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What Sarah Palin Didn't Say
There was one subject we didn't hear enough about in Part One of the Alaskan governor’s media blitz.
So far the interviews with Sarah Palin in her TV media blitz have failed to answer the only question I’m interested in: Now that it’s all over, Sarah, who does look after the kids?
I could never see a shot of the dynamite-looking Palin sashaying out to greet the crowd in those borrowed gladrags without thinking of what it must be like backstage. If it was anything like the early childrearing scene in my own house, the baby was throwing up, Piper was bleating about her missing coloring book, Bristol was sitting sullenly with her iPod giving every one filthy looks, and Todd Palin didn’t notice any of it because he was on the phone.
Frockgate—the revelation that the GOP spent $150,000 on the former hockey mom’s designer duds—only heightened the collective female desire to hear Palin tell it like it really was on the campaign trail, standing there in her pantyhose in the hotel suite, stabbing at her BlackBerry while also struggling into a too-small Galliano jacket that looked great on the hanger but has some fantail flourish at the back that makes her butt look big. “Can someone undo this darn zip! Shoot! Now my hair’s messed up!” Come on, Sarah, fess up! We know it happened!
It was the most ferocious TV assault on a chopping board since Martha Stewart went at it with a defenseless vegetable on the Early Show shortly after she was indicted on charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and securities fraud.
I have always suspected that Hillary Clinton wept when she was taking questions from a small group of women at Cafe Expresso in Portsmouth, just before the New Hampshire primary, because of the subtext of the question she was asked: “How do you stay so upbeat and so wonderful?” Surely it was the mere thought of those predawn blow-dry sessions (while Barack Obama got his extra half-hour in bed) that made the steel-nerved junior senator from New York tear up for the first time and reveal the bone-tired effort of it all. Women across the state knew all about that daily effort to look good when you feel like shit. They emotionally identified with Hillary Clinton as they had failed to do in the months before. And they voted for her.
Both Matt Lauer and Greta Van Susteren filmed the Palins preparing a dinner of moose chili in the family kitchen at home in Wasilla. Van Susteren told me that it was clear from her two-day visit that the Palins are a typical American family in which “everyone pitches in” with the kids. The grandparents do their bit, Todd does his bit, Bristol is there to babysit. Palin told Van Susteren, “I have it a heck of a lot easier, though, than most any other woman that I know, though, because of Todd and his—the comfort level that he has in doing a whole lot of the domestic stuff and the kids' stuff and the flexibility that he has. Though he has a very busy work schedule, it's flexible enough where when he is home, he takes over a lot of the house duties and the kids' duties.”
But as every woman knows, assurances like that are only half true. It’s sure to be the governor herself who has to keep the family show on the road. You could tell that from the way she sliced that reindeer sausage. It was the most ferocious TV assault on a chopping board since Martha Stewart went at it with a defenseless vegetable on the Early Show shortly after she was indicted on charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and securities fraud.
That’s why the missed opportunity in Palin’s interviews (interviews that will be rich ridicule fodder for other reasons) was her answer to Van Susteren’s most sisterly question about the ordeals of the campaign: “Was it harder on your family, do you think?” “My family's pretty tough,” she replied, “and they—because I've been in local office and state office since '92. You know, the kids have grown up with this. I think they're kind of used to that, which is sort of unfortunate, if you think about it, that they've—you know, they've grown up seeing things said and written about their mom that, you know, even they know hasn't always been true. But I think that they know that that's sort of the nature of the beast of politics.”
Oh, really? Eight-month-old Trig knows? Seven-year-old Piper, who was yanked from school and her friends for two months, knows? I’m unwilling to believe that Palin is an uncaring mother, so this blithe statement of unreflective parenting reflects and reinforces what working women with children seem obliged to tell themselves.
Politically and policy-wise, Palin’s post-election publicity blitz, like her two-month run as McCain’s running mate, demonstrated that she was at least four years, and more likely eight, from being ready for national prime time. But she could play a valuable leadership role—right now—by being honest about and sharing what she really does know about: combining healthy ambition with mothering five kids. Confronting the pain she must have felt—and, even I dare to suggest, the guilt she won’t allow is there—at her own parental oversight when her teenage daughter got pregnant. Struggling with that other decision she has also blown off as an easy call: to continue with her own late-in-life pregnancy when she found she would give birth to a Down syndrome baby. (And it was a decision, “pro-life” platitudes notwithstanding.) If Sarah Palin would address these things honestly with American women and tell it like it really is, she might not redeem the intellectual blunders of the trail. But she might redeem herself, and—who knows?—maybe, someday, win herself national office.
Tina Brown is the Founder and Editor in Chief of The Daily Beast. She is the author of the 2007 New York Times best seller The Diana Chronicles.
Note: This article has been corrected to note that Martha Stewart appeared on the Early Show, not the Today Show as originally published.
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carter
Frockgate? Seriously, Tina, Frockgate? You've been living in the States for how long now?
As to the actual point of the piece (such as it is) I really can't imagine that the American voter is going to care much about Governor Palin's childrearing skills when they go to cast their votes in four, or however many years. And, I, for one, have absolutely no interest in hearing about how she felt when she learned the news about Bristol's pregnancy. Frankly, that's her businesss. What would interest me is a bit more information about why the Governor tried to fire the Wasilla librarian. I'd like to hear more about her views on criminalizing abortion, drilling in the ANWR, evolution, abstinence-only sex education in schools, and climate change, including whether or not she believes that polar bears are an endangered species. I'm tempted to add witchcraft to the list, but I'll let that one go for now.
But no, when it comes to choosing the next leader of the free world, how Sarah Palin manages to balance her family and career are not a top priority.
carter
Correction -- make that:
"how Sarah Palin manages to balance her family and career IS not a top priorty."
And it isn't.
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n--Y--nyc2sfoLiberella
Tina, et al; throughout Palin's campaign my inner child has cringed repeatedly:
her special needs infant was without shoes or socks in october at her debate; she carries him with no head support--like a sack of something; her small 7-yr-old child often babysits, and was filmed carrying the infant around the house and up the stairs by herself while their parents were getting interviewed.
being the oldest of 8, i can tell you right now who takes care of those kids, and it ain't the parents.
treenbaileyr
Comments are ridiculous. I agree with the articule. Working women, with kids are interested in this topic, and it IS a top priority. Did you not read or hear that it's a top priority for Mrs. Obama to work on issues related to working mothers?! Carter - you may want to read and be up on more of the news. your out of date... say 50 years...
bryanlevi
Oh Tina, I fear you took the cancellation of Topic A With Tina Brown a little too much to heart. America is ready for a show of that caliber now! I just don't see the depth and topics of interest in your writing here that you brought to that show, and I am struggling to recognise you lately... but I am glad you are back.
I am sure Governor Palin would make a lovely friend or talkshow host, but other than that she is a political footnote, and I really wish you would stop trying to make any more of it and concentrate your journalistic talents on topics more deserving
prostock69
You want to know how a country run by her would be like? Look at her house (family). Total disarray and disfunction. No thank you. More than anything, I hate people who are hypocrites. Especially RWingers who fail to practice what they preach. Her religion is one of intolerance. Therefore, she will not be tolerated by me. Stay in Alaska, Sarah. We don't want you. (just the very ignorant and racists ones do; oh, and let's not forget the joe-six-packs who have a big hard on for you. Geeze, in 8 years, you will be 52 years old. It all goes down hill from here, inlcuding your looks and your body. Too bad.
slemay
Palin's juggling of obligations doesn't strike me as special. She should be asking more experienced, less ignorant 'hockey moms' about how to do this. She exposed her pregnant, unmarried daughter to this press blitz by accepting the nomination. That doesn't strike as putting parenting at the top of the priority list.
I understand that with her busy schedule she might not have time to read things that affect national policy, but she had a choice: she could have stayed in Alaska and learned to juggle her family and that office before reaching higher.
Her hypocritical supporters would never have allowed Obama onto the national stage with a pregnant daughter. She shouldn't be allowed there either--not because she's a career mom, but because she's profoundly unready.
smdunne
Tina -- did you notice the moment where Matt Lauer was asking Piper how she felt about the campaign trail and Piper was making noises about it not being that great? Matt Lauer followed up and asked Piper if she would want to do it again and she didn't seem too enthused. In what I can only describe as pure Mommie Dearest, Palin asked Piper again, and it was obvious from the expression on Palin's face, and the tone of her voice, that the correct answer to the question about doing it again was "yes" -- which Piper dutifully delivered. It turned my stomach, and tells me all I need to know about who Palin really is.
TrotskySF
Tina - this is absurd. This is a woman consumed with blind ambition, incuriousness about the world she sought to govern, and an anti-intellectual redneck attitude. Comparing Hilary Clinton to this trailer trash is absurd on so many levels. Her parenting is the least of it - but certainly her stance on Sex education and her own daughter's pregnancy made it fair game. End the apologia and let her fade into the dustbin of history where she belongs...would never have expected this kind of thing from you of all people...
Talyssa
I think frockgate is a fine term carter.
And Ms Brown, I have thought from the begining that Sarah Palin should have talked about the decision to keep the baby. The very hard core pro lifers were thrilled with her declarations about always keeping the baby, but I think the rest of the country (pro-life, pro-choice, whatever) thought it sounded dishonest. I'm certain that any woman whos ever had kids, thought about kids, worried about unplanned pregnancy - whatever - knows this would be a tough choice. And then finding out that she hid the pregnancy for 7 months makes it pretty obvious that she wasn't sure -- or why hide it? And people (especially those WOMEN VOTERS aka Hillary-supporters that McCain wanted to steal) would have been moved and touched by her account of her struggle between a difficult choice (a down syndrome baby) and doing what she considered the "Right thing" -- keeping the baby. Americans LOVE that story, they love it. Even if they aren't personally committed to that "right thing" they love hearing about people making difficult "do the right thing" decisions. Instead she came off as preachy, thoughtless, and disturbingly out of touch with how a real person would have dealt with that situation.
annevr
If the Palins felt so strongly about right-to-life, why do you suppose they submitted to the test for Down's-- doesn't that indicate considering termination ?
satyricaldude
I hadn't even thought of this. Very apt observation.
idiotwind
Who are Palin's other two kids?
nanhunt
Tina, would it be impossible for you to refer to a baby with Down syndrome, rather than a Downs syndrome baby?
Thank you.
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