Governor Palin – She’s the change we’ve been waiting for!

Last updated on: September 8, 2008 at 7:54 am by Pia de Solenni

Governor Palin – She’s the change we’ve been waiting for! 2008-09-08T07:54:06-07:00 Pia de Solenni

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It’s funny, the Obama campaign has been all about change, but it seems that Governor Palin may be the CHANGE we’ve been waiting for.

Normally, I don’t like to comment on politics in a public forum like this, but I’m making an exception with Governor Palin because she and her nomination represent so many of the things I’ve been hoping for in a political candidate – Democrat or Republican. For once, we have a leading woman candidate who has not been trapped by the box of so-called feminism that labels every woman as an “abortion rights supporter.”

Governor Palin’s own experience with the pregnancy of a Down Syndrome baby and now her young daughter’s pregnancy show that her pro-life views aren’t just talk. Her own life demonstrates that when a woman faces a pregnancy that is less than ideal, you respond by supporting the woman. Pushing an abortion on her is just another way of saying, “I don’t want to deal with you and your problem. I don’t have time to help. You’re not important enough for me to change my life to help you.” It’s also a way of telling the mother that she’s not capable of facing the challenges that the pregnancy can bring. Women are smarter and tougher than the abortion lobby gives them credit.

Oddly enough, the Obama campaign is countering that she has too little experience to be “one heartbeat away from the presidency.” To my ears, this sounds like blatant sexism. She’s run a state and a city. Obama has run nothing. The implicit message from the Obama campaign and the commentators who repeat the “concern” sounds more like, “Look, little lady, are you sure you can do this?” Let’s not forget that it was Hillary Clinton’s campaign that did the 3 a.m. ad about Obama. Given the respective experience (or lack of experience) of Palin and Obama, supporters of the Governor ought to be answering questions with a question of their own: “Are you sure you’re not being sexist and that you’re just not comfortable with a young woman leading this country? You’re OK with the idea of a young inexperienced man being the actual heartbeat….”

Obama’s campaign has been focused brilliantly on the concept of change. I agree that we need a change from career politicians. In fact the founding fathers of this country envisioned a government in which ordinary citizens took a role in government for a short period of time. The founding fathers themselves were not career politicians.

Senator Obama has also been right to point out the need for ethics reforms. But it’s Governor Palin who has actually done something about it. Senator Obama, unfortunately, has not.

Governor Palin is an ordinary citizen who has done great things, not least of which is the accomplishment she and her husband share in their family. The Governor’s public support for her young daughter’s pregnancy demonstrates that theirs is a real family, one where people stick around and support each other even when it’s not convenient. It certainly must be difficult for a parent to learn that her teenage daughter is pregnant. All the dreams and hopes get replaced with the reality that, as the Governor put it, the child is growing up a lot faster than ever anticipated. But you stick together.

Surprisingly, liberal critics have been faulting Governor Palin for accepting the VP pick, saying that she ought to be taking care of her children. This is coming from the same camp that’s trying to get universal childcare so that moms don’t have to stay at home.

Not every woman can do what Governor Palin has done, but let’s acknowledge her accomplishments. She’s clearly kept her family close while pursuing professional goals. I don’t know what her childcare arrangements are, but I’m impressed by how she puts her family first. She is after all supporting her pregnant teenage daughter. Similarly, I have read reports that Michelle Obama’s mother is helping the Senator and his wife with childcare during this intense campaign time.

It seems to me that we should give credit where it’s due, regardless of the political party to which someone belongs.

Finally, I find it absurd that liberal bloggers were saying that Governor Palin couldn’t possibly be the mother of her youngest child, that it had to be the child of her teenage daughter — because she looks too good to have had a baby in April. How much more sexist can people be? When a movie star has a baby we expect her to drop the weight in four weeks. When she does – with the help of a team of trainers and perhaps an early delivery – we expect every woman to do the same. Then, we have a woman like the Governor, who exercises and takes care of herself, and they say that she looks too good. Some people will never be satisfied.

I’m all for substantial change. I would like to see ordinary people participating in government. I’d like to see the corruption in government ended. All these things and the fact that she’s her own woman, not the puppet of the abortion lobby (or any other lobby), make me think that Governor Sarah Palin is the change we’ve been waiting for.

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