Trig's Promise

Democrats have led the way since, Braddock says, but a number of the important advancements have been bipartisan efforts: the Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted under George H.W. Bush, and IDEA was reauthorized under George W. Bush. Most recently, Bush signed the Higher Education Opportunity Act, which lets students with intellectual disabilities apply for Federal Pell Grant scholarships and other sources of need-based aid. But with an influx of disabled adults looking for jobs and housing in their communities, Berns says the country is "on the precipice of a major crisis. Either Congress provides more funding for services for disabled individuals and their families, or conditions for this group of Americans--which conservative estimates put at 50 or 60 million--will not improve.

Raising public awareness is key to climbing the next hill, advocates say. "Awareness is always a good thing, and in terms of the movement, I think that's what Governor Palin brings, just by virtue of her nomination," says David Tolleson, the executive director of the National Down Syndrome Congress. He compares it to having a Hollywood celebrity join the cause, like Eva Longoria, whose older sister has Down syndrome, or Jenny McCarthy, whose son is autistic. Other advocates are heartened by the fact that both Barack Obama and John McCain participated via remote in a disability rights forum in Ohio in July, and have both offered plans for disability programs, which are somewhat similar in nature.

Palin's decision to feature her Down syndrome baby prominently during her coming-out party at the GOP convention on Wednesday night drew fire among some liberal bloggers. As the baby was passed around among family members and Cindy McCain, some thought the vice presidential pick was guilty of using her kid as a political prop. Martinez worried, while watching the speech, that what should be engaged as a political issue risks becoming just "a cute poster child with a cute poster mom."

But Tolleson didn't see it that way. "So far, all that I've seen is what I've seen from every other candidate as long as I've been watching conventions," he says. "The family is in attendance, they recognize family, and they refer to issues within the family that impact their belief system, which could be something like having a parent with Alzheimer's, or a child with a disability." He and others hope that baby Trig's appearance on the political scene could help spur action in the new administration, no matter who wins in November.

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