Governor Sarah Palin's stunning early resignation elicited
predictable surprise and sympathy from most of her supporters,
and equally predictable surprise and sheer glee from most of her
detractors. The question uppermost in the minds of political
types was when, if ever, she might run for President. That
question, while intriguing, is secondary. Front and center is how
much the politics of familial destruction -- at least, against
conservative candidates -- will be energized.
The references to her family, plus the ceaseless legal harassment
imposing six-figure financial cost and consuming time needed for
governance, suggests a chilling reality: A sustained,
vituperative smear campaign directed against a candidate and
family can succeed. Palin, who hunts moose at 4 a.m.,
can surely take hits directed against her in the normal political
arena. An attack directed against an activist adult partner who
is a co-player -- think Hillary -- is also fair game, though
Hillary played the "little woman" card when it suited her during
the Clinton years. But Palin's children range in age from one to
18. Unwillingness to stand by and watch vulgar attacks directed
against her teenage daughter by a famous late-night comedian and
even worse, adults subjecting her children to ridicule aimed at
her special needs infant, hardly shows weakness. Such attacks are
a cancer growing on American politics.
Like all people, Sarah Palin has flaws. Hers are fair game for
opponents and for media. Flaws of activist adult relatives --
those who campaign on issues and the like -- are also fair game.
But teen children are never fair game. Attacking them
forces candidates to weigh their professional goals against
personal imperatives to protect their family from abuse. Their
children are, in effect, being held hostage.
Has there ever been a campaign against children filled with such
vitriol? Imagine if anyone had gone after Chelsea Clinton as a
teen in the White House, for any reason whatsoever. Whoever did
it would have faced a raw fury from Democrats (and even some
Republicans) and the full fury of mainstream media. True, Chelsea
did not give birth as a teen out of wedlock, but that would
hardly have tipped the scales. She would have been defended as
worthy of compassion and support. Indeed, campaigning for her
mother in 2008, Chelsea, now nearly 30, was given a full pass.
A generation ago, impressionist David Frye, miming LBJ, had LBJ
speak of "My two semi-beautiful daughters." Richard Nixon's
daughters received occasional snarky remarks. Ronald Reagan's two
children by Nancy received notice, too. And George W. Bush's twin
daughters made the papers when they had a few beers.
But all of these instances involved adults. They were
still unfair, as rarely did any of these children weigh into
issues. But they were at least old enough to be able to handle
attacks. And there was protective pressure all around not to go
too far. Kennedy clan children have often been in the news, but
not targeted constantly.
During the campaign both Barack Obama and Joe Biden, commendably,
spoke out against targeting Palin's family. However, since the
November election attacks on Palin's children have continued.
True, Palin is a potential future presidential candidate, but
never before has any candidate -- let alone, any candidate's
family -- attracted such bile in the months immediately after a
presidential election. Bob Beckel, Mondale-Ferraro campaign
manager in 1984, conceded yesterday that Sarah Palin faces a
media double standard, and added that had David Letterman
attacked a Democratic politician's daughter, he'd have been taken
off the air.
Palin would have done better to call upon those
attacking her to end assaults on her family, and focus on her
alone. She could have asked leading Democrats to follow the
example set by candidates Obama and Biden, and publicly condemn
attacks on her children. As to her financial burden she could
have called upon the state government to fully reimburse her for
the cost of defending against merit less ethics charges. Her
hastily called, ill-timed, meandering announcement likely did not
help her future political prospects. GOP political pro Ed
Rollins's comment that press conferences should not raise
questions, but answer them, is apt. But such reservations should
not deep-six the family protection issue.
The wolves whose attacks helped bring Sarah Palin's resignation
are no doubt enjoying the fruit of their labor immensely. No one
else who cares for the integrity of the nation's political
process should join them.
topics:
Sarah Palin, Dirty Politics
