Fair game - UPDATED


Watch out for the backlash
Every once in a while, the reporting on a story becomes THE Story. That's now the case with Sarah Palin's family.

So let's back up a minute and see how the old standards of decency apply.

A politico's family is supposed to be off limits unless they're campaigning for the candidate. There are exceptions for spouses giving introduction speeches, but this is generally a good rule. It keeps us from paying too much attention to Nixon burgers or Billy Beer.

Now, understanding that, when the adult family member steps over the line and becomes involved in the political process, they should be fair game. After all, the family member wasn't elected, at least not usually. It's why Hillary Clinton was acceptable as First Lady but not as chair of a semi-secret health care reform task force.

If a candidate brings up his military service as part of his qualifications for office, he'd better make sure he makes the full records available and stands ready to answer any questions or discrepancies. This is a big part of what sank John Kerry in 2004.

If a candidate brings up his marital fidelity even as his spouse is fighting cancer, then there shouldn't be any affairs. It doesn't matter if the spouse knows or not. This crushed John Edwards.

If an elected official stands up on national television and says "Read my lips: No new taxes," there had better not be any new taxes in the pipeline. That doomed Bush 41.

Basically if someone takes a public stand, they are fair game.

But last I heard, infants can't take a public stand, and there should be no paternity tests demanded.

A unwed pregnant teenage daughter may not be in strict compliance with evangelical teachings. But forgiveness and redemption are. Guess which most Americans value more.

Before Hurricane Katrina, I used to warn my more *ahem* enthusiastic progressive and libertarian friends about publicly accusing President Bush of things he didn't do. I said that when people found out what really happened, Bush would come out stronger because those same people would remember that the other accusations didn't pan out and they would be less inclined to listen to any criticisms, valid or not.

That is going to be what happens to Sarah Palin. Elected or not, she just became the Republican Heir Apparent. This lady is going to be a major mover in the GOP for at least the next ten years, maybe the next thirty. The more stuff she can weather now, the stronger she will be.

Back off the family and go back to what is fair game, namely the lady herself.

UPDATE: Fixed some minor grammar errors.

— NeoWayland

Posted: Wed - September 3, 2008 at 04:28 PM  Tag


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