So let's compare. Sarah Palin has a 17 year old daughter who is pregnant. Does this mean that Sarah Palin is a hypocrite for championing family values? Does this make her a bad parent? Here is what Palin has to say about the matter: "We have been blessed with five wonderful children who we love with all our heart...Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of love and adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional support."
This to me is the true humble and Christian response. No one is perfect. And there are consequences for actions which people have to live with. Even so, parents can admire the young girl's decision not to take the easy way out and have an abortion. They love their daughter unconditionally, and accept the grandchild unreservedly. I predict that this will strengthen Palin's support both with evangelical Christians and with the American people.
Now let's contrast Palin's behavior with that of Barack Obama. Here is Obama, from his speech at the Democratic National Convention. "It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it." Obama faulted McCain for his cruel and insensitive philosophy, which he defined this way: "Out of work? Tough luck. No health care. The market will fix it. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your boot straps, even if you don't have boots. You're on your own."
Obama rejected the bootstraps philosophy in favor of a Christian alternative. In his interview with pastor Rick Warren, Obama said his favorite passage in the Bible is the one where Jesus says: whatever you do to the least of my brethren, that you do unto me. Obama has actually used biblical language to make the point that we are our brothers' keeper. Obama insisted that these are the ideals that have guided his life and the ones that he would bring to the Oval Office.
Now how can Obama's self-description be reconciled with news reports that Obama's younger half-brother lives in a hut in a shanty town on the outskirts of Nairobi? Vanity Fair caught up with twenty six year old George Hussein Onyango Obama, and what he had to say is as shocking as it is pathetic. "No one knows who I am. I live here on less than a dollar a month." George's shack measures 6 feet by 10 feet, and yet he says that Barack Obama has done nothing to reach out to him or to help him. "I live like a recluse. If anyone says something about my surname, I say we are not related. I am ashamed." The two Obamas only met twice, once when George was five and then again in 2006 when Senator Obama visited Nairobi. "It was very brief," George says. "We spoke for just a few minutes. It was like meeting a complete stranger."
So far what has Obama said about his half-brother? Absolutely nothing. Yet the Obama campaign has not denied the story. And Obama's supporters, attempting to cover up for their man, have basically said that young George Obama is trying to benefit from Barack Obama's success. Their argument is that Obama owes his sibling nothing. So the Obama camp has a message for George: "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps, even if you don't have boots. You're on your own." Obama's accusation against McCain turns out to be an accurate description of his own practical philosophy.
Could there be a more striking contrast between Palin's loving approach to her family and Obama's stern rejection of his own half-brother? The media seems to be implying that Palin is hypocritical because she stands for "family values" while her daughter is pregnant out of wedlock. But parents don't have full control over their teenagers' actions. Moreover, isn't Obama an even bigger hypocrite for championing aid to the down-and-out while his own sibling lives in an African hut on pennies a day? By the way the Obamas made several million dollars last year! They are certainly in a position to relieve George's condition if they cared enough.
The major newspapers and networks know about George, and they seem to recognize how damaging this story is for their favorite presidential candidate. So they are not reporting it, even though it is one of the most revealing stories about the candidate's character. And thus, with the GOP convention under way, we have the ridiculous spectacle of Obama getting credit for talking about compassion while Palin gets criticized for practicing it.
A slightly different version of this article appears in the online edition of National Review.
Reader Comments ( Page 46 of 46)
676. t is thought that when apes first came down from the trees and walked on two legs that their brains began to grow larger as an evolutionary way to handle new challenges
xxx
preacherbabble. Look up 'brachiation' and you'll be onto what makes apes smart.
Clif Kuplen at 4:32PM on Sep 8th 2008
677. She's still the one giving the speech, not Barack.
She gave a speech or speeches. However previously you stated that she did not. Now it seems that she did.
I have never stood up for Insane Okane( as I have often referred to him). My only dealings(?) with him when he posed a question to which I gave an stright foreward, honest reply. He did not receive the same from the other individual who was posed the same question. That was the end of it. I have never offered up any of the biased remarks toward Obama that have frequented some of these blogs. I have spoken up when individuals from your side of the fence have gone so far as post complete utter lies. Such as McCain being responsible for the deaths of over 100 men on board the USS Forestall. I saw nobody, absolutely nobody step foreward and even deny such a lie let alone attempt to disprove it. Remember one thing , over half ,if not more ,of things that are being claimed by some regarding Obama are the results of the things that were brought out in the primary campaign within his own party.
Zatheus at 3:08PM on Sep 8th 2008
What else do they have?
Botts at 3:46PM on Sep 8th 2008
They have each other. Some more or less fortunate then their neighbor. However the do not "look down" upon their fellow citizens. The help each other out with little fanfare. The do not need to yell:"hey look what I am doing, aren't I a good person". Unlike others, they do not need to do or say something to make them think more of themselves they what is already there.
As is the case with outsiders. They do not sit around and say that "you are just intimidated by someone else's "brilliance" as you so oft to say.
You just do not get and never will until you climb done from your annointed perched.
M2D5 at 4:38PM on Sep 8th 2008
678. "You just do not get and never will until you climb done from your annointed perched."
Are people intimidated by his intelligence? The answer is yes, and why many call him an elitist when he isn't even close to that definition.
I won't say I get more than you do, but I get a lot.
I know what small town citizens go through. I know what inner city citizens go through. And I know what well off citizens go through.
Also...
I know what poverty is like in other countries as well. Before we do any kind of project, I always live there for a period of time to see how things are, and what it's like. If I don't do that, I will just be assuming things.
Obama has never talked to down to anyone. And you and I will keep going back and forth on it.
Botts at 5:09PM on Sep 8th 2008
679. COUNTRY FIRST COUNTRY FIRST COUNTRY FIRST
COUNTRY FIRST COUNTRY FIRST COUNTRY FIRST
COUNTRY FIRST COUNTRY FIRST COUNTRY FIRST
xx
want a cracker? Oh, you are one, sorry...
well, lemme see...we've got an Alaska secessionist and a Vietnamese POW collaborator who likes making communist China our bankers and borrows to the hilt from China, Arabs, India and Japan and is fine with a Dubai corporation being the quartermaster of the entire armed forces and wants to outsource our American labor to third party brokers in Central America, Mexico and Colombia who pass it on to Indonesia and take a middleman cut.
*Which* country first? Any clue?
Here's yer sign....
Clif Kuplen at 7:34PM on Sep 8th 2008
680. I notice you keep harping on this red herring. Perhaps it's because you can't actually respond to Obama's policies? Perhaps because you're doing your damnedest to prop up an intellectually bankrupt political party that has failed so completely as the governing power of this nation that it's forced to campaign AGAINST it's own acheivements by branding itself the party of change?
Michael J Murphy at 10:42PM on Sep 10th 2008
681. Perhaps it's because you can't actually respond to Obama's policies?
Since he has not been elected yet and this is still open to debate, maybe you should have said:
Perhaps it's because you can't actually respond to Obama's promises?
M2D5 at 1:29PM on Sep 11th 2008
682. Concerning hypocrisy, the headlines this morning read,
"Palin Gets Personal on Abortion Issue"
"Palin drubs Obama on Abortion during Pa. Rally"
AND
"Palin: Obama "Atrocious" On Abortion"
http://townhall.com/columnists/AmandaCarpenter/2008/10/09/palin_obama_atrocious_on_abortion
where Amanda Carpenter wrote,
"Palin specifically attacked Obama for his votes against the Born Alive Infant Protection Act as an Illinois State Senator. “His position on this and on life has been his vote against legislation--three times voting against legislation that would provide medical care to a baby born having been a survivor of an abortion,” she said. “It's very appalling and I think if more Americans could understand how absolutely extreme that position is there would be a heckuva lot more outrage than we've already seen.”
Sarah has heckuva lot of room to talk.... NOT!
To begin with, Obama didn't vote against the anti-abortion legislation in question, rather, he disagreed with the wording of the bill, so he abstained, voting, "present", a move for which he caught "a heckuva lot" of flak from prochoice groups, by the way. But, it seems that when partial birth abortion was up for discussion in Alaska last spring, Sarah Palin was just too busy to bother with it.
In April, Governor Palin denied the Alaska state legislature's request for extra debates on two anti-abortion bills, one requiring minors to obtain parental consent before having abortions and another outlawing partial-birth abortion except to save the life of the mother. After state senators failed to reach agreement, the chamber's president tried to attach them to the agenda of a special legislative session being held on Palin's top legislative priority: a new natural gas pipeline.
Palin demurred, saying,
"Alaskans know I am pro-life and have never wavered in my belief in the sanctity of every human life," she said in a statement. "These issues are so important they shouldn't be diluted with oil and gas deliberations."
RIIIIIGGGGHHHHT..................Like other Republicans before her, Palin made lots of noise during her campaign about her "pro-life" position, but when the time came to act against abortion, she did NOTHING.
Sarah Palin is all for saving babies' lives alright... as long as the saving their lives doesn't get in the way of more important political business, such as gas pipelines.
Fact is, it seems that every time Sarah points her perfectly enameled fingertip at Obama, three more are pointing straight back at her.
Republicans point towards Obama's whacko preacher, whom he has DISAVOWED, but Palin has yet to disavow Pastor Murthee, the African pastor renowned as a witch hunter -- in fact, she publically credits her political success to Murthee's anointing at Wasilla Assembly of God.
Republicans have been insinuating for MONTHS that Obama isn't a loyal American, and last week Sarah Palin has accused him outright of "palling around with terrorists", but she and her husband did these very things when they were members of the Alaskan Independence Party -- Todd and Sarah Palin wanted to see their state to secede from the Union, and the Alaskan Independence Party's founder, Joe Vogler, collaborated with IRAN to the end that it should do so.
Joe Vogler is also quoted as saying,
"My government is my worst enemy. I'm going to fight them with any means at hand"
AND
"The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American
government, and I won't be buried under their damn flag. I'll be buried in
Dawson. And when Alaska is an independent nation they can bring my bones home."
Somehow, "God damn America" pales in comparison.
Face it, the only thing Palin has in her favor is that she claims to be prolife, and when she had a chance to strike against partial birth abortions in her own state, , she didn't -- she was too busy pushing her political agenda, trying to get a gas pipeline approved.
Palin has the reputation of being a good, solid, born again Christian, but she rails and she lies and she slings mud, whereas Obama, whom most would say is at best a NewAgey, watered down sort of Christian, does none of these things.
While I believe he is wrong when it comes to abortion and when life begins, in all other aspects, Obama has behaved in a more Christian way than John McCain and especially Sarah Palin -- no matter how much people insult him, revile him and lie about him, throughout his campaign Barack Obama has conducted himself as a Christian should, with dignity and charity, in a manner befitting a President of the United States.
Cynthia Gee at 12:00AM on Oct 12th 2008
683. Baracks "half-sibling" is not family, he is a stranger. I suppose all those with the harsh comments towards him insisting he provide for this person bc he shares some common DNA with him, insist that all adopted folks out there go and locate thier "bio" families and pay their way because a family made of love doesn't count. I had a similar upbrining as Baracks and both he and I have fathers whom were no more than sperm donors. I was raised as an only child, mother had no other children, when I am asked about my family from those who know me, well what a shocker of who is included. The 3 people who raised me and know me. I too have biological half siblings floating out there, have no relationship nor desire for one or a desire to meet them. This is life, not a lifetime movie. Family, like all relationships, are based on guess what, relationships. When a lifetime is spent being appart what do you expect that this person would consider you, well a stranger. I don't claim my half siblings and when asked if I have brothers or sisters I say no. No one in my family corrects me or would say I'm a bad person. And for those who do have anything to say well when they turn into God they can judge me.
Leelo at 10:09AM on Apr 17th 2009
684. vitrol: 2. Bitterly abusive feeling or expression.
Sara Palin could have never imagined the level of hate, condemnation, pure vitrol spewed by the KOS-type websites and mimicked here. If this is a peek into the type of compassion, the type of man or woman I could expect to find fellowship with in your party...count me out.
Clearly, you have a personal problem with living up to higher moral standards, family values and personal responsibility, so find an imperfect child and attack. A child. God help you.
And thanks for exposing yourselves.
I'm proud of the Palins. It takes a lot of spine to stand up to so much hate.
Who better than an un-wed teenager to spread the word to her peers? Teenage motherhood is no way to get attention or love. The fun is all over after the baby shower. Real babies are not dolls. They need round the clock care.
Teens are not financially able to care for their children. Bristol is lucky. If not supported by family, unwed teen mothers are a social burden. You're welcome...for the food stamps and Section 8 housing...even if you've never said thank you.
Being an unwed mother can delay or permanently halt continuing education. Can lead to less options and bad relationship decisions in the future.
Being an unwed mother is nothing to be singularly proud of.
I am certain Bristol is sorry for the way she has hurt her mother, and Sara is sorry for the hate and pain you heep on her daughter. What an ugly, ugly response from you hate-heaping mongers on two Americans whose personal lives have nothing to do with you. They're not costing you a dime. They have commited as a family to accept responsibility. Further, they want to turn a mistake into an education.
Shame on them? No way. Shame on you. More to the point, shame on you for feeling no shame.
grits at 11:24AM on May 6th 2009