Bristol Palin and the McCain Campaign
Kleinheider understand the conservative moral ethos better than anyone I’ve read who’s on the Left:
However, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction and Bristol Palin is that reaction. Sarah Palin now has the capability of being what Hillary Clinton claimed to be — a hero of the blue collar working class.
Sarah Palin is a working mom with five kids who managed to become Governor of her state. Now Palin has been confronted with the great fear, and for many, the difficult reality of a pregnant teenage daughter. Sarah Palin lived by a code and tried to have her kids live by it as well. Did she fail?
Maybe she did. But as many parents know, you do the best you can with your children.
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The Left will fight this battle as a political debate. They will argue that Bristol Palin proves their assertions about traditionalism. They will lay it out point by point. The evidence will be solid. Their case will make sense — in theory.
But this is not theory, and to a certain extent its not even politics, this is life. Steve Schmidt is not wrong when in reaction to the news he says, “Life happens.”
Life does happen. It happens again and again to people in rural America who go to church, work and pray hard. Everyday life happens. Despite their prayers, it happens.
The Left simply misunderstands the Cultural War because they believe that social and religious conservatives think they are perfect people. Rural, working class people know exactly who they are. The Left seems to think that they are somehow breaking the news to social conservatives that sometimes, even often, kids will have sex and get pregnant. Social conservatives know these things. They are not as divorced from reality as they sometimes get painted.
You see, conservatives have code by which they live that accounts for it all. Whether they are “right” or “wrong” is immaterial. It is the Left’s misunderstanding which is important here.
Conservatives know they are imperfect. Instead of embracing the imperfection and “giving up” they instead prefer to strive for something better.
Bristol Palin made a mistake, but is doing the right thing by not aborting the innocent child. Sarah Palin will be praised by conservatives for instilling a pro-life moral code into her daughter even if Bristol hasn’t been perfect. Eric Pfeiffer notes:
As to the actual news of Bristol’s pregnancy, socially conservative bloggers are turning their ire to the left and the media, rather than against Palin. What I think this demonstrates is that while social conservatives certainly opposed intimate affairs outside of marriage, they value pro-life positions more.
If the Left goes on a rampage screaming “hypocrisy” it will backfire and help McCain.
My issue is different…
Knowing the insane scrutiny of a presidential campaign and knowing the attention and vitriol that will be thrown at your family if a minor, single, high school drop out child, living at home, gets pregnant, how could one in good conscious subject your family in general, and your daughter in particular to the negative media attention that will inevitably occur?
That is a cruel thing to do to your family and your daughter.