Palin Will Indeed Bring The Breast Pump
| Tue Sep. 2, 2008 12:20 PM PDT
Lots of our commenters seem incensed that I questioned whether Sarah Palin will be campaigning with a breast pump in tow. But clearly she doesn't think that's a taboo subject herself. In an interview with People magazine last week, Palin said:
We don't sleep much. Too much to do. What I've had to do, though, is in the middle of the night, put down the BlackBerries and pick up the breast pump.
If Palin really wants to be a trailblazer she should truck that thing out in public, so that at least all TSA screeners will finally be able to distinguish them from bombs. And for those who think pumping breast milk is solely a private matter, you couldn't be more wrong. Legislation is pending in several states (as is litigation), to give women the right to pump on the job. Last year, New Mexico passed a bill that requires employers to give women breaks and a clean, private space in which they can pump breast milk. That bill was signed by Gov. Bill Richardson, a man who happens to be a Democrat, but who in one stroke of a pen seems to have done a lot more for the women and children in his state than Palin has done for hers.
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Phew...I was up at night thinking about that one. Now, maybe we can get onto some real journalism. Like, how will the Paris Hilton fans vote?
And what have women been asking for more than "a clean, private space in which they can pump breast milk"? Alert the media!!! The glass ceiling has been shattered. Maybe if Richardson touted this more on the campaign trail, he could have pulled some of those Hillary supporters to his side.
Keep it up Steph. You got your fingers on the pulse of the working woman.
It would have been politically damaging for Richardon not to have signed that bill (written up and voted in by others). Before I became a mother, I could have cared less about breast-feeding. It must be even harder for men to relate to the importance of that issue. For Obama supporters, I would advise "Tread lightly" on your criticism of Palin. It may set off a whole set of unwanted chain reactions for the Democratic race.
"Bill Richardson, a man who happens to be a Democrat, but who in one stroke of a pen seems to have done a lot more for the women and children in his state than Palin has done for hers."
Perhaps the mothers of Alaska have no problems finding agreeable space to pump breast milk, and therefore the legislation wasn't needed?
"I would advise "Tread lightly" on your criticism of Palin. It may set off a whole set of unwanted chain reactions for the Democratic race."
Exactly what is happenning, ever walked on egg shells? If so, you can tell when others are.
Dems are doing it, gotta keep those cult voters home election day if possible.
Submitted by Mary H (not verified) on Wed Sep. 3, 2008 12:51 PM PDT.
I think it is time for all of these people gunning for Palin to take a good look at their own lifes and shut up.
Just because Palin is "comfortable" with a breast pump does not mean McSame is now a feminist. He probably doesn't want to know what a breast pump is, and probably thinks she should go sit on the toilet in the bathroom to do the job. Judging by his response to the Viagra vs birth control pill non-answer - it's another thing he probably hasn't thought about too much. Heh.
Mary H, I will look at my own life: I am a WAHM of two young boys. I've been a single mom, and without all those Social Services the GOP disregards, I would not have been able to spend ANY time at home, nurturing and BFing my older son (only six weeks, BTW). But now, three years later, I am a successful woman who has the good fortune to work AND care for my children. The right wants to be so frustrated with the left for pointing out Palin's [many] hypocrisies: pro-family, but not supportive of policies for women and children in her own state. She trotted out her family ("I'm a hockey mom") but neglected to mention that she is technically a hockey to-be grandma. You can't act like the poster mother and expect that people won't wonder "why go back to work 3 days after your special needs son was born?"My son is the same age as hers, and I am blessed to work for a small (read: no corporate tax breaks, and women-owned) business that has encouraged my motherhood. If only the GOP would pass policies that made it easier for women to support their families, the left might not look at their "pro-life" stance as laughable.
I think I like this woman in many ways, however as a pregnant 14 year old that was married for 6 months, I have to say if she (Palin) was involved in her daughter's life instead of pawning off her own children on her...she wouldn't be "in trouble"!
Look at the child's face...she does not look very happy. Sad.
I guess we've all been hit by the utopian WAHM bus. So, there! Oh, except for the single mom thing. What, did someone not choose so well a suitable father for her children? Sounds as though Cate towed the Repub line and did it herself. And, when does being a gmom trump just being a mom? La-di-da, no corporate tax break, woman owned...whatever. We all should be so lucky; so lucky to have our lips planted on a certain candidate's hind quarters, that is. Palin has gotten more scrutiny than the Dems number one candidate has in his whole 19 plus months of campaigning. Someone must be scared! By the way, di dyo not hear BO's statement? Leave the family alone. They are not running for anything.
Submitted by BrookHolmberg (not verified) on Wed Sep. 3, 2008 3:35 PM PDT.
Are you being sarcastic or not? If so, this is a real issue concerning the working woman. For a woman to be able to feed her baby the most nutritious concoction nature could possibly provide and still work is a huge deal!
I would like to see Sarah bring her babe to work and to breastfeed in public...then we would really know we have a pioneer (though this single issue does not make me to want to support the rest of her crazy politics!).
Sarcastic? A little. It amazes me that a woman that is so little known, can be so scrutinized in as many days. People hear what they want to hear. It is painfully obvious this is a left of center blog. BO wasn't this well scrutinized in the 19 or so months he's been running.
Did you hear she took out Murkowski, a fellow Repub, for the Gov's spot. Ate her own, you might say. I would hope she is gunning for that loon Stevens as well. But this means nothing to the left. Let's criticize her on whether she will express in public or not. Is that the one issue she will be accountable for? Or, that the blowhard Gov. Richardson from NM signed in a bill allowing women to do this. Wow! Deep! Let's ask the reporter if she's looked into all that the gov of NM has stroked. I would bet some of the women of NM would not have so nice of things to say. Please, spare me, the federal gov't is not the do all and for the good of society, nor is your local gov't. You and your ilk are going to vote the OB ticket. (That's Obama/Biden, by the way.)
Seems to me she should have put down the Blackberries, put down the breast pump, and if she's such a big proponent of abstinence, had a chat with her daughter about it.
Then again, all these moral edicts are for the masses and not the elitists who lay claim to the mantle of "leadership" thinking that gives them the right to tell everyone else how to live while they do as they please.
You see, this abstinence stuff isn't all that simple, is it, right wing freakazoids?
Stephanie, you are assuming that lactating women in Alaska have problems with employers about using a breast pump. It appears to me that Alaska has the traditional pioneer state attitudes about down-to-earth matters like breast feeding. Apologize to the woman and let go r the backlash could be enormous.
Hey Jimmy,
Barack has gotten WAY more scrutiny than Palin, it's just that he's been campaigning for a year and a half and has already been through the wringer with Rev. Wright, Rezko and bittergate. We have EVERY RIGHT to scrutinize her down to her family, yes, because SHE has been touting them all over the place on national TV. If she didn't want her family scrutinized, she should leave them at home. How many times did we hear about how horrible it was for Barack to do ONE interview with People Magazine with his family (which, by the way, he said he regrets and it won't happen again). Are you going to tell me that if Barack or Joe Biden had a pregnant 17-year-old unmarried daughter the press and the GOP wouldn't be all over them about it?? She personally is proving that her abstinence only education stance is a joke, it didnt' even work for her own family.
Thank you for the
Submitted by Ameda Ultra (not verified) on Sat Dec. 19, 2009 11:05 PM PST.
Thank you for the information.
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