Daring to question Palin on family/career

[hay rick]

Rudi Giuliani, noted family man, wants to know how anyone can dare to suggest that Sarah Palin can't do justice to both the office of Vice President and her family of 5 children, including her new-born special needs infant. The answer to her very real dilemma is clear and should surprise and upset no one. If she is elected she will hand off most of the day-to-day family responsibilities to other people. Not a problem. Doesn't make her a bad mom. Many professional women with demanding jobs do the same.

The Republicans have to take it a step further though and use this manufactured dispute to play the gender card. Nobody, they shrilly proclaim, would even think of questioning a man with 5 kids, special needs or not, about his ability to balance high national office and family responsibilities. And they are undoubtedly right. Now this is the point where the Republicans want to end the discussion and change the subject to their next talking point. Problem is, there is more to be said on the hypothetical grievance they advance.

It's true that a man would not be held to the same family responsibility standards as Sarah Palin. It's also true that a man with Sarah Palin's resume would never even be considered for the job of Vice President of the United States. Less than 2 years as governor a very small population state would not get a man on even the very long list of possible candidates for the second slot.

A man might also be subjected to some harsh criticism because he is a man and can "take it." Why, for example, did he subject his 43 year old wife to a risky pregnancy when they already had 4 kids? They didn't talk about it first? How responsible is that?

A man with that thin a resume and a dysfunctional family for a kicker would be laughed off the national political stage in short order. So it goes. What gender discrimination takes with one hand, it gives back with the other.