Daughter Dearest: You'll Never Be Vice-President

Daughter Dearest,

It is with great pain and a certain measure of shame that I write you this note. Having grown up in the '60s and watched, sometimes at glaringly close range, the emergence of the women's liberation movement, I had always harbored great dreams and aspirations for you.

But as I listened to Governor Sarah Palin address the nation the other night, I had to confess that -- as your father -- I have clearly failed. Honey, you will never be able to achieve the greatness of being nominated for vice president of the United States. Forget about it.

And for this sad reality, I accept all blame. 'Twas I who steered you wrong.

Here you are, almost 25, with what your mother and I believed was a solid education behind you, and yet you are nothing but a common community organizer. Yes, the labor union you work for represents nearly 2 million service workers -- about three times the population of Alaska. But, alas, as Governor Palin pointed out, you have no real responsibilities. By helping janitors, security guards, nursing aides and orderlies gain a living wage, paid health care insurance and a retirement fund, you have only robbed them of the personal initiative to go out there and make something better of themselves. You have rendered them feebly dependent on Big Labor and tax-and-spend Big Government -- and all in their own crass self-interest in survival.

I'm not sure when I helped nudge you on to such a mistaken road. Probably sometime while you were attending that government-run high school in which we enrolled you. You could have joined the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, as Ms. Palin did. Instead, I pushed you to become a columnist on the school paper. You could have spent your afternoons becoming the local barracuda on the courts. But, nope, your mom and I indulged your trivial passions for staging and directing the plays of Shakespeare. You could have competed to be Miss Woodland Hills or even Miss Congenial California, but -- no -- there were your mom and dad encouraging you to finish writing your first play. Sorry.

From there, the mistakes only multiplied. Read the rest of this post here.

Comments

[ellawensmom]

Don't feel too badly about it. I've made some of these mistakes, and will continue to make them. Why, just two short days ago I had my five year old son and 11 month old daughter participating in a parade...marching (or strolling, as the case may be) with the Democratic party. Can you imagine? And my thirteen year old daughter recently lambasted the Bush administration in a school essay about September 11th. Perhaps if I change my ways right now, today, they can all still grow up to be selfish, ignorant, and politically apathetic.

Nah...

[DAE]

Yes volunteer service to one's community and country are to be applauded. But it seems that service workers who put their all into providing vital services for a living don't deserve respect or a living wage.

[tel8034]

And to add insult to injury, McCain is participating in a forum on NATIONAL SERVICE.

By the way what did those thousands of SERVICE signs people waved at the GOP convention mean? ................... WERE THEY SIGNALLING TO WAITERS AND WAITRESSES TO BRING THEM ANOTHER DRINK? ..........................

Because speaker after speaker (INCLUDING PALIN) mocked the value of COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, which is COMMUNITY SERVICE.

[appetite88]

This is a great piece. More people should read this.

[riverhippie]

As usual, you liberals spin everthing the Republicans say. After McCain selected Sarah Palin, the next day, Barack Obama condemed the selection of a candidate whose first experience was as a mayor of a small town. Palin's response was to claim that having been a small town mayor better prepared her for the presidency than Obama's stated first experience as a community organizer. And she's right. That's not denegrading community organizers. It's just pointing out that at least a small town mayor makes SOME executive decisions. Face it, community organizers do not. If Barack hadn't jumped on the first line of Palin's resume, she wouldn't have jumped on his. The problem for you liberals is that she scored big time. So you have to attack her by saying she was attacking the good work community organizer do.

Simply another example of AxelRove's spin strategy.

[wandering girl]

I thought her first experience was as a beauty pageant contestant. boy, that's just over the top, experience-wise.

that's the problem with you neo-cons; you pick and choose what you want to whine about.

[gigi09]

I guess that if it is all about power, rather than the concern and the desire to help the less fortunate, then you may have a point! Obama, like many questioned McCains' choice of the person he selected as a runningmate ... if he is elected that could very well be just a heartbeat from becoming president of the USA. It is not just Obama as most of you republicans would like to say, but there are millions of Americans that question his choice of Plain. Not to mention after the repubs have beaten Obama down on every word that comes out of his mouth , not to mention the personal and petty attacks, like not wearing a flag pin, how many suits he own, why he eats arugula, etc....just stupid stuff! This woman comes with so much negative baggage that the republican hypocrites choose to ignore. Real issues that question Palin ability to set examples even as a parent. The rightwingnuts are crazy and totally racists!

[boing007]

It's just pointing out that at least a small town mayor makes SOME executive decisions.

In Ms. Palin's case the decisions that she took left her town $27 million dollars in the red.

[JC1c1]

Can you explain then why Rudy laughed when he said it, why she has that swarmy I am better look on her face?

[Herkybird]

ENOUGH!! I am growing very tired of hearing that Palin has more executive experience as a mayor of a dinky town in a dinky state (population wise)than a US Senator. What exactly does she and those that think like you do believe Congress does?? Did you ever read the Constitution or do you get all your information from Rush Limbaugh??

The primary duty of Congress is to write, debate, and pass bills (proposed laws), which are then passed on to the president for approval. Once the president approves the legislation, the executive branch enforces the new laws and the judicial branch interprets them. Other congressional duties include investigating pressing national issues, supervising the executive and judicial branches, and shaping U.S. foreign policy. And the most important responsibility is the power to declare war. Did you catch the point about SUPERVISING the executive branch?? As for the Alaska National Guard, anytime they are sent outside the borders of her state Palin is not in control of them. In fact the Pentagon will not even tell her as governor where they are or what they are doing. Start thinking for yourself. You will feel better at the end of the day.

[libbygirl]

Any parent who instills in their children the desire to help others should feel extremely proud.

[ceindependence]

First time I ever heard a progressive accept any responsiblity. Thats the first big step.

And I thought it was always Bush's fault.

[emncaity]

No, nothing's Bush's fault. Just ask him.

[emncaity]

I mean, nothing's his fault other than just not getting his message out well enough, about what a freedom lover and a swaggering tough-guy terrorist fighter he is.

It's just inevitable that 30 years after easily the worst administration in American history, there will be a smattering of people sitting around coffee shops talking about what a raw deal poor old Bush got from the liberal media. Just like there are still people talking about Nixon and Agnew that way, or Bork, or David Duke, or whoever.

[RollingFork]

I am concerned that John McCain and his Rove Cronnies , have managed to divert the American electorates' attention and the media from a bigger issue in this Presidential Campaign----John McCain's mental health.
My concerns as a citizen are as follows:
1.John McCain is an aging EX-POW
2.JM may suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder/Flashbacks--a war related mental illness
3.Upon returning from Vietnam, did he receive mental health or anger Mgmt. counseling from a
military psychiatrist?
4.As a result of counseling was JM prescribed psychotropic drugs?
5.What about the long term effect of captivity on his cognitive skills?
6. Does he rely on psychotropic drugs, to date?

To even think of trusting this man with the security of our country, without focusing on his mental stability, will create another national disaster.

[EQueen]

Thank you for asking the questions that ALL of America needs to hear. These are my sentiments. I shudder to think that he was ever treated by the way he votes against veterans and any benefits they require. He does not support our troops once they come home and need help.

The signs of PTSD Post-traumatic Stress Disorder are obvious. His judgment is impaired and he is not by any means in touch with reality. He has become a Rove Robot.

You can see by the way he moves that he is in physical pain. And don't forget the numerous bouts with cancer.

Anyone who votes for this man is just as out of touch with reality as he is. His running mate is dangerous and needs to be impeached by the Alaskan legislature for abuse of power not to mention that she has done a lousy job as a mother.

[Economike]

You need to encourage weekly trips to the mall regular viewing of Gossip Girls and you would have ended up with a little Paris Hilton in no time. Better luck next time. Oh and don't forget to constantly put down anybody who makes less money than you in your little darlings hearing.

[Egalitare]

Damn!

All this time I thought I was being a responsible parent insisting that homework be done, that basketball and soccer practice not be missed because "you're a little sore" and sitting in the living room sharpening my (already sharpened) machete while scowling at the young men who were waiting for you.

[ofbbg]

I have no doubts whatsoever that many community organizers do wonderful things, and that we're all indebted to them for their service and sacrifice. Now, if someone would please post a list of meaningful accomplishments that B. Hussein had as a result of his time as one, I'd be very grateful.

[wandering girl]

you've obviously not looked, have you? just want someone to hand it to you on a silver platter? how very "liberal" of you. it's there, if you'd only pick yourself up by your bootstraps and get to work!

oh, by the way - since you're using it so pejoratively, you might not have realized that very few children name themselves. if they did, they'd probably not use the name "John" then, would they?

[Deparis]

Brilliant piece. Did anybody catch the following lines from the original comment thread?

"Do not despair! Just remember, Jesus was a community organizer, Pontius Pilate was a governor..."
Comment by Annette Hong from Oakland, CA on Sep 11th, 2008, 11:45 am

Best post! Thank you Annette, you made my day.

[jpsd]

Jesus , was the SON OF GOD. Think that qualifies him for anything!

[onepartysystem]

Any proof other than the Bible and what you were taught as a kid? I didn't think so.

[optech007]

Jesus was also the King of Kings.

[Opsimath44]

Isn't it ironic that the folks who detest "elitist" the most do so because they think they're actually better than the elitists?

Not sure if that's the real definition of "ironic," but you get the idea.

No one looks down on small towns, but folks in small towns sure look down on big cities. But make your weakness a strength, some total lunatic once said.

Of course, if you point out that Matthew Shepard was murdered in a small town, you're an elitist. If you mention that James Byrd was lynched in a small town, you're uppity.

How do they get away with this? The culture way is being fought by one side that has made up an enemy, and one side that doesn't even realize it's fighting.

[emncaity]

You know, when I was growing up in L.A. I don't remember ever even having a thought about looking down on people from small towns, like all my uncles and aunts back in Texas, where my dad was from. (That's my dad, who lived with my mom and me, and took me to church every Sunday.)

But absolutely, yeah--now we're under the tyranny of this backwards elitism, where small-town people are more moral and more American than the rest of us. And they'll tell you about it all day, if you'll listen.

And Republicans own the nation, all the images of 9/11, the right to broadcast images of coffins of fallen soldiers only when it suits them (at their convention, for instance), and the entire military.

I just wish more people were pissed about the way this country has been hijacked.

[Jamchinadian]

Don't feel too bad Marc. May I call you Marc? I feel a certain kinship with you - you see, I am equally guilty. So I bow my head in shame along with you.

[mcthfg]

On behalf of community organizers everywhere - Thanks!