Oh what short memories Republicans have.

LOL, I agree with you on this one

I think you're 100% correct td

This is par for the course when it comes to republicans

The Palin girls (Bristol at least) have not been hiding out in Alaska. She made the talk show circuit, did some interviews with FOX news and Good Morning America. In fact, I think the whole Palin family did the interview with FOX news. I do not blame them for this, I blame their parents. If they actively seek the spotlight, then they should expect criticism.

criticism is one thing.

Four, where were you when Rush did this? I have spent the last day pointing out the hypocracy, and no one has come out and said they didn't approve of what Rush said. I agree that it would be alot better if children would be left out of politics, but someone has to tell the politicans as well, if you are going to parade your family out in front of the world and be upset when people ask questions about it then YOU are at fault for this.

You don't hear about the Obama girls because they are young, and they aren't pushed on the public. They did keep a pretty low profile during the election, and their parents did use them either. I don't know if it was the McCain camp, or Palin that allowed her family to be put out there as an example of conservative values.

Palin's daughters have been in the lower 48 alot since the campaign. Bristol is on a speaking tour talking to teens about abstinence, and is getting paid well for this. Willow has traveled with her mother, recently being the but of an uncalled for joke by David Letterman. But, these kids have been in the public spot light alot since the election.

Here's the thing- for many Palin supporters, there is no difference between criticism and an attack. I am highly critical of abstinence only education, but I cannot speak of Palin's support of it without it being an attack. I am not attacking Palin other than on the grounds of a philosophical difference, yet I am a Palin hater. I just love that many on the right claim that all Obama supporters are "brainwashed idiots" who would support everything Obama does, yet those on the right, who will hear NO WRONG about those they support, are only "enlightened".

I don't approve of anyone doing it even Rush, I never defended him. To the degree of which left leaning bloggers and media types go to attack that family only cause of their political views is still rediculous IMO, the amount of money spent on petty ethics complaints against that family just to keep em down??? On a side note, I'm a member of many conservative message boards and websites and I never see the kinda criticism that Palin's took ever mentioned the other way around, as a matter of fact it wouldn't be tolerated.

Four, I don't approve of what these bloggers, or the RNC, or their own family did to these children. Listening to bloggers is like picking up the National Enquirer to get up to date on current events. I think that Sarah or the RNC (not sure which one put their family out there) for the fact that we saw more of Palin's children, than president Obama's. That doesn't mean that I support the attacks, but when you say that someone attacked Britol, you don't have to ask which one that is. I understand that you don't support what Rush said, but what did you do? If you sit by and say nothing then that is approving of what is said.

When it comes to the ethics complaints, that is how the state law is written in Alaska, and it is that way for a reason. There have been some investigations that were crediable, and should have been investigated by an independant investigator, and the findings should have been looked by people that weren't appoint by the Govenor, but that is how the law is written. You have to take the good with that bad in Alaska.

It is good that you found a message board that is open to other thoughts. However, I dare you to do on there and post something about how great Bill Clinton was, and see what happens. I can give you links to message boards that would threaten your life if you said something good about Clinton. But, that is politics.

Milkmaid...I see your point. If you disagree then you are 'attacking' but surely YOU know the difference? It is one thing to disagree with a political opinion and expected when you enter office that people will disagree. I don't think Sarah Palin would be insulted if you and her discussed the issues and you disagreed with her. But she has endured a concerted effort to bash and demean her entire family..she has a right to be very upset by this. It is one thing to hold private views on a 18 year olds mistake....and a whole different situation when it's discussed in such low terms all over the press...and used against the mother politically. Palin is for abstainence...and her daughter's mistake does not mean she is wrong about it...it only means that kids don't always listen to parents advice. Yet it is being used to tear down the family? This is wrong, don't you agree?

The problem I see with Sarah's daughter giving birth to a child is that abstainence didn't work for the girl, when things get heated up between a girl and a boy things just seem to happen. I doubt that there are many, men or women who haven't been very close to taking the plunge, some backed off and others used condums or pills to keep the inevitable from happening.

My problem with Sarah Palin is that she is so closely entwined with the "religious right" that she should have had more control over the situation concerning her daughter. Maybe she didn't spend enough time around her family, which I can understand, since she was the Governor.

What people are not recognizing is that even the religious right give birth to kids with minds of their own. Perhaps being a govenor kept her from being around enough to see the signs. But the girl was 18....not a young girl but on the brink of adulthood. I think, from her appearances on the talk show circut...that she has learned that perhaps her mother was right. That is all any parent can hope for...liberal or conservative...that when the inevitable happens and their kids mess up..they will learn from their mistakes. I think it's rather presumptuous of anyone to believe just because someone raises their kids with certain values...that means that they will always live up to those values and not make mistakes. Every human being on this planet makes mistakes in judgement...not one of us is perfect and parents cannot be expected to turn out perfect kids. What impresses me...is that she publically says, My mother was right after all.

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My parents were old school and old fashioned and held high moral standards. They taught me values and principles. I can't say I always lived up to those, we all make mistakes - that's one way we learn. The Bible says "train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it". The key words are "when he is old". There's a certainty that when they are young they will rebel, some a little, some a lot. But now I am old and I can say without hesitation, my mother was right after all.

And I think if more people were honest they'd have to admit that even democrats kids mess up..lol. It just goes to the heart of the matter...when you see an adult who should know better - attacking a child for something it can't help or a young adult for making mistakes like every human does. And saying it's ok to drag them into it cause their mother is in public office. Where is character and decency? Is there any left in our political process?

I spent part of the day yesterday reading some of our founding documents...Thomas Paine's work...the Federalist Papers...politics was honorable and disagreement didn't mean you dug up dirt on the man's family...you intelligently countered him with your reasons for your difference of opinion. We are like pro wrestling fans....and the citizens of Rome with our thumbs up or down...calling for blood and guts next?

The allegations about Trig weren't made by anyone in the mainstream media or by any leading liberal commentator, they were made by an individual blogger and it WAS very, very wrong, I'm not denying that for one second. However, put yourself in
Chelsea's place for a minute. She was about 12 or 13 at the time, at a very awkward and difficult time for young girls and Rush Limbaugh, who himself claims to have listeners in the millions, said something that cruel and hurtful about her. That had to have hurt horribly!

It's just plain wrong to say or do anything to hurt young kids, no matter who their parents are!

Annie

Glad to see you say that. I am not a fan of Rush...as is assumed when anyone speaks as a conservative...not all conservatives listen to him or consider him a reliable spokes person of conservative thought.
We, conservative and liberal alike, must quit with the name calling and assumptions about one another and discuss things with respect and consideration and responsibility - as Americans, not democrats or republicans. If we don't, we'll all may wind up without the liberty of discussing anything at all.

I think everyone can agree that using hateful and spiteful remarks about a child or the family of a politician, to damage that politician, is wrong. It just makes the speaker look ignorant and uninformed.

clutterbug, I understand your position on this subject but don't understand who you are pointing your finger at. Was it G. W. Bush and his cronies, who drug us into a war we can't win or is it something that has popped up in Obama administration? It looks like we will always have to live with a two party system, the other parties don't have enough votes to climb to the top.

I am finger pointing at Bush and his cronies, AND Obama and his cronies. Essentially, it is us (the people) against them, the political elite in Washington. Our political system is supposed to be "by the people, for the people", and it has become "to the people, in spite of the people".

Clutter, I agree that is shouldn't be okay for EITHER party to attack anyone when there is no reason to. But, if you are a view of a subject, and I have facts that proof your view to be incorrect than would you rather know, or just believe you are correct, when you are not. I think that the children of politicans should be off limits, but if the parents use them as an example, and facts contradict that, then they should be pointed out (but not in the way that either example was/is). But, people have to stand up and fight this when they see it, if you see and attack or an offical pushing their children on the public.

I never heard Rush apologize for this, he said that it was a mistake by a technician put up the wrong picture. But, this was a taped show, and he could have fixed the problem, but the didn't. And, if it was a mistake then what was the picture going to be?

Letterman pulled a Rush like apology, if you wanted more from Letterman, then you should have asked more of Rush.

I didn't see rush in your post, only John McCain.

The "white house dog" came from Rush, sorry I should have said that.

Not a problem. Rush is an idiot. Keith Olberman is an idiot too. Unfortunately idiots have big mouths and they drown out the commonsense. Just my opinion.

I really CAN understand how conservatives wouldn't like or appreciate Keith Olbermann just like liberals don't like Rush Limbaugh but I can honestly I've never heard Keith say anything bad about anyone's child. Who specifically OWES any of the Palin children an apology? Not Sarah but the kids themselves. Please don't take this to mean I think it's OK to to tell nasty jokes or lies about children because I do NOT; I'm just unsure what you're referring to.
Annie

"David Letterman doesn't count because he was forced to apologize and really didn't mean the apology. "

How do you know he didn't mean it? I never read where he said "well I have to say I'm sorry to Sarah and her pack of children but I really don't mean it." Unless you personally know David Letterman I would say, you don't really know what you are talking about. It would be like me saying you are a hateful conservative and want the nation to fail because you don't like Obama. I would be wrong because I don't know you and know what you actually feel about the nation and its current situation.

If he meant it he would have apologized the first time instead of making excuses. He had to apologize because of the show's sponsors. They were starting to get calls from angry viewers. It doesn't matter how many people watch his shows, the sponsors are the ones with the money.
And I'm not even a conservative, so being called a hateful one means nothing to me.

You're right irish...money talks. And speaking of the M word...it does on here too, don't you think? Are people trying to intimidate and silence others by low rating based on agree/disagree. HOw do you feel about someone doing that? I mean...if someone were on here to make money primarily...and voiced an unpopular opinion and received low rates for that opinion...they'd be hesitant to speak up again, if their rating kept dropping, right? So....money is the determining factor in both scenarios?

Are you comparing mylot pennies to the millions that the David Letterman should makes from its sponsors? Seriously.

That should be "show". Damn inferior mylot with no edit button.

"If he meant it he would have apologized the first time instead of making excuses. He had to apologize because of the show's sponsors. They were starting to get calls from angry viewers. It doesn't matter how many people watch his shows, the sponsors are the ones with the money.
And I'm not even a conservative, so being called a hateful one means nothing to me. "

I would love to see the ratings and how many actual supporters of Palins watch the show. When I heard the "joke" I personally did not know that Palin was at the baseball game with her 14 year old daughter, I mean the state of Alaska pays for all of her children to travel everywhere. Us non-Palin supporters didn't know what the Hell she was doing in New York, nor did we actually care. If there is one actual conservative that watches Letterman and supports Palin, I would like to see them step up and say something. I do not watch Letterman-it's on to late and I don't think he's funny.

No, I am not suggesting that the two are the same. What I am attempting to show is that MONEY rules the world. Even to the point of what we say in these discussions.

I am relativly new to mylot and I have already learned that if you don't follow the status quo...say what others want to hear you loose. I feel that attitude has infected our whole society.

I do not mind a disagreement, in fact it is healthy to have disagreement in views, makes people think more. But here on these discussions there is an element of persecution for expressing a view that the majority does not hold. Name calling, sarcasim, and low rating a post based who made it and what group they're 'in'. I am not pointing fingers at any one group, it seems to happen to all groups. And it does affect how a person earns, even if it is just pennies. And even worse...it silences the more meek personality for fear of not being liked and accepted.

I feel it is a symptom of the decay of our society when people cannot have a civil and respectfull converstation where disagreements are a part of that discussion. Would you seriously participate in a discussion where everyone had the same thing to say? Why the need to bash and embarrass someone? Why the need to 'destroy' the other point of view?

Rollo, this is called contexting something, if you look at the history of a party and their actions, then show them doing the opposite, then you have hypocracy. If democrats spent decades calling for higher taxes, and then complained that republicans wanted to raise taxes then that would be hypocracy. I don't agree with what the Huffington Post said about her 14 month old son, but we have to remember if it wasn't for Sarah using him throughout the election, no one would know she had a 14 month old child "with special needs child". But, Sarah went around the country telling the everyone about being the mother of a "specail needs child." Someone in that camp decided to put her family out there as an example of conservative values, and that is why her family are household names. Who is to blame for that?

According to what debater is saying us moms of special needs children should hang our heads in shame over daring to say we are moms with special needs children.

Do you seriously believe that we wouldn't know her baby was born with Down's syndrome if she hadn't told us? Sorry, I am sure you are not that naive. There is no candidate who doesn't mention their children, their children often appear with them at rallies and well, inaugurations.

Pretty lame excuses for people behaving so badly. Point fingers at the victim and exonerate the perpetrator.

Let's imagine for a moment that Sarah Palin didn't tell anyone that her son was developmentally disabled. How long do you think it would be before there were stories in the press about how she was ashamed of her own child? I can just see those headlines now...

Come on, it's okay to say that this was over the line. You know it and I know it, and I promise not to tell on you if you agree that attacking babies is being so low that you'd have to pull down your socks to see where you're going.

Iris, it's kind of interesting to note that Sarah Palin was at a fundraiser for autistic children in New York when she attended that baseball game of Letterman fame. Sometimes being a public figure can help bring awareness for things like birth defects, developmental disabilities, even diseases for which we seek a cure. No one said that John Edwards shouldn't tell people his wife had cancer, in fact, that kind of personal connection to a problem often helps to bring in needed funds and spur research grants.

It's all rather silly, I think. I can easily separate right from wrong no matter who is the actor of the deed, but it seems that when it comes to these partisan issues, no one can admit their side was wrong.

For the record, jokes about Chelsea when she was young were out of line if said in public. Jokes about Amy Carter were out of line too. Jokes about Obama's kids would be out of line. I can definitely say they are all wrong without saying "yeah but look what some other guy said about my guy".

I just don't know why some people can't.

Rollo, how would we find out that Trig had Down's Syndrome? No hospital can legally release that information, nor any doctor, or insurance company. So how would we find out? And, does it really matter? I have two children with ADD and that makes them specail needs, but I don't go around telling everyone, because as long as they are medicated you would never know it. I want my kids to have a normal life, with out being called name, and with the same chance every other kid has.

"There is no candidate who doesn't mention their children, their children often appear with them at rallies and well, inaugurations."

Can you honestly tell me that you weren't getting sick of hearing about Palin's "specail needs child"? I know that candidates talk about their children, but what Palin did was more than talk about them, she used them, plain and simple.

"Pretty lame excuses for people behaving so badly. Point fingers at the victim and exonerate the perpetrator."

I have said that I don't approve of the attacks on Palin's kids. But, my question for you Rollo is: Where were you when Rush and McCain were attacking Clinton's kid? There is a double standard here, and I just had the balls to point it out. If you don't like then maybe you should have acted then, and be more understanding NOW.

"Let's imagine for a moment that Sarah Palin didn't tell anyone that her son was developmentally disabled. How long do you think it would be before there were stories in the press about how she was ashamed of her own child? I can just see those headlines now..."

At that time she easily could have said the same thing that most political families say: That is a private family matter. Instead everyone in the country now knows that Trig Palin has Down Syndrome, and thing about how that will change his life.

"Come on, it's okay to say that this was over the line. You know it and I know it, and I promise not to tell on you if you agree that attacking babies is being so low that you'd have to pull down your socks to see where you're going."

Rollo, I have already said that attacking families shouldn't be accepted. BUT, REPUBLICANS DID NOTHING TO RUSH WHEN HE DID IT. So why should democrates do the same now? Please explain that to me.

As far as I know there is no medication to mask the distinctive look of Down's Syndrome. You keep missing the point, debater.

"For the record, jokes about Chelsea when she was young were out of line if said in public."

Do you doubt that Rush said this on his TV show? It is a fact that Rush did this, he is proud of it, and republicans never said one word about it. They did what they always do with Rush: Laugh about it, and say that was a Clinton, it isn't the same as going after a PALIN. So please can anyone on this site explain to me why it is ok to go after a Clinton, but if you go after a PALIN than you should be ashamed of yourself.

"Jokes about Amy Carter were out of line too. Jokes about Obama's kids would be out of line. I can definitely say they are all wrong without saying "yeah but look what some other guy said about my guy"."

What I am pointing out is that republicans have done this for years, and the right just sits back and laughs. But now that it is happening to one of their OWN it is so WRONG. We all lead by example, but if you don't know the history of a subject, than how can you change the future.

Irish, are you actually reading my post, or just making things up in your head. When I talk about medication I am talking about MY kids. I understand that children with Down Syndrome might not have medication to help them now. But the first thing people are going to say about Trig is "that is the kid with Down's Syndrome", and that is sad for everyone involved.

You're the one claiming if Sarah Palin never said anything we wouldn't know. I'm certain it has taken more than medication to get your kids to where no one knows they have ADD. If medication was all it took, sounds to me they aren't that bad off.
I'm really trying to understand the hatred for Sarah Palin that makes it all right to ridicule a disabled child. You have yet to justify that and "they did it first" isn't it.

For the record, I didn't say a word about Republicans or Democrats. I have already said that those comments were out of line about anyone's kids and I didn't say that I doubted he said it on the radio. I wasn't listening to him on the radio, but I take your word for it. I can also say that was a low thing to say about a kid, without excusing someone else.

So by the same token, anyone doesn't criticize these attacks on Palin's kids and uses excuses that other people have made jokes about other people's kids is also a hypocrite.

Face it, you have to disapprove of all of it or none of it. I disapprove of all of it.

As to the press only knowing what they are told and how we only know what they tell us - how did we find out about Mark Sanford? Someone hacked his email account and published his personal emails, then he confessed. So, he didn't tell anyone and we still found out before his confession. It wasn't Nixon who told us about Watergate. Actually, if the press couldn't report anything other than an official line they were fed by politicians, there would be no need for a free press.

I am quite sure you can't hide Down's syndrome as the other commenter pointed out. And if you did do such a thing, you would be a pretty low and useless parent who is ashamed of your child.

The best way for people with disabilities to be accepted and integrated into society is for us to get to know them. That doesn't include making fun of them.

I thought the child was autistic. But not that it matters....I wonder why it is wrong to bring your child with special needs into the spotlight. Are we hiding them away in the closets now? Saying that "if" she didn't want him insulted and demeaned, she should have left him out of the spotlight is the same as saying if a woman's dress in low cut she should be sexually assulted. Why should she have to keep her child out of the spotlight? Why is the child fair game cause his mother is running for office? Why think the worst of her motives? Is it wrong to want to create awareness of a need...especially when that need is so close to your heart? Why is it automatically thought that she is 'using' him for sinister motives? If she had not said she was the mother of a special needs child then everyone would be insisting she was ashamed of him! The fact is she is the target of a smear campaign and everyone is falling into it without even giving it a thought. The FACT is no one....not Rebuplican or Democrat should attack a child for their looks, their intellegence, their mistakes...and no parent should have to defend their child just cause they are in public service! And no public figure should HAVE TO HIDE their children...think about Michael Jackson's kids...he of all people knew the cruelty of the press and the American public and HID his kids behind masks...and we called HIM weird for it...lol.
Seems the American public just likes to go for blood...to me. Can't make up their minds what is right or wrong...just jumps on any bandwagon if they think it means a public lynching! I am ashamed of our society as never before over the way this family is hounded, Just cause she is a 'republican'!
One person's (Rush) idiocy, and insults toward Chelsea (though very wrong) is nothing compared to a concerted effort by the press and the democrats to destroy an entire family.

JFK and Robert Kennedy's children were subjects of the press...in a good light. Magazines loved to publish photographs of them. We practically watched them grow up! When the Kennedy brood started to enter adulthood and some began getting into trouble...the press actually went easy on them, I guess cause they represented a revered family in our society. I have never seen this kind of cruel, spiteful and down right hatefulness towards chidren and families of politicians....in my 52 years. And like has been mentioned here on mylot.... that Pres. Obama's two children are off limits..as they should be...but Sarah Palin's whole family has been targeted, viciously attacked, down to the youngest most helpless member! It is a shameful day in this country...when either party or the press does this!

Debator, if Palin hadn't told the public that Trig has DS everyone would have known anyway. DS gives a person a very distinctive look. You don't have to be told to know. And no one here is defending what Rush said about Chelsea Clinton either. If we had all been here typing away when that comment was said you would have gotten the same response from everyone here. They would have defended Chelsea against those comments too. You are angry at the difference between the two parties responses to these situations, yes? The people on this site are not responsible for that and I am positive that they don't condone it.

Rollo, how would it look for the reporter who broke the story that Palin's son has DS? The sympathy for the invasion of privacy would put her approval numbers in 100% range.

I will answer all of the people that are asking why I wouldn't want to the whole world to know that my child has a specail needs (two of my children have ADD, and this is stance I take): I don't want people to see my kids as a child with special needs, I want them to see them for who they are. Everyone in the world knows the second they see Trig Palin that he has DS, instead of looking at him as a person. I understand that it is wrong to do this, but everyone that has a specail needs child knows this feeling (Irish, I am sure you have seen this). What is wrong with your child dictating his or her life dealing with a diease, instead of having their diease dictate their lives? I really would like to know how all of you parent of "normal" children deal with specail needs children (please answer honestly, we all know how to lie here).

Well debater, how about the HuffPo reporter who used her son's DS to write a extraordinary article entitled "Palin Will Run in '12 on More Retardation Platform"? Did sympathy run high? Did Palin's numbers shoot up over the weekend? The piece ran on Friday, she should be the most popular person alive today.

HuffPo quickly removed the article once it was discovered by the Free Republic and there have been no repercussions for the reporter who wrote it and as you can see, people still hate Sarah Palin.

The text of the article is preserved forever by Free Republic, if you haven't read it, go see the link on my other discussion about it.

If it were YOUR child being made fun of, how would you feel about it? Sarah Palin may be a public figure but she should be and IS a mother first.

There is NO excuse for that blog or the writer of the blog. The fact that some feel she 'deserves' it for being who and what she is...is also a symptom of the decay of what we value as a people.

incidentaly this was more an open rant than one directed at you...if it came across as such my apologies.

X, the point of my post was to say that in the past republicans have done this samething. THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT. It is like anything else in life: If you don't like it, then change it. How did we change the race situation in this country: We didn't put up with it, when we heard racist comments we express our dislike for them. The more people reject hate and fear the less it will control our lifes. If you don't want politics to be so one side against the other, than change the way you present it.

This isn't pointed at you specificly X, but to all of us that complain about partasian politics.

Xfahtor...I've been ranting about this subject for two days now...lol.

George was great, the world lost a funny, and very nice man.

And I doubt he would have sunk so low as to attack a child. It is not a PC thing...it is just common decency to not say these sort of things about a child, any child. A society IS known for how it treats its most vulnerale...George made us think about our hypocrisy...but he wasn't a cruel man.

Best, kids should be off limits. But, both parties have went after the children of politicans for years. I Hope that both parties are getting tired of hearing the attacks on these kids. But, we need to send a message to everyone that it isn't alright to attack children, or use them to win elections. The point of my post is to remind people that this isn't first time this has happened, and before you get mad, remember how YOU reacted when the shoe was on the other foot.

And now she has left office. Does anyone blame her...yea! "she's a quitter" they say....I'd quit too if what I was doing was putting my family in this situation...I don't blame her a bit for quitting, if she stays in office, her family suffers!

And THAT is what the left/democrats hoped for...to force her out of the running for 2012. She put her family first..something I've seen few politicians do lately, left or right. The way I see it is she put her role as a mother and grandmother FIRST...yet she is accused of 'using' her family to get the spotlight.

Those who think its PC to hate her....will hate her no matter what. Most people are like sheep...they can't think for themselves but have to have the media tell them what they should think about things.