I'm Voting for McCain... And Yes, I Wrote the Us Weekly Cover Story

"Shame on you for writing that article! Shame on you!!!"

"I'm calling you because what you wrote is so politically slanderous. I'm shocked that a woman would do that. You are a disgrace to your gender and your country."

"Yeah, great story. You and your freak publisher. Just quit writing those kinds of stories. It's stupid, it's demeaning. People aren't as stupid as you think they are. Get a different job."

These bon mots are just a sampling of the messages recently left on my home answering machine. Seven others simply hung up. I didn't receive this many phone calls on my birthday. But everyone has a birthday; I was the only one to have a byline on the much-scrutinized Us Weekly story about Sarah Palin. That was me who explained the Alaska governor's grandma predicament, outlined her poor judgment traveling while having contractions with her fifth child and detailed her political controversies. And the whole experience left me reaching for my bottle of extra-strength Tylenol and wishing I had a flask in my office. Call it the latest side effects of being a John McCain supporter.

It's true. I am the Elisabeth Hasselbeck of Us Weekly. During our spirited office debates, it's up to me (along with the office's outnumbered Republicans -- hey, it's New York City) to defend the old man from Arizona, while the Democrats cheer for Barack Obama like he's a Jonas Brother. For months, I've touted McCain's vast experience and his economic policies without a trace of postmodern irony. (The credit -- or, uh, blame -- mostly lies with my parents, the only conservative Jews in Detroit). My take on his VP pick? "I think she's fascinating!" I chirped to my editor in chief early on September 1. "She's a mother of five and she hunts!"

A few hours later, Palin announced that her 17-year-old daughter was knocked up. All I could do was shake my head and sigh at the realization that the original "mom under attack" angle was going to change into a far-more tantalizing story -- and rightfully so. Rule No. 1 when running for the second-most important position in the free world: Never allow yourself to draw comparisons to the Spears family. The day only grew more frustrating as the revelations trickled into my inbox: The vetting process was rushed... Palin got her passport last year... wait, she called her former opponent what?! Oy.

The facts were out there, and there was no way to sugar-coat them. All I could do was address the relevant issues -- and, most importantly, remember the readers' needs. We're a magazine that thrives on babies, intriguing women and scandals. For this particular week, our potential vice president just happened to fit the bill. (Sorry, Angelina).

As I typed away in my cramped Manhattan office, I never expected the article to become a Fox News rallying cry (the jeers were all the more perplexing given that so few people had even read the piece beforehand). Nonetheless, despite the baby-mama dramas -- and the stinging phone calls -- I still feel that McCain would make the best president. And, no, I'm not ashamed of myself. Beep.

Comments

[KarenJW]

VP pick Sarah Palin publicly said, “Sambo beat the bitch!”, when Barack Obama won the Democratic nomination.

"The comment says as much about McCain as it does about Palin, and it says a lot of things about Americans who overlook such statements (as well as her record) and vote anyway for McCain."

http://www.laprogressive.com/2008/09/05/alaskans-speak-in-a-frightened-whisper-palin-is-%E2%80%9Cracist-sexist-vindictive-and-mean%E2%80%9D

[JEANSIMMV]

No one is saying that she might have considered having an abortion but the fact that John McCain keeps using the fact that she didn’t as a noble and gallant reaction to having a downs syndrome baby is ridiculous since she had very little choice. She would have either been breaking a federal ban on that type of abortion or would have been in a position to have the abortion because of the abnormal birth but then would not be fit for a certain high ranking job because she would no longer be able to capture the conservative vote. But that is typical of McCain to glorify his selected running mate the way he glorifies himself. The McCain Campaign would like to prevent anyone from talking about, or to Sarah Palin and the rest of the family but John McCain and his surrogates constantly bring it up. Someone needs to report all they know about it, truthfully of course, to keep the voting public informed.

[Cathy22]

What you should be ashamed of Ms. Reinstein, is your willingness to vote for a President and Vice President who want to end the choice of women to get abortions. It is unthinkable that a woman in the 21st century would want to put women back 50 years. Back to abortions by coat hangers and secret back room abortions that aren't covered by healthcare or aren't regulated and safe. It is disgusting that a woman would want that. Should we cancel a woman's right to vote too? The US article was a good one. I now highly suspect that Ms. Palin did not give birth to the child with down syndrome. The timeline is very very suspect. You want to vote for someone who would go to those lengths to deceive people? Do you also agree with banning books?

[Cranberries]

An excellent statement. Thanks very much for posting. (P.S. I am a subscriber and I thought the article was fine.)

[JesseD]

Quick question for the author: As a Jewish woman how does her brand of evangelicalism -- a Pentecostal with beliefs ranging from End of Days to All non-Christians Go Directly To Hell -- sit with you?

Is anyone else concerned with the whole Separation of Church and State thing or is it just me?

Frankly, she scares the .... (fill in the blank with any word you deem reasonable) out of me.

[AProudRepublican]

Bravo Mara!!!! =D

It's not easy to be the lone voice and throw yourself to the sharks, but that is exactly what you did, and I think it's heroic. Good for you for speaking up and saying what you believe in. That takes a lot of courage and not many today have those kinds of guts.

Keep it up Mara! Our country desperately needs heroines like you!!! =D

[robbep]

I am curious why do you think McCain wld be a better president? I read these blogs and I hear people saying they are going to vote for McCain but they never say why. What is his vision for the country? What can we expect from him to help get people back to work? Give me a reason based on fact logic and reason that wld allow me to consider voting for McCain. And please dont throw the 2000 McCain at me bcz that man is not around, what will this McCain do that will make this a better country? And for a moment can we get off the persona of McCain and tell the American people why the Republicans deserve four more years in the white house. Tell us how tax breaks for the rich are in the best interest of working people. How does sending billions to Iraq help us educate our kids and ensure that the sick in this county gets healthcare. Maybe I am missing it but I dont like the direction our country is heading but that is just me. Oh yeah, pls dont bring up Obama and try to scare me out of voting for him, convince me why voting for McCain is good for the country. Thx

[AmandaSo]

You know what, sugar. You vote for which ever candidate you think best represents your values, beliefs and ideals. If that's McCain, more power to you. This is America, and it's the unalienable right of every American to make cataclysmic, phenomenal errors in judgment with potentially disastrous results whenever the spirit moves.

Best of luck to you and your karma.

~A~

[Owlygirl]

Wow, you're pretty darn nice, A. I also have a few choice words for her, but I first need to get that phone number. Until then: Mara, hopefully you'll pull your head out of it someday. You write for US...? And are voting for a McCain/Palin ticket? Palin? PALIN?! I weep for your (future) children.

Oh and according to this ad on the right you are the proud author of "Brad & Jen: The Rise and Fall -blah,blah, blah." I mean, enough said about you!

[pbziegler]

AmandaSo you said it. If this country is going down the tubes it will be doing so with the blessings of a lot of folks who think McCain is an agent of change and Palin is the second coming of Mother Mary.
It takes a lot of facts to overcome the BS Americans buy--and there just aren't enough facts. So we can do what we can to win out over the forces of ignorance but its certainly an uphill battle.

[diogeron]

Now we have the story that Fox News is falsely claiming that the Obama campaign trashed flags. Of course, just like all the other Faux News lies, it's not true. At some point, Ms. Reinstein, as a journalist, don't the lies ever bother you?

This ticket is the worst GOP ticket in my 63 years on the planet. If the American people vote for them, they get what they deserve.

[alanaB]

Mara -- You're supporting McCain because of his economic policies? So I guess you support giving tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, screw anyone who can't afford expensive health care insurance, and every other Bush policy that has virtually destroyed our economy. Very intelligent position!

[EarthToZoey]

Beautiful. ;)

[sammyscout]

I would like the cons3rvative right to add her adultery in their domain of family values but alas that would not be possible; the affair with her hubbys biz partner was a het3rosexual one and to be a true repukelicken, it has to be perverse and/or deviant.

[Dave01]

Even at that, they simply send them to rehab and 3 months later, viola, they're cured.....­ask Ted Haggard about that one.

[Sparty1]

hahahaha!

[mezz1962]

Ok lets see you get your news from the National Enquirer? LOL oh thats funny

[DanzaSlap]

As a liberal, I'd like to note that your argument would be much more compelling if you actually inserted an "E" instead of a "3" in your words. What is the point of this? Does the l337 speak somehow make a point? And does the misspelling of "Republican" serve any purpose? No, it doesn't. It makes you look like a 12 year old.

[lastpragmatiststanding]

Congratulations, now you get to hear it from the left too. They probably will be meaner, because they often are to me. I'm supporting Barack, but I am pro-life (w/ exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother). I support gay marriage, but not by forcing it down people's throats in the court system. I listen to conservative talk radio and read/post liberal blogs. It's a never ending search for the truth, to know the strengths and weaknesses of both ideologies. What I can tell you from experience is that the left is way less tolerant when you disagree with them. You will find plenty of examples of that here. It will make your answering machine seem like a teddy bear.

By the way, I think less people had a problem with your reporting/article (which I will honestly admit I have not read) than they did with the tone of the cover when compared to the Obama and Michelle cover. My bet is that Fox News and certain conservative outlets made you out to be the culprit since your name was on the article. You have my sympathy. Also my respect for voicing your independent viewpoint and defending free speech.

[pphsmom]

plafayette,

Maybe you all need to do a little research on all the issues and I mean really look at the candidates. I am from Louisiana and while Katrina was devatating to NO, the republican president is not any more responsible for this disaster than the democratic gov and mayor. They knew to ask people to evacuate and try to get as much people out of there as possible, Look at the way Gov. Jindal handled Gustav. The Problem with NO is that most of the people are still waiting for a handout. I felt very sorry for the victims of the ninth ward until my husband went down there to help them evacuate and was shot at and told to leave so they could get what they wanted. That is the they are. Some he was able to help but most chose to stay and loot. As for the Servicemen and women, step out of your liberal world and ask all who they would want as their commander. My brother and sister both serve and they along with most of their divisions want McCain.
HIV/AIDS Pres. Bush has done more to get access to necessary drugs to people aroung the world. Oh I know you will think that I am crazy, but that doesn't really bother me. I try to stay informed means..thi­s site, Foxnews, MSNBC, CNN, Politico.com, and townhall.com. Maybe everyone should try this and get more than one point of view.

[JimReed]

Mara,
How do you feel about the war in Iraq? I think it was actually a war of greed. We showed we weren't after Bin Laden when we had him pinned down, then didn't capture him so that we could wait for our army, then when we were in the region switched the war to Iraq, a war that had no justification.

[evgolightly]

For all the women who are decrying "sexism" by suggesting that we wouldn't question a MAN with 5 kids - one a newborn with Down Syndrome, and one pregnant at 17 .......

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I absolutely would! I questioned John Edwards' decision to run for President when his wife was diagnosed with cancer again. It turned me off completely. And many pundits raised the issue.

I also question what Sarah Palin is doing to her husband -- it doesn't seem fair to leave the care of a special needs infant to one parent. I don't care if that parent is a man or a woman -- that's not the point.

It takes both parents to pitch in, and if a man dumped the entire responsibility on his wife, I would think that man was a self absorbed egomaniac.

Which is what I think of Sarah Palin.

[BBGG]

Duh! People with means have help. They would have specialists to assist them. Palin is great and has many talents. The Lord asked us to use all our talents. If you had talent, you would understand this.

Barack's mother was unmarried and 18 years old when she became pregnant. Check out Wikipedia. Unless he was a 6-month premie. Live and let live. Take care of your own life. Get one first.

[from Idaho]

Agreed that it takes both parents to raise the kids, especially when there is such a bunch. We don't know if Todd was an absentee father or fully engaged. But what does look problematic is taking a very unsophisticated family out of its environment and adding all the new stresses of being in the D.C. spotlight. Consider the stresses they already incurred, of moving from a small town to the big city in AK. Then a new baby is brought home and daughter becomes pregnant. Oldest son is encouraged by the courts to enlist for Iraq.

We have no idea what the Republican machine has in mind for McCain's VP. The best the Palins can hope for is that she will be just a pretty face like Dan Quale, with little real responsibility, and that McCain stays healthy. While Sarah is beaming into spotlights, what will the rest of the family be doing? Her husband, especially, will be a fish out of water. Despite all the "mother" talk, this woman is definitely not putting family first.

[08bluegirl]

Let me state at the outset that I do not agree at all with the political views of Gov. Palin. However, I am completely opposed to the publication of the story which appears in the latest issue of Us Weekly. I'm actually hoping that the magazine did get the story totally wrong because if it is actually true it is incredibly damaging--even more than a false story would be--to vulnerable and innocent people, and most of all to Bristol and Trig Palin. And if true, I actually have a new-found respect for Gov. Palin as a parent, if not as a politician. Seen in this light, the cover-up (if indeed there was one) provides irrefutable and undeniable proof of the love she has for her daughter; she was trying to protect her.

[evgolightly]

Yeah, right. She was trying to protect her with every fiber in her being.

So, she decided to accept the offer to run for VP and thrust her unmarried, pregnant, teenage daughter into the national spotlight.

Why are you worried about her family? SHE is the one who should worry.

Concentrate on your own family, because the Republican ticket sure won't.

[jupitor]

Thats what happens when you tell the trueth about Palin! They hurt you, and make her a victim!

[greylox]

**Governor Palin's "concern" for her children is manifest. She is a perfect example of the falsity of Republican "family values."

[Dannydel]

The hypocrisy of Palin and the militaristic religious right, would be laughable if not so harmful. I refer to the pregnant daughter, raised by a family that preaches abstinence raether than sex education. A group that has vowed to stack the Supreme court with narrow minded God botherers who will try and control what women do with their bodies. Add to this, the outright falsehoods she freely spreads during her speeches about what she did and didn't do as Governor, and the lies McCain has been caught making on his record and there you have the moral basis of the Republican party...'n­on-existen­t'.

[KatieHW]

Protecting her daughter?
I think it more likely she was covering up Bristol's pregnancy to protect her own political career. But once word got out, and the sympathy angle became clear, she "protected" her daughter by parading her around like a trick pony (just as she's been displaying her Downs-syndrome child at all hours of the day and night--whenever and wherever there's a camera).
The McCain/Palin mantra: Good mommy. Must vote for good mommy....

[MsPeppy]

Bad media. Bad.

Bet you didn't think you, Mara, of all people, would be giving Faux News et al their flavor-of-the-week culture war rallying cry, did ya?