End the Mommy Wars

This has nothing to do with men v. women. Really it is not. It is about the double standard of the evangelical, consevative voting block. Don't dare say anything about Mr. McCain's service, but Kerry can be swiftboated. Don't question Ms. Palin's family choices, be she can condem other's women's choices or worse work to take away their choices. Gays should not have rights, be able to marry, have children, but Mr. Cheney's daughter can lieve openly gay and have a child with her femal partner. Mr. McCain can leave his wife for his mistress, but he is supposed to be our role model for family values? Ms. Palin was chosen because of her gender, her morality, her ability to be a role model. Well, for most of she is simly not. I am just tired of the two sets of rules: one for the republican leaders and one set for the rest of us.
Lastly, since Ms. Palin has decided to be a public figure and to speak to american women about our choices, how we should be raising our sons and daughters, then we have a right to question her right back. She does not live in a glass house...or does she?

I agree with you. That said, I just want to point out that it was Gov. Palin in your magazine that called Sen. Clinton and her supporters "whiners" for noting sexist comments. In March, in Newsweek, when Palin said: "When I hear a statement like that coming from a woman candidate with any kind of perceived whine about the excess criticism or maybe a sharper microscope put on her, I think, man, that doesn't do us any good." The Republicans can't have it both ways. The REAL issue is that she is on the extreme right and she has not even a fraction of the experience Clinton has. Sadly, she a gimmick and the women I know are all insulted by McCain's pandering.

I don't believe for most American's it's about "mommy wars" but rather the question of qualifications to assume the most powerful position in the world. This with a possible president with hx of recurrent aggressive Cancer and who would be the oldest initial elected President in America's history. Her position on issues are political. No international experience?, no national experience? What does it say of the judgement of the person who selected her over other (i.e. Hutchinson). Would her selection note winning a campaign over what's best for America?

I agree with this article whole heartedly. Great article.

No need to dwell on Palin's family woes as there is plenty to talk about with her views on abortion and sex education, her history of pork barrel politics, her apparent inappropriate use of power, her believe that our mission in Iraq is ordained by God, her involvement with the Alaskan Independence Party ... need I go on? Clearly this was an "a Palin" example of McCain's poor judgement.

She (Sarah Palin) is a mass of contradictions - "Don't have sex!" but "We're proud of our daughter for keeping her baby" (that was conceived in a pre-marital teen-age sexual relationship. I have nothing against her family and their make-up, but if we border on impeaching an in-office president for some oval office fellatio, WHY should any other candidate or current politician be exempt from the same scrutiny?! Even more than that, while I'm not naive enough to think all politicians mean what they say, I really have to look at this woman as a possible president of the country and think do I want a wishy-washy leader with our country in the state it's already in?! I don't think so!

I don't believe than for the majority of American's it's about "mommy wars'" but rather about qualifications of a person (not gender) to be a heart beat away from the most powerful position in the world with a possible president with hx of Cancer and the oldest new president in America's history.

Ms. Kathleen Deveny of Newsweek : you say end the mommy wars. Your article and the way it is written just fueled MORE of it. Thanks for the demolition job on ALL MOMMYS.

It isn't a matter of voting one party or the other anymore. The truth is both political parties have failed us in their bitter rivalry that is often reflected in these comment sections.

It is now the matter of who can serve the American people and not the interests of their political party?

We don't know what Palin said t her daughter, but we do know that Palin supported abstinence-only sex education programs.

I don't think the mainstream press should be questioning whether Palin should be the VP pick based on her children. This truly is a double standard. Not only is it sexist towards women, it is also insulting to men. Those that think Palin should be home taking care of her kids are implying that a mother somehow has a more important role to play than a father. Somehow, it's ok if a male leaves his kids home to be taken care of by the mother while he pursues his career. If Palin were male, the makeup, age and disabilities of the children would not even be an issue.

That said, Palin's policies toward sex education and the very real consequences that her own family faces due to these policies should be fare game. Bristol Palin seems to have a very loving and supportive family with financial resources. What does Palin think about the many who don't? Too bad, so sad? Procreation first policies that are pushed by the extreme right ignore the fact that people's family situation varies widely. The number of pregnant teens whose parent is a govenor can be at best 50 at any one time. What about all the middle and lower class teens that find themselves in a terrible situation with limited resources and options?

The argument made by many sex education opponents is that it should be left up to the parent. Well, here we have a vivid example of the utter failure of this concept. This is an important point and Palin should be hammered for it, if not directly by the Democratic candidates, at least by the press.

This whole nomination process for Ms. Palin is a bad republican joke -- designed to prey on the ignorant and on those disgruntled Hilary Clinton supporters. Do they really think women are that stupid!? No judgment was used in vetting this woman -- by McCain or his advisors. Due to the fact, that in the history of the public office of VP for the United States, no vice presidential nominee has ever been nominated with as little policital experience as Ms. Palin. McCain and his staff have been touting 'country first,' but apparently, that's not true. Because, how could you nominate a person to be your second in command- who could possibly become the Commander in chief -- should you die -- and sad to say -- that McCain is old and that's a real possibility. If such a thing should happen -- is Ms. Palin really qualified to run the country? The answer is a resounding 'no!' So, John McCain and Ms. Palin -- you both have you own selfish agendas and those agendas are clearly not what's in the best interest of the American people.