a high school dropout.(not that she has not had 5 months to think about it. What is she waiting for? The ring bearer to be born?) I DON NOT WANT the Palin Family to be held up as a shining example of an everyday American family. SHES NOT. and she is not refective of my family's dymanics.

If Sarah were a man, she would not be on the ticket.

Democrats 1956-2007: "Women should be liberated from their traditional roles."

Democrats 2008: "A woman's place is in the home."

Can one of you describe what it feels like to not have a leg to stand on?

Family first? Now there is a word of an affair with her husband's business partner.

Oh. I see. If the National Enquirer reports a John Edwards affar, that is "solid reporting". When they report a Sarah Palin affair, that is "poor journalism".

It's a Liberal/Socialist thing. It's all about them!

The writer's clear intention is to steer voters to Obama. It is not for voters to make a decision how Palin should handle her family issues or how much time she should take to do it.

Obviously, "Enquiring Minds" has fallen victim to the lies and manufactured issues that have been created by the left-wing blogs and the Democrat smear machine.

Palin is being trashed beyond the pale because she represents a major threat to the "anointed one." Palin represents traditional values and conservatism and the far-left Media can't stand that. They have put everything they have into getting Obama elected. They could taste it. Now, Sarah could ruin it for them.

GO SARAH! You're a breath of fresh air.

As a liberal, I have no problem with Sara Palin running for office. Every candidate has family issues, so what difference does that make? It's her breathtaking demagoguery (so frighteningly displayed last night) that makes her a downright scary candidate.

You'll have to forgive liberals. They're all in a state of shock right now as Obama's campaign crumbles, thanks to Sarah Palin.

"I think it is a shame that Utahns and Republicans in general are lining up to support John McCain's vice presidential choice of Sarah Palin. This is not to say she is not capable of handling the job and has little to do with being a woman. However, it has a lot to do with being a supportive mother."

The best thing a mother can do for her kids is to run successfully for the position of Vice President of the United States. What an honor? Can you imagine the pride the kids would have? And for the rest of their lives. Rarely can you acquire that kind of pride not to mention education just being the kid of the Veep.

For those of you that think that Gov. Palin might find the office of Vice President too demanding when also considering her family responsibilities have forgotten that she also has a full time husband.

The responsibilities given to the vice president of the United States are probably less than that of a PTA president, unless of course the president becomes incapacitated or dies. The Vice President's only constitutional duties are to preside over the senate, only when he/she feels like it, and to vote in a tie. That's it folks, unless the president assigns other duties. In the early days of the 19th Century it was common after Inauguration, to return to their home state and wait to be called if needed.

RE Oh Please

You must be talking about Barack Obama. Now he is a demogogue in every sense of the word.

Maybe you could be more specific about what she said last night that was so frightening. I found what she said to be more in tune with the masses than anything Obama or Biden have said.

Not to worry. The vice president has but two jobs: To fill the office president should he die in office and to vote in the Senate in case of a tie. Palin can do that with one arm tied behind her. Even Joe Biden could succeed with a week or two of intensive one-on-one training.

I hope that if she becomes president, she doesn't forget issues concerning the middle class i.e.

1) middle class tax cuts
2) tuition assistance for poor and middle class
3) health care insurance for all Americans

Forget about her family, she will see that it gets taken care of, even if her husband has to quit work.

I think that sarah palin got into this without doing much fo the math on what was at stake with her family and, by coming off like a baracuda makes her look ridiculous.

@ 9:53,

From Wikipedia, "The early 20th century American social critic and humorist H. L. Mencken, known for his "definitions" of terms, defined a demagogue as "one who will preach doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots."

You only labeled Sarah Palin as a "demagogue"? Why are you being so gentle with her. Why didn't you call her the "anti-christ"?

What is this concerted effort on the part of Democrats to vilify anyone who "chooses" someone's principles and ideals when those principles and ideals oppose the Democrat Agenda?

Don't Democrats believe in "Choice"?

From reading the postings from those on the left today it appears they support the concept of Equal Rights for Women, but only after their kids are grown and gone away (like Nancy Pelosi).

So are you posters saying the Left's version of the ERA would have been, "After all your children are grown and gone you can hold any position in business or politics, but until you get rid of those kids, we're going to crush you if you try to run for public office"???

Is that what you're saying? That's what is sounds like!

Issues, not family | 12:10 p.m. ----

"I hope that if she becomes president, she doesn't forget issues concerning the middle class i.e.

1) middle class tax cuts
2) tuition assistance for poor and middle class
3) health care insurance for all Americans"

Did you forget? Those are the tasks relegated to the US Congress.

Sarah Palin putting her worldly ways second to that of her family goes against everything I have been raised with in this the Family State.
Shame on her!
Shame on her selfishness!

seems to be lost on so many here. Obama chants the mantra of change and casts McCain in the "stuck in the rut" current mode. So...Obama chooses Biden, a near 40 year cog in the entrenched status quo. McCain, the "rut" guy chooses a rogue governor, mother of five woman. Which reflects change more?
Immediately the "mormon mommy" conservatives of Utah decry Palin for her daughter getting pregnant, as though she orchestrated it by daring to be involved in her community and state. To irony, please add hypocracy and envy. It is almost embarrassing to read some of these posts today and realize that I supposedly share the same "values" with the writers.
Obama claims Palin has no experience running a big budget like his monthly $21M campaign, or people, like the 2500 in his campaign. Palin has care for $1.6B (as in billion) and 75,000 ee's.
I don't care much for either party's chances of effecting substantive change, but step back a minute folks and stop watching the watch swing rythmically in front of your eyes. Palin is a fairly refreshing departure from the status quo. Far from backing down from her challenges, she seems to be doing fine.

All you self righteous mothers out there whose children are without sin or blemish (yet).I too have children who have made pretty good choices (so far). I hope sincerely that if and when my perfect little world runs into a speed bump, that I have the good fortune to avoid the judgemental eyes of those who are still perfect. I hope I can walk boldly forward and deal with difficult problems with as much grace as Sara Palin. Should she be the VPOTUS? Don't know, but she seems far less hypocritical and more human than those of you "perfect" moms posting here today.

Sarah Palin, like all other women, has a right to pursue her career and have a family however she thinks best. This is a personal choice that many women outside of the more traditional traditions of family are doing today.

Interference by others or government beyond acknowledging the rights of each of us in personal decisions is a violation of choice in our private lives. Choosing legitimate child care for her young son instead of being restricted to a life of a stay-at-home mom and continue to work is Sarah Palin's choice.

Let Sarah Palin and her husband make their decisions as they think best. Although, if I were the father of Bristol, I would certainly be having words with the young man who got my daughter pregnant at such a young age. This may include stringing him up by the testicles and making sure he doesn't father any additional children through the charisma of his personality, his stud good looks, and influence over a vulnerable, young women.

please clarify your intent, Shame on Her 12:33? Are you being sarcastic? What are her "worldly ways" which she has put second(?) to her family. There see to be some incongruities in your comments. What are you suggesting you've been raised with? In some respects, Gov. Palin seems to have things pretty well in hand, her daughter's free agency notwithstanding. Are you a "sham" or a "slam?"

@ Irony...
Take oil money out of Alaska's budget and then see how big it is...
Also, I think it's an IRONY that all these "mormon mothers" can cheer on Palin, while at the same time agreeing with Julie Beck's conference talk.

Shame on Her | 12:33 p.m. -----

"Sarah Palin putting her worldly ways second to that of her family goes against everything I have been raised with in this the Family State."

Then you've been raised wrong.

"Shame on her! Shame on her selfishness!"

Ar you kidding? She's giving her kids the opportunity of a lifetime!!! There isn't a kid in the country that wouldn't give their eye teeth for the chance to have a mom as Veep!! They will have the unimaginable opportunities. Meeting and knowing our nation's leaders, etc.

What do you know of Bristol Palin's circumstances? Please define "stud good looks" for the rest of us. You who have long preached free choice and non-interference into personal choices by others, are you not being a bit hypocritical? I suspect you may have a teenaged daughter and this one hits close to home?

Your retort is idiotic. "Take the oil money out of the budget...?" The source of the money doesn't dimish the responsibility for it. Take the $21M out of Obama's cmpaign each month and then see how much he manages. Unintelligent! Obama made the comparison between his budget capability and Palin's by using his campaign as an example. Take campaign contributions out of the Obama campaign and see how big it is. Did you really post this??

Umm... since when is it her "responsibility" to raise her daughter's illegitimate child?

Of course, no stay-at-home mother has ever had her unwed daughter get pregnant - right?

I've made up my mind, now that Palin is on the ticket I will be voting for McCain/Palin, I was undecided until last night. Glad to see a woman runing and glad it's not Hillary. Loved her speech last night and the reaction to it from the crowd. McCain made a smart choice and may have saved his campaign.

In the final analysis, women have to stop believing that they can ''have it all.'' It's unrealistic, she believes, to expect to achieve success as it's traditionally defined while serving as a family's primary caregiver, housekeeper, and in myriad other domestic roles. Pursuit of this ideal creates stress, depression, and ultimately, burnout.

And her children ... don't ask how her absence is going to affect these poor souls.

The torrent of guilt that surrounds the working mother results from trying to meet an unrealistic goal. When conservative politicians and pundits point to a lapse in family values, they are quick to point the finger at working mothers.

Where are they today?

Sarah Palin makes Hillary look like an amateur.

Woman who will not vote for Palin are (gasp) jealous.

There is a Mr. Palin in the home to go along with Mrs. Palin. It would be no different if Mr. Palin were running and Mrs. Palin stayed home. In this case it is reversed.

I would suspect that Mrs. Palin would be the "breadwinner" and Mr. Palin would be a Stay at Home dad. This is not an issue and a weak argument by libs.

Lastly, Down Syndrome does not equate to "mentally retarded". It is also not a "handicap." It is a disability. As the parent of a Down Syndrome child, I can relate to the Palins. It is not that difficult. Hard yes, difficult no.

It is not about being a working mother that is bad. It is when you have a 2-parent household and both choose to work and leave the kids with a nanny when they do not need to.
I don't think a working mom and stay at home dad is any different than the reverse. It is degrading to both men and women to say they cannot adequately serve in the opposite roles.
I happen to be a working father, and to imply that I could not take care of my children as well as my wife is insulting. And I don't consider children with a stay at home dad to be "poor souls".