Attention Fellow Women: Let's Take on One Another's Ideas, Not Personal Lifestyle Choices

“Guess what? [Mitt Romney’s] wife has actually never worked a day in her life. She’s never really dealt with the kinds of economic issues that a majority of the women in this country are facing in terms of how do we feed our kids, how do we send them to school?” -- Hilary Rosen, Democratic strategist and CNN political analyst, on Anderson Cooper 360.

“Spare me the faux anger from the right who view the issue of women’s rights and advancement as a way to score political points. When it comes to supporting policies that would actually help women, their silence has been deafening . . . I have no judgments about women who work outside the home vs women who work in the home raising a family. I admire women who can stay home and raise their kids full-time . . . It is a wonderful luxury to have the choice. But let’s stipulate that it is NOT a choice that most women have in America today.” -- Rosen in a piece on the Huffington Post after her appearance on Anderson Cooper.

"I made a choice to stay home and raise five boys. Believe me, it was hard work." -- Ann Romney's first Tweet on her new Twitter account opened after Rosen's comments on CNN.

"My career choice was to be a mother. And I think all of us need to know that we need to respect the choices women make. Other women make other choices, to have a career and to raise a family. I respect that. That's wonderful." -- Romney on Fox News.

"Every mother works hard, and every woman deserves to be respected." -- Michelle Obama's Tweet sent out hours after Rosen's comments.

If Hilary Rosen wants to challenge and/or attack Mitt Romney and his stances on certain issues and if she wants to blast the Republican Party, go for it. It's as American as apple pie to challenge candidates and their parties.

Ann Romney, like Michelle Obama, puts herself out there in the public eye as a campaign surrogate for her husband, offering personal anecdotes about life at home and how she thinks her husband would be a good leader. The decision to pick up that microphone and speak in public makes her statements on behalf of her husband fodder for media analysis.

Ann and Mitt Romney are very wealthy, therefore their perception of what "regular" Americans struggling to pay their bills may think and go through, are likewise fair game for scrutiny.

But to issue a one-off criticism of Ann Romney rooted in the fact that she chose to be an at-home mother, therefore implying that she has no right to talk about what any women may or may not be thinking about the economy, is a step too far and is seriously unproductive. If Rosen had said that Ann Romney's affluence made her a specious representative for "regular moms" then I'd be cool with that. But that's not what she said.

It's not wise to pick apart other mother's decisions with regard to work-life issues and how they raise their children. (All of this reminds me of the nasty and vitriolic comments directed at Elizabeth Edwards when she decided to take her children on the presidential campaign trail along with her husband John in 2008 even after she learned that her cancer had returned. People excoriated Elizabeth Edwards for making a choice that they wouldn't have, even though that choice was none of their business and had nothing to do with John Edwards' political agenda.)

Ann Romney's decision to be an at-home mom isn't a) relevant to the criticisms of her husband's campaign stances or b) a reasonable justification to dismiss her views on what some women might be thinking or worrying about. Just because someone is an at-home mother (or father) doesn't make that individual a clueless moron with no connection to the outside world and no leg to stand on when it comes to issues of concern to other parents.

Women are not a monolithic voting group. We come in all shapes, sizes, colors and creeds. We don't all make the same lifestyle decisions. Just like our male counterparts. We should celebrate the diversity of American women instead of sniping at one another with regard to our child-rearing decisions.

Seriously.

I’ve Been Vacationing for a Week . . . What Did I Miss?

So the family and I trekked to Orlando this past week to partake of the glories of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the stomach-clenching thrills of the Universal Studios theme park, the splashes of the chlorinated water rides at Aquatica, the wonders of marine life at Sea World (where we sat in the back during the killer whale show, and learn about NASA history at the Kennedy Space Center where the last space shuttle, Atlantis, is currently sitting on the launch site aiming for a July 8 lift-off.

And while the kiddos, The Spouse and I enjoyed ourselves in spite of frequent rain – and despite the fact that an employee at the Three Broomsticks restaurant in the Wizarding World told me that it was “against the law” to serve me (a person with a dairy allergy) the non-dairy Butterbeer drink sans the dairy topping (??!!) . . . I partook of a delightful Pumpkin Fizz instead – I, a political junkie, was sad to have missed a boatload of news:

As my family was making its way to the airport last week, one of the top 10 Most Wanted criminals in the nation, Whitey Bulger who hails from Boston, was arrested after 16 years on the lam, in California and, from what I could gather via Twitter, it was a veritable media circus as he was taken into custody and transported to Massachusetts, topped off with a $14,000 helicopter ride yesterday taking him from Plymouth to his court date in Boston via the air. I guess my family members weren't the only ones going on pricey rides this past week.

As I was busy riding on Universal Studios’ Men in Black ride multiple times (always accruing the least amount of points compared to everyone else), news came down about the Blagojevich conviction which the Chicago Tribune described thusly: “A federal jury Monday convicted Rod Blagojevich of sweeping corruption, putting an end to a tragicomic legal and political drama that brought down Illinois’ showy and would-be populist former governor. In its 10th day of deliberations, the 11-woman, one-man jury convicted Blagojevich of several shakedown attempts, including allegations that he brazenly tried to sell President Barack Obama’s old U.S. Senate seat in 2008.” I kept thinking about the kooky Rod “The Hair” Blago going to prison as we headed over to the Simpsons’ ride, featuring one of America’s most dysfunctional families.

I was packing my suitcase to leave for Orlando when the president made his snoozy address about our troops in Afghanistan but I didn’t get a chance to indulge myself and imbibe copious amounts of follow-up news analysis. I did, however, later take my 9-year-old through the Marvel comics sections of Universal Studios park where the good guys always win and always seem confident. Hmmm . . .

As the political hubbub about U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann’s presidential run escalated (from her being called a “flake” by a TV newsman and people mocking her for messing up Revolution era history, to the media’s discomfort as they once again grapple with locating the correct language to use when talking about a female presidential candidate, as one political pundit likened the media attacks on “conservative women” to “near-gynecological exams”), I was introducing my kiddos to the works of an award-winning actress named Lucille Ball. (FYI -- While I agree that all women, especially conservative ones, are savaged by the media, invoking gynecology is just . . . well . . . the male pundit shouldn’t have gone there. Seriously.)


But despite the fact that my news came mainly from my Twitter feed during the past week, I made up for the fact that I was in a family vacation bubble and wanted more news by reveling in spending way too many hours in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (buying "magical" wands for the kids, among other souvenirs), riding only the tamest of rides (I’m not an amusement ride kinda gal) and being accosted all over the place for wearing my Boston Red Sox baseball cap, mostly positively accosted . . . even when confronted (playfully) by Yankees fans.

If only the three Chocolate Frogs we bought (they're Potter-themed candy) hadn't gotten somewhat mangled by the time we got home. See how nice they looked BEFORE we attempted to keep them cool in ice as we traveled to the airport, then packed them up in a suitcase?

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: Poll Respondents Say Media Demonstrate a Gender Bias

The Daily Beast, a new web site created by Tina Brown, commissioned a poll of 1,000 voters conducted in the days immediately after the election. The results present an interesting snapshot of folks' thoughts about this past election and the issue of sexism in light of Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin's candidacies. Among the findings:

-- 57 percent said the media have a gender bias, while 79 percent said the media treat male and female political candidates differently.

-- While most rejected the term "feminist," they resoundingly rejected the notion that because of how this presidential campaign unfolded and the ensuing treatment of Clinton and Palin, we won't likely see more women vying for top elected offices in the near future.

-- 64 percent strongly disagreed with the notion that men are more suited to be president.

-- 74 percent strongly disagreed with the idea that female political candidates are more emotional.

-- When it came to their perception of the climate for women in general, respondents said women are not treated equally at work, in politics or in the military. Home was the only place where a majority of those polled said women are treated equally. (I for one, would take issue with the issue of equity at home.)

Agree or disagree with the findings? Think the media demonstrated a gender bias toward Clinton and Palin?

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: McCain/Obama Meeting, Obamas Charm '60 Minutes'

We're accustomed to hearing politicians promise that they'll be uniters, not dividers.

President-Elect Barack Obama made a similar vow during his presidential campaign, saying he'll reach across the partisan divide and welcome people of different beliefs into his administration because he doesn't want our nation to be divided into red states and blue states, but as simply be seen as united states.

So, as we read about potential Obama administration appointments (many of whom are from the Clinton administration -- Hello Senator Clinton! -- which isn't exactly reaching across the partisan aisle), Obama made at least one stride in a bipartisan direction by meeting with the man whom he defeated for the post of commander in chief less than two weeks ago. Arizona Senator John McCain gamely went to Chicago today and met with Obama. Hopefully both men will find a way to work together to solve serious problems and not just make photo ops.



Meanwhile, the 60 Minutes interview with Barack and Michelle Obama is creating some buzz today. I heard one radio talk show host complain that Michelle Obama was rudely interrupting Barack Obama too much. I watched it and don't agree at all. (See video below, or at this link.) When I watched them talk about the changes in their lives, their family and what Michelle will be doing as First Lady, I found their rapport to be charming. They are a real, post-Mad About You modern couple, complete with gentle teasing and not taking one another deadly seriously. Most couples I know who've been married as long as they have -- including The Spouse and I --often kid around with spouses like the Obamas did.


Watch CBS Videos Online

The First Couple-in-Waiting also fielded questions about the new puppy they promised their daughters, as well as the prospect of Michelle Obama's mother, Marian Robinson, moving into the White House with them. (Link to the video is here.)


Watch CBS Videos Online

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: Palin Denies Being Clothes Hog, Diva

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin shot back at the unnamed McCain campaign staffers who've been painting an unflatteringly horrific portrait of her in leaked stories to the media, by telling Matt Lauer that she never saw $150,000 worth of clothes, didn't set foot in Neiman Marcus or Saks, that she and McCain are on friendly terms and that she's no diva.

Lauer's Today Show interview is being aired in two parts. Tomorrow's installment promises to look at the personal costs of the campaign and include Palin's response to the media coverage her family received.

Below is the portion of the interview where Palin talked about the election results, her relationship with McCain and the infamous clothing issue. (Link is here.)



Here's a video of the portion of the interview Lauer conducted in the Palin kitchen, as Sarah Palin prepared food and Todd Palin held baby Trig. This clip includes Lauer asking 7-year-old Piper what she thought of the campaign. (Link is here.)

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: Notes from Election Day

Voting: I took the kids with me to vote in our small town in the western suburbs of Boston this morning at around 10. (There's no school today.)

We saw no lines as we entered the school gym and were greeted by a sweet Girl Scout. We waited patiently as she explained in a whisper-soft voice, where we needed to go first -- to check in by our street address. With my ballot in hand, the kids jockeyed for a good position in which to get a look at it as we crammed ourselves into the polling booth. They couldn't believe how many people were running for president. They thought it was just John McCain and Barack Obama.

"The Green-Rainbow Party?" my daughter asked incredulously.

"Yep," I said, as I read aloud all the different presidential/vice presidential candidates and their corresponding parties and the children shook their heads.

They were a bit dismayed when I wouldn't let them fill in the bubbles with the black pen provided -- there was no chance I was going to risk them filling in the wrong circle and ruin my opportunity to vote in this election -- but I did let them help me feed the paper ballot into the machine when we were done. The dullness of putting a ballot into a machine made me miss the time I voted in my first election in my hometown where they have actual levers to pull and a curtain that would dramatically open and record my choices when I was done. It's anti-climatic to fill in a bubble with a pen.

MSNBC All Day: I've had MSNBC on TV all day. I'm a sucker for their "Election Center" in Rockefeller Center and am a big crazy fan of the crew from Morning Joe.

Random Observations:

I thought Barack and Michelle Obama took a really long time filling out their ballots in Chicago. They must have a huge number of Illinois ballot questions or many contested races. (Massachusetts had three ballot questions.) Their 10-year-old daughter Malia, in her hoodie, looked thoroughly bored and yawned several times.

The first thing that came to my mind when I saw Sarah and Todd Palin leave the polls in Wasilla? Shamefully, it was that, as I looked at the vice presidential candidate, I wondered if she'd already given all the expensive campaign-funded duds away to charity.

Calling the Winner Early: I was disturbed by a piece I saw in today's New York Times about when the broadcast and cable news networks will project a winner tonight. I'm a big believer -- even in the age of the Internet, Twitter and Facebook -- of officially holding back on projecting a winner in the presidential race when people are still in the process of voting.

If a candidate concedes, then that person is affecting the voter turnout in places where the votes haven't yet been cast and it's not the media's doing.

But if a candidate hasn't yet conceded, the decent, patriotic thing to do is to wait until polls have closed before calling a state's results. If the networks call the entire election before the folks on the west coast have finished voting, that move would essentially tell people who haven't yet voted that their votes are irrelevant.

The viewers can wait. A little while anyway.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: 'Mom Vote,' Political DNA and McCain/Fey on SNL

I find it grating when pollsters, in trying to predict what will happen on election day, categorize the "mom vote" as if it's one big monolithic vote. You know, you get pregnant, give birth or adopt a kid and then all them dames vote the same way, right? I find it a tad bit patronizing. I rarely hear folks trying to assess how dads are going to vote . . . because dads don't all vote the same way, just like moms don't all vote in the same way.

It was this snarky position that prompted a reporter from the BBC to seek me out and interview me about the "mom vote" for a radio interview that aired today. My interview is part of a larger BBC report on the U.S. women's vote. You can listen to the interview here.

Meanwhile, this weekend's Boston Globe ran a piece suggesting that at least half of your political inclinations hail from your DNA, saying that liberals and conservatives tend to have different reactions to various situations:

"Our place on the political spectrum -- liberal, conservative, or in between -- is powerfully influenced by genetics, new studies show. In the past year, researchers have demonstrated that the brains of liberals and conservatives are physically and functionally distinctive, suggesting that people on either side of the ideological divide are actually wired differently."

I must say, I'm not buyin' it. My family's all over the map when it comes to parties and candidates.

And, in these waning days of this presidential election, Senator John McCain pulled out all the stops and was very funny when he appeared on SNL this weekend alongside Tina Fey, who was playing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. The premise of one of the sketches was that while Senator Barack Obama's campaign had enough money to buy primetime spots on a half-dozen networks this weekend, McCain's campaign could only afford a spot on QVC, but with the condition that he and Palin hawk items. (Link to video is here.)

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: 'West Wing' Similarities, Political Fashion and Joe the Plumber as Joe the Crooner

Election Uncannily Similar to 'West Wing'

My gal pal Gayle and I both adored The West Wing, particularly its rejuvenated final season which focused on the fictional presidential campaign between Jimmy Smits, as an eloquent, young Democratic congressman with two young children, and Alan Alda, an older, bipartisan-esque Republican with an independent streak. During our conversations throughout the past year, we've often been thunderstruck at how that final season contained so many similarities with the real life campaign unfolding this year.

The New York Times has also noticed those similarities and has a piece today comparing the show with the current campaign:

"Certainly some of the parallels are coincidental. It is unlikely, for example, that the writers knew Mr. [Barack] Obama had an affection for Bob Dylan when they made [Smits' character] a Dylan fan. But it is the unintentional similarities that make the DVDs of the sixth and seventh seasons . . . so rewarding to watch now. In both The West Wing and in real life, for example, the Phillies played in the World Series during the election campaign."

Political Fashion . . . Continued

Today's Boston Globe has a top 10 list of political fashion moments from this never-ending presidential election including the flap over flag lapel pins, Hillary Clinton's pantsuits, who'll inherit the mantle of Jackie O's iconic fashion status and the post-Democratic primary season beard sported by New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. (Doesn't it seem like he ran for president a lifetime ago?)

Joe the Plumber . . . to Become Joe the Crooner?

I kid you not.

Joe the Plumber, otherwise known as Samuel J. Wurzelbacher, has an agent and plans to become a "show business personality," might record some country music, according to today's NYT.

What the hell am I doing wrong?

Image credit: Mitchell Haddad/NBC via NYT.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: More on Palin Clothes, EW on TV Presidents and Funny Video

I blogged in this space last week about how I didn't think it was fair play to attack GOP VP nominee Sarah Palin for the $150,000 of designer clothing that the Republican National Committee purchased on her behalf. In this week's Pop Culture and Politics column at Mommy Track'd I expounded on the issue saying that women politicians are in a no-win situation when it comes to how they're viewed fashion-wise, as the scrutiny they face about their appearance is much harsher than that of the male pols.


Meanwhile, in this week's Entertainment Weekly, the writers did what they do best: View the presidential election through the lens of TV. EW's Kate Ward examined TV presidents by how old or young they were (youngest, Patty Duke, 38, from Hail to the Chief; oldest, Martin Sheen, 59, from The West Wing). She also looked at the fictional presidents' screen time. Sheen logged the most time on TV with 154 hours of portraying President Jed Bartlet, and Duke had the least with only 210 minutes.

And with the election less than a week away, my gal pal Gayle e-mailed me a video, which she personalized for me, that looks like a cable news network segment which blamed me for failing to vote for Obama, thereby sealing a McCain victory. As I watched the video, I couldn't stop thinking about how shrewd a move it was for whichever Obama supporter created it, because it's spreading so virally. I also received it from a colleague of my husband's. (Link to the video here.) Will it prompt anyone to vote? Who knows? But it's very savvy.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: Of Polls and Pricey Duds

About these polls -- most of which have Barack Obama ahead of John McCain -- I have this to say: Remember New Hampshire. Obama was supposed to crush Hillary Clinton, according to opinion polls. Only Clinton won. Also, it's important to note that by the mid-afternoon during the 2004 presidential election, web sites were reporting that exit polls indicated that John Kerry was going to beat George W. Bush.

No one knows what's really going to happen on election day until it finally does. While early voting is happening right now in some states, the vast majority of voters won't cast their ballots until Nov. 4. And when I hear pundits muse in print and on air that Obama's locked up this state or that one, I think: Some of the voters who responded to your poll may be a reflection of what some voters think, at the moment the poll is taken. But the results are not necessarily representative of the actual actions taken by the electorate on the big day. Anything can happen.

As for Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's $150,000 clothing -- paid for by the Republican party, purchased by handlers and stylists on her behalf, with the clothing all going to charity after the election -- a woman on the national stage, being interviewed on national TV, being photographed and videotaped at every moment, has to dress for the job. She has to look like she's ready to take over the presidency at a moment's notice, not like she's ready to skin a moose.

Yes, she's being marketed as an Alaskan hockey mom. Yes, she's trying to appeal to a working class demographic. Yes, I think spending vastly more than the average American family pulls in in an entire year in a toxic economic climate looks bad. But what the heck do people expect from a vice presidential candidate, particularly one who's a woman and whose every accessory is analyzed? If Palin showed up in her own clothes, in fleece and denim, do you mean to tell me she would not be ridiculed as a hick from the hinterlands? You mean to tell me people wouldn't be snide about the Wal-Mart demographic and fashion sense?

While I personally cannot imagine spending that much on clothing -- seriously, I'm a bargain kinda gal -- I'm not a vice presidential candidate. I'm not on the national stage. I can't even begin to compare what I spend on makeup and clothing to what a national figure spends. It's not even in the ballpark.

With pressing issues like the collapsing economy and fresh chatter from and about al Qaeda threats in the news, certainly there are more important issues than Palin's clothing.

Image credit: AP/Boston Globe.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: SNL's Poehler Kicks Serious Butt

Amy Poehler's "Palin Rap" on Saturday Night Live -- the ditty that was "supposed" to be performed by GOP vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin -- was the funniest piece of satire I've seen. Maybe ever. (Video link is here.)

As for Palin, give her major props for showing up at the set of a liberal-leaning show on which she's been the target of brutal satire (courtesy of the divine Ms Fey) and, essentially saying, "Bring it on." Given the fall of my beloved hometown team (da Sox) last night, repeated viewings of this video are the only things putting a smile on my face right now. Oh, and coffee. The coffee makes me smile.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: I Feel Sorry for Joe the Plumber & Candidates Get Funny

I Feel Sorry for Joe the Plumber

Really.

This single dad -- who most of America is already sick of -- didn't ask to be propelled into the national spotlight, didn't ask for folks to dig through his personal affairs. It's horribly unfortunate that he first entered the public domain when he questioned Barack Obama about how his tax plan would affect his plumbing business' growth, and has now come to the media digging up info about how Joe owes back taxes, has a lean on his holdings, isn't a registered plumber and whose first name is Samuel.

Maybe Joe the Plumber could use a little help from Joe Six-Pack about now. Poor guy.

Yesterday morning -- before any real info about Joe Wurzelbacher hit the internet -- my kids asked me if I wished I'd been the one about whom the presidential candidates discussed (25 mentions!) during a debate. I said, "No. No way." I would never want that kind of scrutiny, with folks using me for political gain.

Candidates Get Funny

The last presidential debate was feistier than the previous two. The candidates were asked tough questions and addressed hot button topics. Most pundits are giving John McCain the edge on content, Obama on style. How the debate may or may not have affected the decisions of undecided voters in swing states is an open question.

When it comes to the public opinion polls on who's leading, just 19 days before the election, it's still too early to tell. If last night's stunning Red Sox come-from-behind win against the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Championship Series (the Sox were down 7-0 in the the 7th then staged the biggest playoff comeback since 1929) is any indication, you can't assume you know who's going to win. Obama may be ahead in the polls at this moment in time, but he only has a narrow lead. Anything can happen. Last week we didn't know about Joe the Plumber. Around Labor Day, we didn't know we were headed for a stock market crash. Remember, Obama was expected to crush Hillary Clinton in the New Hampshire primary. And lost.

What was refreshing, though, was last night's Al Smith dinner in New York where McCain and Obama let loose their sarcasm and their wit. And were sharply entertaining. If only the debates could be like this.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: Joe the Plumber, I'm Already Tired of His Name

The last presidential debate of the 2008 election season just ended and already, I'm sick of the phrase, "Joe the Plumber." If the debate had been a drinking game and "Joe the Plumber" was the cue to take a sip, I would've been smashed a long time ago.

Immediately after the debate, Matt Drudge dubbed this, "Joe the Plumber's Election."

What about Joe makes him the centerpiece? He went up to Barack Obama at an event telling him that Obama's tax plan would cost him more money. The exchange was captured by the media.

Joe the Plumber (Joe Wurzelbacher) -- from Toledo, Ohio -- was later quoted by the Associated Press as saying that while he wouldn't disclose for whom he's planning to vote, that John McCain's " got it right as far as I go."

See the exchange that started a "Joe the Plumber" revolution:

Yes, It's Election Season

Over the weekend, while doing the New Englandy thing of attending local autumnal events, I saw this jack o'lantern.

I must say, it's certainly an original way of expressing one's support for a presidential candidate.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: Blowing the Ref's Whistle

There are occasions when the ref has to step in and blow the whistle because a foul has been committed. And on the heels of yesterday's post where I called for civility from both presidential campaigns, less character assassination and more issue-oriented discourse, things have only gotten worse. From the John McCain campaign.

After reading several accounts of recent McCain/Palin rallies from a number of news organizations, I learned that a handful of nitwits in attendance shouted things such as, "Kill him," "treason" and "terrorist" when Barack Obama's name was invoked by McCain or Palin. One rally attendee reportedly told an African-American TV network cameraman, "Sit down boy." The McCain campaign has said that neither the senator nor Gov. Sarah Palin heard these shouts from the crowd and I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt that they did not, in fact, hear the reprehensible utterances. But given that they've been widely reported, why haven't McCain or Palin explicitly and prominently said that there's no place in this campaign for that kind of rhetoric and vileness?

The campaign instead, has only revved up the personal attacks by releasing a statement from a man whose father was, 40 years ago, targeted by the group of domestic terrorists, a member of which is now a university professor, associates with the mayor of Chicago and held a fundraiser many years ago for Obama. "Barack Obama's friend tried to kill my family," the man said in a McCain press release as the campaign has also unveiled another online ad on the same topic.

Cindy McCain also amped up the attacks by taking to a podium and saying when Obama didn't vote for a defense funding bill -- which did not contain a timeline to withdraw troops from Iraq -- she was offended. ". . . [T]he day Senator Obama decided to cast a vote to not fund my son when he was serving sent a cold chill through my body." What she did not say was that Obama did vote for a different version of the funding bill which contained a timetable and that he wasn't against giving the troops the materials they need.

Certainly John McCain does not believe his Senate colleague is a terrorist or supports terrorists. Certainly Cindy McCain doesn't believe that Obama wants U.S. troops to not receive the funding they need to keep them safe. (Given that Obama's running mate Sen. Joe Biden -- like McCain and Palin -- also has a son serving in Iraq, this is ridiculous.)

Likewise, I don't see the Obama campaign out there saying that McCain hates Jews and Catholics simply because a reverend whose support McCain actively sought this spring espoused hate-filled rhetoric reminiscent to the ugliness that came out of the mouth of the preacher from Obama's church. I also don't think that people could reasonably suggest that McCain doesn't support the troops because he once voted against a bill whose provisions included funding efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. McCain had principled reasons to vote against it, just like Obama did for his vote.

John McCain is an American hero and should be admired for his noble service to our country. And it's a tragedy that this once principled pol and his campaign are tarnishing that image with such despicable attacks which they know, in their hearts, are disingenuous. They're becoming precariously close to becoming the embodiment of the Saturday Night Live satire that aired a few weeks ago. What a damned shame.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: Sewer Madness

One has admitted to trying drugs when he was a youth, attended a church where the head pastor had spouted hate-filled rhetoric, and attended charity board meetings and a fundraiser at the home of a person -- now a professor whose associates include the mayor of Chicago -- who did horrific things 40 years ago.

One was considered a hell raiser when he was young, left his first wife after she had a car accident that left her disfigured and coping with disabilities and married a younger, richer woman, and was later caught up in a savings and loan scandal.

Another cheated on his wife with, according to media reports, several women, and tried to get out of being sent to fight in Vietnam when he was a college student.

Another used to drink too much alcohol, had a hell raiser past and had his military service in Vietnam was questioned.

The aforementioned men -- Barack Obama, John McCain, Bill Clinton and George Bush -- have flaws. We all have flaws. And histories. And lessons learned. Name a person who doesn't have some kind of story in his or her past that raises eyebrows or never made some bad decisions, and I'll show you someone who hasn't lived life or gleaned any wisdome from it. People grow and evolve and are distinctly imperfect. Expecting people, especially our elected officials, to have flawless lives is unreasonable and inadvisable (who wants someone holding office who's never learned from her mistakes?).

As we enter the last month of the presidential campaign, the sewage has starting flooding the airwaves in earnest. The U.S. and world economies are in crisis. People's confidence has been shaken as they worry about whether they'll still have their jobs by Christmas and whether they'll be able to pay for their retirement. Meanwhile, the presidential campaigns -- for two men who, under normal circumstances, are honorable people with interesting life stories -- have turned negative because negative sells and sways voters. Back when I was doing graduate work in political science in D.C., I took a course on campaign management run by veterans of several major political campaigns. When we came to the unit on campaign advertising, the message was loud and clear: Negative works.

That doesn't mean, however, that we, the voters, have to like the big nasty turn this presidential campaign has taken. Not from McCain. Not from Obama. Words and phrases like "liar," "pal around with terrorists" and "dishonorable" shouldn't be thrown into the mix at a time when the economy is tanking, our country is at war on two fronts and some of the folks at AIG who received $85 billion from the taxpayers in an attempt to help jump-start the economy, days after getting federal approval, blew $440,000 on a week-long retreat "at a luxury resort and spa," spending $150,000 on meals and $23,000 on spa services, according to ABC News. This, as ordinary New Englanders are talking about how they'll pile on blankets and sweaters this winter and not turn on the heat often because home heating oil is so expensive.

Republican California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger -- who, because of the tightening of credit right now, is asking the federal government for an emergency loan to keep his state afloat -- has had enough. "Look at what the presidential campaign has reduced down to: They now are accusing each other of things that have nothing to do with the economy, that have nothing to do with health care, that have nothing to do with the environment, that have nothing to do with, you know, how we deal with foreign countries," Schwarzenegger said, according to the Associated Press.

Over on The View -- which is quickly devolving from smart, quirky, real gal commentary to a caricature -- Barbara Walters has been likewise pleading for civility, both in the campaign and during her own show's "Hot Topics" discussion.



McCain and Obama are better than the campaigns they're running in these last days of the presidential race. The win-at-all-costs political consultants are doing us no favors by taking their clients' campaigns and running them through the gutter in order to get to the White House. But I suppose, the campaign team that wins in the end will feel as though all the mud-slinging was worth it. For the rest of Americans who are witnessing character assassination, smears involving old scandals that have no relevance to voters' lives today or on what kind of job either man will do in office, they are the ones who lose.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: Sarah Survives, Joe Nearly Cries & Bailout is Greenlit

She survived. More than merely survived. She strung together aggressive sentences and strong sentiments joined with you-betcha folksy language, sprinkled with a few knowing winks aimed directly into the camera. Mentioned Joe Six-packs, hockey moms, soccer moms and a third grade class to which she promised would receive extra credit for watching the vice presidential debate. Doggoneit. She put those awkwardly awful Katie Couric interviews behind her. For now. She's not going to be kicked around. Especially not by Joe.



He didn't condescend. Or wildly run off at the mouth. Or ask anyone who is differently-abled and wheelchair-bound to stand up. He drew specific, distinct differences between the policy positions of the different tickets on several matters. While he seemed a bit stuffy, he did, in fact tear up when he recalled his days as a single father in the wake of the accident that killed his wife and daughter, and left his sons in the hospital.



As with last week's presidential race, I'd score the vice presidential debate essentially a tie. Biden won on substance and policy detail. Palin won with her Main Streeter and distinctly un-D.C. appeal to undecided voters. (If you've already decided to vote McCain or Obama, she wasn't aiming to convince you when she looked at the camera a la Reagan, trying to hop over the media and appeal directly to voters.)

Despite my pithy punditry here, a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll conducted after the debate found that 51 percent of the respondents said Biden won the debate to 36 percent who said Palin won, while 54 percent found Palin more likable to the 36 percent who found Biden more likable. On the matter of whether they seemed qualified to assume the presidency, 87 percent said Biden was qualified, to 42 percent for Palin.

While writing this post as I was listening to a Boston talk radio show, I heard this intriguing question: Can you imagine what last night's VP debate would've been like had Hillary been there instead of Joe?

Bailout is Greenlit

Despite the pork that's laden throughout the economic bailout package -- a bill both presidential candidates say our country needs lest we return to the Great Depression -- the House of Representatives has passed the $700 billion Wall Street life raft. Let the adventure begin.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: VP Debate Tonight, 'Rescue/Bailout' and Political Moms

Debate Tonight

It's on. Tonight. 9 p.m. EST. A high-wire act for the VP candidates. I hope, for Biden and Palin's sakes, they both do well. No one likes to see a wretchedly public crash and burn. It's just embarrassing for everyone. After all, this election is about the folks at the top of the tickets, isn't it? All the VP hopefuls have to do is to seem reasonable enough to possibly step in if necessary, which we all hope won't be necessary. I just hope no one asks Palin what newspapers or magazines she reads or whether Biden dodged sniper fire in Iraq. Then it could get ugly.

Rescue, Bailout . . . Tomato, Tomah-to

Notice that D.C. politicians are now calling the proposal to try to avert an economic catastrophe a "rescue" and not a "bailout?" Well the bailout bill that was approved by the Senate last night was loaded with unrelated tax breaks that could potentially prove to be poison pills for those fiscal conservatives in the House who are already skittish about approving a $700 billion life raft. According to the New York Post, pork was added to the bill including $6 million in tax breaks for the makers of kids' wooden arrows, $192 million for Puerto Rican and Virgin Island rum producers, $128 million break for auto racing tracks and money for wool research.

Are they seriously trying to take those wooden arrows and stick them through the heart of a bailout that the country's leading economic experts say we need? Seriously people. Have you no shame? Lawmakers had to be bribed with pork in order to do what's right?

Political Moms

My October column in Parents & Kids offers one last word on the media's handling of Sarah Palin, the working mom, as well as other political moms who are judged differently than their male counterparts.

Image credit: New York Post.

Suburban Mom's Political Fix: No Bailout Deal, Post-Debate Analysis, SNL Skits

No Bailout Deal

I, along with the rest of the world, thought for sure that there'd be a bailout deal approved by the House of Representatives today. Certainly John McCain and Barack Obama thought there'd be one. McCain -- who "suspended" (only not so much suspended) his presidential campaign and said he wouldn't attend last Friday's presidential debate until there was a deal in place to avert an economic catastrophe -- must be in need of a cloth to wipe that egg off his face right now in the face of the House shooting down a bailout package today in dramatic fashion. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi certainly didn't help advance the delicate negotiations by wielding a stick in the form of some highly partisan remarks on the House floor for what was supposed to be a bipartisan, castor oil-like proposal. (See an NBC video about the House talks, including an excerpt of Pelosi's actual speech -- versus the text of her remarks -- here.)

An NBC analyst said that those who voted against the measure -- which they said their constituents opposed -- are in tough re-election fights. If there's anyway to come up with a temporary stop-gap measure until after the election (if that's even possible), that might be the only way something's going to get the green light in the face of such fierce public backlash.

So the Dow plunged and Capitol Hill is in an uproar. What will this mean politics-wise? A big, fat mess, although the folks in the cable news business will likely score better ratings. Well, one thing's for sure . . . Hank Paulson is rapidly becoming a household name.

Post-Debate Analysis

I think McCain and Obama fared about even on Friday night. There were no knock-out blows. No memorable lines. No awful gaffes. But I must say, I'm already sick of hearing the words "naive" and "he doesn't understand" being worked into numerous McCain responses to questions. I kept waiting for both candidates to get all fired up or do something we'd all remember, like sigh, glance at a wristwatch, walk menacingly toward one other, or quip, "There you go again." Alas, I was disappointed, though, substantively, I felt I gained insight into the specific foreign policy positions of both candidates.

As the pundits tended to agree that the candidates fared equally well, a USA Today/Gallup poll found that 46 percent of debate-watchers thought Obama emerged the winner, while 34 percent thought McCain got the better of his Democratic counterpart. A CNN poll had similar results, with 51 percent saying Obama was the winner, 38 percent saying McCain was the winner.

SNL Skits

No ill-advised, offensive incest jokes were featured during this past weekend's Saturday Night Live, but there were several political skits that accurately hit their targets, including Tina Fey reprising her role as Sarah Palin. The News Update nailed Bill Clinton's ambivalence toward Obama's campaign, as Fey captured the wretched awkwardness of the real Palin-Katie Couric interview from last week that was, I'm sorry to say, painful to watch. Fey's finger-in-the-air bit: Priceless. (Watch the three political SNL skits here.)

Question: Do you think SNL has gone too far in parodying Palin? Think such satire will create backlash and sympathy for Palin?

Introducing: The Suburban Mom's Political Fix

Only fortysomething days remain until Americans head to the polls to elect a new president. And this year, moms who vote are getting a lot of attention from pollsters and the media, even though moms (like dads) don't vote in lockstep and in fact have views the encompass all ends of the political spectrum, as I wrote in yesterday's blog entry.

Given the unprecedented level of attention this election has been receiving, I've decided that a weekly, bipartisan round-up of election news, called the Suburban Mom's Political Fix is in order. I'm planning to write quirky posts at least once a week, more frequently as news events dictate.

To Debate or Not Debate. That is, apparently, the big question hovering over the presidential campaign right now. Sen. John McCain stunned everyone yesterday with his announcement that because the federal Wall Street bailout proposal was on the verge of falling apart, he was going to suspend his presidential campaign, blow off David Letterman (and piss off the late night talk show host because McCain didn't cancel his Katie Couric interview), and possibly skip Friday night's presidential debate in Mississippi until some sort of deal to prop up the U.S. economy is struck in Washington.

Yet today, word is that there's a tentative, bipartisan agreement on the table, despite what the folks back home may think about a bailout. So does this mean that Mac will show up on Friday night as planned and as Democratic nominee, Sen. Barack Obama has already said he would? Your guess is as good as mine.

CNN Anchor Calls Campaign Treatment of Palin 'Sexist.' CNN's Campbell Brown is ticked off at the McCain campaign for keeping what she sees as too tight a grip on how and when Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin fields questions from the media. Brown said it's "sexist" to not allow Palin to face the media like all the other major candidates are doing, including Obama's running mate, Sen. Joe Biden.

I personally think this is just a strategy devised to avoid gaffes, like the whoppers Biden's been making lately (there've been some ugly ones too). But as the only female candidate for national office left in the running, Palin's limited media availability does leave the campaign wide open to the charge that they're treating her with kid gloves. This is the big show, the big leagues. If she can't answer (or pretend not to hear) shouted questions from reporters who are hanging around the campaign trail, she's got no business being there.

Today, by the way, marked the first time that Palin actually answered a couple of inquiries from reporters. Maybe the McCain campaign took cues from Brown's "Free Sarah Palin" rant.

Why I love Entertainment Weekly. The magazine's writers and editors are smart and, for a publication focused on the entertainment industry, have a savvy way of delivering information and commentary on pop culture that doesn't patronize its readers. The cover of the new issue (see above), parodying the controversial New Yorker magazine cover with a photo of Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, is spot-on. THAT cover is funny, the New Yorker cover, not so much, in fact, not at all.

Be sure to read the interview with Colbert and Stewart.

Image credit: Entertainment Weekly.