Spring Break
Palin too busy to be VP and mom/grandma
Alex Sanders
Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: Commentary
The presidential campaign is rapidly spiraling into an episode of "Desperate Housewives." There are ridiculous rumors circulating that Sarah Palin's 4-month-old son is really her 17-year-old daughter's child. This is a political campaign - not a drama on ABC. It was shocking enough that John McCain chose a woman as his vice presidential candidate, let alone a woman who will soon be a grandmother. He claimed that he knew about Palin's daughter's pregnancy, yet it seems foolish that he would try to campaign with that hanging over his head. Now, he is faced with a vice presidential candidate who's ability many women are doubting because of her family situation.
Aside from her political standpoint, Sarah Palin is not fit to help run a country as an individual. Raising a family is hard enough without having to perform all of the duties of vice president. She would basically have to choose between her job and her family. At the moment, she is clearly choosing her job. Also, her limited political experience is going to make her job that much harder.
Five children and a grandchild are a handful for any stay-at-home mother. The only way that Palin can seemingly make this work is to hire a staff to care for her children. If she does that, she will rarely be present in the lives of her children - which is crucial for proper growth and development. Psychologist John Bowlby suggested that child attachment is vital for normal growth. That study agreed with psychologist Harry Harlow's study concerning maternal attachment. He studied the effect on monkeys when they were separated from their mothers and found them to be depressed and timid.
Palin has an infant son with Down's syndrome, and from a strictly family-oriented standpoint, it is unfair to her child to not give him the attention he needs and deserves. He already has special needs that Palin has to take care of, along with Palin's granddaughter who will bring the everyday chores of a healthy baby. It is feasible for Palin to be both a mother and vice president but her job, her children or both are going to suffer. It is too much work and there is not enough time in a day to do both jobs in a complete and responsible way.
Aside from her political standpoint, Sarah Palin is not fit to help run a country as an individual. Raising a family is hard enough without having to perform all of the duties of vice president. She would basically have to choose between her job and her family. At the moment, she is clearly choosing her job. Also, her limited political experience is going to make her job that much harder.
Five children and a grandchild are a handful for any stay-at-home mother. The only way that Palin can seemingly make this work is to hire a staff to care for her children. If she does that, she will rarely be present in the lives of her children - which is crucial for proper growth and development. Psychologist John Bowlby suggested that child attachment is vital for normal growth. That study agreed with psychologist Harry Harlow's study concerning maternal attachment. He studied the effect on monkeys when they were separated from their mothers and found them to be depressed and timid.
Palin has an infant son with Down's syndrome, and from a strictly family-oriented standpoint, it is unfair to her child to not give him the attention he needs and deserves. He already has special needs that Palin has to take care of, along with Palin's granddaughter who will bring the everyday chores of a healthy baby. It is feasible for Palin to be both a mother and vice president but her job, her children or both are going to suffer. It is too much work and there is not enough time in a day to do both jobs in a complete and responsible way.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 11
David Gill
posted 9/04/08 @ 5:51 AM EST
Wow how offensive. How long have you hated women? Is this editorial out of the 1950's? Let me be the first to welcome you to the 21st century. You give the Geico cavemen a bad name. (Continued…)
Taylor
posted 9/04/08 @ 7:41 AM EST
This premise is so ridiculous it's almost laughable. To in any way suggest that Palin would be overhwhelmed by her jobs as a vice president and mother is to discredit the work she had done as a governor and a mother in becoming a powerful enough woman that she was qualified as a potential vice presidential candidate. (Continued…)
Mirror Lake
posted 9/04/08 @ 10:34 AM EST
True it is hard to take care of a family, but it's this way for both men and women with large families. Not just women.
What I find shameful is how they forced a seventeen year old girl into the spotlight just so they can. (Continued…)
KMK
posted 9/04/08 @ 11:13 AM EST
Obviously, we should not apply a double standard here. Male politicians are never faced with questions of who will raise the kids. But I think the difference is when you offer up a candidate's motherhood as a qualification for the job, then you have to answer those questions. (Continued…)
rayf
posted 9/04/08 @ 4:41 PM EST
Sarah Palin offered more insight into what this nation needs from it governmental leaders in the last 5 days than any of the unterm limited congressional membership has ever!
Michael
posted 9/04/08 @ 5:07 PM EST
I was literally speechless when I read this article. To suggest that Sarah Palin should not run for Vice President because she has a family implies that any woman who wants to raise a family should not have any kind of demanding job. (Continued…)
sjm10
Sam
posted 9/04/08 @ 7:28 PM EST
To discredit Palin on the basis of this article is ludacris. I wonder if the author listened to what she had to say at the RNC, what she has accomplished as a politician, what she will bring to the country, and thought about it, instead of listening to the un-backed stupid facts of the liberal media. (Continued…)
Johnny
posted 9/05/08 @ 8:15 AM EST
I might be wrong, but isnt the author of this piece a girl? Alex is an unisex name.
but yeah...this article is pretty sexist..i think that about sums it up. (Continued…)
Sandy
posted 9/05/08 @ 2:34 PM EST
I agree with the author. I have been thinking exactly the same. I am a 46 year old mom of 6 and I can tell you the teen pregnancy is a red flag that Sarah Palin has already not been present enough in her children's lives. (Continued…)
Website Hosting
posted 9/19/08 @ 7:29 PM EST
I agree wholeheartedly with the opinions expressed.
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