Why Gov. Palin's Daughter's Pregnancy has Nothing to do with Politics

And so it begins.

If you're reading this, you obviously have access to the information super-highway we call the internet, which means that by now you already know that Gov. Palin's 17 year old daughter is five months pregnant. There's a lot of speculation about whether this will hurt the McCain campaign. It's understandable, if unfortunate, that this is up for discussion. No doubt there are people who care. I suppose that makes it news. Or, as it seems to be in the world of news blogging, blood in the water.

The following is a comment from an AOL News blog:

"Bohio65 07:32 PMSep 01 2008

This is just ONE of many cans of worms about that lady.McCain wanted to use her for political gain. She is quickly becoming a political EMBARASSMENT for him. I salute McCain's poor judgment. If she cannot watch over her own 17 y.o. daughter, how can she watch over us as vice president. I have made up my mind: I will vote for Obama /McCain. I will not take any chance with her." (sic)

I'm happy to acknowledge the widely accepted truth that there are lots of idiots who post comments on those blogs. Not on mine. Never on mine. But on posts such as the one in question, this was tame in comparison with the multitudes of other hate-filled, incoherent, profanity-laced responses. I just chose this one because, after activating my brain's hand dandy Stupid-Filter, I could decipher enough to formulate a rebuttal. And I chose to take it on here, rather than in the ever-engaging debate format of the unmoderated blog comments for the same reason I won't argue with my two year old son: You can't argue with someone who is immune to or unaware of reason and logic.

In order to prevent idiocy-brain-freeze, I'm going to take this on in small bites instead of one big scoop of stupid.

My line by line responses: (perhaps the easiest rebuttal ever attempted)

"This is just ONE of many cans of worms about that lady.McCain wanted to use her for political gain."

I'm going to follow that display of ignorance with a question: Should a presidential candidate select a running mate for political loss? By extension, does that means Sen. McCain should have called up Bret Michaels and said, "Dude, do you think you could put Rock of Love: Season XVI on hold for four to eight years and instead come cruise for skanks in D.C. on the taxpayers' dime? I think the public will really hate you. It's a match made in heaven."

And also, sucky grammar. No, I don't think it warrants proper speech or complete sentences.

"She is quickly becoming a political EMBARASSMENT for him. I salute McCain's poor judgment."

Embarrassment and poor judgement can be overcome. For example, statistically, you are probably married.

"If she cannot watch over her own 17 y.o. daughter, how can she watch over us as vice president."

Thank goodness she isn't running for Vice President of Preventing Premarital Sex. We might be in the clear. Seriously, though, Princes William and Harry have some of the highest expectations of any official progeny in the world, along with what must certainly be the most sophisticated security detail, and the most intense scrutiny. And that hasn't prevented them from drinking, landing helicopters at their girlfriends' houses, sporting Nazi uniforms or otherwise "carousing." I daresay the governor of Alaska has significantly fewer resources. Furthermore, let's assume this young lady knew the consequences that having a child out of wedlock would have in her mother's career, in addition to her own life. Let us also assume that she was well aware of the attention she would be destined to draw as the daughter of the governor, even without the added curiosity incurred by a vice presidential hopeful. Given those factors, she could have chosen to have an abortion. Her suffering would have been internal, leaving her mother unscathed and her private mistakes private. But she bravely chose to tell her parents and eventually the world, and have the baby. This reflects not only on her own maturity, but also on her security in her parents' unconditional love and forgiveness. It is a sad but inevitable truth that the ugly secrets of public families that are swept under the rug are virtually without consequences, and the ones that are handled with grace, integrity and transparency are exploited for adversarial sensationalism, but is has nothing to do with the office of Vice President.

"I have made up my mind: I will vote for Obama /McCain. I will not take any chance with her."

You do that. I'm sure the people in the Obama/McCain camp will appreciate your vote.