Well, there is the irony of the fact that she vetoed funding for homes and training for young unwed mothers. There's a distinct lack of any ability to feel empathy or do the right thing for her constituency, there.

Or a determination to let the family and/or church handle it instead of having the government get involved. Her family is an example of handling the situation the right way, without the government or taxpayers dollars getting involved.

Megan Walker upthread - as a distraction from ability to do their job.

Well, I said it was a potential distraction and, as such, I'm happy that it was reported so I can make a more informed decision.

I don't really care that it may or may not conflict with positions she holds. Well, I do, but I understand (and often hope) that people create policy with a broader constituency in mind than their own families.

If, years ago, the car accident that killed 2 members of Biden's family and put his two sons in the hospital had happened just before he was elected, rather than after, voters might well have wondered if this would affect his ability to serve. He himself has said he had to be convinced by others to leave his family. Just because this circumstance happens to relate to a hotbed issue doesn't mean it a less valid consideration than ones we've seen in the past.

I'm not saying it should be the only factor considered, but it is a factor.

ETA: I should add that I'm one of those that gets my news from TDS (and Real Time with Bill Maher) and then reads up on issues when necessary, so I don't experience the network/cable news overload that many people have.

Her family is an example of handling the situation the right way, without the government or taxpayers dollars getting involved.

Good for them. Places like Covenant House (the organization whose funding she cut) aren't really directed at the needs of those with strong careers, intact traditional families, and the resouces to handle things the "right way" so much. Bristol Palin isn't going to need to need those services, and more power to her and her family because of it. It's great for them that they can do it, for sure. Be nice if there was some concern for giving other pregnant teens something more than a speech about bootstraps to help them do that too.

Or a determination to let the family and/or church handle it instead of having the government get involved. Her family is an example of handling the situation the right way, without the government or taxpayers dollars getting involved.

Yeah. It's bitchy as hell, but its not inconsistent.

Game Show Network is running the Ken Jennings episode of Jeopardy. It's kind of sad, watching him completely steam-roller his opponents. One poor woman got two chances to answer a question, and she got them both wrong.

She should have stocked up on reference books at the annual Oxford UP summer sale: [link] !

One poor woman got two chances to answer a question, and she got them both wrong.

Did they give her a year's supply of Turtle Wax?

I was reading a NYTimes article this morning where it was reported that when she was mayor of Wasilla, no city employees were allowed to speak to the media without her express permission. Apparently, this was a huge shock to the local paper which had a very, "let's speak to Jim and get his opinion on how things are going," approach.

Admittedly, I'm a Luddite WRT to how gov't works at individual city levels, but isn't that essentially impinging on her constituents First Amendment rights, even if they were city employees?

They gave her $1000. She didn't even get to Final Jeopardy. The other woman got the question wrong and ended up with no money. For being in second place, she got $2000. Ken Jennings ended up with $50,000.

I suppose the verb form of steam-roller would in fact be "steamroll." Look at my willpower in not going back to edit.