Family members of candidates aren’t fair game, he warned.
“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…And if I ever thought that it was somebody in my campaign that was involved in something like that, they’d be fired.”
But what about the rest of us?
Should anti-abortion or abortion-rights advocates piggyback onto this news event to further their cause or issue?
What about opponents or proponents of condoms in schools? What about churches? Abortion clinics? Adoption agencies? Roe v. Wade backers and opponents? Parents groups?
Is the pregnancy fair game?
It most certainly is, just as the pride—or not—that Michelle Obama felt for her country was a legitimate issue after she commented publicly about it. As for Sarah Palin, she thrust her family into the spotlight, warts and all, when she accepted the nomination. (This photo of Bristol was taken Friday during her mother’s acceptance speech in Dayton, Ohio.)
What about you? Do you work for a company or agency that will be piggybacking onto the issue of the pregnancy for publicity? Or have you decided to let it rest? What are you telling your spokesperson?
If you’re an author, speaker or expert whose topic ties into this news, will you be writing press releases or blogging about your opinions? Will you be offering yourself as a source to the media and bloggers? Why or why not?
Because there are no limits regarding who or what is fair game for the press, the lobbyists, or the tabloids the best and the brightest do not run for public office and for sure not for president. It seems to me that we want smart people who have tried things, failed, and learned along the way. If only those who have never done any thing “wrong” are available for these positions, then we get people who are not aware of boundaries, of unintended consequences, or of how to successfully react to failures. So we get what we sew — middle of the pack and uninspiring people when we should be getting leaders.
It’s not about Bristol. Let’s get that out of the way. It’s about her mom and her mom’s buddy. It’s about the fraud of “family values,” the audacity of Republican hypocrisy, the ineptitude of John McCain and the absurdity of Sarah Palin. To paraphrase Obama — who wisely won’t touch this issue, but whose supporters must frame it in an appropriate manner — if you want to have a debate about personal responsibility and morality, let’s have it. Of course office-holders and would-be office-holders are held to a higher standard. But if you deny abortion — for everyone — under any and all circumstances, if you de-fund birth control and family planning, if you elevate abstinence to the level of public policy, you’ve made these “small,” personal issues fair game. So leave the kid alone, but consider her mother a poster child for values-free parenting and ruthless ambition.
Politics is so nauseating as it is. I’m proud Obama was quick to keep his side in check on raking the daughter over the coals. Unfortunately the political machine and the media don’t always tend to be sensitive to juicy issues.
Maybe that’s changing though. I remember when Heath Ledger accidentally overdosed the media did have it’s blow by blow blast of misinformation initially but after that they were very respectful. Even the studios didn’t really capitalize on his death the way it was expected.
Who knows, maybe we’re moving into a more gentle and civilized time.
I agree, children should not be part of the this game. The fact that Palin’s teenage daughter is prenant should not be part of the mud slinging. Palin’s pregnant teen daughter isn’t running for the Vice Pres. position, so let’s not make it an issue.
Besided, being a pregnant teen doesn’t mean your life is over, it just means you have to grow up a whole lot faster than your peers, and I’m speaking from experience!
Maybe we should question Sarah Palin’s decision to accept this role, knowing her daughter was expecting? YES it is probably once in a life time opportunity, but is anything worth thrusting a family issue into such and intense spotlight.
I agree kids and families SHOULD be left out of politics.
Though Sarah Palin’s is canvasing herself as a ‘mum’, so surely the decisions that SHE makes as a mother can be discussed, but LEAVE the kids alone.
Problems exist the world over and are open to debate, but I think that certain issues like teenage pregnancy should be left alone – the poor girl – she has made a momentous mistake at this very public time in her life – she has had to get through telling her nearest and dearest – bear the consquences and on top of that have her life changing decision (& whichever way she goes it really should be her personal business – nothing to do with her mother’s politics)put up for public scrutiny. enough!
I agree that families should be off limit. I am far more concerned about Palin’s statements that humans are not the cause of global warming and that creationism should be taught in our schools. Teaching Intelligent Design and other forms of creationism were soundly defeated in the Dover trail. I have no problem with conservative political views (we need a spectrum of views) but we do not need a vice president or possible president that is anti-science and anti-reason.
Hi Joan
I agree with you…kids and families should be left out of politics.
No matter where you live, we all have enough significant and serious issues to discuss and decide on during election time.
To tell you the truth, I am shocked you opened the door to this and gave your opinion. It tells me two things. One is that you are completely biased in your thinking and do not see the hypocrisy in it, or you are so un-informed and that makes you look bad. I think your wrong and a hypocrite just like the media and the Democrats. The news media is so biased that they and you must not see it. First it was McCain’s 7 houses… Did they ever ask John Kerry (who’s wife is a billionaire with many more houses and money) John Edwards (24,000 Sq. Ft. house) Edwards affair (the Enquirer had to make it public) or any other Democrat about their riches??? Ever hear about Kennedy’s money???? No, Only Republicans I guess. The news did not go into Obamas past life or associations at all until now and still nothing on the good Rev, or the Terrorist Aires or other associations etc. Ever hear anything on Chelsea??? If she did get pregnant, No one would know because she was hand off. So now we have a real mom and a real family and NOW we must look into the children because it somehow NOW represents the person running for office. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Double Standard… NOOO not at all.
If the media had a hands off approach to the Democrats children, than it’s hands off to the Republican’s children.
Clinton had extramarital sex in the White House and it was no ones business. I am sure you agreed it was no ones business.
Well Joan, you better get used to it because she will be the next Vice President…
Hi Joan,
I haven’t had a chance to read up on this — but what I am wondering is — when I listened to her speech and the daughter who is pregnant was holding her baby brother — was that to hide the pregnancy bump? If so, it’s not always the first act that gets you in trouble it’s the cover up.
I really admire Obama for telling folks that Palin’s daughter was “hands-off” – I agree that the families of candidates should not be the subject of debate.
I do not like Palin or McCain’s choice of her for a running mate; however, her family’s PERSONAL life is not affecting my opinion. The ONLY way it might even matter to me is if she pushed her daughter for an abortion since her stance is so staunchly anti-abortion. Other than that, she is simply a mother with a teen-age daughter (a typical teen-ager at that). This is not an excuse, as I heard today, to question her ability because she “obviously cannot even control her own kids”.
The actual candidate’s actions are all that should matter and even then, there are moments of indiscretion that have absolutely NOTHING to do with the ability of holding an office. (ie: a marital indescretion)
It would be an ideal world if we expected and got real human beings in office and not just a pretend version of the person. Humans are fallible and hopefully learn.
Many kudos for Obama’s stand on families and public office.
It’s a one-time story. Now we’ve heard it, now it should be laid to rest. Also (and I haven’t heard anyone bring this up), remember life in Alaska is NOT life in the Lower 48. Having visited there, it definitely still has an independence, a frontier flavor, if you will, that we only see in westerns or read about in Louis L’Amour or Zane Grey novels. Life is NOT a one-size-fits-all; while you or I may think 17 is pathetically young to be pregnant, the general consensus up there may not. Finally, it has nothing to do with whether Sarah Palin herself is fit to be Vice-President. Her daughter’s pregnancy is just a “quick fix” to stir up the political pot.
Although in theory I agree with Bob Crawshaw that “kids and families should be left out of politics,” once an issue is in the news and all over the Internet, it seems fair game if handled without being malicious. When Cindy McCain claimed to be an only child with her half-sister sitting in a front pew at THEIR father’s funeral, I did comment on my Psychology Today parenting blog (Singletons) because it raised a question: Who is an only child and who is not?
There seems to be a double standard in this presidential campaign. It seemed to be OK when the media jumped all over Michelle Obama for her comment regarding pride in her country. For those who are ignorant of American history: was slavery, the Jim Crow system consisting of economic, political, social depravation anything to be proud of? I think not, yet the media basically clubbed her over the head about it and still continue to make comments about it. Get over it please! Now, we have from the party of family values wanting a free pass. I would like to go back to the old days when journalists had fairness and decency, but those days are gone. Let’s use this story to really begin a dialogue on family friendly policies, teen pregnancy prevention (by the way, Dr. Elder’s was scolded for this) and parental responsibility.
I am horrified that a mother would subject her children to this kind of publicity so that SHE can forward her political career. This shows astoundingly poor judgment on her part for accepting the VP spot and equally bad judgment on McCain’s part. This is fair game because it shows these people for who they really are. Why he couldn’t have picked a perfectly acceptable person like Elizabeth Dole or Kay Baily Hutchinson only goes to show how far right he is willing to go to get elected. This is also a tragic example of why Sarah Palin’s policy of teaching abstenance only is a horrible idea! Why shouldn’t all of this be used as an example? If she doesn’t care enough to shield her kids, why should the media?
I blogged about this whole issue, because I feel that the way a person lives his or her life is indicative of character. And we are definitely interested in the character of our elected officials. I am not judging or criticizing her daughter, who is still really a child. But how her parents, a mother, or father, handles this kind of a situation is very telling. So we need to look at that. This raises a lot of serious issues – I don’t think you can keep this a “private family matter” when Sarah Palin is up for a very public position.
I most certainly agree it’s fair game.
Which is NOT to say I think in any way that a spotlight need shine on Bristol. Yet the very fact that her parent…(whether father OR mother) chose to accept a nomination that puts her and her whole family in the spotlight definitely needs to be looked at!
It speaks to her Sarah Palin’s character and leadership that she would choose, with a pregnant child and a special needs child, to go after a very demanding job that may require a great deal of her time being spent away from family.
I don’t consider reasonable questioning to be ‘mudslinging’ so yes, all decisions she has made deserve to be looked at and questioned if we, the people, are to make an informed decision about whether or not she’s someone we want in the role of VP.
I think Obama was smart to put the “back off” order in place for his own campaign. But the fact is, this is already in the media – and it’s not going away. If Palin in fact already knew about her daughters pregnancy, then I have to agree that her decision to run for V.P. would emblazin the first scars on her own child. Wow, I’m glad I didn’t have to make that decision.
I personally don’t think Palin was a great, smart, strategic or otherwise choice for the Republicans. I’m still shaking my head in dismay since the announcement. But then again, this whole campaign has been – well… different, and that’s what makes it a bit of a nail bitter.
I would apply the Golden Rule – treat others as you would want to be treated. I am proud of my professional accomplishments but would hate to be judged on the actions and choices of some of my family members.
The kid should remain off-limits…but not her mother’s parenting and/or judgment. Merely because her kid got pregnant does not, in and of itself, imply something lacking on the parents’ parts.
However, asking Sarah Palin direct questions about the effects of her being a full-time politician and governor had on her family and, in particular, her pregnant daughter is a fair approach. But to imply that all kids with problems are the result of poor parenting is not at all fair. Some are. Some are not.
And a far more meaningful debate should be held on whether it reflects “family values” to continue to serve as governor while pregnant and after giving birth. Can one be a “good” mother of a newborn (especially one with such special needs) and serve your state (or country) well at the same time?
That’s a fair point for discussion with Gov Palin. But not if prefaced with “See? See? You can’t really be for family values, can you?” (Which is the basic approach of most journalists whenever the pol is a conservative.)
I do believe that minor children of politicians should be off limits. However, using those children and their experiences as jumping-off points for discussion about the candidate is a different issue. What Palin’s daughter did or didn’t do is none of my business. But Palin’s stand on abstinence education and/or abortion is very much the public’s concern. As is the hypocrisy of those who say “at least the girl chose to have her baby” without acknowledging that should could only choose that because she *had* a choice. Palin’s desire to make choice illegal is very much fair game.
Joan I found your “off limits” commentary made in your weekly newsletter very provocative. Let’s look at the three examples that you used. Michelle Obama, Bristol Payne and Bidon’s son were those you mentioned. Two out of the three are in a different class. Michelle Obama and Bidon’s son could have an indirect effect on Americans but not Bristol Payne. Michele Obama is in a position of possibly becoming our first lady. We take note of her actions and should feel free to criticize because if Obama is elected she will also be representing the American people. In my opinion Michelle is fair game. Bidon’s son, if he chose a position outside of government involvement, would be off limits but his job as a lobbyist and his ease of getting into so many politicians doors could have an impact on the American people. He is NOT off limits. Bristol Palin is “off limits” as are Obama’s daughters. Why? They have not made a personal choice to be involved in politics. The choice belonged to their parents and they are only along for the ride. Should they be an example for the American people? Yes, but don’t all good parents want that for their children?
I find it interesting how tabloid stories, more and more, tend to migrate to the mainstream media. With the speed of the Internet, these stories spread like wildfire. As a result, there’s more emphasis on “getting” the story than debating whether it is a legitimate story.
Hi Joan,
I haven’t seen any discussion about how to handle this situation as a public relations event. That, I believe, was your original intention when you posted this item. The truth is that press releases must reflect the agenda of the issuer that might or might not be the release writer’s personal viewpoint. The personal opinions expressed here would only be part of a release if the originator of the release agreed with the opinion. It would be more informative to have a person with a strong opinion write a release with the opposite point of view. I believe that would be more indicative of the writer’s ability than simply venting on one side or the other.
Schuyler, you are correct. I was hoping that this wouldn’t turn into a debate for or against Palin, similar to what’s on a lot of other blogs.
Rather, I was hoping for a good debate about how PR people piggyback onto this news–or not.
Dana, thanks for getting us back on track.
OK, Hounds. Are you piggybacking onto these topics for your own publicity, or not???
Thanks for reminding us that we’ve gotten off track! This seems like a perfect opportunity to piggyback. Books about child raising, Downs Syndrome, working moms, teen moms & dads, etc… Family planning and abstinence education organizations… I can’t think of a reason not to take advantage of such a natural opportunity. We’re not talking about attacking the young woman — or even Palin herself.
Palin rendered that question moot when she paraded her underage pregnant daughter and the alleged father on stage with her family at the Republican convention. Supporting your children no matter what is great but promoting teen pregnancy is not. It speaks volumes about the obvious consequences of refusing to open your eyes and smell the baby formula. Children deserve better than being told, “Wait until you’re married and meanwhile just say no.” Abstinence works for an adult who so chooses but it’s a ridiculous notion for a child who lacks self control and discipline.
This issue is very important and should be discussed at length but Palin’s teenage daughter should not personally named nor hounded by the press. She is not the story, Palin is the story.
In my opinion, bringing family into elections is okay as long as you do not try to trash them. I believe Obama did the right thing when he called his workers off. Saying that Palin’s daughter is pregnant is okay, but when you trash her because of her age is not the right thing to do. Her mom is the one running for vice president, not her. Her mom did not tell her to go get pregnant, she chose it herself.
Hi Everyone,
First off I want to apologize to Joan because it was only when I read the comment about how this was for publicity purposes that it stopped me from unsubscribing. I could care less about your political views or your readers for that matter. The bottom line is that we all have our own opinion on the subject and we can discuss it in the appropriate forum. This is not that forum.
Now that I am done with my rant, back to the original question of piggybacking on the issues. I think that is totally OK to piggyback on the story and I agree with some readers that once it made it to the press it is out there and it is fair game for the publicity of relevant information. If it never made it to the press or if it only was in tabloids then I would disagree for the following reason.
– It would not be beneficial to my client because there is no news. There would be no readership of the release and people wouldn’t even call it piggybacking rather it would just be a normal release.
I do think for any companies that are thinking of piggybacking they need to make sure they are respectful of the family. Let the press take the blame for the mud-slinging I am not bringing my client into that category.