Palin's Peculiar Family Values

Sally Quinn you are a piece of work and your statements about Sarah Palin show that. You are not fit to sit in the same room with her. Your attacks on her show how ignorant you are on what a GREAT, KIND, INTELLIGENT WOMAN SHE IS. Women like you are in the same class as miss PIGlosi who is utterly unfit for the job she has. With her as an example of women in power she is not credit to women.
I hope someday God will bless America and she will become president. It will be something to be proud of FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT. I wish I could say the same about the FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT---he is a DISASTER. I did not vote for him---not because he is black but because all he did in his years in congress was TALK, TALK, TALK and I knew that was just what he would do as president. He has the gift of gab and could talk the leg off a wooden horse. Another thing he is famous for is SPEND, SPEND, SPEND. I realize he grew up poor and his slogan is "don't do as I do DO AS I SAY. I hope America can stay the land of the free and the home of the brave instead of THE LAND OF THE ZARS.

During the Bush years I thought the Republicans were being willfully ignorant, and I think for awhile that was true. Now that only 21% of Americans claim to be Republican, and 70% of them are Palin supporters, I've changed my assessment.

I think the remaining core Republicans, the 14% of Americans who support Palin, are not willfully ignorant. They are not necessarily ignorant. They are, to put it bluntly, simply the stupidest among us.

I know this is not PC to say, and it is certainly not a nice thing to say, but at some point one must simply state a fact bluntly.

You Palin supporters have access to computers and are able to make your voice heard, you type in your comments, usually with miss-spellings, and over and over you demonstrate your stupidity.

By all means praise Sarah, and send her your money, and continue to voice your opinions. There are worse things you could do.

For myself I am through being polite, and I am through looking for some glimmer of sense in Palin and in you.

We live in a free society, and you are free to be stupid, and to say stupid things. You are free to be so stupid you do not realize you are hurting Palin's chances at getting elected. As long as you don't try to run my country anymore I say go to Alaska and bring your idiotarod to the Iquitarod. Knock yourselves out!

I just read the transcript of your "interview" with Laura Ingraham.

An "interview" it most clearly was not: Laura Ingraham clearly spoke for approximately 2/3 of the time allotted.

But no surprise there: conservatives are incapable of dialogue. They just beat us over our heads with their sanctimony and self-righteousness.

I actually kept an open mind about Sarah Palin until she pulled out her "real America" line. Where, exactly, is "real America" (I live in the SF Bay Area, and I assume that is not included) and what does that make the rest of us?

Just because Palin has partially failed as a mother (her other children seem pretty well adjusted, especially her eldest, and I know lots with one or two who can't seem to figure it out at all), doesn't mean what she preaches isn't truly the way to behave as a human being. She got married before she had her kids, which is more than I can say for many liberals who are supposed to be the more educated party. May you be judged entirely on the actions of your kids, too, if you took the time to have any, and especially if you raised them atheist. Also, I heard something about lots of lawsuits based on ethics? Ethics aren't tangible, and yet she is required to attend court on her or the state's dime each and every time someone claims she hurt their feelings? If that's the case, isn't quitting her only way out? I think she's tried very hard to show she's decent and normal and though I do see it as failure to be a quitter with only 1 year to go, I'm also very protective of my family and they are not worth sacrificing for some bright shining political career. She's taking a CHANCE, which is what life is about, except in communist countries like America. And I agree, it's wonderful she has the freedom of choice in every way she lives her life, and it's even more wonderful she still made the right decision given that awful temptation put in front of her. No one's outlawing it, we simply don't like the glamorization of such a sleezy act. And, finally, true feminists wouldn't let men talk about her the way some of them have, it's frightening to know someone thinks such things about anyone especially women, and if she were a lib, we'd hang these guys in the streets by their toenails. Whose side are you on, lady?

Oh, and where were the Obama children during the whole compaign -- and on school nights, too? Hum. Don't hear anyone complaining about that now, do we?

Ms Quinn,
In reference to your "be a better Christian' comment. Everyone knows Sarah Palin is an evangelical, but she's been only mocked for it. She has stated very clearly her support for special needs children. Surprise - it was not covered by the MSM. During a 10/24/08 policy speech on the campaign trail she nailed it: “What’s been confirmed in me is every child has something to contribute to the world, if we give them that chance. You know that there are the world’s standards of perfection, and then there are God’s, and these are the final measure. Every child is beautiful before God, and dear to Him for their own sake.” As for Bristol Palin going on the road with her pregnancy story, who else? The courage to discuss publicly her failure is HUGE. She did this not for her own fame but to speak to other young women so they don't make the same mistake. But she's still ridiculed for it. Like any politician, Gov. Palin has plenty to picked on. Dare you to try following the road not taken, and discuss her good qualities.

You are so out of touch with the values of this country outside the Beltway of elitist Washington thinking. Sarah Palin took on the Republican machine in Alaska and won, she went to a non-Ivy League college, helped her husband build a business, and decided to not abort her special needs child's birth. She is standing by her daughter as she raises her child without the support of a father. The Palin family is a pretty normal American family. As a woman you should realize that it is OK for her to be ambitious and still raise a family. You have no knowledge of how she spends time with her family and how good a mother she is. She has a supportive husband and older children that all help with the raising of Trig. Her job as governor and mother/wife would have been a lot easier if George Soros and the other far left cronies, who certainly represent the true American values, had not sent in their attorney attack dogs and involved her in lawsuit after lawsuit since the election. My understanding is that she has had to run up a personal legal bill of $500,000 against fruitless attacks by the left. That doesn't count her time involved away from the work of Alaska and her family.The politics of personal destruction are working well for the left. If you don't agree with the left this is how you are treated. Who would ever want to run for public office with this scenario with a conservative viewpoint. Then you have the mainstream media, Sally Quinn included, chiming in with their two bit attack pieces. Sally Quinn, who if she truly had worked her way to the top, would perhaps understand Sarah Palin and other women, who achieve their way to the top. Pathetic piece with no research or insight at all.

The palin lovers do so contradict themselves. First, they tell US non christians, do as I say; family values, family values. Then, their sarah does whatever she does/wants and it's all ok, they defend it and express their outrage when us non christians bring it to their attention that she's being hypocritical.

As to the person who says why are the Obama kids off limits and not the palin kids. You are wrong. I have seen much criticism of the Obama kids. It's disgusting and very ugly--uglier than anything the palin kids have had slung at them. If the palin kids were talked about with the same words and hate, sarah would be throwing a nuclear tantrum.

I totally agree with Peggy Noonan also, too, you betcha: "In television interviews she was out of her depth in a shallow pool. She was limited in her ability to explain and defend her positions, and sometimes in knowing them. She couldn't say what she read because she didn't read anything. She was utterly unconcerned by all this and seemed in fact rather proud of it: It was evidence of her authenticity. She experienced criticism as both partisan and cruel because she could see no truth in any of it. She wasn't thoughtful enough to know she wasn't thoughtful enough. Her presentation up to the end has been scattered, illogical, manipulative and self-referential to the point of self-reverence. "I'm not wired that way," "I'm not a quitter," "I'm standing up for our values." I'm, I'm, I'm.

In another age it might not have been terrible, but here and now it was actually rather horrifying."

"Sarah Palin should live up to her self-proclaimed Christian "family values" and do what she says is the moral thing to do: put her family first and help those who cannot help themselves"

So tell us Sally Quin how have you lived up to your self-proclaimed Christian "family values" and how have you done the moral thing and put your family first and help those who cannot help themselves?

Lets see you judge yourself as nastily as you have judged Governor Palin. As if you have the right to judge anyone.

And you are so petty...............
"This is a woman who took her children to the convention and paraded them on the stage, including Trig, (not in bed until late hours) and pregnant Bristol and her soon to be announced fiancé ("whatever")."

Almost comical here. So she kept baby Trig up too late for you on a night that was so special to her and her family. LOL. As if Trig was not sleeping thru it all happily in the family's loving arms.

And for shame she did not hide her daughter Bristol away. How dare she drag that girl screaming and kicking on stage. What a mean and thoughtless mother. I am sure Bristol wanted to be hidden and have her family act like she was an embarrassment.

Sally, Sally, Sally! You are one piece of work! If Sarah Palin had kept her children hidden, the liberal media and sanctimonious snobs like yourself would have said she was ashamed of her Downs Syndrome Child and her pregnant daughter. You should be applauding her for having the courage to be upfront about her family. During the campaign, Sarah Palin said she would be a positive force for Downs Syndrome Children. Where were you? Didn't hear her speeches? Maybe you are one of those liberal witches that just can't stand it that a down to earth woman like Sarah Palin has achieved so much! You are a disgrace to your gender!

Pretty obvious where you stand. I am sure you are in love with the messiah Obama but couldnt you at least go somewhere else rather than the faith section here? Sarah Palin is 10 times the woman you will ever be and it bothers you.

Pretty obvious where you stand. I am sure you are in love with the messiah Obama but couldnt you at least go somewhere else rather than the faith section here? Sarah Palin is 10 times the woman you will ever be and it bothers you.

I wonder if you watched your appearance on O'Reilly. You are a repetitive crashing bore. You only wrote this article because you knew it would generate attention. Look how few comments any of your other articles have brought...4,...3,...12. This one is approaching 400. So, sorry Sarah Palin didn't say what you wanted her to say as her reason for resigning. We hope she never does say what you want her to say, and stays true to herself and her country. Perhaps you should hang up the old keyboard, and spend all your time at home with your own special needs child, and then you can talk.

So tell us all again Sally Quinn how much you despise Sarah Palin and all she stands for!

Why does Palin -- or anyone -- have to explain their behavior the way YOU want them to do it? She is her own person and can do it as she chooses.Thank goodness she does not have to be "transparent".

I hope that Palin and people like her confront the following sort of thinking: Today, Obama says that the stimulus plan has worked as intended. Wow! Why? Because he has extended the unemployment benefits. That is "stimulus"? Is that creating jobs?

That kind of thinking is what Sarah Palin may change -- the "hope" Obama promised during his campaign and the resulting "changes" that Obama has brought: quardrupling the debt and deficit on the backs of our children.

I gather readng other comments that you have a special needs child. Yet you attack another woman with a special needs child because she did not say words that you wanted -- she did not step down because of him and "family values".

You see her as powerful and you state that she "should" use that power as she nose dives into oblivion (you hope) by focusing attention on the needs of special needs children.

I see that my comment posted last night did not get printed. Do you keep the ratio of positive to negative a certain proportion?

May I have permission to post your article on my blog? I accept all Comments so long as they are not spam and not foul. Anyone can come over and post ther remarks if they cannot do so here. go to Monterey Bay Forum at www.freedomOK.net/wordpress

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Surprise, surprise, there really is a life outside the beltway. Perhaps Ms. Quinn hopes that memory has failed many of us who remember how she slept her way into the role of Mrs. Ben Bradlee. Ironically, the Quinn/Bradlee contingent of the WaPo has experienced the challenges of having a special needs child who is now 26 years of age. One would hope that after 26 years of experience, a parent of such a child would have at least learned a modicum of compassion and empathy for others, but it appears to not be the case with Sally Quinn. I am personally confused that this article would appear in the Faith and Religion section of Newsweek considering that when not bashing Sarah Palin, the author chose to bash Christians. Lead was recently found in the Obama's garden at the White House. Perhaps a bit of if is seeping into the drinking water of Georgetown.

Sally, I think your piece accurately describes the Governor. She has acted irresponsibly with respect to her constituents and her family. As a follower of Christ, a father, a husband and an American, I think the Governor has every right to have a successful career in a challenging field and still be a wife and mother. However, she should never have accepted the VP nomination given all of the chaos that was going on at home as she had enough to deal with her job as the Governor of Alaska (and defending the US from Russian invaders--I couldn't resist). I don't think you should be criticized for putting the Palin situation in perspective since a criticism of her is not an indictment of working mothers or of evangelicals since she is a proxy for neither. Plainly put, she is a person who got in over her head and then was swept up in the emotion and excitement of election politics.

I don't believe for a second that she is stepping down for her family. I believe she is getting her ducks in a row so that she will be considered a contender for the White House in 2012. Since she came of as woefully unprepared in the last election cycle, I suspect she will be reading newspapers and maintaing a list for future reference and taking meeting with conservative thinkers so she can position herself as the main mouthpiece in Obama criticism. This move is a calculated one and given how she has turned her back on the people of Alaska so as to step out of the heat and have no professional responsibility for the next couple of years, this is one Republican who will vote against her in 2012.

Great piece, Sally. It needed to be said.

Sally,

Shame on you. Shame on you.

You are so sure Letterman was referring to her older daughter when it was in fact the minor younger daughter that accompanied her to NY. Did David call you to tell you behind the scenes who he was referring to? Would you have kept your silence if he was referring to one of your children, no matter how old he/she was?

Shame on Washington post for keeping you employed so you can spew your hatred.

Sally, I don't have the patience to read all of your bizarre screed against -- apparently -- any mother, especially (but not exclusively) the mother of a special needs child, who dares to think she has something significant to contribute to public policy as a leader holding elected office; let's amend that to one "who dares think she has a right to run for public office" just like any other adult.

But you blythely ignore one very important fact: Sarah Palin -- as Governor, as V-P candidate, and soon as private citizen -- has been a consistent voice in support of special needs individuals of all ages and their families.

Gov. Palin has taken only a handful of trips outside the state Alaska since November 08. On at least 2 of them (and probably more) -- her much-publicized trips to Indiana and to New York -- she attended special events for kids with Downs Syndrome and autism, raising money, awareness and support. The other side of this is, every time she leaves the state of Alaska she is slammed with absolutely bogus ethics complaints about her time and travel outside the state.

Advocating for special needs children, individuals and their families is clearly a top priority for Sarah Palin. Outside the governorship, she will be able to do this much more effectively.

And BTW, Trig most definitely has been the subject of direct and indirect derision from many adults, in print, on the net and in on-air interviews, including by the current WH occupants.

Sanctimonious sally.....you are afraid of sarah palin..just as so many others on the right and left are. Speaking of faith, GOD is in charge, here, not you. i thought laura ingraham was too easy on you. we can smell a liar ..and we smelled you.

Dear Bitter Sarah,
You really couldn't figure out what she was saying in 18 minutes... really? Were you looking for the hidden message... Well I guess Sarah’s just smarter than you because she didn't hint towards anything. I love it! The liberal media and how threatened they are by this intelligent and beautiful woman. Sarah is taking a break right now but you can be assured she's coming back and she going to continue doing what you never could... being successful and happy!

Sarah, You really couldn't figure out what she was saying in 18 minutes... really? Were you looking for the hidden message... Well I guess Sarah's just smarter than you because she didn't hint towards what you wanted to hear. I love it! The liberal media and how threatened they are by this woman. Sarah's taking a break right now but you can be assured she's coming back and she going to do what you never could... Continue being successful and happy!

Dear Ms. Quinn,
As a parent of a child with Down Syndrome, I understand the importance of the communication and structure garnered from a mother who does not maintain a vocation outside of the home. I, however, am an airline pilot who has not only traveled worldwide, but has exposed my son to a variety of rich cultures. In additon, I possess a Maters Degree in Special Education that affords me the ability to not only teach my son, but to understand and advocate for the services and benefits availabe to him under the law. Although I am an active woman, my now 16 year old son is an honorary member of the National Junior Honor Society, has a varsity letter in football, has earned his blue belt in Tae Kwon Do while working toward his Black Belt series, and is working toward his Eagle Scout project. He is a member of Student Council and has performed in at least 10 middle/high school productions. In addition, he skis, rides horses and enjoys swimming. He possesses a cadre of friends, both special needs and typically developing and attends more extracurricular activities than I could have dreamed possible. He is a gift to our family and others as he is a true teacher. As you have read, my son is a success and together we created the environment necessary for his achievements while I work ouside of our home in a demanding and rigorous profession. There exrists no doubt in my mind that Sarah Palin has not only cared beautifully and deeply for her family, but has done it well while pursuing an equally demanding career. We women CAN do it all - and do it well. Please refrain from the abrasive criticisms heaped upon this woman and her family. Such disdain is unbecoming to you and insulting to many of us who successfully and diligently work at careers while exceptionally caring for our families. I expect far more from you - an intelligent and career-minded mother of a special needs child.

Sally...get real. What makes you think that you have the right to tell Sarah Palin how she should resign. And you are THE authority on motherhood? Give me a break! I think Sarah Palin rocks, and you're mud!

Ms. Quinn - If you think appearing on The Factor, and given a very soft interview by Laura Ingraham, is going to make the consequences of your hate-filled rant about Sarah Palin just disappear, you are WRONG.

You, Ms. Quinn, and your elitist, smug, "liberal" fellow writers at WaPo mock standards of objectivity and honesty.

What possessed you to appear, probably for the first time, on Fox? Oh, don't tell me - the WaPo editors finally grew a set and forced you!

And what's the deal with you & Laura - you include her at your dinner parties in Georgetown or weekends at Porto Bello? You can't buy everyone Ms. Quinn - there some people left who have standards of honor and dignity.

Elitism, hypocrisy, venom - you must be one very unhappy woman, Sally - unlike Sarah!

OK Sally,
If Palin had said what you suggested she say, the news media would have really been in an uproar saying ,"Oh there's no way that's why she's resigning..".........."and if not let's make up something to put her in a bad light".

I like Palin. She reminds me of the strong, independent, women who used to make up the fabric of this country. Too bad she moved to Alaska. Too far for me here in the South. She's educated, smart, has VALUES (a term you and yours do not like) because it is everything that you and yours are NOT. Think of this, the reason she left was probably because of articles such as yours.

You seem to know everything about Sarah Palin, but why is it not that you cannot see the good in her. You only put down
the things that make Sarah Unique.

I agree with Julie Pace: we want Palin to stop the "hope" to end the "change" before "change" ends us. That SAYS it all.

Another commment intriguesd me: I got educated that Alan Colmes actualy thought that Downs Syndrome could be cured by better pre-natal care. No wonder he got that off the web fast! What an idiot.

Do you know that idiot and moron used to be normal acceptable terms for talkiing about special needs children? We have come far but not far enough.

There was a great comment about you and others suffering from a Palin Derangement Snydrome !! I agree !!

I saw you on tv tonight. I thought, why are women so hard on other women?

There is an angry tone to what you write --- like you are saying WHY DIDN'T SHE RESIGN THE WAY I WANT HER TO DO IT.

You want her to cite family and take care of her special needs child. And you get mad that she does not do it YOUR way.

I am sad that Sarah Palin resigned. She had her reasons and she spoke of some of them. I support her. During the campaign several times my sign with PALIN on it got ripped down.

I would think that staying in office keeps her honing her skills as a politician. Women have to do it better and do it longer. So quiting can be problematic.

I hope you read the Comments seriously. Did you write it just to get media attention?

If you would like to have a conversation about PALIN visit my blog: Monterey Bay Forum www.freedomOK.net/wordpress

Sally,
This is not well stated. It is a personal attack on a woman who is able to handle 5 children and run a state as well as a candidate for VP. So what that she is nursing her child...How insulting to all mothers.
I think what really makes liberal woman attack her so is that she has it all. She's beautiful, smart, talented, wonderful husband, beautiful family.
The distractions were caused by Democratic Hate Groups...all the charges were investigated and were dismissed. Costing the state millions$$$$
The pointy hooded liberal dems such as you just can't stop burning crosses in Sarah's front yard.

Dear Sally Quinn,
Your being very unfair to Sarah Palin in my opinion. I think Sarah is a good woman and a good role model for women. David Letterman on the other hand I think is a man without honor. It seems to me that people are going out of their way to find reasons to criticize Sarah and I cant understand why this is so.
Sarah is not the most eloquent speaker - that I will give you. But I have met many people in my life who have been deceived by eloquent speech. Eloquence is a valuable asset to have, but it is no substitute for goodness. If a person has charisma and eloquence but also does evil - woe is me if he be my leader.

Ms. Quinn what gives you the right to criticize Sarah Palin? You and some other responders, with you hypocritical elitist and socialist thinking, dig to find anything you can to twist on Sarah Palin. There is nothing she can say or do without you finding something negative about it ... it is always a lose-lose situation for her when it comes to most media reporting. You are no different ... and then you hide under a faith column and make your self-righteous remarks.

Maybe you need to be writing a different column other than a "faith" column because nothing you said had anything to do with faith just condemning.

The Huffington Post needs to fire the idiot who wrote the column insulting her child ... he would be if it were a Democrat that was insulted but that would never happen.

Liberal woman are amazingly hate filled. They hate Sarah Palin because she chose to keep her special needs child. She's successful without needing to be a radical feminist and she's a christian.
I have no doubt in my mind that Sally Quinn would have aborted her special needs child had she known ahead of time.
Liberal women "ProChoice" actually means "ProAbortion".....I call "Pro Holocaust" on the most innocent of human life.
Sally is a nasty hate filled woman that uses her bully pulpit to slander a woman's "Choice" that just happens to be life.
Her mother should have aborted her....the world would be a better place.

Mrs. Quinn,

As a woman and a mother of a special needs child YOU of all should NOT slander Sarah Palin.

We all know or at least those of us that are intelligent and well-read know there is a "double standard" for women and REPUBLICANS.

Shame on you and SHAME on all the Liberal women that profess "FREE CHOICE".

Does Sarah Palin not deserve the same "FREE CHOICE".

The media is liberal and all liberals are mean and not as intelligent or tolerant as they profess. I am SICK OF THEM!

You must be kidding me!! How could you possibly draw fire to Sarah Palin? I'm sorry, but your inclusion of Sarah Palin's personal status to her job performance is laughable!!

Remember...we didn't impeach Slick Willy when he had his willy impeached UNDER THE WHITE HOUSE DESK!!!

She hasn't done anything wrong except for being conservative...

Sally Quinn,

After reading your blog and seeing you on O'Reilly Factor, I think you are really taking a stab at Christianity and attempting to use it against Sarah Palin. Who are you to judge that woman? Ironically, if you knew anything about God and His Word, you would know that you have absolutely no place to say anything against one of His Own (as Sarah is). It is easy to criticise Palin, her faith and her values instead of looking at yourself in the mirror. Where do you stand with Almighty God I wonder. Do you align yourself up with the Word of God? Or do you just quote scriptures on occassions like when Palin was running with McCain? Or bring up Christian values when Palin does something so off the charts as to take a stand for her family in the way that she chose?

On the Factor, you portrayed yourself in a much "nicer" light when you said that Palin could be such a wonderful role model for special needs, etc, etc. Funny how you do not write that encouragement in your blogs.

Why is it acceptable for the Obama girls to be on the world stage and not be targets of abuse, yet the Palin kids seemingly have bull's eyes on their backs? I am so tired of this double standard. Sarah Palin has never done anything to any of you, yet your hatred for her is beyond reason. I can only assume that as Obama's poll numbers continue to tank, you will all become more and more hostile toward Sarah and her family. Someone coined a name for your illness. It is Palin Derangement Syndrome.

I just watched this weirdo on O'Reilly Factor and she continued to spew this nonsense. This woman is just another elite who is trying to change minds against Sarah Palin. I am beginning to think that they are all the mad ones! Her article was both offensive and anti family and anti woman. She should just go back to that old man she lives with. Not everyone marries for money. There can't be another reason for that marriage.

You are so offensive to suggest that Sarah Palin is something less than a good mother for not say that she was resigning to spend more time with her family, especially her "special needs" child. Are you really saying that no mother of a "special needs" child should ever run for public office, work outside the home or be high profile in any way? I have found over the last couple of years that the people who are hardest on women are other women. You are working and you have a special needs child yet you can point your finger at Sarah Palin and tell the world what a terrible mother she is. You and all libs work at making her out to be the worst person on the planet. You all need to give her a break from your ugliness.

Sally Quinn,
I could not beleive what you said on the O'Reilly Show today. Sally are you a mother do you have the motherly instincts to protect your children from horrible people? Do you have a special needs child I have a grandchild until you walk in those shoes you have no opionion. What do you think Sara Palin was doing in NY when Letterman attack her child and do really think age made a difference in what Letterman it was a disgrace for women period! Sara Palin was marching for disable children did everybody forget this. Yes you said Palin had a choice to kill her special needs child but she made the right choice. If this had been a man would all these attacks be made on him and his family and special needs child. Anyone that attack a speical needs child is a very sick person and I really feel sorry for them because I have a special needs child she is my angel and I receive more love from this child. Let up on Sara Palin it is making people sick.

as an independent that voted for obama, i can tell you that I am no fan of sarah palin for president. in this article, however, i see a mean-spiritedness that occupies the minds of people on the far right and far left. it's all politics. i have raised a productive, happy, fine young severely disabled man and still worked hard at work and at home. i am proud that i was able to keep the joy in my family that comes from each person's fulfillment. my son, far from being hurt by my working, thrived because he learned to be a helpful, responsible member of our happy family and the wider community. what a judgmental article. how sad that we mothers with children with disabilities aren't better sisters to each other.

Mrs. Quinn:
As a woman - and as a mother of a special needs child - AND as a christian - WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT to sit in judgment of Sarah Palin? Or of any woman. You, as well as the majority of so called "journalists" should be ashamed. I'm becoming sick of the self righteous attitudes of the media/bloggers. Instead of supporting her, you're tearing her down - are you trying to endear yourself to Letterman?

Sally,
You must be one miserable person. Anyone who critizes as you have is either unhappy, jealous, or insecure. You might be all three for all I know. I know many people of your sorts. Sarah unlike you was such an inspration to many last fall. If I was 10 years younger, I would have gotten serious about running for a pulbic state office. I have been elected and served on the local school board. Sarah gave me new hope and energy last fall. It is too bad that all the media did was bash, bash, and bash somemore. I will pray that more happiness comes into your life.
Mary Blunt

So, when the Obamas had their kids on stage,they were not exploiting them, and when they allowed them to be interviewed on t.v. they were not exploiting them? But when Gov. Palin had her family with her, that was exploitation? Should she have hidden Trig away somewhere because he wasn't "perfect"? And it was fine for Letterman to direct a vulgar and disgusting remark at the 18 year old, but not the 14 year old, because Bristol had the temerity to accompany her family instead of being hustled off to Planned Parenthood? By the way, the children have been taken care of by a very hands-on dad and supportive spouse; would you have criticized Obama if he had a special needs child? How hypocritical! I am not part of the "base" nor am I an evangelical Christian but I admire Sarah's enormous courage and I applaud her for speaking out against the vitriol directed at her and her family.

You wanted to know who said terrible things about Trig Palin. Here's one not only about Trib but also about Sarah. Alan Colmes, formerly of Hannity and Colmes, blogged on his blog several months ago that Trig could have been "normal" if Sarah had had good prenatal care. Well, we all should know that Down Syndrome occurs at conception so all the prenatal care in the world could not have made him "normal." After a dozen or so people sounded off to Colmes, he quickly took down the blog.
I think, Sally, that you have some terrible guilt clouding your judgment. Somehow or another, you feel better about your own "special needs child" when you can point a finger at someone you say is a worse mother than you are. Shame on you.

Just like the herd-mentality of these pathetic socialist liberal progressive statist whatever they call themselves today sociopaths, the Quinnster can't attack on any issue per se, so she, like the rest of the herd, attack personally. These inner-city pseudo-intellectual elites get off on criticizing others. They simply reveal themselves by their projections. This greater country consists of highly intelligent and educated folks that see right through this pathetic case of infantile baby prattle. Quinn is irrelevant, but she makes herself relevant by doing this. Remember the little girl on the corner that hit the other little girl in the back of her head with a lunch box simply because she was jealous? It's really pathetic to see what thrives inside the beltway. These poor people are pathological psycho-killers. Sally Quinn displayed the psychodynamics of disturbia personified, and when you read this effluvium, you realised you had just purchased a ticket to the front row of the theater of the absurd. Not to worry, these people are not long of the true American stage. They are dust in the wind - a momentary lapse of reason...

We must have listened to two different Palin speeches. Sarah's main reasoning for stepping down was she couldn't get anything done for Alaska, and the financial cost to her family was too great.
Who are you to tell her what her reason should have been? Would you tell a football player to stop playing football or a model to stop modeling, or an actor to stop acting because they have autistic children?
Be honest, Sarah was attacked because she is a white, Christian, conservative, with family values. The funny thing about Christians, they realize that they are not perfect. It is okay to attack her daughter for talking about abstinence after having an out of wedlock baby, so why was it okay to attack Miss California. What it comes down to is honesty. Be honest Miss Quinn. You could have said, “being the mother of a special needs child, I would have loved to have heard Sarah Palin say that her son Trig, didn’t deserve the mean spirited remarks against special needs children and so I am stepping down to fight for him and all special needs children.” Then you would have been honest.

Well,based on the posts,we women are our OWN worst enemy.

So Ms. Quinn, let me recap for a moment, you brought your special needs son out to promote his book.
You married a man who was many years older than you, did you break up his marriage, and you have the audacity to smear Sarah Palin.

Sarah Palin's track record surely beats yours as she has been married to the same person and has raised all of her children. Moreover she has actually accomplished something where you have been an appendage to the Publisher of the newspaer you write for.
You liberals really are afraid of middle America, and work very hard to push down the people who work hard every day to make it to the next day.
Your elitism is very refreshing from a person whose husband felt your qualifications for working at the Post were somewhere other than the work you had provided!!! Or maybe it was the work your later provided him.

You should keep your hypocritical views to yourself, you are no expert on any of these matters. Go away and let a real journalist comment on the news of the day.
By the way I was very impressed with your son on Larry King and his willingness to come forward and make a better day for others. He is a remarkable person.

After doing a little research about your life I have a much better understanding of your view of Sarah Palin and her "disabilities" as a mother, wife and leader. What I don't get is why you chose the title you write under....Co-moderates on faith. No faith is not faith. As I said...it just makes its all the clearer why you feel like you do toward Sarah Palin and any other woman who choses life over death of unborn children. I'm curious if you ever experienced abortion yourself. Might explain your attitude toward it as well. Back to point. I find it quite amazing that there has been so much speculation on what Sarah meant when she gave her resignation speech. I felt she was very clear that she was pursuing a higher calling. Whether that is in politics or not is inconsequential at this moment but it is hilarious to sit back and watch the news medias and people like you slam her decision when you don't get her at all. She is more woman than most women will ever be. She is a terrific mother. She is a woman of great worth and value and moral character. She says what she means and means what she says. Just a bit more advice...you should change the name of your blog. It's really deceptive on your part to imply you have anything to do with faith when you are a self proclaimed atheist.

Ms Quinn's vicious anti-Palin attack was another tiresome "greeneyed" envious tirade by just another member of post-menopausal,self entitled,pompous and sadly out-of-touch "feminist" brigade.Ms Quinn is irrelevant,she may as well join the pj parties with her age appropriate pink clad fellow feminists over at the CodePink girls club in Wash DC. Did marvel at the First Lady's pretentious shoulder length full veil for their Il Papa meet n' greet. Talk about oppressive,that long veil was a parody of the oldtime RC version of the burkha.Many "modern" USA RC women go,gasp hatless.Although a Italia I went for the little lace doiley or a tidy small hat.

Sally, I find your article incomprehensible. Why exactly are you angry about this resignation? Scared? It is possible that Governor Palin has more than one reason for resigning. I certainly hope that one of them is to support efforts to galvanize the American people in 2010 in order to stop "the hope" and end the "change" before "change" ends us. She can do it and you know it.

I cannot believe that you can say that she paraded her children around at the convention!! Does Obama not take his children with him? He is with them now in Africa, he also took them on his apology tour of Europe. No one I mean no one has said anything about that!! Why is it so bad for her to take her children with her? She was being introduced to the country and she brought her family with her. This woman as you say is real very real more so that the woman who wrote the article. And get this straight the comment by letterman was said about her younger daughter not Bristol but Piper was the one that went to the baseball game not Bristol. Yes Bristol has put herself out there on a tour talking about young woman and pregnancy. But again Piper the 14 year old was the brunt of the perv comment by letterman. I love it when so called journalists get there glory on bashing the Palin family. Funny part is that they would have no career if it wasn't for the Palin family. Hint Hint Katie Couric.

Ms. Quinn: This offensive, arrogant and ignorant attack is inexcusable and appalling on the order of Letterman's and Dowd's equine manure.

Ms. Quinn is just like Peggy Noonan, old has beens that want their 15 min of fame. The only way they can do that is to ride on the coat tails of Sarah Palin. What sad pathetic women they are.

Ms. Quinn, You say that Sarah Palin should have resigned with the reason being "It is too hard on my family". First of all, who is to say it is too hard on her family? Don't you think that statement would shut down her bright future in politics?

Stop picking on the women for being a conservative Christian!
She does not have to answer to YOU or anyone els. She answers to GOD.

Why don't you start studying OBAMA and his lack of Christianity. Our country was founded on Christianity. The whole country needs to do a history lesson on our Founding Fathers and their ways of governing and worshiping GOD. Our country is going done the tubes because we lack morals and values. Instead of praising and worshiping our God, we worship celebrities, money, and materialistic items. WAKE UP AMERICA. Starting putting God first and how nation will get back on track. Stop aborting innocent babies and placing OBAMA on a pedestal. WAKE UP!

Ms Quinn
You comments are offensive and elitist to the MAX
You should be FIRED & live in a cardboard box !

Mrs Quinn is clearly deluded and furthermore is unqualified to report on christiananity. In the bible it clearly states,in both the new and old testament, everyone is equal under God. By the way, that includes men and women! Under your logic, why are you then spending anytime out of your home persuing your career? Under your logic, you should be home, tending only to your home, children and merely be there to support your husband...So why are you working then? Also, as a woman with a disability, I applaud Governor Palin for being proud of all her children, especially Trig. She openly discusses the joy and rewards that come from sharing your life with a person with a disability. She leads by example that just because you have a child or are the person who suffers from a disability, you can and are entitled to live a life full of pleasure, happiness and without limitations! So God Bless Governor Palin for that and so much more she can do for our country! Shame on Mrs. Quinn and this newspaper for allowing such trash to be posted. I will pray for Mrs. Quinn's unchristian like attack on Mrs. Palin and her family. I will also pray that somehow she can release this hatred from her heart and let God's love in.

"the our." Bad editing. "Everything she does is for self-aggrandizement." And you believe it isn't? "Spend more time with my family." A cliche which isn't even true. It's more like "spend more time in the lower 48" (see "everything she does is for self-aggrandizement.") But if she cares at all about her children, she'll put aside some of that book money for their psychiatry sessions.

I think Sarah Palin decided to resign to come to the lower 48 states and get a head start on 2012.

At this point in time, I do not believe Palin is qualified for the presidency. Things may change within the next three years.

I am a democrat who voted for Obama, I do not think that Sarah Palin was ready to be President for many reasons. I am also the parent of a young woman who has Down syndrome.

I have also been sickened by some of the media and public things said about her son Trig. If you don't believe that it exists, then you haven't looked too far.
Yes, parents of kids with disabilities can function in the real world and have "real" lives. Our entire life does not revolve around our child with disabilities. She should not have defend Trig's very existence- nor should any parent.

It is rare that I find anything in the comments section that I actually agree with. However, this time there seems to be widespread agreement that Sally Quinn has simply written a ridiculous and spiteful piece. As Americans, we don't have to agree with one another about everything to rise above this sad level of discourse.

Miss Quinn/Mrs. Bradlee: you should occasionally check out the Huffington Post if you want to find particularly vitriolic comments. As the mother of a daughter with Down Syndrome, I have tried quite often to (gently) chastise bloggers and posters about their comments (which are pure hate speech). Contradict a blogger, your post gets censored and yet the most horrifyingly bigotted comments about people with learning disabilities - get approved by the moderator.

Pull your head out of the sand.

The hatred toward Governor Palin speaks volumes about the contempt of the self-anointed cultural elite for normal Americans. We certainly have an elitist in the White House who is more to Ms. Quinn’s liking.

Sarah Palin's problem is that she is too normal. She also speaks English, not Politicianese. Incidentally, she is also a better public speaker than Barack Obama. When her teleprompter went out at the Republican convention, she went on as if nothing happened and delivered a superb speech. I’d like to see BHO do that.

Sally, I don't think you know much about Christian conservative women. Tell me, where in the Bible does it say that women can't work or hold leadership roles in government? Deborah was one of the Judges of the Old Testament. Queen Esther saved her people. The New Testament preaches absolute equality in Christ--neither Greek nor Jew, slave nor free, male nor female.
Since your column is entitled "On Faith," I would think you would try to learn more about someone's faith before criticizing her for not following it.

its sad to see whats going on in america, and trashing one another..regaurdless who you voted for- both canidates had one goal for america, and it was to make it a better place for all of us..to see this woman(sally) trash (one of our own), is just anti- american. sarah and obama or both (AMERICANS) and need to be treated with respect.. you sally quinn are anti- american.. you should apoligize to sarah face to face.. you know sarah would most likely forgive you because thats the way she rolls.sarah is one very nice and respectfull woman. everybody should go out and fight for sarah-- HEY YALL, shes one of us--

Sadly, I am encouraged and a bit too delighted to see so much SALLY bashing. It is justified but not dignified. We have seen Sarah get the shaft and feel it is fair to return in kind. But that isn't kind. Sally probably doesn't know what it is like (may not want to if she is a strong feminist) to have a loving husband and family in balance with career. The times we live in demand a bit of sacrifice and Sarah has been willing to sacrifice some of her family time to serve her state and county. It cannot be done well without sacrifice - like most worthwhile things in life. My guess is that Sarah has balanced her family's needs with her career at least as well, and probably better, than most.

Regardless if she is suited to be our next President or not she is worthy of respect and a more respectful approach to her service, her views and her children. The media has failed miserably at this and should be ashamed.

It is time to ask ourselves if we want to have a debate or kill everyone who thinks differently than us. Sally and her ilk seem homicidal. I don't want to live that way. Do you?

Marriage is between a man and a woman for life. Families - husband, wife and children - are the only way to raise balanced adults. Spending more than we make will always get us into serious trouble. Life in the womb, in old age, and with mental handicaps has intrinsic value and should be respected and protected. We live in a dangerous world and being strong, very strong, is our best protection. Deconstructing our civilization before having anything like a working model to replace it with is simply foolish - tradition is not bad. It teaches us what has worked for a long time. Improvements can be found - but incrementally. Obama remakes America at all our peril and we should resist that foolishness and yet continue to strive to grow.

Lets talk about these things. Get into the meat of the costs and benefits and consequences. Talk not yell. We may not agree but we can learn things, gain understanding, make a better place for our children, nieces and nephews. Lets not leave them bankrupt financially and philosophically.

Sally - this goes for you too. Though I expect that you have no incentive other than your own sense of personal decency since hostility sells much better than civility.

I am so disgusted by this continued slamming of Sarah Palin. Keep it up. The more people critize her, the more I like her. Please visit the blog of Linda Kellen Biegel who doctored a photo of Trig. To say that a woman "trotted her children out for political gain" is truly vile. I see the Obama girls on CNN almost every day. Do you know why some young women have abortions? To avoid the kind of jokes made by David Letterman. The shame and embarrassment are too much for some women. We'll see what happens when Letterman's son is a teenager and "knocks up" some young girl. He's so wealthy he'll just pay to have it go away.

Sarah Palin has my support and vote any day.

Per Sally QUinn:
I don't know what Palin has in mind. Maybe she'll run for President, maybe she won't. I couldn't care less. What I do feel sad about is her missed opportunity.

WHAT A LIAR! You would just die if Sarah Palin runs for President. You do not think she deserves to live on the same earth as you do much less be your president. Isn't your whole reason for writing about Sarah Palin all the time is to destroy her just so she can't run for president?

So we have a cartoon and an idiot at Huffington Post. Yes, repulsive...but enough to require a "Warning label" put on Quinn's argument/opinion piece? These two are "All the adults" who specifically attached her young son?

We are now starting to get to the crux of the argument I'm interested in. More examples of all the adults (media, news, talking heads) who disparaged Trig?

Considering all of the resources you have available, I find it amusing that you were not aware of any of "those mean-spirited adults who mocked and ridiculed Sarah's special needs child". I thought that I would help you out. Just one egregious example would be Erik Sean Nelson at the Huffington Post. He had the grace and compassion to refer to Trig as retarded and stated that Sarah was helping out the world by increasing the population of retarded people. FYI.

wagthedog...thank you.

That is debating opposinig views AND providing details with substance to support your argument and feelings without name calling, vitrol etc.

When we get to the point of typing what the talking heads are saying on the tube...word for word, we get lazy in our ability in HOW to have a conversation when we differ in opinion.

Cheers!

To TOC001:

Do you not get that we here? ..read the article ourselves..Greta..has nothing to do with it? Or is your agenda just to bash Fox News..do that somewhere else..this is for people who go to the source..capable of making independent judgements..I get the feeling that you are for government controlled media..anyway..go to someplace where they are discussing media objectivism..that is not here..

"Greta-speak" fans....

PLEASE NOTE A CORRECTION and some additional background for Greta's show July 9th, 2009.

Greta misrepresented Quinn's argument: Quinn's question is name all of the idiots who verbally attacked the handicapped child of Sarah? Greta failed to answer Quinn's question by changing and spinning the premise.

Greta's employer, Fox media on their website the last several days has posted a photo of one of the president's daughters and some, though not all of the comments, are truly disgusting and aimed DIRECTLY at the child.

This tabloid trash was the MOST commented on story at Fox website in the evening of July 9, 2009.

The FOX website touts as part of its purpose: civility and mutual respect and, most importantly, strengthening our diverse society, and civil discourse.

COMMENTS AT FOX WEBSITE about Malia Obama July 8 & July 9. Most Commented Story.

Is she stupid or what?

you are right -- she's just a really misguided brownish colored kid .....

send her out on the streets

shes a clueless kid...get a life malia

It's sad to see that the many of the Young are being indoctrinated with Satan's Agenda

SHE SHOULD BE WEARING THE HAMMER AND SICKLE!

Barack, now that you have put you daughter onto the political scene is she going to be fair game for the comics? Like showing her how to use a teleprompter,come on that's funny

what was on the back of her shirt a picture of rev wrong and bill ayers laughing there buts off

How could her mom and dad cheapen her this way?

GAG ME

My mother would not have tolerated such sloppy attire to an important event, especially knowing the cameras are on her.

T should have read: "I'm With Stupid"

I heard she has 4 T-shirts similar to that one. One with Hugo Chavez, one with Daniel Ortega, one with Zeyala and one with her Dad's picture. Birds of a feather.

Malia will soon be sporting the Che Guevera-Fidel Castro "Little Miss" line for Marxist Youths

Oh, Ms.Quinn. Please keep posting this dribble. It does nothing bu bolster support for Gov.Palin. As a conservative Evangelical Christian Woman. I support her. God raises up leaders, even Obama for reasons I do not understand. So, Gov. Palin is a leader, like it or not. You on the other hand are not even a journalist let alone a leader. If you were we would actually have information on BO and his family's "disfunction" which I am sure there is quite a bit. But most of your fellow hypocrits dont have the spine to actually report or investigate. So, Until you write an article truly investigating the Obamas.. Shut It!

No one made fun of Trig. The genius Palin took an ad criticizing her relationship with another Alaska politician, which replaced Trig's face with that of the politician, and created a faux scandal.

I repeat, no one made fun of Trig. As soon as his face was replaced from the photo, he was not an issue.

Again another example of Palin's stupidity/sensationalism. SHE made her son an issue for political gain.

Wagthedog is jealous of the Obama kid's swing set.

Why do you hate success?

Become a lawyer, law professor, Senator, successful author, and President; then you too can have a swing set. At least get off the computer and go to work you bum.

Watchdog...

I'm an independent with conservative leanings. Like most, I tend to have my own life experiences ...and I hope I have a bent for seeking out truth in what I consume.

I attempt to understand sometimes not only what the debate is about but HOW the debate takes place. Our forefathers recognized this important point and my pastor would agree.

I'm a big fan of history and the special place for civil debate, morals/religion and unbiased press inquiry in our Democracy. Toqueville's "Democracy in America" was a good college read oh so many years ago. The Federalist papers are a good primer also in trying to understand the special give and take built into our country's birth.

My interest on Quinn's argument/article as it relates to FOX is that FOX interjected themselves more as opinion media and LESS about being a PRESS outlet reporting facts... on THIS article. I may not agree with all of Quinn's points but I did recognize an important question she raised:

Who are the specific sources of Sarah's public comments on Trig? So often those who substitue opinion for reporting the facts tend to forget the argument falls down without a solid foundation of facts.

Is Quinn critical of Palin? Absolutely. Does the Quinn article warrant a parental "Warning Label" and red flag placement on a media opinion website? I don't know or understand this tactic...I'ld like your opinion. Does FOX speak with forked tonque by giving haven and breeding ground for an attack post on Obama's child? It sure looks like it.

Palin, McCain, Biden, Obama,etc...to CNN, Christian Science Monitor, FOX, Washington Post etc...as a consumer of information I need to question each source...

The names will change but the democracy I believe in will remain strong if we continue to be able to engage in civil debate with facts.

Thomas Jefferson stated "It is so difficult to draw a clear line of separation between the abuse and the wholesome use of the press, that as yet we have found it better to trust the public judgement, rather than the magistrate, with the discrimination between truth and falsehood. And hitherto the public judgement has performed that office with wonderful correctness."

Oh and I think Wagthedog1 should get ready for work. It's getting late and I'm sure his boss is wondering where he is.

It's funny that he is decrying your success when it his party that always asks why liberals hate success.

I also wonder if he would allow his children to be taught by a teacher with the verbal and grammatical skills of Sarah Palin?

From an earlier comment,

"Vitriol has supplanted any sort of discernable political or social discourse. They are bullies in the purest sense, ready to trounce anyone who disagrees with their views, no matter how idiotic those views seem to the rest of the thinking world."

This comment, although intended for Republicans, describes people like Sally Quinn, David Letterman, Chris Matthews, et al. As for "idiotic" ideas, let's try same-sex "marriage," global warming, and change we can believe in.

MS. Quinn why don't you write a story about the spoiled little brats of Obama's. In these hard economic times, they get a $2,000 swingset in their backyard..or..they get to go to an expensive private school, while their father takes away vouchers for low -income kids to go to the same school..google it..it's disgraceful..maybe Obama doesn't want his kids mixing with low-income kids.

Ms. Quinn Shouldn't you be doing a story on a secular President visiting with the Pope and it's hypocrisy?

MSNBC just quoted Levi Johnston, a kid who continues to love the him, and he loves the media..tell me this is a legitimate news channel..this is journalism? They will dig deep to find a snake to trash her..they must see her as a threat to Obama, their darling, in 2012..there is no other explaination of this continued coverage..thanks for keeping Sarah up front.No one can believe the trash you write or report..it's getting laughable.

SARAH PALIN IS SO WELL LIKED AND RESPECTED ..IT IS DRIVING THE GOOSE-STEPPING MEDIA OUTLETS SO CRAZY THEY CONTINUE TO WRITE TRASHY TABLOID STORIES ABOUT HER!!! then try to call it journalism..come on..how dumb do you think the Americans are? Well..I guess pretty dumb..they made the socialist President into a rock store and we bought it..

Does Sarah Palin have a chance to become President in 2012? Well, based on the media and the continued personal bashing, of a person who has only recently responded to this continued bashing..I guess she must..there is no other reason for it..it's simple..we have seen the bias..and we aren't buying it anymore..

MS. Quinn and Supports:
That you and other women who have such distain for Governor Palin, can not respect that fact that;
1) Palin represents everything that the "womens movement" has argued, for decades. IE that women can do whatever they put their minds too, and in Palins case, better than 99.9% of the politicians in DC, shows the hypocracy of the "liberal left".
2) That her accomplishments as govenor, are completely dismissed by you, also speaks to your credability as a "jounralist".

Govenor Palin represents women in politics and the work place, as a leader. She has fought against corruption in her OWN party, she has accomplished more in her 2 years as govenor than ANY of her predicessors. She stood up for the residence of Alaska getting them what they have been entitled to as taxpayer regarding the oil right in Alaska. But, do you mention any of that? Do you want to highlight the accomplishments of a "soccer mom" who took the risk and initiaitve to stand up and fight for what she believes, no. I believe for you to do so would put you in the position of not being able to find a counter part with the same accomplishments and integrity, in your own party, (because it is clear that you are a liberal democrat). It would, by default, show your readers what a politician with integrity, and a committment not to their party, but to the people, really looks like.
Unlike, say Senator Obama, she feels it would be a dis-service to the State of Alaska to pursue her goals and continue as Govenor. That there is a politicians that does not want to take tax payer money for a job they are not able to commit to, is admirable. Your distain for this woman clearly overwhelms your ability to be a responsible journalist and report ALL the facts.
GCInME

Sally, thanks for summarizing what I've been repeating all along to people. It has nothing to do with her being a woman. She touts herself as the person representing family values, yet she has a family in obvious need of more hands-on parenting. It's not sexist to say this - no other national politician has a family situation this complicated. How could she consider the vice presidency with so much turmoil and need in her own family? Whether she was a man or a woman, my expectation would be for her to say "I'm sorry, my children come first." It's not like she was the only person who could save the country according to prophecy or something. I'm a woman, a feminist and a liberal. But my family comes first because I am a decent human being who knows what it is to love someone above my own ambitions, not because of how many x chromosomes I have.

To those who keep bringing up FOX NEWS: Doesn't it scare you that other media are not objective about this President and distorted his qualifications? Would you really want ALL media outlets goose-stepping to this administration? Fox News gives you the other perspective..this is still America isn't it?

Does Sarah Palin have a serious chance of being the republican presidential nominee in 2012? Of course not! So why are women commentators like Ms. Quinn and Maureen Dowd so full of vitriol when attacking Governor Palin? Again, it speaks more about the writers' own perceived inadequacies, personal tragedies, and pure and simple envy. Call it "Queen Bee" syndrome or whatever, but these older, less successful, and less attractive women have been overtly anti-feminist in their attention to and over the top strident coverage of Governor Palin.

Ms. Quinn,

I think it is your article here that is utterly incomprehensible. You should be ashamed of yourself. Instead of supporting a woman who is taking advantage of the amazing opportunities afforded to women in this day and age to live out her dreams, you bash her because she holds different beliefs than you. When you should be celebrating the fact that this is a woman who stands up for what she believes and tries to make a difference in her country, you belittle her because she is a woman working outside the home. How hypocritical of you. Why do you get to decide what she should or should not be doing? Why do you get to decide how she should raise her children? Get off your high horse and leave the woman alone. I for one am glad that there is a woman out there standing up for unborn children and the conservative principles in which I believe.

This article is nothing but tabloid trash and could easily be found in the grocery store and quite frankly that's where it belongs.. What scares some people so much about Sarah Palin?..that she has common sense..that she represents a success story of a woman who has worked her way up and has such a wonderfully such a clean record? That she puts her state and country before her party? That she's had so much more experience than the curren POTUS that we were sold on main stream media. WE LOVE SARAH PALIN!!!! AND I REGRET VOTING FOR OBAMA. THe same main stream media that relies on quites from Levi Johnson, like it's fact..that's journalism? Why don't you talk about the selling of a President..the way the main stream media distorted the truth about Obama?

I'm Respectfully Seeking an Answer:

To the conservative leaning folks here, a question: Why would FOX media conglomerate place a headline that states "WARNING" on the article link to Quinn's piece? What does a reader at FOX web look like who would warrant, need or require a literary alert? so weird when you think about it from a civil debate/discourse perspective.

I can almost hear the nasaly sneer in the comments by alisongkc1 and mbwilliams1 about Palin's reference to the "Department of Law". Their sanctimony is practically dripping off the page and their disdain for Palin's inferior intellect is palpable.

Unfortunately for these self-styled sophisticates, Alaska does,indeed, have a Department of Law.

The fact that alisongkc1 and mbwilliams1 didn't know this makes them, by their own standards, idiots of the first order for the rest of their lives, and dumber than Sarah Palin.

"Greta-speak" fans....

PLEASE NOTE A CORRECTION and some additional background for Greta's show July 9th, 2009.

Greta misrepresented Quinn's argument: Quinn's question is name all of the idiots who verbally attacked the handicapped child of Sarah? Greta failed to answer Quinn's question by changing and spinning the premise.

Greta's employer, Fox media on their website the last several days has posted a photo of one of the president's daughters and some, though not all of the comments, are truly disgusting and aimed DIRECTLY at the child.
This tabloid trash was the MOST commented on story at Fox website in the evening of July 9, 2009.

The FOX website touts as part of its purpose: civility and mutual respect and, most importantly, strengthening our diverse society, and civil discourse.

Greta has a relationship with the
Palin's through her husband's arms length consulting.

Again,

To the conservative leaning folks here, a question: Why would FOX media conglomerate place a headline that states "WARNING" on the article link to Quinn's piece? What does a reader at FOX web look like who would warrant, need or require a literary alert? so weird when you think about it from a civil debate/discourse perspective.

Concerning " the names of those mean-spirited adults who mocked and ridiculed her special needs child"... Dont you even you read your own column before you publish it? Take a look in the mirror.

Well done, Ms. Quinn. A famous line from the Dirty Harry / Clint Eastwood movies is "man's got to know his limitations." A line I try to live by from Confucius is along the lines of "true knowledge is knowing that you know and knowing what you don't know." Societies need leaders that are grounded in these two concepts, and Ms. Palin is clearly not. She seems like an Elmer Gantry-type character, great at the showbiz aspect of religion where hypocrisy isn't a deal-killer but not governance. She hasn't well defined or maybe even perceived her intellectual and ethical limitations or lack of knowledge about critical issues. She may be making the right move from a field that requires different skills than she has to that of writing, inspiring etc but not governing. I agree that what's scary are the millions of voters who seem willing to settle for an incompetent government leader if they simply share their values. I agree with the commenter that there appears to be a sort of class warfare by many folks against things that are sophisticated, progressive or scientific; our planet has huge problems and needs people like President Obama who excel at all three.

Dear Sally,
When you accuse Palin of "exploiting" her children during the campaign, so that means if I go through old issues People, US, OK Magazine, I won't see pictures or mention of Obama's children? If I go over coverage of Obama's campaign, I won't see his children? There were 2 little girls on the stage one said, "I love you daddy." Who were they?
By the way who were those 2 little girls with the Barack and Michelle when they were being interviewed by Maria Menunous on NBC's EXTRA? (I think they're names were Sasha and Malia).

I guess slamming Palin has become everyone's favorite pasttime. It makes people feel like they're smart or something. It makes people feel like they're better people.

At the same time, I don't understand everyone is so obsessed with what she does.

Your most holy Messiah has descended from the clouds to run this nation.

The Democrats control all 3 branches with now 60 votes in the Senate. Why can't they just enjoy having the majority and being accountable for everything now.

The Stimulus bust isn't Palin's fault.
AIG getting more bonuses this week isn't Palin's fault.

I agree with Sally's post ... a person so "committed" to family values would not have put her dysfunctional family though the campaign. There is also no need to continually thrust them into the limelight.

I respect the Carters for keeping Amy out of the spotlight, the Clintons for keeping Chelsea out of the spotlight, and even the Bush family for keeping the twins out. Ms. Palin has abused her childern.

I grew up in Grand Rapids, home of Zondervan. I had respected much of their work. However, I am ashamed of Zondervan for their promotion of Ms. Palin.

Had also worked in the congressional offices of a leading conservative Congressman from Michigan. He, and most were of much higher caliber than Ms. Palin ... certainly more worthy of national office than she.

I agree with Sally's post. Ms. Palin's actions are selfish, and not in the best interests of her children.

Dear Ms. Quinn: You are right on the mark. Here's a comment I wrote on another blog two days ago:

My mother and I agreed long ago that Palin should have told McCain “Thanks, but no thanks, this isn’t the right time for my family or my state.” to spare Bristol and spend some extra time with Trig. We’ve watched in horror as she has used her children as props and shields and one by one has thrown them under the bus in the national media. The only good thing about her running for VP is that thanks to the “MSM elite” millions have watched her spewing vitriol, half-truths, and outright lies. They have seen her hypocrisy and lack of fitness for office first hand. Alaskans have finally taken a good look at her political record, and on that basis, her popularity has plummeted here, so much so that she would have been foolish indeed to run for a second term.

That said, I am so delighted that we have a nice, intact, traditional family that cares for and respects each other in the White House to provide an example for us all.

About Palin's "incoherent" statements: Sally, you're not only wrong, you're unintelligent. I listened to Palin's resignation announcement, and I also listened to her marvelously handle the questions thrown at her (all of which she had answered already) by the lake. I will admit this: Palin's verbal delivery is weak - the intonation is wrong, there are no pauses where there should be, everything is too rushed and all on an equal level. When every word is of equal significance, it starts to sound like none of the words are of any significance. But if you stop to listen (rather than rush to pile on, but we know Quinn couldn't possibly do that) to the actual content, listen to the words as if you were reading them, you discover, to your amazement, that this woman is actually composing quite focused, sustained and forceful arguments - AND, may I add, often on the spot, extempore. And a far sight better than anything Obama seems capable of. Particularly in her interviews with the reporters by the lake, Palin was magnificent. But... you had to actually listen to the words, and with an attention span.
Work on it, Quinn.

JJD1965, I see I struck a nerve. Real leaders don't bail when times are tough, that is when they lead. Palin isn't the first politician to face a hostile press, but she is the first to give up so easily. You throw out words like double standard, without seeing that you excuse in Palin what would never be excused in a man.

Leaders, whether they are men or women, should be stronger than Palin has shown herself to be.

I am a Christian Right Wing conservative woman, so does that mean I have to give up my dreams and pursuits in life so I can be a stay at home mom? There are PLENTY of Christian Conservative women that work, and pursue their goals and try to make the best of this one life we are given. I've never once been in Church where the preacher says that we should stay at home with our children or had anyone at Church look down upon women who didn't stay home. In fact very few women don't work. If Sarah Palin Dreams of being a President, (which I will surely vote for her if she runs in this next election) a Governor, or what ever she wants to be that is her choice and should not be a target for you to write a malicious and meaningless article about. During Obama's Election his children were with him a lot of the time and I don't see you writing an article on how Obama (or any other male politician) being a bad parent for going after their goals. What have you gained from writing this article? I believe that we have complete right to debate her (or any anyone elses) political ideas, plans, and everything else.. but family is the one thing that should be left out of this, because this is none of our business, nor none of yours.

Funny, the only hate speech I'm seeing is coming from the Palin-bots who are dredging up every minor detail of Ms. Quinn's life in the ugliest terms possible.

Take a look at what you're posting, Palinistas. It's pretty ugly.

Ms. Quinn: I say this to you with great charity and love. Repent and beg Almighty God for forgiveness or, you will rue the day you were born. I pray that God may have mercy on your soul because you, Letterman, C. O'Brian and all the rest of your fellow like-minded, liberal, God-hating, Demoncat Washington/New York/LA elitist who are bent on destroying the USA have no idea what you face for all eternity. I truly pity you. Read the Bible and Jonathan Edwards' sermon "Sinners in the hands of an angry God" and perhaps you may still have time to repent and be saved. "The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood."

Hey Cyclops, spend more time with your own kids and stop trying to take the "moral high ground." Any fair observer, especially a woman, should be shocked at the double-standard here (and more). Shocking. Your comment about her quitting and what it says about leadership IS a legitimate political comment, even if one disagrees---too bad Ms. Quinn chose to go hypocritically personal.

Sally,

When you wrote the article about the renovation of your house, I was happy for your good fortune. Sally, that is what nice people do -- they are happy for you!!! They don't criticize and tear down another person; they build them up.

You are not a nice person. First of all, it is really none of your business why Sarah Palin resigned. Her decision is hers, not yours. She had good reasons for resigning, and it was her prerogative.

Furthermore, Sarah is a good mother, and her children are always well taken care of. If she wants to include them when she is photographed, that is just fine. She, her husband, and the children are a unit. They are a genuine family. And they are good people.

As for Trig, Sarah did a brave thing in having him. She did not abort this child as so many of your friends would have done. She realizes that to abort a child is to commit murder. And in doing so, she would have made the doctor who performed the abortion also responsible for the murder. How can you all live with your consiciences, Sally? Little Trig is a dear child and will bring a lot of love to that family. And he will receive love in return. And God will bless Sarah and her family because she did the right thing. You will live to see this.

As for Letterman's crude "joke", it did not meet the Bob Hope standard. Making a joke about anyone's child, no matter the age, is crude and uncalled for. David Letterman lives in a glass house and should not throw stones. Besides, the child who was with the Palins at the game Letterman referrred to, was the younger child, so Letterman can not "truly" say he made the joke about the older child.

He needs new writers if he thinks referring to "being knocked up" was a joke. It was malicious!!! Annd those of you who laugh at it are also malicious.

Sally, why do you feel qualified to write any article at all about Faith? When your heart is so filled with venom, how can you comment on the subject of faith? Until you take that wig of snakes off your head, and get right with God, you had better write about something you really know and understand.

Regardless of how one feels about a particular politician, this type of combination "double-standard and personal hatchet job" is disgusting and low-class. I would be ashamed to print such vitriolic nonsense.

Thank you, Ms. Quinn, for the well written article. It surprises me, reading the comment section that so many people rush to defend a woman who ran away from leadership at a time when she should be showing leadership. She claims to be tough, but didn't stick around to solve the problem. Lots of leaders have had to deal with unfair situations, bad press but didn't quit when it hurt their feelings.

I hope Sarah Palin will spend more time with her family, but I doubt it.

I agree with you, Sally, except that I do think Sarah Palin can choose the reason she wishes to explain her resignation. So, I think she would have done herself a huge favor to make it simple as you stated. But, I don't believe family IS the reason, and that is why she did not say it is.
Sarah's biggest concern is Sarah. The job just wasn't fun for Sarah anymore, so she quit.

Sally Quinn's hatred of Palin boils down to this: she cannot handle her own responsibilities and maternal guilt for her own special-needs child, and she HATES Palin because Palin does not see Trig as flawed and is able to love and care for him, her other children, her husband, *and* all the while maintain a career.

Palin is a true mother and careerwoman. Sally Quinn is a posh, overprivilaged, elite who can't understand Palin because if she did, it would say a lot about her own shortcomings as a modern-day woman.

And Sally Quinn deep-down knows this, and is probably spending millions on a psychiatrist to work through these issues. A bitter, confused, liberal elite.

Yes, Sally, well stated indeed! It's perfect when people like you openly parade their ignorance. You and Letterman are among those who are shaking in their boots over Sarah Palin. May the God you don't happen to know continue to bless her. She has the support of millions, unlike you.

Ms Quinn,
Sarah Palin represents oh so much more than your simple intellect can comprehend. You have not only offended her, but thousands of intellectual Americans who share her views. Your newspaper is indeed a credit to Nouveau "Red" which obviously has a planned agenda for the distruction of this wonderful country. You would not recognize integrity, however, if it hit you in the face. I feel sorry for you and your primitive methods of tearing down as you do. You must live a pretty dismal life. I will exit my readings of your failing paper never to visit it again

The real intent of this article is to divert attention away from the real critical issues that affect families. The past six months we have seen gradual dismantling of our free enterprise system and the irresponsible stewardship of that hard earned tax payer dollars. This government manages assets like “Enron on steroids”. The subject matter of this article has got to be about 1 millionth down the priority list. If I were you I would surrender my salary back to the editor.

To the author-

Thank you for saying what we are thinking.

To those with opinions that differ-

Please explain to me why it is okay for her to tell people how to live their lives in accordance with her high "morals" when she can't even abide by them herself.

It's very easy to tell other people how to live their lives. Look at her daughter for instance, she is now spreading the word about teen pregnancy, but it was okay for her to have a child while in her teens.

Don't judge me with your morals because your morals may differ from my own.

Hey Quinn,yourcommentary in the Washington Post is a travesty of responsible journalism. You owe Sarah Palin an apology, her family an apology, all women an apology and God an apology. You are so consumed with hatred that not even the Devil would interecede for you. I will pray for you. I will pray that the consequences of your sins are not visited on your family. I have never seen such viciousness as you and your cohorts inflict upon a human being as you have inflicted upon Sarah Palin. Be very careful. You have exhibited all of the qualities that would render you a most desirable candidate for perdition.

Obama Approval rating..

May -62% June- 49%

Could this be driving another silly Palin bashing article..who is this elitist..who by the way bought the Grey Gardens former home of Jackie O's aunt in the Hamptons..I just sincerely doubt that Quinn could ever relate to a woman in touch with the land and hard work and common sense..where most of us live...you are out of touch..but keep talking about Palin..it keeps her up front and center..and more and more turn on to her..

sarah or her kids has done nothing to you-- they are just tring to repair there lifes.. and it seems to never end for them-THE CAMPIN IS OVER___OK- LEAVE THEM ALONE--

Obama Approval rating..

May -62% June- 49%

Could this be driving another silly Palin bashing article..who is this elitist..who by the way bought the Grey Gardens former home of Jackie O's aunt in the Hamptons..I just sincerely doubt that Quinn could ever relate to a woman in touch with the land and hard work..where most of us live...you are out of touch..but keep talking about Palin..it keeps her up front and center..and more and more turn on to her..

To Fox Greta Fans...why all the vitrol this evening?

Please note a correction and some additional background for Greta's show this evening July 9th, 2009.

Greta misrepresented Quinn's argument: Quinn's question is name all of the idiots who verbally attacked the handicapped child of Sarah? Greta failed to answer Quinn's question by changing and spinning the premise.

Greta's employer, Fox media on their website the last several days has posted a photo of one of the president's daughters and some, though not all of the comments, are truly disgusting and aimed DIRECTLY at the child.
This tabloid trash was the MOST commented on story at Fox website in the evening of July 9, 2009.

The FOX website touts as part of its purpose: civility and mutual respect and, most importantly, strengthening our diverse society, and civil discourse.

Greta has a relationship with the
Palin's through her husband's arms length consulting.

Again,
To the conservative leaning folks here, a question: Why would FOX media conglomerate place a headline that states "WARNING" on the article link to Quinn's piece? What does a reader at FOX web look like who would warrant, need or require a literary alert? so weird when you think about it from a civil debate/discourse perspective.

Shame on you Ms Quinn, shame, shame, same!
Surely there are many other things and government policies or non-policies to attack in your column rather than such vile personal attacks on a woman that is admired my millions of Americans. Obviously, you don't care for her but why be so nasty in your denunciation? You not only do a disservice to common decency but you shame the Post by writing such drivel.

You owe Sarah Palin and millions of Americans an apology, eat some crow and do what's right.

Ms. Quinn,

You stated, that you "did not understand one word of what Sarah Palin said in her 18-minute resignation speech the other day"...you must be a complete idiot.

I think she should have waited a few more months...but her rational and intentions are quite clear.

Politically and tactically...stepping away from office enables her to become a fixture in every Republican campaign in the country. Being out of office, she won't be hamstrung by political concerns.

She will be a major political draw and force across the country. She almost certainly isn't trying to establish herself for 2012...most likely positioning herself for 2016 or 2020.

The next logical step will be for her to pursue a Senate seat for a term. Or other high profile position.

Your comments about her children and family life really aren't worthy of serious comment...you have made yourself look bad enough.

I do have to point out one glaring absurdity...Letterman. Palin was quite right to slam him. Letterman was completely at fault (as he was forced to concede)...his joke was probably meant to target her older daughter...but he wrote it without bothering to learn that she wasn't at the game in New York with her mother. So he ended up making a joke about her younger daughter being molested.

His apology should have been immediate, sincere and profuse...that he still continues to target Palin and her family in many ways shows he isn't funny...just mean-spirited.

I have enjoyed reading some of your pieces, but this one is pathetic.

Ms. Quinn makes reference to Sarah Palin
and the exploitation of her children.

She writes:
This is a woman (Sarah Palin) who continued
to exploit her children while she was running,
and afterward, whenever she was criticized
or they made a good photo op.

Really Ms. Quinn ?

What political figures don't parade their children around ?
The Obama's showed up on weekly magazines
with Sasha and Malia.

Was that okay because Obama is a Liberal ?

Is it true Ms. Quinn, much like Sarah Palin,
has a special needs child, and paraded him
around national media outlets to sell books ?

Was that exploitation ?
Was the book tour a good "photo op" Ms. Quinn ?

What is Ms. Quinn's resume ?

A self important lifelong socialite, masquerading
as a " social commentator," who's main purpose in
life is hosting cocktail parties with stuffy,
tax money wasting political figures,
existing in an out of touch Elitist Bubble ?

Is it true Ms. Quinn had an affair with Ben Bradlee ?

WOULD THAT BE "FAMILY VALUES ?"

CAN HEAR THE LIBERAL RATIONALIZATION NOW.
Does it go something like-
Well, we liberals don't extol the virtues of family values,
therefore when we cheat on a spouse, we're not as
accountable, not immorally equivalent to
when conservatives do it ?

It is a shame that the majority of liberals are so mean, so jealous, & have no respect for anyone or anything. The live & let live attitude totally goes over their heads & they use anything & everything they can to try to insult & destroy anyone that does not agree with them. If you haven't gone to an Ivy League college & been taught by the Ivy League Liberal Professors & you don't talk like them or laugh at others & their views then you are totally just a dumb a-- & your thoughts & feelings do not count for anything. I have yet found a liberal that will admit they were wrong in voting for Obama, & as bad as things are & they are only going to get worse if somone dose not stop him. They spend more time on insulting Palin & her family & other conservatives that they do not even know what their government is doing to our country & how they are ignoring our constitution. Boy, they did know when their phone lines were being tapped to protect us from the terriosts but the more serious offenses being done to us now they do not even see because they are so easily conned by Obama & all his sweet talk. Sally Quinn if you can't report on something substantial & point out the problems that are being ignored then just get out of the news business & go home & take care of your family. What you are doing is not journalism & we got enough commentators that just do not know what they are talking about.

I am tired of this..it's a ridiculous article and absurd..and the tone..as though right-wing evangelical's have no right to exist..and which she is not..is it just as horrific to be a left-wing atheist? Whom Ms. Quinn has a right to hold office? Tell me..since you have such a discriminating intolerance..and tell me..which women are allowed to hold office..how many children can they have and what ages..You are silly..and now have unveiled yourself as simply a Palin basher..and worse..you attack her children..if you were a journalist..you would know who attacked Trig..in minutes you wouldn't need Sarah to lead you..just google it fool!!!

Sally, your arrogance and hubris are only exceeded by your bad manners in masquerading as a journalist. This article was LOW -- even for you.

Ms.Quinn your comments about Gov.Palin put you in good company.Letterman,Imus,Jesse jackson,John Kerry,Strom Thurmond,and all the others who are racist and afraid of moral decency.How dare you critique her or her family who died and left you boss,anyone can be a coward and hide behind a news paper...what have you done to better this country?..except run your mouth?

"This is a woman who continued to exploit her children while she was running, and afterward, whenever she was criticized or they made a good photo op."

But Obama's daughter wasn't sauntering through the streets of Rome with a giant peace sign on her T-shirt (during wartime).

I must have imagined it.

Say a few words about that Sally.

do i smell another stimulus package? obama doesnt have a clue whats goin on.. hes running our gov. like a dam casino. college grads are working at mcdonalds for christ sake. the last stimulus had nothig to do with creating jobs.NOTHING..(ZERO OBAMA HAS FAILED)-big time.. obama is got to be the most ignorant pres we ever HAD..AND YOU PEOPLE ATTACK SARAH, AND HER CHILDREN? WTF. isnt she one of us--you know an (AMERICAN).-WHY ISNT ANYONE ATTACK HER POLICIES??????? theres no terrorist sh-t gion on to report.. the FACT is that sarah is a threat to both parties rep. and dems. media, because of her stands on corruption..washington dont need anyone like her exposing there kickbacks, scams, schemes,ect going on there now do we.. afterall she exposed her own party to corruption..this article is misleading her, to something shes not.. shes just an american woman with a spine,with the heart to do the right thing, thats it.. no more no less-- (quote for the day)- the dumb is always eaisly influenced by words and not FACTS-- remember this the next time you pay your taxes..we are going to need her reagan style politics, after obama bankrupts us.. sally is also a ZERO

This obsession with continued personal attacks on Palin has more to do with fear than truth..and may have to do with Obama's plummet from 62% TO 49% approval. They are in a panick. Why aren't we discussing the stupidy of Obama wanting to waste 18 million (who does that, sort of like spending 350,000 on a picture that could be photoshopped for 50.00) more of our tax dollars on the website that reports..yes..believe it or not..government waste..run by the Biden the Bafoon who cannot even name the website name..Mr. VP..it's called recovery.gov. This admin is much more laughable than Palin could ever be..and I guarantee you..she would never even suggest such stupidity..So who's the laughable one here?

In my opinion if Sally Quinn wants to be a professional journalist, she should act professional. If you only want to slander someone for personal reasons, that puts you in a separate catagory from the real professionals. I feel sorry for Sally Quinn that she has to stoop this low just to get her name out there.

To Fox Greta Fans...why all the vitrol this evening?

Please note a correction and some additional background for Greta's show this evening July 9th, 2009.

Greta misrepresented Quinn's argument: Quinn's question is name all of the idiots who verbally attacked the handicapped child of Sarah? Greta failed to answer Quinn's question by changing and spinning the premise.

Greta's employer, Fox media on their website the last several days has posted a photo of one of the president's daughters and some, though not all of the comments, are truly disgusting and aimed DIRECTLY at the child. This tabloid trash was the MOST commented on story at Fox website in the evening of July 9, 2009.

The FOX website touts as part of its purpose: civility and mutual respect and, most importantly, strengthening our diverse society, and civil discourse.

Greta has a relationship with the Palin's through her husband's arms length consulting.

Again,
To the conservative leaning folks here, a question: Why would FOX media conglomerate place a headline that states "WARNING" on the article link to Quinn's piece? What does a reader at FOX web look like who would warrant, need or require a literary alert? so weird when you think about it from a civil debate/discourse perspective.

Interesting how much time Sally Quinn and others of her ilk waste trashing someone who is, according to them, irrelevant. Why waste your time, Sally?

Had Ms Quinn ever worked her way to the top instead of sleeping her way to the top her comments would have some relevance.

Go back to your labyrinth Sally - you were more interesting there.

I think Ms. Quinn should stay home and care for her own child and not waste time writing such horrible columns about other people.

I'm shocked that the Washington Post allows such tripe. Sally Quinn has got to be the nastiest, most venal, and least original member of the D.C. commentariat. This column reflects Ms. Quinn's ability to channel Andrew Sullivan, but that's about it. The degree to which Ms. Quinn is willing to project what she wishes to believe about Sarah Palin on to the actual Sarah Palin, irrespective of whether there's any basis in fact to support her conclusions, is sad but unfortunately all too common.

Parenthetically, if there's anybody that should refrain from commenting on "family values," it's Sally Quinn. Just ask the first Mrs. Bradlee . . .

The bottom line, Ms. Quinn, is that you're a user. You're using Sarah Palin as a story line in a lame attempt to draw attention to your blog, because, let's face it, your prose has become so dull and lifeless lately that it's almost unbearable to read.

Ms. Quinn, you have squandered your reputation, displayed every iota of the pettiness, mean-spiritidness and poverty of your character and spirit, and proved the degree to which you are lacking in originality.

Governor Palin is moving inspiration to millions of Americans, and your obsessive slandering is, frankly, repulsive.

Governor Palin's team lost the election and she has resigned her elected position. Why don't you give it a rest, and let Governor Palin become the private citizen you want her to become?

A few thoughts...

Ms. Quinn is not as stupid as her article would make her appear. Palin's family was on stage at the convention as was every other candidate's family. Should she have left the retard kid and the preggers daughter back at the ranch? What if she had a (D) after her name? Probably not. So that statement was BS

She did not parade her kids around in New York. She took her daughter to a baseball game, after attending an event to raise awareness for autistic kids. So that statement was BS.

She was not "ambivalent" about aborting her baby. She had the usual concerns any mother would have about a disabled child. And the delay was probably because autism is not traced in babies until midway through the pregnancy. So that statement was BS.

Why don't we just call the whole article a BS hit piece, that Ms Quinn did for the sake of her fellow cocktail glass clinkers in the Georgetown area.

We know why Ms Quinn was disingenuous in her article. I mean, Ms Quinn is a complete political hack. I'm more afraid of the retard commenters who actually think this hit piece was some "truth to light" work of literary greatness. And her followers are complete idiots.

Palin criticized Obama and Biden. Obama and Biden criticized Palin and McCain. It called a campaign, not hate speech. Sheesh.

Quinn and Meacham are political operatives who write opinion columns. Like most people heavily entrenched in political ideology, everything, including their sense of right and wrong, and Christianity, is filtered through their politics. They are no different than Limbaugh, Beck, or Hannity.

All of them are backwards.

Allow me to be like you, exercise my free speech and make it personal:

I suppose that living the life of privilege, riding your hubby's coat "tails" and whatever else somehow makes you an "expert" on faith? Why didn't you stay home and take care of your special needs child? If you're for choice, then why does Ms. Sarah not have equal rights as you and also have a "choice" to be a working mother? You want choice for liberals, but not for Conservatives.

It's a shame that sit in judgment of conservatives and their family life. I wonder what dirty little secrets you have in your life, hmmmm...

To all of you who are concerned with the criticism, accusations and malicious talk on this page from those who hate Sarah, simply ignore them, do not respond to them. Stop wasting your time by responding to them. She doesn't need to be defended. God will handle that. Their goal is to upset you and "try" to hurt her. Choose not to be offended and simply continue to post your support and encouragement for Sarah Palin. May God bless you!

To Fox Greta Fans...

Please note a correction and some additional background for Greta's show this evening July 9th, 2009.

Greta misrepresented Quinn's argument: Quinn's question is name all of the idiots who verbally attacked the handicapped child of Sarah? Greta failed to answer Quinn's question by changing and spinning the premise.

Greta's employer, Fox media on their website the last several days has posted a photo of one of the president's daughters and some, though not all of the comments, are truly disgusting and aimed DIRECTLY at the child. This tabloid trash was the MOST commented on story at Fox website in the evening of July 9, 2009.

The FOX website touts as part of its purpose: civility and mutual respect and, most importantly, strengthening our diverse society, and civil discourse.

Greta has a relationship with the Palin's through her husband's arms length consulting.

Again,

To the conservative leaning folks here, a question: Why would FOX media conglomerate place a headline that states "WARNING" on the article link to Quinn's piece? What does a reader at FOX web look like who would warrant, need or require a literary alert? so weird when you think about it from a civil debate/discourse perspective.

As a 45 year old woman that I am, I am amazed at this article. It seemed as thought I was reading an article written by an angry teenager. WOW! A grown woman wrote this? I truly would like to know what Gov. Sarah Palin personally do to Sally Quinn? What a low standard to live by. I am truly amazed. WOW!

I do feel sorry for Ms. Quinn who is clearly laden with her own maternal guilt about her significantly disabled only child. But when you have a child in your 40's by a man old enough to be your father, such birth defects are not unexpected. I find it interesting that the most vitriolic opponents in the press of Gov. Palin are fellow women who have their own personal axes to grind. There's the unmarried, childless and bitter Maureen Dowd and now Ms. Quinn. How dare Governor Palin actual marry someone her own age who couldn't promote her professional career? How dare she have children and also be successful, let alone more attractive than the writers? I call it "womb envy" and it is incredibly sad. These writers diminish themselves with each overly loud protest.

Sally,

With 45 years in the media on a network management level, I'll have to say you have hit the bottom of the barrel. The column regarding Sarah Palin was misdirected, off-topic, and absolutely disgusting. I have always had the greatest personal respect for you, but this column shows very bad taste and is certainly something I would expect from you, of all people.

Now that you have opened the gate, apply the same standards in your next column to every male who has had his kids show up at an off-hours political event. That would not come close to giving justification to what you have written, but it would at least show an attempt at fairness.

You are wrong in the topic selected. You are wrong in writing such a misdirected column. You are unfair and I am deeply disappointed in something like this coming from a professional writer.

The people who think you are on-target are uneducated and do not have a clue at how disrespectful you have been to ALL women with such an article. I just can't believe you, of all people, wrote such a thing.

It will take considerable effort on your part to regain the respect of the fair and reasonable reader again. I just want to weep this thing is so bad. As a media professional, I would have fired one of my people if they had written anything like this. It was unfair, misdirected, and completely off-topic for anyone who expects fairness from the Post and most of all from you.

I don't write many comments in this manner. Most are not worth the effort, but this column was so low and out of line, I just couldn't help myself. Please, consider printing an apology to ALL other women in politics and especially to Sarah Palin.

You have truly disappointed me with this!

/s/ Bill

Ms. Quinn,
Your ongoing comments about Sarah Palin and her family are approaching a nasty obsession. Writing your personal comments appear to be your mental masturbation fantisizing about putting your values above others that probably will never reply. Any person that cannot lead, writes about others that can!

I do not understand Sally Quinn's personal attack on Sarah Palin. It is beyond stupid, it is pointless. It just turned into a tirade about her children. They seem well adjusted to me. If Sally would turn her Medusa like eyes on other candidates or former officials with children, I am sure she would see times where their kids were dragged to speeches and were inconvenienced due to their parents office. Liberals hate without reason, and it turns to sensless personal attacks. It is none of her damn business or anyone elses why Sarah Palin resigned. These news people in America are becoming just plain nuts.

What hateful hypocrisy. I can just see you, Sally Quinn, in the movie (which I'm sure you'll refuse to see), The Stoning of Soraya M. - Sarah as the young mother & YOU taking the first stone & hurling it. In this column you take immense pleasure in attempting to destroy another woman - a woman who is smart, successful, pretty, and has a husband & family who loves her. Every single vicious attack on her comes from someone who is self-loathing. And it's the liberals, who supposedly believe in "choice", who hate the most her choice to have her Downs syndrome child - because they would have aborted that child.
Exploit her children?! Tell me why was it just fine for Biden's wife & daughters to pose for the story "All the Vice-President's Women" in Vogue last fall? They were certainly displayed & paraded during the campaign. What about Biden's coke-sniffing daughter? Oh, that's right - they're Democrats - a different standard is applied.

Go ahead Sally - pick up another stone. Bring it on - you are in for a huge surprise come 2012.

And you, Ms. Quinn, are the co-moderator of religion at the Post? Doesn't it say in your comic book: "Judge not lest ye be judged?" At last look, I don't think Sarah moved in with a boss anywhere, or wrecked a marriage anywhere, so why is she being trashed by someone who has?

Sally-look in the mirror-you are the elite,liberal media.You and letterman are a
"credit" to this adjective.Why don't you talk about the monkeys swinging from the jungle gym outside the oval office??barry & missy "pu them OU THERE" And your husband and katherine graham-you DISHONOR them both.ENOUGH of all of you.Ask Newsweek and Time is they miss the suscriptions they have had cancelled due to people of your stripe??

Dear Sal,

I hope your hubris and arrogance didn't cause you to miss Greta Van Susteren's show tonight. She called you out and your vicious article just for what is is: A VICIOUS PERSONAL ATTACK AGAINST SARAH PALIN. You and David Letterman are two of a kind. Jealous and obsessed.

The personal attacks on Palin are adding up to great gobs of money for her from now to the mid term elections. Which she will use to help turn many many seats back to conservatives. What a bunch of dopes. Keep up the cat fights.

Shame on Sally Quinn ....maybe she needs to get a life and quit slamming others....maybe she should spend her time on something worthwhile like why is Nancy Pelosi lieing to the people she represents...like the people of the United States....do something real Sally and get off this Palin stuff....

Any thoughts on this?

To the conservative leaning folks here, a question: Why would FOX media conglomerate place a headline that states "WARNING" on the article link to Quinn's piece? What does a reader at FOX web look like who would warrant, need or require a literary alert? so weird when you think about it from a civil debate/discourse perspective.

Posted by: Punkinbugg | July 9, 2009 7:22 PM

Once again I must say that you are all hypocrits. When you are ready to preserve the lives of babies, then and only then do you have the right to denegrate Sarah Palin and her choices. Have Uncle Barry explain live birth abortions to you. He voted for it.

WaPo’s Sally Quinn: Sarah Palin ‘Exploited’ Her Children
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/kyle-drennen/2009/07/09/wapo-s-sally-quinn-sarah-palin-exploited-her-children

OK, good piece. Now, can the news media please stop writing about Ms. Palin, keeping her name out there and giving her free advertising? I want her to stay in Alaska where she belongs.

Thank you Sally Quinn. It still stuns me that she believed that she and John McCain could win. The hate she spewed during her campaign turned even some conservatives off. There is something wrong and very sad about that woman.

It's really unbelievable that Sarah can be called a "loon" and "crazy as can be"
when it is Obama who spent twenty years in a radical, racist, anti-Semitic
church and Sarah is just a normal American.
Sarah's normalcy drives Sally Quinn - and other Washington Establishment loons - crazy!

Sally Quinn,
Thank you for "Palin's Peculiar Family Values", yes, well stated and motivating. It is refreshing that someone sees through the veil of Palin's burqa, sees through Palin's public speaking fumbling, and Palin's reactionary rhetoric. Keep fighting the good fight. Take Care and Happy Trails!!!

Semper Fidelis,
Siempre Hay Esperanza,
William

Nice piece, Mrs. Quinn, but you made a mistake:

Sarah Palin flew from DALLAS TEXAS (not Arizona) to Alaska on April 17, 2008. She was at the Republican Governors' Assoc. conference at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Tx.

The resort is located about 2 miles from a hospital which is eqiupped with a level III NICU, and about 4 miles from D/FW airport.

Instead of stopping at that hospital she boarded two, four-hour flights -- arriving in Anchorage a full 20 hours after noticing amniotic leakage, then DROVE another hour to a small, community hospital with no neonatal ICU equipment.

This isn't fiction. She said it herself, three days later, when she took this premature, special needs baby to her OFFICE and introduced him to the press corps.

THERE is your story.

No mother, Republican or Democrat, would EVER RISK her life, her child's life (esp a SPECIAL NEEDS LIFE) in such a reckless manner.

Unless she wasn't pregnant in the first place.

Look how Quinn so divides you all. You're putty in her hands. She's being paid handsomely to slam Palin. Quinn is not a bad person, its just the money talking. She may even like Sarah. The two parties justify their existance, along with the MSM justifying itself by keeping us divided. The MSM, the Dems, and Repubs don't care about any of you. Don't let them fool or divide you. Quinn reminds me of Max Von Sydow playing the character of the Devil in Stephen King's "Needful Things", chortling gently to himself as his master plan of pitting two women against each other (one with a knife, and the other with an axe) unfolds precisely to plan as the two women fly out a window; one with the knife through her chest and the other with the axe stuck in her head. And if I recall correctly, the camera pans back to The Devil reclining back in his chair with an orgiastic look on his face.

You see how it works? Keep your eye on the big picture. Don't let the little stuff distract you. It's the little stuff that we'll perish by.

This column gets a blue ribbon for largest number of nasty interpretations of another individual's words and actions.

ALL politicians sacrifice their families for their ambitions. It's not only the "family values" stripe (and come to think of it, is there another kind? What politician has done anything but toe that line?) I bet everyone who reads this can think of a politician in their community whose family has had some tragedy/ disappointment/embarrassment when the camera isn't focused for the Christmas card. Alcoholic spouse, drug using child, drop out child, neglected parent, drunk driving, pregnant teenagers. Families are just window dressing, they know it, they suffer and sometimes that ends in tragic outcomes. What Sarah Palin did is no worse than what scores of father politicians have done over the years, and continue to do.

Please help...

To the conservative leaning folks here, a question: Why would FOX web place a headline that states "WARNING" on the article link to Quinn's piece? What does a reader at FOX web look like who would warrant, need or require a literary alert? so weird when you think about it from a civil debate/discourse perspective.

Ms. Quinn,

You claim to have faith based principles. I believe it eye-wash. Your article was only a slander. You proved no point. Shame on you. Sarah Palin may not be perfect, but I believe she is doing the best she can. Do you honestly think that she could "prevent" her daughter from getting pregnant? A mother can teach, but a child still uses agency. May your heart be changed. The same way you judge people is the way you will be judged.

Yet again, the Liberal snake eats its own tail.

Ms. Quinn,

Your ugly article is filled with inaccuracies, lies and exaggerations.

You, Parker, Dowd, Noonan and others have truly shown the ugly side of feminism. Your snarky, judgmental columns on Sarah Palin have made two things glaringly obvious; Sarah Palin is relevant and you can't stand it, and Sarah Palin has much more grace and class as she would never attack, dismiss and demean you as you have her.

I have never in my 48 years been so utterly ashamed of my fellow women as I have been the past two years, beginning with the sexist treatment of Hillary Clinton and continuing through this day with the disgusting, vile treatment of Sarah Palin and her family.

You're a disgrace, Sally Quinn. How dare you lecture another woman on "family values" and the appropriate way to behave in public?!

Sarah's doing the right thing by leaving early. There's only so much one human being can do, run a state or defend herself and her family from the never-ending character assassinations from the lower 48. If the worse thing they can pin on Sarah is that she left her post early, she'll do okay in politics. Ted Kennedy got drunk, though married went parking with a young girl named Mary Jo Kopechnie, sped off when a cop approached, ran his car into a channel, saved himself but left Mary Jo in an air bubble which may have lasted a half hour but didn't call the authorities, got help from friends who did no autopsy even though there was blood on her skirt and nose not consistent with drowning, was found to be driving negligently at the inquest but the information was withheld from the grand jury, and instead of being sent to prison for 25 years for manslaughter or possible murder depending on the significance of the blood, has been living it up in the Senate every since.

"I don't know what Palin has in mind."

In short she has nothing on her mind. She's vapid and while extremely personable she's dumb as a box of rocks.

I hope she wins the Republican nomination.

PriceIsRight:
There is no need to "fill in the blank" as to why Palin resigned. She has explained it numerous times. Whether you think her reasons rise to the moral heights of a politician who resigns to take 'higher office' is based upon your own ethical code. I, for one, do not consider it a moral imparative to hold political office - of any height.

PIR, "My point is that the 'pure political hackery' is saying two simular situations with different details are the same."

Or, it's comparing the hours two parent spend with their children as somehow a political issue - at all.

PIR, "Now your conclusion at the end is complete bull and very republican like. Misinterperate my complete statement, restate my position out the proper CONTEXT, try to grab the moral high ground based on your warped interperation of my statement and accuse.
The RNC most be proud of you..."

WTF?

The elites commenting on Mrs Palin are a joke...

http://pajamasmedia.com/victordavishanson/what-is-wisdom%e2%80%94sarah-palin-and-her-critics/2/

Why read article in the Wapo, they are the State Run Media... BIASED BIASED BIASED..

How low can you go???? What a joke the so-called media is, as someone says, State Run Media now...

Time to dye your hair back to brown...

Sarah is a complete mess and reeks of hypocrisy, and I can’t stand her. But you expose yourself to equal criticism of hypocrisy by calling for a working woman in a leadership role to quit and go take care of her kids like a good little wife. Would you? Did you?

As for caring for a baby with Down syndrome, they tend to be really easygoing and content, and rarely cry. And infants don’t have bedtimes – they sleep when they want. If Trig has no feeding or medical problems, he’s probably the easiest baby Palin has ever cared for. His condition probably isn’t an issue, and might be an asset.

Excellent, Sally. But you got one thing wrong. Sarah Palin was never pregnant with Trig, and there is ample photographic evidence to prove it. This truth will emerge at some point, and I am among those who intend to make that happen. The one thing she could have said to make me no longer care about the pregnancy hoax is that she was resigning to take better care of her family. But she didn't, and she isn't. Her insistence that she is madonna-like because of Trig caused the many nasty jokes--but they were not about Trig. They were about her.

Shoreguy, the disgusting comment you posted is found over at Faux Website in the comment section. Faux who claims to be all about civil discourse moderates the boards. Why would they want or allow this in their comments board? Polarizing? baiting? fabricating comments? Posing as Liberal commenters? Again, why is it left there?

"Hey Sally, why don't you comment on the "peculiar" ethics of your newspaper? Or do you think selling access to reporters and administration officials is ok? I just cannot understand why Sarah Palin is so offensive to liberals. If she is so incompetent and wrong-minded on the issues you should be encouraging her to run for president instead of tearing her down so the libs can continue to destroy this country for many more years"
---------------------------------------

Who says the Libs don't want her to run? She is their dream candidate...its the Repubs that are more scared of her.

The reason for my rant is to say that being a Christian Mother, does not mean you must remain barefoot and pregnant!
I happen to be married to the father of my 2 teenage boys, I know--I know--how odd..anyway, we both work full time jobs outside the home, and I happen to be the main bread winner--WHAT you ask, how can a Christian mom/wife work outside the home??? Sally and other Christian Bashers should know that many of us do.... and it dosn't mean we are breaking any cardinal rules. In fact, I am pretty sure we will still go to Heaven...Crazy at it seems, I know some women who work outside the home and are married to a Pastor--GHASTLY I know...
Don't bother responding back to my post, I will not be reading it. I now remember why I quit reading this crud called journalism to begin with!

Hey Sally, why don't you comment on the "peculiar" ethics of your newspaper? Or do you think selling access to reporters and administration officials is ok? I just cannot understand why Sarah Palin is so offensive to liberals. If she is so incompetent and wrong-minded on the issues you should be encouraging her to run for president instead of tearing her down so the libs can continue to destroy this country for many more years.

Thanks, Sally. The woman is so so nutty. 18 minutes and gasping for air...

Southerndem, good advice. I looked at Amazon and it looks relevant enough with good reviews. You're not the author or related right? :-)

this question is related to your post.

To the conservative leaning folks here, a question: Why would FOX web place a headline that states "WARNING" on the article link to Quinn's piece? What does a reader at FOX web look like who would warrant or require a literary alert? so weird when you think about it from a civil debate/discourse perspective.

I view myself a centrist independent Christian AND who respects our founding fathers building into our core documents a need for debate both in our legistlative bodies and public squares.

What Palin, her detractors, and her critics don't seem to understand is the distinction between the office and the office holder. How much of the publicity and nonsense floating around actually has something to do with her job? From the get-go, the job of governor of Alaska has mainly a way to get a soapbox to court conservatives from.

Do the job - or don't.

Bravo, Ms. Quinn!

I think that we would all benefit if we could somehow cut down on the inflammatory rhetoric.

If you have spare time on your hands this summer I would highly recommend Os Guinness's "The Case for Civility." It's both thought-provoking and a quick read.

chatard, a little less of the "sauce" in the morning sweetie.. I'm feel'n your anger just look'n at the CAPTIALIZED post and I havent' ever read it yet for right or left leaning predictable polarized dribbles.

Anything to keep this woman in the kitchen and doing laundry and out of the arena of politics, huh? This article amounts to the usual obfuscating analysis that passes for deep insight from the press these days. Sally's personal and professional jealousy of Palin is abundantly clear in this smear piece. I'm glad to read that Palin is still in the news!

I agree, the speech was vague, but I see that as intentional at this point. She could have said she would become a special needs awareness advocate, yes. She could have resigned to spend time with her family, but I don't think that would have been accepted either. I tend to think that even if she did become a full time advocate, though, to suggest that you would have respected her for the decision and to say that she could "change the culture and the way our world views those with disabilities" is, in my opinion, not true. We all know that no human being has ever been capable of changing a culture or the world all by themselves. I am a parent of two children with special needs and I would love nothing more than to see our culture change for them. But suggesting that you think it would have been a valid reason for her leaving office, and indicating that you would have respected her for it...I disagree.

Sally, all you need to do is go back to last fall and read the grotesque comments posted by your own Washington Post readers to see many of those who were criticizing Trig Palin's very existence and in other ways viciously attacking the Palin family. At least Sarah did not obtain her job by having an affair with her boss and breaking up his marriage as certain people at the Post did.

Sally, you are so great and so understanding. Did I say great? You really know what family values are living inside the beltway. So cultured and knowledgeable about every that is everything. We are blessed to have Queen Sally watching over us.

I agree, the speech was vague, but I see that as intentional at this point. She could have said she would become a special needs awareness advocate, yes, but I think that would have been roundly critized as not being a valid reason for leaving office--as would saying she wanted to spend more time with her family (she should have known before campaigning, etc). Maybe she still will. Either way, I tend to think that even if she did become a full time advocate, though, to suggest that you would have respected her for the decision, and to say that she could "change the culture and the way our world views those with disabilities" is, in my opinion, being dishonest. We all know that no human being has ever been capable of changing a culture or the world all by themselves. Even Michael Jackson, who everyone is putting on a pedestal right now for his cross-over capability, did not change culture so dramatically on the race issue. I am a parent of two children with special needs and I would love nothing more than to see our culture change for them. But I think that suggesting that you think it would have been a valid reason for her leaving office, and indicating that you would have respected her for it...I don't think so.

Nanook here, from Canada. We're south of Sarah so we take a very different view of Palin and her antics. We in Canada think many things about your Sarah, but mostly we think she's a nut job. We're not religious in Canada (we're socialist, you know, godless commies) but we were willing to listen to her Christian messages and her holy example as a way to find our own way out of the darkness and into the light. And I am pleased to announce that after watching her Christian performances both before and after the election, we have concluded that she (and, indeed, her whole family) really, really is a nut job. We're still godless commies. Thanks a lot, Sarah.

mblackfordster,

Gee if i had a nickel for every time i heard she had been cleared of all ethic charges against her i could retire. Problem is she wasnt, she had to reimburse the state of Alaska over $8,000 for her children who traveled with her on the states dime. So if she was cleared of the ethics charge as you state then she wouldn't have had to pay the money back......

Ms. Quinn,

Where have you been?? Have you not heard of David Letterman and how he "attacked" the Palin family? Stating once that: During the seventh inning of a Yankee game she attended that her 14yr old daughter got pregnant. How about those bloggers who said that Trig wasn't hes, that it was one of her daughters. I could go on and on, It appears that you were out of town on those days or maybe, you DID NOT object to their postings. SHAME on YOU!

Please, enough with the sanctamonious looking down the nose at someone. $500,000 dollars out of pocket in bogus ethics cases - all of which have been dismissed here-to-fore. Imagine - Ms. Quinn if you were required to back up all your rediculous assertions about evangelical Christian women with actual facts. Again, it's attack the person not the ideology. Why? Because she stands for what once made this country great and can be resurrected again. This is a self-serving rant and baseless.

You said "I'd like to know the names of those mean-spirited adults who mocked and ridiculed her special needs child."
Here he is:
Erik Nelson

from his huffington blog "I wrote a piece making fun of the fact that a Trig Palin joke was given as the reason that Sarah Palin left office. I wrote jokes that were offensive but my intent was for them to be ironic and therefore not offensive. I was wrong. Within ten minutes of my post I received some emails from the loved ones of the retarded."
And the jerk still doesn't get it!

Perfectly stated.

Thank you for calling out her fundamentalist hypocrisy, and for naming her fundamentalist handlers.

Reading the comments here is a remarkable experience. Criticism of the wasilla messiah really shakes the hive. I'm not sure which is worse, the vitriolic (and unchristian) attacks coming from her defenders or the fact that these people would actually consent to be governed by her. Have you no self-respect at all people? Don't you have even a little bit of pride to demand better leaders than Sarah Palin? There must be someone out there with similar views who would be even remotely qualified for leadership, right?

To the conservative leaning folks here, a question: Why would FOX web place a headline that states "WARNING" on the article link to Quinn's piece? What does a reader at FOX web look like who would warrant or require a literary alert? so weird when you think about it from a civil debate/discourse perspective.

The mere fact that this article and its contents exists supports her claim as to why she is resigning. Do we really want to critisize her parenting skills. Lets just say it: Sarah raise your kids exactly as I say, and by the way your version of family values are not mine therefore you are a hypocrit. When did she ever profess that a women was not supposed to seek high office or that doing so was contrary to her values. She never claimed to adhere to the belief that a women should stay at home. I personally wondered why she would take on such a job with her family demands. She is not what I would want in a women but she was gettng warm politically speaking for me. Her parents seemed very involved in the childrens lives and by the looks of the last salmon run her family values include doing things together. I would not be surprised to see her add irresponsible reporting to her list of issues to fight. I like to call it reckless discharge of the mouth. I think this crosses the line. You are calling her a bad mother that is it. So how dare you.

"Many right-wing Christians don't believe women should work outside the home."

And many right-wing Christians don't have a problem with it. And many right-wing Christians ARE women who work outside the home.

So what is this sentence doing here?

This opinion article is clearly ambigious in its attack against Christianity(again).

Too many people are blinded by the fact this piece is an attack on Palin, and the GOP. Quinn doesn't care one way or another what Palin does with her family or her private life. And why should she.

This piece clearly indicates the agenda to be a reminder that anything affiliated with the Christian faith, or GOP is hypocritical. It's amazing how Quinn contradicts herself.

Where is lambasting of the media for focusing so much on Michelle Obama and their children. Where is her criticism of Barack and Michelle keeping their kids up past their bedtime. It is silly to ridicule either candidate, because it was only for a short period of time (campaigning).

That is the life of politics. There is no room for altruism, which is what Quinn hints at what Palin is trying to represent herself as. Barack and all other politicians would be sent home if their ambitions were tempered with too much altruism. Ambition and rewarding those who elected you into office is how you stay in office.

This bizarre criticism of Palin is out of line as Plain is not some stay at home mother going against what she preaches. Palin is a politician just as Obama is.

So for continued trashing, please follow up with a piece about Obama. For such a judgemental person as Quinn is, it shouldnæt be too hard.

The more mean spirited these attacks, the more attractive Palin looks. This is classwarfare against an outsider recruited to an office totally unsuitable to her experience and then hung out to dry. Your sneer fest will please your readers. But Palin and the rest of the unsuitable for leadership did not rob the country blind on your watch.

Andi2:
I exagerated the 'all her rallies' line. I should have said most.
I'm not saying she lied about her reasons for quitting, I'm saying that it is a false comparison to say that Obama stepped down as senator to become Prez is the same as Palin stepping down as Gov to fill in the blank.
If there was a clear reason, why are most people (cons. and dems) confused as to why she did step down?
My point isn't who likes to spend time with their kids (i'm pretty sure both love their kids and enjoy their time with them).
My point is that the 'pure political hackery' is saying two simular situations with different details are the same. Its like those ally ads where a guy gives a little girl a toy pony and the other little girl a real pony. Sure both are ponies but one is real and one is a toy.

Now your conclusion at the end is complete bull and very republican like. Misinterperate my complete statement, restate my position out the proper CONTEXT, try to grab the moral high ground based on your warped interperation of my statement and accuse.
The RNC most be proud of you...

MINUS EIGHT!
Thursday, July 09, 2009
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday shows that 30% of the nation's voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-eight percent (38%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of –8. The President’s Approval Index rating has fallen six points since release of a disappointing jobs report last week.
Posted by: FraudObama | July 9, 2009 12:04
*******************************************

How low must he go before WAPO covers the
important story of the decay of THE ONE who fell to earth without papers?

TO FREESTINKER:

I am not so sure that there are that many facts in either the article or the commentary. It's mostly opinion based on interpretation or assumed facts. I will say that I don't think Sarah Palin has qualifications or the temperment to be President/Vice President/Governor of Alaska/other (pick one). But it's kind of appalling that she has stayed in the limelight as some kind of punch dummy for everyone, including, apparently, you. She doesn't help herself much either, but that seems to be common for some people in politics -- they appear to be hardwired with relentless ambition and can't handle criticism well. Well, enjoy the mud bath here. I'm going to go take a shower now.

Ms Quinn, great arguments. You question the sources of the accusations and the scope of the problem. You touch on the gut check argument of her cultural fan base in regards to the role of women.

You must have hit a truth nerve as you're article has been elevated to top porn billing with "Warning" headlines over at Faux web.

Nice Job! We need more moderate intelligent debate and discourse in our Nation.

Beachhead1,

Do you have any substantive objections to the facts presented in this article or do you just cringe because the truth hurts?

How cliche and predictable it has become to crucify Palin!

There is plenty of evidence to suggest that Sarah Palin has tried to be a good, though imperfect, mother. There is plenty of evidence that she is a capable and talented leader, even though I wouldn't want her to be President. But there is blood in the water, and the liberal feeding frenzy just can't help itself!

########################################

That's politics, modern style.

I'll bet that you didn't complain about all the personal slanders that conservatives have heaped on Democrats over the years - surrender monkey, draft dodger, defeatist, socialist, enabler of terrorism, ad nauseum. It's a little late to get righteous about it, especially since Palin was one of the worst offenders.

You reap what you sow.

I don't know what made me read this article or the comments on it. Before the last election, I promised myself I would not read any of this trash anymore because it made me fear for the future of our country. The venom that is spewed each day by bloggers, commenters and, yes, so-called journalists everyday is overwhelming. My hope is that it does not get any worse, lest I live to regret spending most of my adult life slapping mosquitos, eating crappy food, freezing or sweating my butt off, or dodging rockets and IEDs to defend my countrymen's (and women's) right to self-immolate.

Thank you, Ms. Quinn, for writing the definitive column about Sarah Palin. You have summed up precisely the problems many of us have with her: all of her hollow posturing as a Evangelical role model that the rest of us "heathens" should be following; trotting our her kids for the press but complaining about the press covering them; having a pregnant teen daughter while still braying about "abstinence only" being the only acceptable method of preventing pregnancy. Her actions continue to betray her disingenuous words. Nicely captured, Ms. Quinn.

How cliche and predictable it has become to crucify Palin!

There is plenty of evidence to suggest that Sarah Palin has tried to be a good, though imperfect, mother. There is plenty of evidence that she is a capable and talented leader, even though I wouldn't want her to be President. But there is blood in the water, and the liberal feeding frenzy just can't help itself!

Ms. Quinn:

Well put. The responses of Palin followers such as Sanibel47 make clear that they support her despite her hypocrisy because they believe she can win something.

And, of course, for conservatives, winning is the only thing.

I would like to respond to the posters who ask why the Left is so terrified of Sarah Palin. We are scared of her because we just witnessed exactly how much damage an ignorant, self-aggrandizing, religious fanatic can do if elected to high office. It will take years for us to undo the spectacular amount of damage done to our country by W et al. We are terrified that Palin will be elected president and just keep digging the hole deeper. My question is this: why is the Right NOT terrified at the idea of someone manifestly unqualified leading the nation? McCain made a huge deal about Obama's lack of experience (a justifiable criticism in my opinion) right up until he chose Palin as his running mate. After that? Not a peep about experience, because he had chosen the most inexperienced and unfit politician in the country to be his VP candidate.

It seems that all it takes to get the support of the right wing evangelicals and conservative nutters is the ability to spew platitudes and jingoistic, flag-waving blurbs, like the ones that Sarah Palin is so good at coming up with when she has nothing else to say. "Its about country"....gag, gag. False patriotism and claims of "family values" appear to go a long way in the conservative family.

HAHAHAHA another ethics charge filed against Palin for collecting per diem $$$ while she stayed in her house and commuted to the Anchorage office. Rules for per diem are usually very clear. If she's not going to work in Juneau, then she's supposed to have lodgings in Anchorage. She's not allowed to stay in her own house and then charge the state.

Bristol Palin got pregnant because her boyfriend, Justin Levi, was living in the Palin household and sleeping in the same room with Bristol.

Maybe Sarah Palin doesn't know how babies are made. What other explanation could there be?

I don't have time time to read all the comments here (so this may have already been noted) but wanted to add that I believe the fuss over the supposed recent mocking of Trig came from the use of a photo of Palin holding the child in which a photo of a Palin supporter was superimposed over Trig's face. The photo was used in conjunction with a news story about a Palin supporter to depict that the supporter was so besotted with the Alaska governor that he was like a baby in her arms. Great column, by the way.

It is my opinion that Gov Palin is not qualifed for national office. That being said - it is truly awful for women to criticise other women who are not involved in actual abuses or crimes for choices made in their personal and professional lives. Shame on you.

It seems to me that she was treated unfairly regarding her children during the election but that she continued to allow her children's participation nonetheless.

I would say that her quitting does help Alaska because the state can get back to the core business of running the state. Any one person's celebrity would get in the way of running a state regardless of their enjoyment and solicitation of more celebrity.

However, she does invite and encourage the drama and then cry foul. She also seems very glib and simplistic when speaking. Every issue is reduced to bumper sticker sound bite size and the nuances get lost.

Some issues are easy to reduce to a minute pithy phrase, at least one's opinion of some issues are easy to distill to that level. But not all issues. And this should serve as a note for all politicians regardless of party affiliation. sound bites serve everyone poorly - -they don't challenge or illuminate for greater understanding, they merely solidify existing beliefs. It is not enough.

Palin needs to serve her base better and be a true leader -- then she may be a real political challenge. Until then, she is just another mouthpiece who happens to be hapless, rambling and easy on the eyes.

Sally Quinn: If you and your fellow Liberal Sheeple would quit persecuting Sarah Palin, I wouldn't have to write so many posts.

1) Sally, you might want to get your ears tested for a hearing loss. You are the only one I know who stated that they didn't understand. I watched her speech on t.v. I do have a hearing loss and I understood everything she said. 2) Letterman's apology was tantemount to his saying that he was sorry that people made a fuss about the rude things he said. The fact that he still jokes about Sarah negates his apology. How are you so sure that Sarah knew he was talking about Bristol? Are you clairvoyent? When he said 14 years old, who else would she think of except Willow? 3) I thought you would know why Sarah resigned from her position, after all, you are clairvoyant.4) As far as nasty things said about Trig. I have read many sick and sickening rumors about Trig. You obviously don't read blogs or you wouldn't say you don't believe her. They have also said hateful things about Bristol's baby, Bristol herself, Willow and Piper and have spread vicious lies about Todd's relationship with his daughters. All lies. 5) There are more Christian women who work than stay at home. Where did you get this idea? 6) I guess because you have hearing problems, you missed her saying that she was resigning because her children want more time with her and her family is a priority.

Your article is not journalism. It is just a continuation of the mean spirited things said about her. This is yellow journalism and muckraking. Hope your proud of yourself.

I agree. Well said Ms. Quinn.

What has troubled me about Governor Palin all along is WHY so many rank and file Republicans are crazy about her, despite her - repeated - demonstrations of political incompetency.

My conclusion: The folks to whom she speaks, a thankfully diminishing base in the GOP, are desperate for someone on the national stage to validate their primitive, biblically-based non-empirical beliefs. She does this, as well as stir up the class warfare that Republicans claim to hate, by decrying as 'elitest' and un-American anything that is progressive, sophisticated, or scientific. The fact that she is fairly attractive only seals the deal for her supporters. Because she champions what they already believe, they are able to look beyond her constant hypocrisy and evident ignorance. This is, by the way, the same group of Americans who loved George W. Bush because they bought the campaign meme that he was 'one of them' - someone with whom they claimed they could have a beer. And yet, even George Bush knew that the Justice Department was not the "Department of Law" - as Palin called it the other day.

Really, who are we to point to Muslim Republics, accusing them of being stuck in the 6th century, when so many Americans would actually vote for a Sarah Palin for president in the 21st century?

PRICEISRIGHT, "Obama had his kids at a few events, Palin it seems had her kids at every event."

It seems, to me, that your memory is not correct.

"When she quit, many conservatives tried to say that Obama, Sebelius, Napolitano and Biden quit their jobs for higher office too. Quitting to take a higher public office and quitting to go fishing are not equal."

You ignore her words in order to paint your own version of reality. If you think she lied about her reasons - just say so.

"Just like taking your kids to a few campaign stops and taking your kids to all of your rallies are not the same."

Your exageration aside... I could just as easily conclude that Palin enjoys the company of her children more than Obama enjoys the company of his.

Either way, to try and make a religious question out of how many times children are seen with their parents - the conclusion being that less is better - is pure political hackery.

Sarah Palin is an idiot.

I agree with Washview: This is well stated. I grew up in a small town, am not a resident of Washington, D.C., and am a Christian woman. There's a difference between spouting family values and living them. Living them takes work and sacrifice. Supervising your children so they do their homework, finish school, don't get involved in drugs and alcohol, develop a work ethic, acquire a value system, and don't have babies takes an enormous amount of time and effort. Teaching abstinence doesn't take the place of parental supervision. If one can believe the father of her daughter's baby, he was living with the Palins. This all would be none of our business, if she hadn't used her family in her campaign.

What worries me is that so many people believe Sarah Palin stands for something substantial (beyond her own ambition) or has any kind of vision for the future of her state, our country or our world. She is an excellent performer when she recites a speech written by someone else. But my grandmother always said "an empty barrel makes the most noise." Platitudes (freedom, patriotism, family values, God, country, Mom and apple pie) don't matter if you don't have the capacity to study issues and come up with solutions. The world is a complex place and our country is a complex nation with complex problems. We need leaders who have the intellect to resolve them. We need leaders who can roll up their sleeves and put their noses to the grindstone and get the difficult work of solving our problems done. Frankly, Sarah Palin didn't perform that well during her interview and her past on the job performance indicates she has difficulty working with others and doesn't have the intellect, discipline, drive and work ethic to get the job done.

Sally is a poor excuse for a Human! Sarah shows women what is possible when you live the life God meant for us. Liberals can't function at this level because they don't have a great God to help them!

Can you imagine if Palin were president? All it would take is for the government of North Korea to make fun of her and she would take her ball and go home. What would happen if bin Laden released a video calling her daughters fat, or making fun of her waders?

No matter what party you belong to, our country deserves better leadership than Palin. We really dodged a bullet in 2008, good riddance!

It is rather interesting that people who profess to dislike Sarah Palin watched her like a hawk during the convention and campaign. Had you worried, huh?

Obama had his kids at a few events, Palin it seems had her kids at every event.
Remember Obama's mother-in-law was taking care of the kids at home and Michelle would fly back every night.
The problem I see in this whole 'Palin bashing' deal is the lack of context.
How come none of the people offended by Palins treatment ever examine the whole situation.
When she quit, many conservatives tried to say that Obama, Sebelius, Napolitano and Biden quit their jobs for higher office too. Quitting to take a higher public office and quitting to go fishing are not equal.
Just like taking your kids to a few campaign stops and taking your kids to all of your rallies are not the same.

Palin's entire life has been filled with quitting and flitting from one task to the next. Her academic history is a joke--and not because she didn't attend Ivy League schools. The only thing that will rid us of Palin would be a presidential run in 2012--she will be decimated, if not by the Republicans in the primaries then in the general election. Rock star status in exclusively far-right Southern rallies does not translate into the presidency.

Would it work for everyone if ALL of the 15 ethics complaints were listed somewhere, who reported them, and the latest status of each one?

Why can't that be reported as such in a completely factual sense? Does it not work in the left's favor if it were reported that way? I believe most of those complaints have been dismissed.

Also, everyone should google Linda Kellen Biegel, Shannyn Moore and Phil Munger so everyone can see what they're all about

Family values are for the little people, not the leaders of the movement. Vitter, Craig, Sanford, Ensign, all the televangelists, and Palin don't have to follow the rules they want to enforce for everyone else because they're better than the little people who make up their flocks.

Some may call this hypocrisy, but the sheep who follow them know that it's just a liberal media conspiracy.

@wbwilhite

It doesn't matter what Sarah Palin might say or do - the liberal media will always attack her.
______________________________________
The Myth of the Liberal Media

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYlyb1Bx9Ic

MINUS EIGHT!

Thursday, July 09, 2009

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday shows that 30% of the nation's voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-eight percent (38%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of –8. The President’s Approval Index rating has fallen six points since release of a disappointing jobs report last week.

While I'm neither Republican, conservative nor fundamentalist, I defended ex-Gov. Palin's nomination and thought she took a drubbing as a woman on the national political stage.

However, this recent manoeuver left me really puzzled - and I think that Ms. Quinn has hit the nail on the head.

It's hard to have your "faith" and eat it, too. And those who try to capitalize on it politically, are more wont than not to find themselves painted into a corner.

The unholy alliance of right wing evangelicalism and politics is just so yesterday. But what is so "right now" is the ridiculously high rate of teenage pregnancy in the US in the 21st century and a "developed" economy; and the rock and a hard place even a fully adult married woman can find herself in when unexpectedly pregnant and availed of the medical technology to know that the pregnancy is outside the "norm".

Indeed, there is much that ex-Gov. Palin AND her teenage daughter could be doing about these timely topics - in my opinion, the kinds of things really only a woman CAN do effectively. So I couldn't agree with Ms. Quinn more - what a totally wasted opportunity.

And what a way to get a "new" job - by quitting the one you've got before you have fulfilled your contract. But not seeing commitments through is very "right now", too - isn't it?

"I did not understand one word of what Sarah Palin said...".

That's cool. I did not understand one word of what you wrote. Was this supposed to be somehow related to faith? How so?

"Many right-wing Christians don't believe women should work outside the home."

Throw up an unquantified 'many', that you yourself disagree with and that has nothing relevant to do with Palin, and then judge Palin by 'them'. Cute.

BTW, what you call 'peculiar family values', most of us just call 'sharing an adventure.'. It's what 'many' of us do - include our kids in our lives. We allow our children to skip school for silly reasons like fishing and camping. We take them out of the country on business trips. We even (shock-of-shocks) LOOK for new adventures to occupy them with.

I cannot imagine having an adventure where my children were left at home, as spectators in my life. Nor can I imagine foregoing an adventure for fear that my children's education might suffer. How ridiculous.

Would it work for everyone if all of the 15 ethics complaints were listed somewhere, who reported them, and what the latest status of each one? I believe most if not all have been dismissed. Is that why this information isn't given in its entirety?
Also, google Linda Kellen Biegel, Shannyn Moore and Phil Munger so everyone can see what they're all about

Sarah Palin left to make millions promoting her new book and speaking engagements on Faux News.

She is what she is; a rich Repug who cares for nothing but money and power, yet speaks out of the other side of her mouth. Typical Republican hypocrite.

Otherwise, she would donate ALL her book profits to charity, right?

If Sarah Palin is so religious and good, she would donate ALL her profits to charity to help those truly in need, like children with downs syndrom. Right?!?!?!

fr freetagoodholm:

>...The recent election of this president who is dumber than a bag of hammers and his V.P. who is suffering from some type of dementia, Make any talk of qualifications silly.

The President is NOT "dumber than a bag of hammers". He was first in his class at Harvard Law School, the editor of the Harvard Law Review, and a community organizer in Chicago. People like that are NOT "dumb".

I think you meant the ice queen is dumber than a bag of hammers.

I don't expect much from Wash. Post liberal media, but at least get fact straight. Go look at huffington post, where they talk about her baby. Of course you conveniently just brush over Letterman's comments. I can just imagine your rantings if someone like Bill O'reilly had said something about Obama's kids. Don't forget the Obamanation and his angry black woman wife, paraded and continue to exploi their kids also.
Change is coming 2013 - Palin/Romney

Ms Quinn,

Why do you believe David Letterman when he claims he was talking about Bristol,age 18?
I don't. The 14 year old daughter was at the game.

Check out The New Agenda blog. You will see just a few of the items mocking Trig.
These things shame us,or should.

I can't but notice the anger and hatred coming from many writers on this blog. Is God on your "side" with this attitude of yours?

The right wing lives to find fault. It is their calling. God has called them to criticize everything that doesn't fall neatly into the bins of their delusional minds. Facts are no obstacle to their opinions and beliefs. Manifestly, beliefs trump facts. The world, after all, is 6,000 years old, because the Bible tells them so. Evidence to the contrary need not intrude. Mrs. Palin is a hypocrite. She lives her life exactly as she pleases. Others, however, are constrained to live the Good Christian Life, presumably for women, barefoot, pregnant, walking six paces behind, and doing the housekeeping. There is no evidence that what she spouts has ever been subjected to a logic test nor is there evidence that it has a factual foundation. What she says is a farcical regurgitation of every crackpot right wing theory that exists mainly so the selfish and wealthy can keep what they got and not worry about citizens who arose from dust, unlike themselves.

While it is disturbing that a significant proportion of the American electorate considers Sarah Palin presidential material, it's time that the rest of us stop beating a dead horse (or, if you prefer, fish).

While it is disturbing that a significant proportion of the American electorate (

I think what Quinn was attempting to say is that many so-called evangelical Christians are nothing of the sort, and lead lives that would be unrecognizable to the Christ they supposedly venerate. Palin instantly appeals to conservatives like her who are also balancing careers and family, and that is her base. This particular strain of people are remarkably unsympatheitc to those who have been dealt more than their fair share of jokers in the card deck of life. That's why they don't really qualify as Christians.

Sally Quinn is part of the Washington Establishment - and cannot possibly understand Sarah Palin's HONESTY and SINCERITY.
The question is - why are Obots and WaPo and its journalists so TERRIFIED of Palin's popularity?

I've read some but not all of the comments and they seem to fall into two general categories.

One category agrees with Sally Quinn and the other group seems to feel that criticism of a woman who promotes the image that she is religious and moral, is somehow inappropriate, not because what Quinn said is not true, but because they don't like people they think are special, to be criticised.

If a person needs brain surgery, do they find a doctor who is the most religious or the one who is the best surgeon?

These supposed religous people would have us believe that they prefer people who promote themselves as 'family values people' rather than observe the actions of someone and relate their ACTIONS to their WORDS.

Many people are not blinded by the words of those who promote themselves as moral, but instead observe and then comment when they see actions in conflict with the words.

Sarah Palin might make a nice neighbor, but that is hardly what is required of a person who would represent others, especially at the national level.

What sort of person finds anything positive to say about a person who calls a press conference to quit and then a day later, says she is not a quitter?

Please.... get a grip...

Not everybody is blind to reality, even if your faith requires it of you.

Palin is toast. She has zero chance of being elected to a national office. The reasons for this are many and have been documented many times, and especially well by Ms Quinn.

Still there are those that support her.

At what point does blind loyalty become stupidity?

And where has the childrens' father been? "Commercial fishing"? So, then, defenders of "family values", who the hell is minding things at home? Who is helping their daughetr with a newborn? Who is working with the Downs child? This is the heart and soul of the problem with this family, wife AND husband - neither seems to be particularly interested in their offspring, only in their own self-centered lives.

If you have not read Quinn Bradlee's book or his piece in Newsweek about what it's like to grow up with learning differences (or difficulties), you should. Check the article out at http://www.newsweek.com/id/190448 -- and then question his mom's standing to comment on what special needs kids need.

My two older and younger siblings were each profoundly mentally retarded; I have two kids with special needs (on the other end of the learning spectrum, however). It's no picnic, any way you cut it. I can't imagine campaigning with kids of any sort -- so hats off to all the families that manage to pull it off somewhat intact.

What I think people react so strongly to in the case of Gov. Palin is that she appears to wear her lack of intellectual curiosity and education as a badge of honor. She seems perfectly willing to use her children as props and then complain bitterly about being mistreated when the media then follow up. She seems awfully unchristian in her willingness to question the beliefs, values, and even patriotism of our president. In other words, like many of us, she's a collection of contradictions. Do we want an "Average Jo" in the White House? I, for one, don't. I expect the people governing this country to be smarter, more compassionate, and (yes) more ethical and moral than the vast majority. By that yardstick, I just don't think she passes the test. Is that a personal referendum on her Christianity? Nope. It's an assessment of her suitability to govern.

And before everyone gets all crazy and starts questioning my values: I go to church every Sunday (well, MOST of them), my husband was on the vestry and taught Sunday School, I've been on virtually every committee possible, and our kids attend a religious school. My credentials in this regard are unimpeachable. So don't tell me I'm no Christian. I am. That doesn't mean I have to like her for President just because she is. That's ridiculous.

It doesn't matter what Sarah Palin might say or do - the liberal media will always attack her.

There can be no argument that Sarah Palin used her children in her vice presidential campaign. In fact, she continued to use them until Levi Johnson backed out of wedding plans. But, to be fair, many American politicians, including Democrats, are in the habit of putting on dog and pony shows with
family members on stage. They do it because a large segment of the public likes the charades.

However, Republicans take the cake when it comes to hypocrisy about God and family values. There is a chasm between what they say and what they do.

Sally:

For someone who works for a newspaper, your research skills suck. You wanted names of people of people who mocked or ridiculed her special needs child? Here goes:

Charles Smith's "Humor for Haters" (there's sensitivity in action)

Erik Sean Nelson on The Huffington Post (ever notice how Ariana Huffington is trying her best to win an Eva Gabor sound-alike contest?)

User posts unedited or taken down by Code Pink

e-thepeople.org

John Dvorak (Dvorak Uncensored)

Sally, try Google sometime. It really works.

In response to Patriot54 "...AS FAR AS YOUR COMMENT ON HER HAVING CONTEMPLATED ABORTION, I HAVE NEVER HEARD THAT SHE WAS CONFLICTED ABOUT THAT. SHOW MW WHERE SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS THINKING ABOUT IT. SHOW ME!..."

How about you do your homework before beginning your inane ranting? Palin made the comments in April 2009, during her first public speaking appearance outside of Alaska following the November election. She was at a right to life rally describing her initial reaction when she found out on a trip out of state that the baby would be born with Down syndrome.

She said, "Just for a fleeting moment I thought, 'No one knows me here; no one would ever know. My amniocentesis came back and then I understood why some people would think they could change their circumstances, just take care of it...no one would know."

She went on to say, "We went through some things a year ago that's helped me understand a woman and a girl's temptation to make this go away."

I read several articles from several different new outlets who reported on this speech, including the NY Times, LA Times, Vanity Fair, etc. Here's a link to the AOL News article for your reference:

http://news.aol.com/article/sarah-palin-speech-in-indiana/432693?icid=main|main|dl1|link1|http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Fsarah-palin-speech-in-indiana%2F432693

Isn't it nice for her that she could even comtemplate having an abortion? Ironic, isn't it, that Palin thought about it and thought she might want to do it, but she still seeks to make it illegal for other women to have the same choice, even in the case of rape or incest. She's a menace...one that I hope will fade back into obscurity in Wasilla.

How can Sally Quinn claim to be an objective moderator after a rant such as this?

Oh wait. This is the Washington Post's Attack "On Faith."

@ Wrightbev

Isn't that how the Demoncrats work? Even if she was a Demoncrat, if Sarah espoused a single view that did not fit with the Demoncrat platform, she would be ridiculed. Look what they did to Lieberman.

@Zeerose

Amen! I was an "undecided" on Sarah Palin and now she has no chance to be seriously accepted as a presidential candidate. I'm not sure that is such a bad thing, but regardless, I do not see why the Demoncrats are demonizing Sarah. Hillary, Nancy, et. al. all scare me far more than Sarah ever could.

Political bias provides the lens through which Ms Quinn views Ms Palin. I wonder if anyone who does not share Ms Quinn's political views could be viewed in a positive way. Her anger towards Ms Palin and her presumption to own the moral and intellectual high ground are reflect Ms Quinn's arrogance and effetism. Ms Quinn's message is-- no views are to be tolerated unless they are in agreement with hers.

Sally, you are only confirming what I have long observed: Those who spout the loudest about Christian values are those who live them the least.

"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
-Matthew 6:5-6

Jeez, Sally! Preaching to the choir never accomplished anything. If you wanted to express your distaste for Sarah and everything she stands for and make it have-way acceptable to Red State bumpkins, you've got to be a little more nuanced in your approach.
Instead of referring (correctly) to Sarah as a supreme hypocrite, maybe you should have said something like . . . hmmmm . . . "There's a little bit of an inconsistency between what Ms. Palin says and what she does."
We (the liberal "elite"--that is, those with an education above high school level and who have been thought to think) all know that Sarah is illiterate by virtually any yard stick. But there's no use just coming out and saying it to her supporters (who also seem to be on the same cerebral level). Try this instead: "Sarah seems to be lacking in basic intellectual skills we all take for granted, but her charm, wit, folksiness and hot body more than compensate for her unschooled persona".
Sarah lies through her teeth at every opportunity for some reason probably only known to her but seems to be prerequisite to become a true Republican. However, stating that undeniable fact will only rile the bubbas of our great land. Maybe this would be a little more acceptable: "Ms. Palin sometimes confuses fact with fiction. But that actuality shouldn't bar her from expressing her rather unique views on various subjects. Just be sure and have Google at the ready on your computer whenever she speaks to either confirm or deny what she has said--that is, if you value the truth".
You see, Sally, you've got to play to your entire audience, not just those who are like-minded. Remember, 46% of "us" voted for the Palin/McCain ticket in November--that's nearly half of the population who live in a fantasy world where up is down, black is white and, more importantly, where fiction is truth. Cross these folks and you are liable to encounter a Palins supporter yelling, "Kill her!" at one of her rallies.

I don't get it. Bill Clinton, Barak Obama, et al. all paraded their kids on stage to show how much of a loving family they are and yet, they get a free pass. A Republican WOMAN does the EXACT same thing and all of a sudden, she can't possibly be concerned about family values because she's "using" her family to promote her political career. Give me a break! Didn't BC and BO also "use" their families to further their political careers? Are/were they any worse parents than Sarah? There's one thing Sally and the Sarah haters are forgetting, Sarah is MARRIED and has a HUSBAND who can also raise a child! Everyone assumes that the kids of a male president/vice-prez. will be raised by the wife. What's wrong with having the husband raise the kids while the wife is out politicking? Why was this argument not used on Bush Jr.? His daughters were teens when he first entered the WH. Noone condemned him for his lack of family values by exposing his kids to the political pressures that go with running for Prez.

No matter how you slice it, Democrats are the most sexist, racist people I have ever dealt with. Democrats pretend to help out African-Americans, yet do everything they can to block constructive measures to help them in preference for gov't give aways. Democrats pretend to be for women's issues, yet turn the other way when it comes to choosing a prez. who had a history of womanizing, use a woman to try to derail a Supreme Court Justice (an African-American one at that) and demonize a woman who's only "crime" is to be a Republican. Democrats pretend to care about immigration issues, yet block attempts to improve the situation because the Prez. at the time had very low approval ratings and Democrats figured they could delay until they regained full control of gov't. The list goes on and on, including people who I know who are staunch Democrat voters but spout the most vile racist and/or sexist comments I hear. I have heard staunch Repubs. voters say the same things, but the number of staunch Repubs. voters saying those are far fewer in numbers than those who actually base their decisions on someone's actions, knowledge, etc., everything but racial or sex identity.

This column and the majority of the posts also tend to agree that the Demoncrats are sexist, racist, left-wing nutjobs.

Sally; your views would carry more weight had you ever applied the same standards of involving ones family in a campaign of a Democrat. If you have done so in the past, would you mind citing those instances? If not, why don't you simply change your moniker to From the Left Wing. It would then be an honest label for your commentary.
Please advise why you join in so greedily at bashing Palin and her family values while ignoring the family values of Teddy Kennedy, who wrecked his car leaving a secretary to drown while he dreamed up a story to tell. Hauling around a baby is a far cry from hauling around a lie like your pal Teddy has done.

Someone said it already, but it bears repeating. The more Sarah Palin is attacked, the more people come to her rescue. Normal people recognize another normal person. That's what Palin is....normal. And that's what crazies like Quinn cannot stand. Sally, here's a memo to you and your fellow haters: It's not working! Give up! We love Sarah. We don't love you. So turn your attention to something else, like how our president is screwing up our country so much that we may not even make it through his presidency before we go banrupt.

And oh by the way, God bless you and have a nice day!

Wow. Yet again, when a contrasting opinion, well formatted, coherent, syntactically correct, is mildly critical of the iconic Sarah Palin, the robotic pseudo-Christians rise to the surface like so many trout in the stream of hypocracy.

Get a life, people. The thought of Palin in a leadership position is as frightening as the hateful un-Christian like comments from the Right Wing rabble.

But: It is certainly what I have come to expect from those who place superstition over rationality, and whose expressions of colloquial, homespun half-truths are shrouded in a self-serving, pedestrian, white-breadlike, sanctimonious and reactionary pseudo-patriotism.

It is not good enough to disingenuously wrap yourselves up in the flag and then feel pious and patriotic, people. Try using your brain, instead.

Well said, Quinn. Palin is a nutcase who uses her family when it suits her needs and then squawks when they get criticized. Palin's purposeful misunderstanding of the Letterman "joke" continues even now, weeks after the event. It's the typical GOP ploy of creating a "truth" by simply saying something over and over and over again, despite any obvious reality (like Bush's WMD). This woman will do anything to stay in the spotlight. It must be her beauty pageant (another hallmark of the right-wing christians) mentality.

I am a feminist from way back, and I absolutely believe in families' rights to live as they see fit, but I agree completely that Sarah Palin has been absolutely shameless in exploiting her children in her political life. The two I feel most for are Bristol and Trig. The way she put her pregnant unmarried 17 year old daughter front and center at huge events was apalling to me. Didn't she realise that millions of pitiless viewers were laughing at her daughter?

As the mother of a son who just grew out of his teens, I couldn't imagine doing that to a teen in her situation, if I cared for her emotional well-being.

And for Trig. There are so many ways that special needs children can be helped to grow and thrive, but somehow I think toting him around to giant media events probably isn't one of them.

Sarah Palin's husband seems to be an involved father. I hope he can find a way to protect his children from his wife's ambitions.

Dear Ms. Quinn:
Excellent analysis here. Ignore the "family values" folks citing here, who seem to be closet hatchet murderers. Your commentary is very incisive, with good advice for Ms. Palin to follow. Special needs children could use all the high-profile advocates they can get. They deserve the best from all of us.

thank you so much Sally - poor Palin begins to look more and more like Dubya as she crumbles under the tedious monotony of actually governing - perhaps we'll eventually get such a clear analysis of her $500m pipeline folly - the one w/no chance of being built as the two sovereign entities, native and Canadian, that it has to go through are adamantly opposed - but she might have known that had she read her own legislative reports, whatever will we do down here without another Alaska folly? Thankfully, the intelligent and competent wing of the GOP is finally beginning to emerge, thank you Ms. Parker this week for encouraging common sense.

Ms Quinn,

You obviously struck a sore spot for evangelical and fundamentalist Christians with your spot on comments. I agree with your point of view because overall, it is the hypocrisy of Sarah Palin's actions that speak loudest. Her latest fishing expedition where she invited all the mainstream media to interview her, the same media she decried in her resignation speech is, yet, another example.

Good for you, Mrs. Quinn. It's about time more people realized what a selfish, opportunistic, greedy, self-righteous woman this Palin creature really is.

She found herself in the spotlight last year. She learned to love that spotlight. She dragged around her special needs, newborn and her pregnant teenage daughter and paraded them at every opportunity.

Now she's resigning. Why? Obvious to those of us not "religious". She's out to make money.

You right wing religious nutjobs need a life.

Gee Sally, you sure have a lot of hate inside. I'm sure your liberal friends will enjoy reading your dribble.

Ms. Quinn;
When you have nothing to say...say nothing.

So many comments are about playing the race card, maybe some of us don't like M. Obama because she does not like America and ONLY felt proud when her husband was nominated, or listened to hate filled sermons for 20 years. The reasons are so many but you pick "race". How small of you.
God bless America.

Watch out, Sally. Don't you know the small-and-shallow-god-who-hates-liberals-Muslims-gays-and-Mexicans is "on their side" and is gonna getcha if you don't share their love for Palin.

OK I see allot of people here saying right wing and left wing. None of you know the real meaning of this. Here is a video that will show you the true meaning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL9ZxjD8LXA

"When the people fear the government it is called tyranny but when the government fear the people, it is called liberty." - Thomas Jefferson

Why do so many "Christian" commenters here seem to hate Michelle Obama so much?

Oh, I forgot.

She's black.

Who does this woman think she is? I have NEVER heard of Ms. Quinn. This article was so stupid. She says she did not understand her speech,yet she quoted EVERY reason that Sarah gave as her reason for stepping down??? She says Sarah was "PARTYING"? What partying? She does not know the names of the people saying ugly things about her??? Good Lord, what kind of reporter is she? All you have to do Ms..Quinn is do a very little bit of research. Do you have a computer?? LOOK IT UP. Start with Sally Quinn then move on to Shannon Moore and that big fat woman in Alaska, and Huffington Post. It is not real hard. Get over your jealousy and move on. Why not do a little research on your president and why he will not show a real birth certificate or why all of his school records are sealed?? Now that would be newsworthy. Think about it.

It is interesting the way people argue over Palin. My mother and I cannot talk about her without arguing either. Mom says Katie Couric should have given Sara a list so she could be prepared for that interview with really good answers, then give her a practice interview without cameras before the real one. I say, "MOM, we are talking about the vice president of the UNITED STATES! Can't you see John McCain chose her so Dobson would tell his fans they can vote for him?" We end up shouting and with her shaming me like these people are shaming you. We love each other, my mother and I.

Thank you Sally for writing this article -- this definitely proves that your crusade with Jon Meacham on "Faith" in Newsweek is a bunch of crap. This proves that you are 2 people who know absolutely nothing about Christianity and Faith - but rather you despise it and seek to destroy the Christian faith in this county - this articles proves it! Thank you! IDIOT!

Since when did Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham come to represent "Faith"???
Faith in what???

The lesson to conservative female politicians:

You can quit, you can lie, you can sound like a clueless bimbo but as long as you keep spouting platitudes about God, guns, babies, the troops and liberals, the clueless conservatives will support you to the end.

Thank you Ms. Quinn.

I love Sarah! I can't wait to vote for her as President! It doesn't matter what these so called journalist say about her. The newspaper industry is going down and in 3 years when she is elected, The Post will not be around. I only came to this page because of Google news.

SUCH HYPOCRISY! I DONT SEE YOU COMMENTING ON MICHELLE OBAMA'S KEEPING HER KIDS OUT LATE! DRAGGING THEM ALL OVER THE PLACE! AS FAR AS YOUR COMMENT ON HER HAVING CONTEMPLATED ABORTION, I HAVE NEVER HEARD THAT SHE WAS CONFLICTED ABOUT THAT. SHOW MW WHERE SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS THINKING ABOUT IT. SHOW ME! I CANT WAIT UNTIL SHE COMES BACK AND KICKS SOME SERIOUS A$$. STARTING WITH YOURS!

What a pleasant piece of work this is. Could it possibly be any more hateful? What are you tolerant, loving, kind, sharing, giving liberals so afraid of? The more you hate her the more we love her. She represents the rest of us everyday Americans out here struggling to make ends meet while you fascist liberals go about dismantling America; taxing, nationalizing, regulating, spending and sitting in your smug elitist ivory towers ripping everything and everyone apart that represented traditional conservative American values before your tyrannical, lying, conniving, twisted philosophy of religious socialism took over the press and the rest of the country. In case you haven’t noticed there is a sense of impending doom out here and the more you hate her, the more we hate you. This country has never been so torn apart or divided, except for perhaps once -and that resulted in a civil war. Try as you might to pretend and pull off your stature as some sort of self anointed tin gods that speak down to us mere plebeians, you should know. The more hate you spread, the more it is spreading. And as things continue to get worse in this country, as they surely will, because “real Americans” are not and will not respond well to your socialist/progressive agenda and hostilities towards any and everything that was traditionally American; before Pelosi ran congress and your president went on the campaign trail to apologize to the world for any and everything American. The more you hate her, the more we love and support her. Keep up the good work.

Just another left wing hit piece. As long as they are trashing someone they don't have to take responsibility for electing a president and congress that is doing its best to turn America into another third world banana republic, where only the elite will have access to the good things in life we now take for granted. Keep on drinking their Kool-Aid, my friends; it won't be so painful when your eyes are finally opened, after it is too late.

Dear Lynn in Indy:

You said:

Dearest Sally-Are you not delighted that you do not have to pass any sort of integrity test, ie a family values test, before tearing apart, in print, another's family values.
For example, Sally, methinks you and most would immediately kill a little baby growing in your womb if it were less than perfect and you knew it. So it is HARD to understand why someone like Sarah would consider then decide to keep and lover her little one.
I sense a deep jealously on liberal women's part regarding Sarah.
What is this jealously about? That Sarah is accomplished as a Governor ?(I am sure you have written about the amazing projects she has accomplished for her State in just over 2 years, right?)
Or is the jealousy stemming from the fact that Sarah is beautiful, bright, draws huge crowds because she is the real deal and speaks to the heart?

First of all, as another poster has indicated, Sally Quinn herself has a special needs child. So, your attacks against her are very meanspirited, and wrong (and before you go after me, my younger brother is profoundly developmentally challenged, so, don't go after me, either.) Now, maybe you ought to apologize to Sally.

Also, I am curious. Just what are the "amazing projects" she accomplished in her two years as Governor?

1. Signed a deal on a pipeline? Yes, well, it is a good idea in theory, but it will probably never be built. So, is that an accomplishment or not? No funding or land has been identified, nor the project taken ANY steps beyond the first "idea" stage.
2. Also, she refunded a large check to every Alaskan of a year's oil revenues...at a time when prices were the highest ever. Unfortunately, she didn't keep a reserve for a rainy day...and now it is a rainy day in the state. So, what is that project? A success or not good planning?
3. And...?

As to Sarah's beauty, crowd drawing ability, etc., I'll agree she drew very large crowds. However, I think your assessment of her ability to speak coherently is greatly over-rated. She maybe talked from the heart...but not from her brain! She is very thin in her knowledge basis. And in the several months of the campaign, I didn't see ANY effort to broaden her knowledge. The possibility that she would have been one heartbeat from the Presidency scared the daylights out of me. You see, having spent many years in solid study as an intelligence officer, I KNOW how long it takes to master a subject. And the Presidency of the US is a job that requires long thought about a lot of subjects. Subjects that Sarah Palin has NOT thought of. Perhaps if George Bush had spent more years of his young adulthood reading and traveling instead of drinking and partying, he might have been a better President. And the country has already paid a huge price. The thought of a President with the knowledge base of Sarah is very uncomfortable. Looks, a smile, and a wink just can't do it.

"Liberals are so great at trying to tear at the soul of any GOD loving person with family values they can never comprehend."
-----
Quite a judgment there.

A god loving person would ideally attempt to live up to the preaching of Jesus. That would include forgiving others for their sins. That would include not judging others. That would include acting towards others, even your enemies, in a loving manner.

Jesus loved his enemies. I've read many words here that attack, in no uncertain terms, in very mean and nasty terms, persons with opposing opinions. Words so full of anger.

Where is Christ when these Christians are composing their words? "Liberal" is thrown out as a slur, as though wanting peace and defending the weak was somehow opposed to the teachings of Christ. Are we not supposed to turn the other cheek and love our enemies? And how could "liberal" mean opposed to Jesus? He was the ultimate liberal in Roman times.

Nothing is worse than a self righteous christian that attacks and denigrates his opponent. It is the least Christian thing to do, and yet it seems to be the rule of the day.

I agree with those who feel that Sarah Palin's children were misused. But the biggest offender of this was Sarah herself. The children of politicians should be (and, mostly are) off limits. This has been the norm for decades. But Sarah paraded them at the Republican Convention. Some of that was probably ok, in that introduction of a family of a previously unknown individual who had NOT been on the national stage is not a hard to understand decision. So, introducing the kids as a family grouping on the first night that Sarah was introduced was fine.

But, I feel worst for Bristol (Trig is an infant, other than whatever attention he got or lacked on the part of his mom, he had no opinion on the campaign period, and wouldn't remember no matter whether or not he has Downs Syndrom).

Bristol is a child who acted as many teens do, and had the bad luck to get pregnant...also not unheard of among teens. I wonder whether or not she had any decent sex education on how to prevent pregnancy, or merely got "abstinence only" sex "education", which left her vulnerable to the worst possible outcomes to teen hormones.

At the very time her mom was being touted for her Christian values, her teen child is pregnant. That's a very difficult situation. And so, I believe, as an attempt to salvage her mom's credentials with the Religious Right, Bristol was paraded out to "prove" that even though it was a difficult "choice", she chose to have the child.

But did Bristol really HAVE any choice? Or did her "choice" if she ever had any, end as of the phone call from the MacCain camp? And the so-called "choice" she made, to keep the child, was the very issue her mom was campaigning against: the right to choose whether or not to have an abortion. If her mom won, other 18 year olds in the same circumstances would be compelled to have her child. The contradictions are enormous!

Bristol was also the proof that abstinence only sex education does not work, a fact that Bristol initially acknowledged after her child was born. And yet, now Bristol is on the talk show circuit, talking about abstinence.

The one who really got in over his head was Levi Johnston. Here was a classmate of Bristol who was an average teenager ...and got caught. It was a very costly afternoon of fun. He did not want to get married. He did not want to have kids; his own MySpace page said he "didn't want no f**ing kids." And yet, along with the announcement of Bristol's pregnancy was the wedding date. Talk about a shotgun wedding!

There was lots of skepticism on the internet that said, the day after the election, the wedding will quietly be called off...especially if Sarah loses. Guess what? Is anyone surprised?

And now, Levi finds himself in a family war with the Palins. Here's a young man (only 18 himself) who really had the wrong girlfriend. He's become a pawn in a drama that he never in his wildest dreams could have predicted. And the whole family has painted him out to be the bad guy. Supposedly, Bristol was offered a new car if she would break it off with Levi. Talk about interfering with the attempts by these two kids to salvage what they could out of this. Levi's life has been turned upside down along with Bristol's. He has been forced to give up a job (that maybe he wouldn't have had without the Palins, but one that he apparently liked) in order to "take care of his family." And yet, from all the stories I've read and seen, is being controlled in his interactions with his son. What a start to adulthood! And their child will apparently not grow up in a two parent family.

The best thing for the Palin family would be for them to go back to being a family in Alaska or wherever, and get out of the limelight. The kids need some normalcy. Bristol needs to be supported as she tries to finish school, and hopefully, be able to salvage hopes for college, if that's what she wants to do, so she can give her son the best possible future. (And Sarah needs to spend some serious time with the books, if she is ever going to come back into public life, something which she hasn't seem interested in to date. But that's a whole other topic.)

Pr Chris

I did not understand one word of what Sarah Palin said in her 18-minute resignation speech the other day.

Neither did Karl Rove or Michael Barone.

Palin wears the same type of glasses as does "Peggy Hill" on the Fox animated series. If you watch one or two of those, you'd swear they were sisters. They both know nothing about everything.
Sarah Palin: A legend in her own mind.

I'm ashamed of you and washington post. The lady has great values and a lot better hope for our country then what we have now. Why don't you listen to her and actually hear what she says before passing judgement.

Sally said: Yet when David Letterman made his remark about her daughter being knocked up, Palin blew it up into a national media fest which lasted for a week. Letterman rightly apologized, and acknowledged that he was not referring to her younger daughter but to Bristol. Palin knew that Letterman was making a joke about Bristol, but she still dragged poor Willow into the mud as well.

Bernie says: Sally you must have a pretty low opinion of your readers if you think they are going to believe this carp. Letterman was speaking about the daughter that accompanied Sarah to Yankee Stadium. That daughter was Willow. Bristol was NO where near the ball park.

Sally said: "I did not understand one word of what Sarah Palin said"

Bernie says: Sally, may-be you should take a class of something ... there really is help available ... certainly I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer but I understood EVERY word. Sally, may-be if you listen to it r e a l s l o w.

And HERE is Sally Q, a woman who exemplifies missing-the-point. Here is a woman (Sally) who personally attacks and demonizes another woman who is far more successful than she. Here is a woman who has just doubled her readership for this one article because she invoked Palin - just like Letterman's unwatched program.

No mother in the world can not be hurt when their child is made fun of. I do not have a special needs child but I have worked with many such children on a volunteer basis. How can any mother be critical of another mother who stands up for her child. And yes, I think brothers and sisters are protective of special needs children. Can be not be a bit more tolerant and not so quick to try to understand. A special needs child needs love and help 24 hours a day. This is a terrible strain on a family but one thing is that the special needs child gives back so much love. Sarah has tried to convey this message and the media tries to destroy her family. Shame, shame on this hateful article. Another example of pure hateful journalism. I hope the mean willed author sleeps well and is pleased with herself.

You didn't understand one word? then take English classes.

Where's the link to report Ms. Quinn's offensive comment?

This is twisted commentry just as that offered by the HuffPo or Daily Kos.

Those who have never had a child born with an extra chromosome or some other life-altering syndrome, disease, or defect, have no idea how difficult it is for the parents and other siblings.

When my own daughter was born two decades ago and I first heard the words "Down syndrome" in reference to my very own little baby, I felt as though my world had ended. It was, by far, the worst grief I have ever gone through. But to everyone around me I looked like I was doing great.

Remember, Ms. Palin is suffering a psychological trauma - one that she isn't really even allowed to admit, because in her culture she is "supposed" to be heroic about her DS baby. I have no doubt that she loves him very much, but I also have no doubt that she never imagined that she'd end up as one of "those mothers."

I love my daughter very much, but those first few years were the most difficult of my life. It is far more difficult to have a baby with a serious defect than it is to have a baby die. When the baby dies, you can go on with your life. You mourn, you say goodbye...and after time passes, you start healing and one day you find that you've gone through the whole day without even thinking about your loss. But, when you have a baby whose life is affected every step of the way by a disability you cannot move on. You keep your heart open for your child, but you see every little loss along the way and it aches so bad.

While everyone else's baby is meeting those milestones yours falls behind...a little more every month. You never stop mourning completely.

Sarah Palin may not be making much sense any more because her world has been pretty much demolished and she needs time (out of the spotlight, hopefully) to rest and heal.

Ms. Quinn

My two daughters are multi-tasking young mothers with careers, as was I at one time.

We have not run for governorships nor president of the USA. I do believe, however, that in this article you have demeaned, belittled, reduced myself, my daughters and 50% of the USA population to nothing more than slaves of the other 50% of the population. Can we (women) ever, in your mind, run for those positions? Are the men of this country the only qualified contestants?

My respect for you has greatly diminished.

If this was a liberal woman then Ms. Quinn would have been the attack dog for anyone who DARED mock or say that you can't work when you have a family even a family that has a special needs child. Since this is a republican she and all the other fems don't see the double standard.

Ms. Quinn, of all people I thought that you would be more understanding of her reasons for leaving. Did you stop your entire career when you had your son? I assume that someone helps your son to this day, so I guess it isn't you since you try to write. You can not even imagine what Mrs. Palin is going through right now. You have never had to work for anything. You live high and mighty only by marrying a rich man. If you had legal fees over half a million it would mean nothing to you. No, it all sounds so simple to just step out of the current troubles for ones family. I'd love to do that. But, I live in REALITY. I didn't marry for money. And, we Christians DO take care of our family. Why don't you just step down from your "writing" job and take care of your son?

Re: "I did not understand one word of what Sarah Palin said in her 18-minute resignation speech the other day. I really tried."

That would be more of a commentary on the Post's apparently
really lowering the bar on its columnists communication skills.

Re: "Many right-wing Christians don't believe women should work outside the home. Yet here was Sarah Palin, resigning as the governor of Alaska, for political reasons."

And we are to also misinterpret this exactly how?

Many right-wing Christians also believe life as we know it ends in 2011 or 2012 and yet they are still socking away money for their kids' college tuition.

The evangelical life is often fraught with contradictions.

Theology 101: The Apostle Paul believed at one point in his life in "general resurrection" and at another in "immediate migration".

I'm trying to figure out your motive for bringing evangelical theology into the discussion about Palin's resignation speech. Ostensibly, it's to accuse Palin of being hypocritical. Actually, your conclusion that Palin was not thinking of her family first comes off as arrogant and presumptuous--and that's when you're at your best.

At your worst, your tone is blatantly pharisaical--but that apparently is what they pay you for.

She really has you people worried. How about that.

Let me say it again...
she left because she had become ineffective as governor due to constant attention and money required to fight off frivilous ehtics charges...the lt. governor will not have to be so absorbed and will be better able to move their agenda ahead in her beloved state of alaska. she would have incurred over a million dollars of legal debts remaining in office and would have had all her attention drawn to those who file such charges and the press who abuse her and her family. how dare you judge what kind of mother she is...if she were my mother, i couldn't be more proud. god - what if maureen dowd was your mother - mean and humorless. you and dowd are on the way out as your newspapers wind down. palin will be around and far more influential than you or dowd could have ever hoped to be.

Sarah Palin is the political equivalent of Cleavon Little's character in BLAZING SADDLES, when he pulls out his own gun, puts it to his head and tells the angry, threatening mob to "back off or I'll shoot!"

Larry Craig, Sarah Palin, Gov. Sanford, Jim McGreevy, Elliot Spitzer, Spiro Agnew.... it says more about we who elected these creeps than it does about them.

For Sarah Palin so loves Alaska that she's sacrificing her valuable TITLE.

See:

http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/sarahs-sacrifice/

Just when you thought Sarah was going to keep all the scandal/god headlines, along pops another story on the Senator Ensign affair in his OWN handwriting to take back the news. Check it out: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/jul/08/spouse-ensign-affair-says-senator-should-resign/

God told him it was a sin; so he tried for six more months to quit sinning.

Bet he hopes there is more to the Sarah Palin story then just ...stupid is as stupid does...

freetagoodholm wrote:

I think who is and who isn't qualified for president and vice-president is no longer an issue.
The recent election of this president who is dumber than a bag of hammers and his V.P. who is suffering from some type of dementia, Make any talk of qualifications silly.

Sally Quinn gives elitism and northeast privileged snobbery a bad name.
_________________________________

Disagree with Obama's politics all you want. Knock yourself out. But calling him dumb, certainly by comparison to either Palin or McCain, is what is dumb. Rumor has it that the cranky neocon obstructionist Charles Krauthammer, admittedly an erudite and articulate guy, who despises Obama in virtually every way possible, said that Obama has a first-rate intellect and a first-rate temperament. Krautie has had plenty of opportunities to say the same about Palin but hasn't seen fit to do so.

And as for elitism and northeast privileged snobbery, a charge that seems to be used frequently in the culture wars, I cannot judge whether Ms. Quinn deserves it or not. Just remember, Freeta, one doesn't have to have a Haaavaaahd degree or have a summer home in the Hamptons to understand that Gov. Palin's inadequate knowledge base, let alone her anti-intellectual attitude and questionable temperament, disqualify her from high national office. Heck, I'm from red-state West Virginia, and I think so. Not everybody who opposes Palin is a snob.

And BTW, please provide a definition of elitism that doesn't involve any kind of political affiliation, would you? Just curious . . .

MisterG:

Re: Your post

I agree with you about the journalists you mention. I'm no Sarah Palin fan, but that is beside the point. Dowd is really a pity. Very talented, erudite, she has become a caricature of herself. Gale Collins is also descending slowly into the tabloid swamp that used to be journalism.

Gov Sarah Palin is the ONLY person I will vote for in the future President races. I am finished with Bob Dole and Bob Dole light canidates and , of course, I would never vote for a liberal.

I think who is and who isn't qualified for president and vice-president is no longer an issue.
The recent election of this president who is dumber than a bag of hammers and his V.P. who is suffering from some type of dementia, Make any talk of qualifications silly.

Sally Quinn gives elitism and northeast privileged snobbery a bad name.

What does Sally Quinn, Peggy Noonan, Kathleen Parker, Ruth Marcus, and Maureen Dowd have in common ? All, in one measure or another, are now indebted, forever, to Sarah Palin. They, each, have to "gag" on that documented fact, forever, for without Sarah's entrance onto the political scene in fall 2008, each of the above "literary lightweights" would have had to rely upon the integrity of their own journalistic skills, to produce credible articles of public interest, skills which each, sadly, either never possessed, or had been lost, many years earlier. In several cases, Palin saved them from their own fate of self-inflicted insignificance. For others, their hate of Palin shielded their own moral shortcomings. As with the case of Tina Fey of SNL, Sarah Palin provided these five journalistic "shills" of the NY/Wash cocktail circuit, good job security, thru today, at least. Now, each, directly, or indirectly, in so many words, have implied Sarah Palin to be unworthy of not only being a serious political candidate but even a member of the "normal" (?) human race. They subscribe all types of derogatory adjectives to every aspect of Palin's character, career, family, motherhood, principles, values, and personal attributes. But by their hopeful (always predictable) condemnation of Palin and deep desire to assign her to the "ash heap" of political history, they have, absent mental forethought, assigned themselves to the same fate. Without Sarah Palin, these five "literary lightweights" are, no longer, relevant and of little use to anyone, for any purpose. In other words, as Sarah Palin may fade into obscurity, though doubtful; for these five poor feminine role models in the field of journalism, Sarah Palin's disappearance means, simply, that their "day in the sun" is over, too. History will, always, reflect Sarah Palin's political achievements as a mayor and governor and vice-presidential candidate, but history will remember the contributions of Quinn, Noonan, Dowd, Marcus, and Parker as nothing more than prime examples produced by today's "biased media slime merchants". And just who was it that these five "mental midgets" called "stupid" ? Sally, Peggy, Maureen, Ruth, Kathleen, put those mirrors away, you won't like what you see.

I agree with you about Trig. I am a sibling of someone with Down's Syndrome. I have already stated to friends and family that I don't believe a word (as you wrote) that Trig was made fun of by mean-spirited adults. They agree. I would say to Ms. Palin to "Put up or shut up". I want to know who these "people" are. Of course, she will say she can't tell us because there arn't any.
Also, stop using your children, especially Trig for political purposes.
If she really wants to do something useful I suggest the Special Olympics or she do something to help children with special needs.

Who gives a FF? Why is this important? The woman was clearly not ready for the vice presidency. She has resigned for whatever reasons. Perhaps, the ethics issues are at the bottom of it. Perhaps, she's simply had it for the moment.

She had her press conference. IT's done.

Here are a couple of issues that aren't: tax exempt status for religious institutions and the related matter of "faith-based funding."

Honestly, Ms. Quinn we don't need for OnFaith to be a gossip column with an unnecessary discussion of Mark Sanford's religious pandering to one on Gov. Palin's resignation. How about a little journalistic integrity? Your readers are not idiots, and you may have noticed that there has been a decline in the numbers blogging here. See the connection?

Ms. Quinn,

Thank you for your honest and straight forward insight. It's shameful, when others posting here make you the target for Sarah Palin's indiscretions, while you have only stated the truth.

I know for many the truth hurts. But, isn't it God's wish that we hold those who claim to be Christians accountable for their actions and behaviors. I don't think that it was very mature of Palin, as a Governor of a state to leave her position when her term was not up. If she believes in her heart that the ethics violations that were being slammed against her at every corner was not in the best interest of the state, then why run, stay and fight; unless of course, the violations were true. If they were true, then this really says a lot about Palin's character, but also her Christian values.

In addition, to these ethics violations, which she says are the reasons for her stepping down, the actions and behaviors of Sarah Palin over the last few months as a mother, in which you detailed in your article are other examples were Ms. Palin has not exemplified Christian behavior. I guess Christianity is interpreted differently by different churches and people who practice it, e.g., humble -vs- arrogant, or wise -vs- foolish, sacrifices for others -vs- self-serving for ones self.

Thank you once again for such an insightful article.

Palin is not ready to be president. I do admire her principled approach to her role in Govt., however. She is not that person but wouldn't it be nice to have a president who was 1-smart, 2-wise, 3-articulate and 4-ethical.

McCain unfortunately was not strong in any category.
Palin is 2 & 4.
Bush 1&2 were only 4. (stop with the "he lied us into war" nonsense)
Clinton was 1 & 3
Obama is only 1 & 3. He misses out on 2 & 4 because everything he has done domestically has been partisan, political payback and fiscally irresponsible and not directed to the economy.
Reagan was all four.

Excellent article and right on the mark. I find it interesting that those who support Mrs. Palin are the very ones insulting Sally Quinn. Go figure.

It is really scary to see Republicans/conservatives so intent on dumbing down our country. They are so intent on not admitting that they made a mistake that they are willing to continue to support this lady who is so clearly unqualified for higher political office. Women should be insulted by this. Yes, we would like to see a woman holding the highest office of this country but we don't want an unqualified quitter. In fact doesn't she epitomize what some consider an Affirmative action candidate? (You all do know that many white women benefited from affirmative action?)

John McCain should be held responsible for this debacle. He is the one who thought women would be so stupid to vote for him just because he picked a woman. Perhaps if he thought beyond picking a "beautiful" woman for the men he might have found a woman who had substance, intelligence and integrity.

Sarah Palin is a prototype of the disaster
that women find themselves in our fractured
and litigious society. I am glad she is
going home to take care of business. As a
grandmother of nine, and a mother of five,
a child of the Vietnam and feminist era,
I can testify that until the value of
motherhood is restored in our culture;
and thus the value of fatherhood along
with it; and ultimately the value of children to our future security, we will
continue to drift into insanity. Christian
women are as confused as secular women and
it will take men of courage, committment
and devotion to their wives and children,
to restore the equilibrium we have lost.
Sarah Palin was cynically used by men to
gain a cheap vote from those who proclaim
family values as paramount, without con-
sidering she would destroy her own family
to pursue such lofty and unobtainable goals. She was not presidential material
and John McCain lost his credibility in my
eyes when he tempted her. At least she is
going home to take care of business. The
secular women who hate her stated values,
should quit accusing her of quitting. She
has returned to what is real; what matters
and what has future implications. It is the
stuff that makes good leaders when they
are aging, wiser and more tolerant. Sally,
you have gotten it right on paper; but how
about in reality?

Sally Quinn seduced her boss and broke up his second marriage. They had a son who has special needs, but Ms. Quinn didn't notice until he was 14. She is a pot attempting to call the kettle a kettle of color. Put a sock in it, you old blue blood elitist windbag. My ancestors came over in 1620 as well; but I think Sarah Palin is a genuine person who connects to the vast majority of people who matter in this country. Just because you have a platform doesn't give you the right to look down on others, oh tolerant liberal. And certainly not if the topic is "faith."

“Give it a rest for God's sake. Palin is not Hitler or Stalin or even Lizzy Borden. She is a person with some faults, but which of us is totally lacking in faults? Let her go, and please do not throw stones at her as she is leaving. I don't know if you think she deserves your civility, but surely we, the readers, need a respite from the relentless Palin-hatred!”
*************************

The source of the "hatred" (really, it's ridicule or at worst animus) clearly is resentment of the wave of anti-intellectualism that has washed over this nation over at least the past 10 years. This happens periodically in the US and I'm sorry to say it appears to correlate closely with the ascendancy of Revivalist movements in American Christendom.

Nobody better personifies what's dangerous and destructive about anti-intellectualism than Ms. Palin. Her brand of folksy populism and incuriosity about the world, especially when coupled with millennialist theology and naked lying and hypocrisy, scare the heck out of all right-thinking Americans.

What the blowhards refuse to acknowledge in their shrill defense of this woman is that some of her strongest detractors are fellow conservatives. They understand the full price of the Faustian bargain Nixon and Reagan made with "white trash" Americans to advance their own careers. They rightly see anti-intellectualism as a legitimate threat to undermine the rational foundations of conservatism.

But that foundation is already cracked and eroding, I'm afraid, as evidenced so profoundly by the base's strong support for the Palins and Joe the Plumbers of their world. The educated in conservative circles understand that they, too, comprise the "elites" so frequently derided as the surest way to motivate the anti-intellectuals. Ultimately, elites of every political stripe want recognition for their elite status: you can only pretend to gain satisfaction from playing stupid for so long.

No, the only hope for the GOP is for the next generation of leaders to denounce FOX and right-wing radio as simple, destructive entertainment. Some have tried; all backed down in abject fear.

fr dcfem:

>...She literally turned that baby into a political football at the convention, passing him around when it was way past his bed time. Her children were constantly with her on the trail instead of in school where they belonged. She touted having her special needs child as if that is qualification for public office....

I felt so sorry for that poor baby, being handled that way, being passed off to whoever was nearest, and "mommy sarah" not caring for him in the slightest.

Some "family values" she has.

Dear, dear, dear...what is it about this WOMAN who has excelled in so many areas that makes the Post writers froth at the mouth so rabidly and instinctively? Ms. Quinn, you need some therapy on this issue, not more published screeds like this one.

I don't know if I should laugh or cry... Are we sooooo tired of the Michael Jackson soap opera that we are so unwittingly dragged back into the Sarah Palin Reality show?

What do Sarah the incoherent and Willie Sutton have in common? Neither ever finished a sentence.

Sally,

It's interesting that you would write this about Palin considering you have used your mentally retarded son to try to make it on the news.

Are you just jealous of her Sally? However I can see that if Josiah was my son I too would be jealous of Sarah.

Dearest Sally-Are you not delighted that you do not have to pass any sort of integrity test, ie a family values test, before tearing apart, in print, another's family values.
For example, Sally, methinks you and most would immediately kill a little baby growing in your womb if it were less than perfect and you knew it. So it is HARD to understand why someone like Sarah would consider then decide to keep and lover her little one.
I sense a deep jealously on liberal women's part regarding Sarah.
What is this jealously about? That Sarah is accomplished as a Governor ?(I am sure you have written about the amazing projects she has accomplished for her State in just over 2 years, right?)
Or is the jealousy stemming from the fact that Sarah is beautiful, bright, draws huge crowds because she is the real deal and speaks to the heart?

Or,Sally, is it more than jealousy, is it HATRED because Sarah is about everything you are not.
She does not appear to be cynical, elitist, snobbish, smallish in world outlook, un-patriotic and definitely not cruel.
Liberals seem to have the big pile when it comes to cruelty.

Sarah is a force for good, Sally. Live with it. I am going to enjoy the show and Thank God there are people with Sarah's depth and heart out here in America causing folks like you heartburn.

Sincerely, Lynn in Indy

Yes, Palin's press conference was a rambling, shambling, incoherent mess. She is the proverbial car crash and you simply can't resist rubbernecking. Will she run for President? You're damn right! Like W, she thinks its God calling. Maybe its true, maybe God loves ridiculous incompetents just as much as He hates the "elites", aka non-believers.

Folks, let's face the real facts. Sarah Palin is not bright and thank whomever she didn't come within a heartbeat of the presidency.

I hope the next time I see her on national TV is in an American Express credit card commercial.

This is coming from an independent who has voted for candidates in either party, depending on how I rated their qualifications for public office.

‘Palin’, or to ‘palin’, or to have ‘palined’:

PALIN \pay-lyn\ adverb 1. to naively, ignorantly and inappropriately accept a position while not having the requisite qualifications 2. to have naively and inappropriately accept a political nomination without blinking, when one should have not only blinked, but also thought about ones’ own lack of qualifications and the expected mal-effects on one’s self, family, political party or country; as in: ‘to pull a palin’ 3. to inappropriately blame the media for accurately noting ones’ lack of qualifications after one naively and inappropriately accepted a political nomination for which they did not hold the experience or qualifications for.

PALINED \pay-lyn-ed\ verb 1. to have pulled off a bone-headed action, or a boner; as in: ‘to palin’ or ‘to have palined’ 2. when a crony is offered, and accepts, a government position which they have not the experience or qualifications for, and then problems occur because of this, as in: Sara Palin palined when she hired her unqualified high school friends for high offices in Alaska; or, as in: John McCain palined when he choose Sara Palin as his Vice President nomination. 3. to hire cronies or other unqualified people, so that they do a poor job so it looks like the government can not handle societies needs, and so as to promote the privatization of government, by actively acting to make it work poorly, as in: President Bush palined in appointing the FEMA head who palined during New Orleans’ Katrina hurricane.

First, as long as Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh are the major spokesmen for the Republican Party the Republic will remain in good(Democratic) hands. Second, can't we all just start to speak nicely to each other and leave that poor woman to cope with her dysfunctional family since she couldn't cope with the dysfunctional Republican Party. Third, in the case of all those people who feel Sarah and Rush speak for them, as a Doctor friend of mine would say, "you can't treat dumb."

Sally: Don't you have another article to write about Michelle Obama's arms?

Hey, I saw Wailin'Palin's speech in its entirety and it was one of the funniest bits she's done since her appearance on Saturday Night Live. So what if she's a "born again" christian? That's totally irrelevant. She is in fact a "born once" moron, and that is all we will ever need to know about her. All the anger, paranoia, insecurity, and incoherence that became her essence over the past year was her own doing ... not that of the people who covered her. There are too many video and audio records of her, made by both professionals and amatuers alike, that have captured her "thought process" and the psycho-babble that drips down from her meandering brain and then spews out of her flapping lips like molasses in search of a pancake. This latest one was a gem for the ages that will be played again, and again, again if not for our pure entertainment, then as a clear reminder of how, even with millions of years of evolution behind us, the human race can still produce such unsatisfactory results.

The truth hurts, but most of the conservatives here believe that dinosaurs were being ridden by humans back in 2500 BC so what would they know......

Sally, Sally, Sally. You've got yourself tied up in a snit and can't loosen the knot. Please, Sally, Tell me, what is it about Sarah Palin that make you liberals come unglued, unhinged, rabid, foaming at the mouth, etc., etc.?

Very well stated, Ms. Quinn!

Gee Sally, you say "evangelical Christian" like it's a bad thing.

Just wondering though...what are your thoughts on women who sleep with their old married bosses to get ahead?

Mmmmmm????????

There's a word for that too....

Sally Quinn's analysis of Sarah Palin's "family values" is quite perceptive and on the mark. There is no need to wonder where such values come from, since it is clear they come straight out of the trailer park where she was raised in Sandpoint, Idaho. They are generally referred to as as trailer trash values. These kind of people may eventually move out of the trailer park, but they carry their trailer trash values with them all their lives. That's all one needs to know about Sarah Palin and her family.

Sally's article was succinct and well documented. For those of you with ugly remarks about Sally Quinn bashing Ms. Palin's special needs child, you might be interested to know that Ms Quinn's son is a highly functioning Austistic. Read SPECIAL NEEDS.

You may not agree with Ms Quinns' politics but that does not give you the right to impune her character.

I am a Republican and was distraught when Mr. McCain selected Ms. Palin. She is no Harry Truman (a hatmaker, but self educated man). I too was incredulous as Ms Palin continuously paraded her children into the limelight. I am a single parent and educator, and would welcome any QUALIFIED candidate for Vice President. I am a Baby Boomer and was mortified that Sarah Palin continuously used her "feminine whiles" like winking and sassy remarks to advance her status. Had she studied before she opened her mouth she could have advanced her cause.

RS Mallory
Austin Texas
http://CompassionateMarketingTrainingCenter.com

Sarah Palin is another in a long history of crackpots and charlatans who have wandered or staggered across the American political stage. Thankfully, most are assigned to oblivion. It always strikes me that her younger children are seen at her press conferences with a baby on a hip while their mother expresses her desire to avoid motherhood at all costs. Something always seems to be dying in the background;last time turkeys, this time salmon.

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed how the Republican Party has become the party of duplicity and idiocracy? I am amazed and appalled at their pundits' horrific misuse of the English language, and their lack of critical thinking skills. They seem concerned only with furthering their agenda & shoving their "family values" down our throats. No thanks.

Vitriol has supplanted any sort of discernable political or social discourse. They are bullies in the purest sense, ready to trounce anyone who disagrees with their views, no matter how idiotic those views seem to the rest of the thinking world. The worst part about it is they wear their collective stupidity like badges of honor. I offer Rush Limbaugh as an example.

Sarah Palin has certainly shown herself to be of this same ilk. Good riddance, I say. Hey Sarah -Letterman's joke was more a jab at Eliot Spitzer than a perverse reference to your daughter, but trying to get you to see this is like whistling dixie in a wind storm -"I can't hear you...la la la!"

Until she can put two sentences together and form a cohesive thought, she can write all the books she likes. Hopefully no one buys them; however, I suspect that if GWB, a man of sub-par intelligence, was successfully re-elected to a second term by these thugs, we haven't heard the last of Mrs. Palin.

Give it a rest for God's sake. Palin is not Hitler or Stalin or even Lizzy Borden. She is a person with some faults, but which of us is totally lacking in faults? Let her go, and please do not throw stones at her as she is leaving. I don't know if you think she deserves your civility, but surely we, the readers, need a respite from the relentless Palin-hatred!

Straight outta Rules for Radicals - make the other side live by it's own rules. Or in this case, the rules Quinn (homewrecker with no rules herself) perceives apply.

Quinn isn't fit to judge Palin.

Sarah Palin needs to vanish from the National Media & Tv. It's no wonder people make fun of her & her family, they're uneducated with the mentality of a 2 year old. But i guess this is the normal IQ for any Republican. Isn't it funny how all the rising stars in the Republican party have committed political suicide.

iamerican's post was full of bigoted anti-Catholicism and full of factual errors.

Thomas Paine was a great writer, an agitator for social change (which makes him 'liberal' by today's political definitions) and was, without a doubt, an atheist.

As for the American Revolution being anti-papist, there is little factual evidence to back this up. Maryland, a colony created as a home for Catholics, was a hotbed of revolutionaries who supported the American Revolution. John Carroll, who would become the first Catholic bishop in the United States, was a patriot as were the other Carrolls of Maryland, who were close friends and allies of Benjamin Franklin.

It took more than protestants to defeat the British. It took Americans, of all stripes. And Catholics, an oppressed minority at that time, were right there along side their fellow Americans fighting for independence.

Also, our commenter is in grave error on the issue of the two mottoes on the Great Seal of the United States.

Our commenter cannot translate from Latin and should not be consulted on any issue having to do with words or facts, having proven being so careless and incompetent in handling them.

"Annuit Coeptis," for the record, is correctly translated as "Smiles upon these these undertakings." Yes, it was an allusion to "Providence," although not a direct reference to a god. (Also, the motto was suggested by congressional secretary Charles Thomson, not Thomas Paine)

"Novus Ordo Seclorem," for the record is correctly translated as "A new order for the ages," Nothing there about 'secular' this or that. (Mr. Thomson is also the author of this motto.)

Both mottoes speak of pride and thankfulness in the creation of new nation, and both reflect the work put into it by the human beings that created the nation. They were intended to inspire future Americans to keep on with the American experiment and not, as here, get lost in ignorance and mean-spiritedness.

This 'promised land' was created through the hard work of people of varying degrees of religious belief, from atheism to its opposite. The founding generation came to realize that those differences wouldn't matter if they kept their eye on mutual goals and actually cared less about what everybody's beliefs were, not more.

The Palin family was a product being marketed to a very gullible target market -evangelicals. McCain needed the endorsement of the Religious Right who hated him. I was mortified that she would offer up her pregnant teenage daughter and her downs syndrome infant to be used for political gain - symbols of her pro-life stand. John McCain turned me from red to blue.

I never saw Palin as anything but an ignorant redneck, Alaska version. As well as a godsend to the news-starved media.

Now I am reading with interestcomments by people who knew her that she actually has a personality disorder. Her grandiloquent (deeply ignorant) statements; her unreliable, inexplicable outbursts and conduct; her barefaced lies; all this adds up to someone who could badly use some highpowered therapy.

Sally, in some ways I think you and the press are too hard on Sarah Palin and in other ways you are exactly right.

Perhaps, Sarah Palin should get more credit for all she has accomplished with her big family chocked full of problems. She has made mistakes. Bristol had come out in favor of contraception and said teaching teens abstinence only was not realistic, but, then it appears her mother must have been pressured by conservative pundits to get Bristol involved in the Candys abstinence drive to make up for it. And that was a mistake. She should have left Bristol alone. That kind of thing happened, I think, because Palin entered the national arena with far too little experience and she I think probably exposed her daughter to ridicule unwittingly. Even if Letteman meant Bristol was the daughter who got "knocked up", his so called joke was just ugly, mean and abusive and I don't blame Gov. Palin for going balistic. Let us remember how Hilary got David Shuster tossed off the tube when he joked that the Clintons were "pimping" out Chelsea.

I think that it also may, to some degree, be true that Sarah Palin truly believes that all of the frivolous ethics lawsuits have been such a burden to herself and the state, that she is not able to do what has to be done for the state of Alaska. I just kinda remember how she mocked Obama at the Republican Convention, about his career experience as a community organizer. "Well" Sarah quipped, "I guess being a mayor and a governor is something like being a community organizer, except with REAL responsibilities". And now Gov Palin would have I believe that working outside the system is more effective at "progressing" her nation and state than being a Governor with her hands on the power system. I guess she is thinking about challenging Rush's authority over conservatives.

I think she is a very charismatic woman with her frontiersowoman persona, and I also think that she can be a real leader of her conservative causes and manage to be a king maker as some suggest.

In the meantime little Trigg is deserving of his mom's full time and devotion, after all she did choose to have him, and her little girls will be appreciative of having more time with her too. So stop complaining Sarah, you can have your cake and eat it too.

this is just more proof that alot of people's lives revolve around Palin. The liberals would commit suicide if Palin was to totally disappear.

Actually, Thomas Paine was a deist. I have read "Common Sense" and several other of his works. You should read his later work, "The Age of Reason", which is a pamphlet against Christianity and promoting freethinking. Here's an excerpt:

I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman Church, by the Greek Church, by the Turkish Church, by the Protestant Church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church.
All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.
I do not mean by this declaration to condemn those who believe otherwise; they have the same right to their belief as I have to mine. But it is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe.

Contrary to what your preacher told you, the Founding Fathers were NOT all Fundamentalist Christians. They were Deists. That means, gentle reader, that they viewed God as not a personal savior, but someone who built the world then let it run on its own.

As for Saint Sarah of the North, she's no closer to Thomas Paine than Nome is to Miami.

Sally,

Ah, if only Sarah had the strong values inherent in your background. I am not certain how many marriages she has broken up, but perhaps she will be able to match your record with enough time. She certainly was not ready for "prime time" with you pundits, since she had not developed her ability to make promises she had no intentions of keeping eg: transparency in government, no lobbyists working in the White House, tax breaks for 95% of Americans. Try writing "hard hitting articles" on the Obama press "conferences" since you understand and forgive his spin so well.

EnigmaForever:

The reason your comment didn't post, is more likely because you posted wrong!!! Try again. Geez!

--------------------------

Anyway, Well written, Ms. Quinn! Palin is a true Narcissist.

This is a "religious" column? Then, Ms. Quinn, remember the Bible says: "Judge not, lest ye be judged."

Clearly nobody's perfect. The problem is that the segment of society that Palin and Sanford and Larry Craig holds itself up as an example of perfect moral virtue and self-righteously uses the policitical and legislative processes to hurt those whose lifestyles they disapprove of.

One is reminded of a great quote from that book they hold in such high regard, but never seem to follow: "He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone."

Ms Quinn, your column was well stated, we just want her to go away and stay in Alaska.

They have verified 32 lies that she has told since she was chosen for VP.

Ms Palin even invented a New White House Department while attempting to explain her decision to resign as Alaska Governor, if she was elected president she would turn the ethic complaints over to the (White House Department of Law)bless her heart, she does not have a clue.

Palin is a disgrace to all intelligent women.

Thanks again for a great article.

Molly

Th. Paine, one of America's Whig Founders, an "atheist?"

Perhaps you should read his works, particularly "Common Sense," his best-selling pamphlet which triggered the Whig Jeffersonian American Revolution against king and pope: to receive in Covenant, by "Annuit Coeptis," the New Secular Order/"Novus Ordo Seclorem."

If you think Paine's answer to the question he posed, "But where says some is the king of America," is incorrect, perhaps you should ask G-d. That right is yours thanks to Thomas Paine and his fellow panentheist Whigs who created this Promised Land.

Sally Quinn's peculiar take on things.
If you didn't understand what she was saying, perhaps there's something amiss in your thinking apparatus.

Sarah Palin is a colorful and interesting character in alot of ways, but she does not have what it takes to be a politiciaon, member of Congress, or President. She has only a very few polical interests. She is basically a "light-weight" libertarian, who thinks that less government is good, and who likes to show off what a rugged individualisst she is. That is ok.

But, the President must know about many things, and have opinions on many things, or else, have advisors to help him form opinions.

Sarah Palin has expanded her libertairan views to the plattitudes of the the "culture wars," but these merely amount to slogans repeated over and over. What are her ideas on economic policy? None. What are her ideas on foreign policy? None.

A plausible Presidential candidate needs to have interests that range beyond "putting God back in the Pledge."

Perhaps she could develop a true and genuin intereste in advocating for "special needs" children and their families. Or perhaps, she could acquire some other special interest.

I think she has a future as a "colorful charanter" but not as a public office holder of any consequence.

Sarah Barraquitter — fastest mouth in Wasilla, with the thinnest content. Complains about attention paid to her children, after she used (exploited) them as stage props, preaches a morality she couldn't convince her own daughter of... a pretty package, with not much of substance inside. Thanks, Ms. Quinn, for unwrapping Barbie Barraquitter.

If Sarah Palin thinks QUITTING the governorship of Alaska is good for the state, doesn't she know that NOT being President of the United States is good for America?
**

"Oh, the words in the comment not posted were not mine, as stated they belonged to Thomas Paine, so I am sure all liberals will find them offensive."

Hate to tell you this, but Thomas Paine was an atheist and a liberal. And your missing post was probably due to operator error.

Oh noes! Sally, you've insulted Saint Sarah, Madonna of the North! (And I mean Madonna as in Mary, not the pop singer.) Careful, she might slap you with a lawsuit, or a dead salmon. Her rabid supporters are already out in droves, howling about how the "librul media" is so against their darling. You betcha! Sexism! Sexism! Religious discrimination! Classism! Gimme a break.

Come on. People aren't against Sarah Palin because she's female, or a Christian, or from Alaska. They're against her because she's an incurious demagogue with narcissistic personality disorder. Her constant poutrage, designed to keep her name circulating in the media, is growing old. She's a drama queen in hip waders. What drives me nuts is that McCain passed up moderate, competent Republican women like Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, and Kay Bailey Hutchinson for Saint Sarah.

Xander2,

The "more retardation" jibe was aimed at Sarah, not Trig.

Let me if I have this right. You send your daughter out as a representative of abstinence after she gives birth out of wedlock, you claim that you are not a quitter at the exact same time you are quitting your job (and as you did for the last two that you had), you pardon one turkey while another gets killed just behind you, you bring the troops into what is a personal decision you are making, you claim the liberal media is out to get you when your own party members are tearing you to pieces in print, and there are still people who believe you can be president? What world do I live in?

Your turn Sally to blah blah blah.

I see my comment which was in favor of Sarah was not posted. No surprise, freedom to express oneself in the Post is subject to the whims of writer's staff I gather. Liberals are so great at trying to tear at the soul of any GOD loving person with family values they can never comprehend. Oh, the words in the comment not posted were not mine, as stated they belonged to Thomas Paine, so I am sure all liberals will find them offensive.

Like most evangelical Christians Palin is a Pharisee.

Ms. Quinn stated, “I'd like to know the names of those mean-spirited adults who mocked and ridiculed her special needs child. I don't believe it for a second.”

I would refer her to Erik Nelson at the Huffington Post who posted an item entitled "Palin Will Run in '12 on More Retardation Platform." Lest anyone think this is a made up right-wing conspiracy, Mr. Nelson apologized for the transgression and the post has since been taken down.

About 45 seconds of investigative journalism would have resulted in Ms. Quinn’s finding this story. Please have the courage to admit you were wrong that noone ridiculed Governor Palin’s special needs son.

Ms. Quinn is quite correct in her assessment of Mrs. Palin.

To Jarob: you obviously don't follow the news very carefully; all of the facts cited by Ms. Quinn were, in fact, previously reported by every news outlet in the US and, more importantly, discussed at length by Mrs. Palin herself. No stalking required.

As the parent of a son with Down Syndrome, I have to agree with most of what MS. Quinn has to say. At the same time however, I have to thank Ms. Palin for raising the profile of people with Down Syndrome. In looking at google analytics reports for last fall I note that the term "down syndrome" was searched orders of magnitude more than at any time in the past 10 years. For that, my family thanks her. The best way to educate yourself about DS is to meet someone who lives with it. You can meet our son at http://www youtube.com/joesvillage

Thank you, Ms. Quinn!

I agree that Sarah Palin exploited her children, but I don't think any of us have the right to judge her combination of child care and professional life. The children have a father, too. And believe me, I have no use for Palin the politician.

Sarah Palin cares for no one but herself. That has been evident since she hit the national arena and continues to this moment. I feel sorry for her children and this new grandchild. They don't deserve this. If this is an example of Republican "family values", they can keep them.

One can only hope the GOP leadership wakes up and insures she's not on any national ticket again. That's the one thing they can do to help her children now and in the future. I highly doubt they will.

Well done! Thank you for printing this article. You are the first journalist who has been able to so clearly verbalize the opinion many American women share. Thanks again!

Quinn: "This is a woman who hid her pregnancy until the last two months, and who was so ambivalent about having a Down syndrome child that she admittedly contemplated aborting her child (wasn't it nice that she had the choice to do that?). This is a woman who took off in an airplane from Arizona to Alaska after her water broke and barely made it to the hospital to deliver Trig. This is a woman who accepted the nomination for vice president with a three-months-old special needs child (all studies show that the mother's role in infancy, especially for these children, is crucial) and an unwed 17-year-old daughter pregnant by another high-schooler."

"Public disclosure of private facts arises where one person reveals information which is not of public concern, and the release of which would offend a reasonable person.[9] "Unlike libel or slander, truth is not a defense for invasion of privacy."[10] Disclosure of private facts includes publishing or widespread dissemination of little-known, private facts that are non-newsworthy, not part of public records, public proceedings, not of public interest, and would be offensive to a reasonable person if made public."

"thus in general, the doctrine of false light holds:

"One who gives publicity to a matter concerning another before the public in a false light is subject to liability to the other for invasion of privacy, if (a) the false light in which the other was placed would be highly offensive to a reasonable person, and (b) the actor had knowledge of or acted in a reckless disregard as to the falsity of the publicized matter and the false light in which the other would be placed.
For this wrong, money damages may be recovered from the first person by the other."

Ms Quinn must have been doing day to day paparazzi style stalking of her 'victim' in order to obtain this information. This takes so many hours of verification that not even MSM can’t afford to do it. Who is paying for this stalking, one wonders and who is next?

Okay, okay... we get it: Sarah Palin = bad person, bad politician, bad family, bad breath... this makes no fewer than seven (Parker, Cohen, Robinson, Dionne, Stromberg, Applebaum and now Quinn) anti-Palin editorialists at the WaPo who've weighed in with their pithy, witty, journalistically unparalleled (except by each other) and highly unique pieces.

Can we get back to the news that really counts at the WaPo? How about Michael Jackson... is he still dead?

In her 1984 book, "March of Folly", Barbara Tuchman explained why some leaders will continue a course despite evidence its not working and alternatives are available.(I strongly recommend this book to anyone.)

One wonders if Gov Palin is practicing the policy of Philip II of Spain: "No experience of the failure of his policy could shake his belief in its essential excellence"

She literally turned that baby into a political football at the convention, passing him around when it was way past his bed time. Her children were constantly with her on the trail instead of in school where they belonged. She touted having her special needs child as if that is qualification for public office. And she kept her daughters unplanned pregnancy quiet until it could no longer be hidden and then used the girl to tout the alleged virtues of abstinence only education. Those are family values?

The world would be a much better place if all politicians stopped lecturing the rest of us on family values. None of them ever lives up to the lofty ideals they want to impose on society so they should all just sit down and shut up.

Ms. Quinn:
You said beautifully what I've been saying for months, ever since about 3 or 4 weeks post-Republican convention last year, when she became such an active campaigner for her ticket.
The woman is pathetic.
She is a walking caricature of the type of woman men find "cute" and women despise because of the fake nature of a less-than-serious dabbler in serious issues.
Some women will support a woman in the running, no matter what political persuasion.
Many of the more serious women politicos I know are embarrassed by her behavior and they believe she has set women back in our effort to put more women in political offices around the country.
If she plunges into the political commentary fray, I have no problem with it.
She will join a host of right-wingers like Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham and others, who spout invective with relish and who often make no sense, much less care about the country.
But it is my earnest prayer that she never be taken seriously again as a candidate for any elective or appointed office.
She's just beyond hope of rehabilitation.

LMAO - Sally Quinn the home wrecker talking about family values...

Sarah is cute, feisty, energetic, and athletic but a lot of people have those qualities - usually they are in sales and are quite successful.

Sarah seems to have resigned because she got annoyed with all the ethic violations being brought against her.

Sarah has a weak spot - she doesn't like to focus on details and all the violation claims were forcing her attention onto topics or minutae that she simply would rather not deal with.

Her inability or unwillingness to give details the full attention they require may demonstrate that she isn't qualified for high level public service.

Can you imagine if McCain and won and had to resign after six months for health reasons?

47% of voters were ready to take that risk - now that's scary!

Ms. Quinn, considering that you have no journalism degree, I find your writings much more comprehensible than anything I have read or listened to which can be credited to the writings of Gov. Palin, who graduated with a journalism degree.

While I may not agree with everything you have written in the past, and undoubtedly will not always agree in the future, I find my agreement with this column to be unequivocally strong.

Bravo!

"Excellent analysis. Wish the subject of the article spent some time reading news items like these in WAPO (or just reading....). She'd have food for thought.
Posted by: ameeta1 | July 8, 2009 1:22 PM"

She obviously can't read, she's a moron.

I agree that Sarah Palin has used her children in her political life; they are her props and unfortunatly, people tend to criticize the props. Palin's disorganized mind shows in her rambling speech, disjointed sentences and lack of logic. Alaska should be so lucky to rid itself of such encumbrance.

Thank you Ms Quinn for exploding the myth that is Sarah Palin. She is a hypocrite of the highest order. She is not the tough Hockey Mom she so proudly proclaimed and a quitter at the same time. Her greatest fault (sin?)is the exploitation of her family for her own personal aggrandizement. Trig and her other kids needed their mother most last Summer and Fall--at home in Alaska with them, not on some quixotic run for the vice presidency. If she were true to her self-proclaimed "values" that's where she should have been, still serving as Governor and taking whatever leave or sabbatical was appropriate, to insure that Trig's first months were as positive as a Mom could make them. Bristol could probably used some intense maternal support as well. Palin is a living mockery to what she claims are her values and beliefs. Too bad so many of her "followers" can't see the truth.

She thinks that she is the Alaskan Messiah capable of saving America. She is the only one capable of doing so. The right wing circles should be anointing Ms. Palin as our new Messiah. That’s what they did to President Obama.
How come she has never called for a criminal investigation into the possibility of her daughter being raped? Remember she was only 17 years old. (Statutory rape may apply here) Seeking justice is part of family values.

May I suggest that Newsweek, The Washington Post, Time, etc. simply drop their reporting on Sarah Palin. She's no longer "news." Leave the coverage to Fox, People magazine, the National Enquirer, and Runners World. Most thinking citizens, whatever their political affiliations, do not see her as a serious candidate for national office. She is simply not relevant to the national discourse at this time. Her actions belie her words (I wondered myself last summer and fall (I'm a mother, too) how she could possibly attend to the needs of her baby while engaged in a national campaign.

Alaska has the worst record of foster care for children in America. She had 18 months left to do something for the abused and neglected foster children of Alaska. How could 'lame duck' status have hampered this effort? With all her charisma and political capital, couldn't she have tried just a little bit to make Alaska merely the next to last place in the nation to be a foster child? What does she REALLY care about?

Thank you Ms. Quinn. Whatever Palin's reasons for resignation, the children are the ones who have been used and abused beyond the pale. She whines about the Obama girls being off-limits and the press respected that. If, at the onset of the campaign, Palin had said the same thing and kept the kids away from the stage, I would hope that the press would have given her children the same courtesy as it has given the Obama girls. When the kids are on the stage all the time, you cannot expect everyone to ignore them. Being a special education teacher, I consider the way little Trig was being cared for close to child abuse. But then, God does take care of the innocents!!

I actually see her reasons for leaving, as muddled and convoluted as they are, as her finally doing something 'good' for Alaska.

She's entirely right that she had become a distraction and a monetary drain on the Alaskan gov't. Her trips out of state for national politics and the ever growing list of ethics violation accusations. These did not allow her to govern effectively. Your 'normal' politician would just keep on in the job no matter what; ex see Gov. Sanford.

So this avid Palin mocker will give her credit here for finally doing something that wasn't entirely motivated by her own self interests.

Excellent analysis. Wish the subject of the article spent some time reading news items like these in WAPO (or just reading....). She'd have food for thought.

Ms. Quinn: Well stated!