Obama wades in....
The Obama campaign has launched a radio ad on abortion today, (I'm sure micro-targeted,) right after the Palin's daughter thing blew.
The Obama campaign rarely takes risks, so I'll be very curious.
The Obama campaign rarely takes risks, so I'll be very curious.
posted by mikevotes at
10:50 AM
12 Comments:
from the same survey where Palin exhibits her vast knowledge of history comes this...
3. Will you support funding for abstinence-until-marriage education instead of for explicit sex-education programs, school-based clinics, and the distribution of contraceptives in schools?
SP: Yes, the explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support.
By
zen, at 11:27 AM
With the majority of the country supporting a woman's right to make her own reproductive choices, including abortion, I don't know how much of a risk this is. Framing the issue is important, and I don't know what the ad actually says. But I think the vast majority of Americans -- particularly women -- certainly consider abortion a legitimate choice in the extreme cases of rape and incest.
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-epm, at 11:33 AM
Zen, that's a question that hasn't really come around yet in the mainstream. Did she talk to her daughter about birth control, or did the abstinence only household, and presumed lack of openness contribute to her daughter's pregnancy?
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EPM, the risk isn't talking abortion (or supreme court justices,) the risk is doing it right now with Palin's daughter in the mix.
I agree their going to mostly win that argument if they state their positions from the center out, but launching against the announcement yesterday seems a little close to playing the issue off the candidate's daughter, you know?
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mikevotes, at 1:08 PM
I think this is exactly where the rubber meets the road (bad pun I know).
Sure the private life of the daughter is not appropriate, but where it is absolutely relevant is that Sarah Palin has the most "executive experience" in running her family. Clearly the fundy policy of abstinence only didn't work there. What better example of an unrealistic policy could there be?!
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zen, at 1:18 PM
Agreed, and to me, that's the line.
If you'll notice, I don't think I've ever written a word or used the name of the daughter. The scandal doesn't really have to do with her. Her life, her decisions are hers, BUT, when you sign up for VP, your policies and your judgment are fair game.
As is the judgment of John McCain for signing up for this.
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mikevotes, at 1:52 PM
Not to mention Palin's own disregard for those deeply held beliefs.
NYT:
"The Palins eloped on Aug. 29, 1988, and their first son, Track, was born eight months later, a fact that Maria Comella of the McCain campaign, declined to elaborate on. “They were high school sweethearts who got married and ended up having five beautiful children together,” Ms. Comella said."
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zen, at 2:35 PM
Mike.. good point about the timing of the ads.
Regarding what 's fair game and what isn't, I'd have to agree that the daughter isn't fair game, but is Ms. Palin's parenting fair game? For example, if Palin is forcing her daughter to marry the baby's father, would that be fair game? What if the daughter was physically prevented from seeking birth control... or an abortion. I'm speaking in the hypothetical here and not accusing the Palins of anything. I'm just wondering at what point do the parental actions a candidate -- based on their child's circumstances -- become a legitimate issue... if at all.
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-epm, at 3:02 PM
The whole language that the daughter "decided" to have the baby makes her pro-choice.
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zen, at 3:03 PM
Zen, I linked that lower down. (Tough to read it all with so much coming out and so many posts.)
I think that bit in the NYTimes really does mark an open season on the Palin's. There was no real need to include it, and yet they did.
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EPM, yes. Parenting is fair game insomuch as it reflects upon her professed beliefs that she wants to put in practice once in office. A curfew, for intance, wouldn't matter because she's not espousing a national curfew. Sex ed/abstinence/abortion does matter because she has said very clearly that she wants the rules of her household to be the laws of the country.
As for your hypotheticals, yeah, those would be huge political issues, but I can't imagine any circumstance where that stuff could come out with reliable sourcing.
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Zen, yesterday we had a mini debate over the language. EPM pointed out that "keeping the baby" could also mean no adoption, however, I also saw the language chose to "have her baby."
I kinda veered away from it because it didn't seem crystal clear to me.
However, if the daughter considered abortion, that would be significant because of the mother's politics. (But I'm not going to pry into the daughter.)
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mikevotes, at 3:10 PM
duly noted and appreciated.
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zen, at 3:12 PM
I don't have a clear feeling of when, or if, parenting should become a political issue. Particularly when we're talking about minors. We're in uncharted territory I think because of Palin's well documented extreme social positions. Strange times. I just want it over and for the fundamentalist extremists to be swept into obscurity.... One can dream.
I think the the statement that "she made her own choice to keep the baby" was very intentionally ambiguous. Has there been an official clarification? Does AK have a parental notification law? Can a 17-year-old even get an abortion in AK?... without their partents' approval? So, how much real choice does a 17 year old have in AK (regarding abortion)?
By
-epm, at 3:24 PM
I dunno.
By
mikevotes, at 4:06 PM
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