Barack Obama was right to instruct all of us to lay off of the Palins' family situation.
But there is a bigger point her that needs to be raised, and that is the atrocious double standard the media has for personal behavior of Democrats and Republicans.
Why does the media hush up the fact that John McCain once called a teenaged Chelsea Clinton the ugly child of Janet Reno, but there is nothing but good feeling all around for Bristol Palin?
Why is it ok for the National Enquirer to harrass John Edwards after he left the presidential race about his personal life, but any scrutiny of Sarah Palin's family issues - or John McCain's, for that matter - are off limits?
Why do the sexual failings of Democratic politicians like Bill Clinton and John Edwards get much more play than the sexual failings of Republicans politicians like John McCain, Rudy Giulliani, and David Vitter? In order for a Republican to get any heat they have to be hitting on underage pages or undercover police officers. Talk about the soft bigotry of low expectations.
Why can obviously gay politicians like Charlie Crist be allowed to stay closted in public by the media, but when Larry Sinclair wants time at the National Press Club, no one thinks twice.
Why is the vicious innuendo spread around every day about Barack and Michelle Obama over the internet designated a "problem he has to deal with" with little condemntion of the perpetrators involved, but when a Daily Kos dairist points out the fishy parts of the Palins' family story, the progressive blogosphere is summarily designated as "nasty" and "vicious?" Talk about the pot calling the kettle black, folks.
So again, I support Barack Obama's call to lay off the Palin family. But let's not kid ourselves, shall we? If it had been Barack Obama's child that was pregnant, the right and the media would not have granted Obama nor his child a fraction of the respect that that we on the left will show the Palins' It would have been open season on the immorality of libruls and black people.
So to Bristol and her family, good luck with the challenges ahead.
But to the Right Wing that professes Christian values, let's see if you apply the golden rule the next time a Democratic politician has a similar family situation.
I won't be holding my breath.