Obama says Palin's family off-limits
By Taskr36
@Taskr36 (13963)
United States
September 1, 2008 7:07pm CST
So why is it that a man with the decency to take the high road on this has so many followers that are eager to take the low road? It really disgusts me that so many liberals on mylot now see this as their golden opportunity to attack Sarah Palin. Will any of them even notice that Obama says his own mother was only 18 when he was born?
Article from CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/01/obama.palin/index.html
MONROE, Michigan (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama said firmly that families are off-limits in the campaign for president, reacting to news that GOP running mate Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter is pregnant.
Sen. Barack Obama campaigns in Monroe, Michigan, on Monday.
Sen. Barack Obama campaigns in Monroe, Michigan, on Monday.
"Let me be as clear as possible," Obama said. "I think people's families are off-limits, and people's children are especially off-limits. This shouldn't be part of our politics. It has no relevance to Gov. Palin's performance as governor or her potential performance as a vice president."
Obama said reporters should "back off these kinds of stories" and noted that he was born to an 18-year-old mother.
"How a family deals with issues and teenage children, that shouldn't be the topic of our politics, and I hope that anybody who is supporting me understands that's off-limits." Video Watch more of Obama's comments »
Bristol Palin, a senior in high school, is about five months pregnant, according to an aide to Sen. John McCain who asked not to be named.
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The aide said the Palins and the McCain campaign decided to reveal the information now because of rampant Internet rumors that Sarah Palin's 4-month-old baby, who has Down syndrome, was actually Bristol's.
Obama became annoyed when asked about a Reuters news service report that quoted an unnamed senior McCain aide saying that Obama's name appears in liberal blogs speculating about Trig's parentage "in a way that certainly juxtaposes themselves against their 'campaign of change.' " Video Watch analysts weigh in on the Palins' announcement »
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"I am offended by that statement," the Illinois senator retorted, not letting the reporter finish his question. "There is no evidence at all that any of this involved us.
"We don't go after people's families; we don't get them involved in the politics. It's not appropriate, and it's not relevant," he added. "Our people were not involved in any way in this, and they will not be. And if I ever thought that there was somebody in my campaign that was involved in something like that, they'd be fired."
3 people like this
14 responses
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
2 Sep 08
Well, Obama responded as i predicted he would, as a true gentlman. And I thank him for it. It was the best response he could have given. I only hope as I said in another thread that his supporters will do the same, but as we often see, it is the supporters that do the far greatetest share of the mud slinging.
2 people like this
@ElaanR2 (277)
• United States
2 Sep 08
Taskr, your objectivity here is stunning. It's nice to see Americans recognize that the two gentlemen vying for the White House are both great Americans who have different views of how this country can move forward. This is an election, not a civil war. I wish, however, that when all those dirty rumors were circulating about Obama, McCain didn't stand up for him. His campaign slogan 'Country First' for example, plays on one of such rumors.
@missybal (4490)
• United States
2 Sep 08
Must say Obama's approach to this matter was admirable. It is sad that his followers do not follow his lead in cases like this. Sometimes supporters of a candidate can hurt the candidate more than they think. Too often the acts of ones followers ends up forcing false ideas about the views of the candidate running for office.
2 people like this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
2 Sep 08
His followers often stun me in their conduct. Many speak of how he doesn't sling mud, but they themselves will not only sling mud, but tell lies to attack McCain and his wife.
Obama has now made a public statement which I'm sure his followers will claim to respect, yet many will still attack Palin despite the statement by Obama that they claim to respect.
The whole reason they made her pregnancy public is because of a rash of lies being spread by Obama's supporters. They were lying and claiming that Palin's youngest son Trig, was in fact Bristol's daughter and that Sarah Palin was lying to cover the fact that her son was really her grandson. I just think it's despicable when lies like this force a candidate to make their, and their family's, private life public.
@WhatsHerName (2716)
• United States
4 Sep 08
For the record, he had to say "family is off limits" since he didn't like it when the media was starting to focus on his children. Too bad the media isn't listening.
@Barb42 (4214)
• United States
2 Sep 08
It seems like Obama did a good deed with that comment. But you have to remember he made a statement back when his wife's comment about being proud for the first time in her adult life, saying his wife was off limits. He's just making sure he has something to fall back on if the statement ever rises again in the campaign. I don't think he really cares if anyone says these things or not about his opponent or her family; he just is trying to make sure they won't say anything more about his wife's gaffs!
@Barb42 (4214)
• United States
2 Sep 08
I do appreciate him saying that the children of candidates should always be off limits. After all, they are not out there campaigning. But I still believe, if a spouse (man or woman) of the candidate is out there making speeches and says things derogatory about an opponent or other things that seem inappropriate or untrue, that it's fair game to talk about it. I'd say that if Palin's husband had done the same thing. But, as far as I've seen, he's keeping his mouth shut.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
2 Sep 08
If a spouse is actively campaigning and making public speeches then yes, they are putting themselves in a position to be viewed, listened to, and judged on what they say. I'd still say they are off limits as far as their parenting skills go, but that would hopefully be obvious.
The children however are in no way making public speeches or campaigning for their parents and even if they were, their actions that have no bearing on the campaign are off limits. I say that in reference to Chelsea Clinton who I believe was campaigning for Hillary. I still don't want to hear anything about her personal life since it doesn't have anything to do with her actions in the campaign.
@soooobored (1184)
• United States
2 Sep 08
I completely agree. I think it's absurd that people who claim to support Obama, and what he stands for, start these rumors about something so irrelevant to the campaign.
To be clear, I like Obama and what he stands for. But, what does it say for your candidate, that the only SUPPORT you can offer is personal attacks on his opponent??
Lazy liberals who attack Palin or McCain on their personal lives, stop. You are doing no one any favors, and its an embarrassment to your own party.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
2 Sep 08
The people who run the blogs filled with lies and smears don't realize that in the long run their candidate often gets blamed for their despicable actions. On another thread someone linked me to articles about all the attacks on McCain by Bush's supporters in 2000. Even though the article clearly stated that the attacks were by supporters of Bush, the person linking to it was acting as though Bush himself directed the attacks.
@WhatsHerName (2716)
• United States
4 Sep 08
I have to say I respect his response to this personal and private issue. I'm still not going to vote for him...
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
2 Sep 08
I'm also very glad Obama said what he said and I'd have been disappointed if he wouldn't have taken the high road! I said on another thread here, not about this issue because it was before I'd heard about her daughter's pregnancy, but I said both candidates no doubt have some supporters they'd rather do without, people who will spread dirt about the other candidate whether there's any facts to back it up or not and people who will stick their noses in where they don't belong. I haven't seen much on TV at all today other than coverage about Hurricane Gustaf and I haven't read anything about this subject except what I've seen here on myLot but I haven't read too many attacks here and even though you know full well I'm a Democrat and won't be voting for McCain/Palin, I'm glad about that. Apparently I've missed some posts that have been less than kind and I'm just as glad about that as well!
I think it's too bad there were some here in this very discussion that couldn't either follow the "if you can't say something nice..." motto or simply accept Obama's statement today at face value and instead used this post as another opportunity to get their licks in about Obama and his wife.
Annie
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
2 Sep 08
Well some will always be skeptical about their opponents. I see no reason to believe his statement is anything less than completely genuine. I both hope and believe that if the situations were reversed that McCain and his campaign would have been just as respectful. I feel children are WAY off limits when it comes to politicians and I'm glad Obama reiterated his earlier statements about family being off limits.
@Savvynlady (3684)
• United States
4 Sep 08
Amen to it all. Look, I feel, she may feel that abstinence is the best way as we all do but she is a teenager with her own life. I have teenagers around that same age myself and they assert themselves in ways that may or may not have to do with me so I cannot fault her for that.
@di1159 (1580)
• United States
2 Sep 08
You make a very thoughtful and thought provoking post. I'm really tired of both parties jumping on every single piece of gossip they can get on each other and try to exploit it to the max. I think that Obama, McCain, Leiberman and Palin should all be left alone. I want time to focus on their ideas and programs, so that I can make an intelligent decision come November. It seems that there are trouble makers on both sides which just love to incite malicious gossip. Everyone single person has something they are not anxious to share with others. We all have family and we know that some family members can be difficult and that every family has problems. It's called LIFE and I can imagine as a mother what Mrs. Palin must be feeling about having a pregnant daughter. It's irrelevant and Mr. Obama said it best. Let's figure out who can best solve this country's problem and leave the families out. Thanks for the post!
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
2 Sep 08
You know what I think? Bloggers and internet junkies heard his words (I'm sure they watched the YouTube version...not the news...and only read it in places like this), and took that as an invitaion to talk about it FOR THEM.
The things that are being said all over the internet about this poor young girl and her family is shameful.
@ElaanR2 (277)
• United States
2 Sep 08
I have reached 130 posts here on mylot and none of my posts has ever attacked John McCain. I make it a point to attack the supporters directly because I believe that McCain would never condone some of the things said here about Obama. The mudslinging always comes from supporters and surrogates because the candidates were friends before the campaign started and they will continue to be friends when it's over. I also believe that when people don't realize that this is an election and not a civil war, give them a measured dose of insults to make them sit up.
@ElaanR2 (277)
• United States
2 Sep 08
kennyrose, you're way too far back. I don't know where to begin a debate with someone like you because you have written a long 'thesis' based on a slew of rumors that have long been discounted. It's unfortunate that you have missed the boat that carries all the facts about these elections. Sometimes the things you hold as truth about Barack Obama can be very annoying because they have been investigated and found to be false. But you are a living testimony of what those malevolent rumors can do and you should continue to talk about those things to prove that there are people who really believe those nasty rumors.
@sumpter (214)
• United States
3 Sep 08
I think it was very tactful of Obama to come out the way he has regarding the Palin issue. Family should be off limits and that the way he wanted it to be regarding his own family. However, it won't work that way. I would not say liberals are attacking Palin, but the media and people in general, republican and conservative alike. Lets be honest, unwed mothers are not the golden standard of conservatives, but everyone is supposed to be all quiet now and not say anything. Of course people should be outraged, it goes against the very grain of conservative ideals. Let it be one of Obama children at age 17 and the media response would be a lot different, "unwed mother" would be the least of the nasty names. I was raised by an unwed mother and I respect Palin and her daughter. But let's be real.
