The American Spectator

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The Leave Baby Alone Coalition

9.3.08 @ 12:01AM

(Page 2 of 5)

I have one piece of advice for campaign watchers. Do not analyze this battle using conventional campaign norms and wisdom. I am not a McCain supporter, but his campaign staff has been masterful so far. This campaign is all about Obama and his message of change. A message that, as yet, has little substance. Yet, outside of the bulk of the media and the liberal fringe, he has little actual support. McCain's people have built a ticket that just may get Conservative voters to the polls. They have managed to leave the media and lib bloggers with egg on their faces. And they have managed to gain a sympathetic response form their adversary, while pointing up his record on abortion in a backhanded way. I may have been wrong in my assessment of the coming campaign. This may not be such a yawner after all.
-- Michael Tobias

The only crisis precipitated is one that will identify who is and who is not a bona fide hypocrite.

That someone even posits that an election hangs on this issue with Gov. Palin's pregnant but unmarried teenage daughter is preposterous.

Equally idiotic, though cowardly as well as two-faced, is how the Demockacrats, liberals and leftists -- and their lapdogs, actually campaign propagandists, in the wrongly named MSM -- raise a standard to which none -- none -- of them have ever challenged one another to meet.

As for the ridicule that has already ensued and will follow? Please, are we now saying that late-night comedians have that much influence or moral authority?

What a sad day for America when, yet again, the unborn, who have no rights -- especially if they find themselves at the hands of the DLLs -- must endure the evil and cynicism that dwells in the already-borns' hearts and souls.
-- C. Kenna Amos
Princeton, West Virginia

Every writer needs a column, wrong or not. "The tale of a pregnant teenager could determine who will be the next Leader of the Free World." Sounds like Kos or Huffington (who mimic the Daily Mirror style). They hope to change the Palin "disclosures" into "scandals." Columnist McCain can't see the forest of voters, the big picture. Among those who watch late night comedy, who cares? Among those who vote, who cares? The socialists, that's who. Their tools are a wedge, hammer and chisel used to chip off or wedge those not in lockstep. These tools are tried and true. Socialists don't care how vile their tactics, their goal is winning, whatever it takes. Who cares if Bristol Palin isn't running for office? The target is Conservatism, and in this campaign they are brandishing their tools in full view. In our war here at home, a pregnant teen might have shot the Red Bear.
-- Russel Ready
Wyoming

The "other" McCain is apparently taking heat for his comments about the veep choice, but as one who was not going to vote for president at all because I wouldn't vote for a Democrat and I firmly believe John McCain will be an abysmal president, I have since removed my "We're Screwed '08" bumper sticker. 1) My wife is now energized for the Republican ticket and 2), if we can get McCain in with Palin as Veep we have a true opportunity to get "Washington" out of Washington and stick a finger in the eye of the traditional Republican party leaders and elites. Something that is sorely needed. It seems to me that it is this non-Washington politician selection that is the reason for all of this and clearly this woman in no idiot. Just the way she has managed her life to this point in time has the effect of showing voters what many of them have always understood, we have many people in this country capable of serving and doing things right, if it was so hard to do we wouldn't have Washington filled with as many misfits as it is. Just look at them all!

I sure wish her well, Sarah Palin is perhaps the only choice that could have generated this much interest.
-- Roger Ross
Tomahawk, Wisconsin

Why is it we, meaning all of us, think this is a tragedy? Is it because it might cost us an election? Let's focus on the baby, the mother, the father and not the future grandmother. There is no place in politics for this discussion. Does anyone think the future grandmother wanted or condones this? I say NO. Let those who wish to use this rant on but believe me they will end up in the minority. I admire the whole family for doing the right thing and if there are those who would do other wise I say shame, shame, shame.
-- Richard E. Ledford, Sr.

Here's another perspective on Robert Stacy McCain's opinion that the McCain campaign mishandled the story.

Let's consider the alternative. The campaign announces Palin as the VP nominee and then apologetically (how else to put it?) also discloses her daughter is pregnant. The result is the same. The press behaves as expected and the rabid left-wing partisans light up their torches and remove the rust from their pitch forks.

Let's take a look at how Sarah Palin was rolled out. The partisans and pitch forks came out as they would have in any other scenario. The Daily Kossacks (the public associates them with the Democrats) run wild with incredibly vile blogs and the MSM couldn't resist but "report" on it with commenting that basically amounted to saying a woman's place is in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant. The speculation hits a fever pitch that Trig is not her baby. Then after that played out for a day or two the daughter's pregnancy is announced to discredit the "smears" (this year's word thanks to the Obama campaign). This forced an embarrassed Obama to reveal that his mother had him at 18 (that would make his mother how old at conception?). If he didn't do that it would only be a matter of time (a day?) before McCain's campaign framed that disclosure. Obama might have had more time to react before too much venom was wasted if it was handled any other way.

My first impulse was to liken this event to taking on al-Qaeda in Iraq by drawing them to us instead of the other way around. Although al-Qaeda took the bait they didn't get reeled in right away because the public (Iraq and the MSM) was sympathetic to the terrorists.

No, this is more like a rope-a-dope. You're watching the fight and you see Ali getting pounded. You've seen this before and you're waiting. The spectators are behind the guy getting pounded. They're waiting until the guy doing the pounding gets tired or puts on a rapid display of all his tricks and Ali gets tired of him. And then BAM! Down goes the opposition. But this time the MSM and their rabid relatives will punch themselves out and will take themselves down. It has pretty much already happened. No doubt they'll come to and live to fight another fight. No doubt the same thing will happen no matter the subject or controversy.

Letter to the Editor

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