Working Moms on Palin?

[Anonymous]

On the face of it, a WM as VP (as opposed to someone like Pelosi who didn't really work when her kids were young) seems great for women. On every single issue, though, i can't seem to think of anyone i'd like LESS to be in the WH.

In fact, she makes it much much less likely I would vote for McCain. I say this as someone who LOVED McCain in 2000 and was deeply disappointed when he lost then. But of course, as evidenced by his pick of Palin, McCain 2008 is quite different from the 2000 version, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

To me, she's a great example of what I don't like about the Republican approach to life. I have always felt like there is a lack of empathy from hard core Republicans, who seem to believe that everything they have has come from nothing but their own determination and hard work (with an occasional nod to their wonderful parents -- but not always). They seem to conveniently forget the assistance that they have gotten in whatever form (born into money, good looks, supportive family, scholarships, legacy admission to good schools, benefit of the doubt, etc). I think many Rebublicans believe that everyone should be able to do it the way they did (or at least how they remember it through rose colored glasses). Thus they don't recognize the need for social services or many of the other programs that I think are important. I worry that Palin is unaware that her ability to bring her 4 month old to the office or nurse during meetings is something that not many other WMs (outside the house, anyway) are able to do. Likewise, my understanding (based upon hearing an interview with her sister) is that she has a lot of family in the area to help with childcare, which is not an option for many families, especially in this day and age when so many people move away from their hometowns.

I, too, worry that her "i do it all" without acknowledging that she has A LOT of help from family approach will give people (most particularly my boss!) a warped view of what's realistic for most working moms. The differences are in the details, and they often are overlooked. So, for example, when O'Reilly had Michelle Bachmann on the other night, talking about how she manages to be a rep with five kids, it seemed like an advertisement for how a mom of 5 can do it all. But they failed to mention that her kids are much older than Palin's kids (the two youngest are in HS) and she wasn't elected until late 2006, so she's only been doing it for 18 months or so. SHe wasn't doing any of it when her kids were really young (in fact she was homeschooling them then, and then starting a religious-based community school and preventing the scholl from showing Alladin because it promotes Paganism). Those details matter.

[Anonymous]

First, a disclaimer: I would rather spend 5 years in a North Vietnamese prison camp than vote for a Republican. So, I am probably biased but I have been grappling with this question all week and really trying to imagine how I would view it if she were a Democrat.

As a full-time working mom of 2 and a daughter of a full-time working mom of 3 (who ran/still runs her company) I should probably say why can't she do it all? I am not a harried working mom. I do what I need to do and it's really not that hard. But, my job is 9-5, little travel, my DH's job does not require extra hours. It works for us. But, my children are extremely needy and every minute I am home and they are awake is devoted to them (whether I want it to be or not!!) So I really really cannot see how you can have young children and be a mayor, much less a governor, much less a vice president!! I don't care how much her husband is around or if they have a staff of 20. Children are needy and even if she has fabulous child care, I don't know how she could mentally sustain the balance. I guess a big sticking point for me is the newborn. I went back to work when both my kids were 4 months old so I know they can survive without mom all day. But that was for 9 hours 4 days a week. Not 15 hours 6-7 days a week. Being a special needs child only exacerbates the child's need for his mother. Again, I hate myself for thinking this way but cannot help it.