Palin's Baby's Baby Mama Drama and the Color of Family Values

Presidential nominee Barack Obama might have declared Sarah Palin's daughter a non-issue for his campaign staff, but he doesn't work for the media (nor the Daily Kos). With all the hoopla surrounding the VP hopeful's daughter's out-of-wedlock pregnancy, one delicate piece of hypocrisy seems to have blown by with Gustav's winds. What if the 17-year-old Bristol Palin was a black girl? And what if she was, instead, the teenage daughter of Michelle and Barack Obama?

PBS talk show host Tavis Smiley put this question to former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich while taping his nightly show in St. Paul, Minnesota for the RNC. Gingrich, choosing his words very carefully, took a long pause before he answered. Smiley was clearly trying to illustrate that the spin the right wing was putting on this, as a pro-life family issue, was laced with a hidden hypocrisy. Had this been a black family -- even one as Cosby-like as the Obamas -- we'd be hearing an entirely different tune coming from the convention hall this week.

Gingrich first tried to avoid answering, instead choosing to commend Senator Obama's very wise refusal to make political hay out of the matter. Gingrich then went on to share some of his family life experience (though conveniently leaving out some messy personal drama in his own marriages, including an affair during the Clinton days).

But Smiley wouldn't let his pal go that easily. He gently pounced on Gingrich's hedging, saying "Oh, come on." He then told the Speaker he could "roll tape for the rest of this convention of Republican, after Republican, after Republican, lecturing black people about out of wedlock births, about making babies before they're married."

Gingrich tried to turn it back towards the Democratic platform, which mentions fathers have to recognize that fatherhood doesn't end at conception. Smiley agreed, and let Gingrich off the mat. Gingrich then added, "This is not a black problem," citing social shifts that show the breakdown of the nuclear family over the past 50 years from Europe to America.

I hope they remember this at the next Republican ho-down.

You can watch Tavis Smiley's show online after it's broadcast nightly on PBS.

Follow Raymond Leon Roker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/raymondroker

Comments

[jazzifay]

Sarah needs to go back home and handle her family business. Yes, women can and do run their families and careers, but obviously PALIN HAS FAILED. She has a special needs newborn that needs her and her young daughters need her. SARAH, GO HOME AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAMILY!

Yeah, I said it!!!

[red2win]

it sounds to me you must sit at home takIing care of lots of children..­. I HOPE I AM NOT PAYING YOUR WELFARE. Vote MC CAIN, PALIN

[NoaAnjali]

oh thank god, raymond—somebody finally said it.

[robXdion]

People forget Newt Gingrich made a career demonizing black females in the 90s. He crucified black teen pregnancy (solely and specifically) daily as "what's wrong with America". Pure race-baiting. That Tavis could call him "a friend" is really hard to swallow.

[RoloTomassi]

He could have [or maybe should have] hit Newt with the results of the studies done on unmarried pregnancies in relation to welfare recipients; as it turned out, the largest percentage of welfare mothers were white, over the age of 30, and divorced, with three or more children.

These studies were prompted by Newt and his rethug gang back in the 90s when they were making all of the fuss about young black mothers populating the US and expanding the welfare roles.

[FirstShirt]

"Had this been a black family -- even one as Cosby-like as the Obamas -- we'd be hearing an entirely different tune coming from the convention hall this week."

I have another question. If Barack Obama had been a white freshman senator with less than 3 years experience in federal government and from a midwestern state with no military experience, no foreign policy experience and limited legislative experience would he even be a candidate for President? I think we all know that answer.

So, did Barack get a pass on certain experience issues because he is black? Is he a democratic token of change?

[robXdion]

If that white freshman senator had Obama's charisma and political skills he would be ahead by 20 points. So give that tired argument a rest. We've seen the dual standards played out too many times for you to be claiming "whites don't get a fair shake". puhleeeeezzzeeee

[FirstShirt]

Not realistic. You think he is that far ahead of other democrats? He is a token. And, interestingly, Obama is not ahead by 20 points as he really should be in a democratic year.

[USALover]

RobXdion,

SPOT ON!

YOUR RESPONSE WAS BRILLIANT.

[sdskelton03]

you scenario is wrong. Replace midwestern with southern and it already happened. See John Edwards in 2004.

[kwame24]

To question Tavis Smiley posed to Newt Gingrich, the convention floor and the right-wing leaning political pundits would be a wash in racial stereotypical comments. There would be no talk about it's a family matter. What does this whole thing say about their hypocritical values message? Values are situational is what they are saying. Not once has Palin said that pre-marital sexual behavior was unacceptable, (which is in line with those moral values) Palin said, "Now she'll see what the real world is like." Tavis should not have given Newt a "pass" on this issue. He should have pressed him for a REAL answer.

[peorgietirebiter]

I happened to see this show. And I must say, o a very visceral level, it's their armor piercing hypocrisy that eats my lunch every time.. Unfortunately any acknowledgment of hypocrisy requires a capacity for healthy shame. And if nothing else the apostles of Rush and Fox are shameless. They create and occupy their own reality, that Tavis managed to get a non-denial from Newt was amazing.

[fnygy]

Mr. Roker makes a very interesting point. Before Roe v. Wade when the individual states were dealing with abortion rights, California legalized it. The coalition that made it possible were left-leaning feminists and right wing, anti-welfare Republicans. In San Francisco it was all about "a woman's right to control her own body." In Orange County, it was all about "lazy black people who'd rather have lots of babies than work."

The GOP has used race as a political bludgeon - for whatever purpose they see fit - since the Civil Rights Act was signed. I believe it's one of the reasons they're so afraid of Senator Obama and this coming generation. They're afraid of losing one of their most successful tools.

[maddie0001]

Actually it's not about race, it's about political benefit. They ranted and raved about Jamie Lynn Spear's mother and the "Glouchester Pregnancy Club" mothers but there was no GOP benefit to it.

When these a GOP benefit, that's private family business..

[Adrienne Williams - Huffpost Blogger]

Every black person in American has thought this -- they would be labeled as bad parents. The left not protecting their child, and how can they lead -- if in fact, they can't run their own house. Again, we see bias in media and how some, can get away with bad behavior and others will not have the opportunity.

[JohnFObama]

The republicans will forgot this kind of thing happened to a white family as soon as the next controversial thing happens to any black person, when a black teen has a baby at 17 it shows irresponsiblity, when a white teen does the same thing they say it's a sign of what a great family they (the Palins) are. I don't care what your views on this are, if you look down on the Palin girl or if you have no problem with it, but try to make your views consistent and do your best to reduce hypocracy, the GOP has a problem with that.

[sleek]

As Kucinich said, Wake Up America!

It is stunning how ignorant Americans are nowadays. Just stunning.

[RepugsOut08]

The problem with trying to catch the Republicans up in their hypocrisy, is that they simply won't admit they're being hypocritical.
When faced with evidence of their hypocrisy, they either change the subject, lie, or begin a tirade of counter accusations against the person calling them on their hypocrisy. My favorite is the acting as if the behavior was what they always planned to do, and shows no descrepency at all.
Bristol is a perfect example. Rather than be embarrased about the situation, as they would surely expect a liberal family to be, they're almost acting like Bristol getting pregnant was a great idea they'd planned all along. Welcome to the family, Levi! Nice job!

[emilyeliot]

John McCain: Putting Bristol Palin's Baby Before Country

[johnlee]

I agree with the hypocrisy of the republicans but we need to include Obama in that hypocrisy. He had no problem questioning the values of poor black males and females but he defends this white girl. He wont comment about this white girl but Obama has stated he wont "back off" of young black people. He has no problem criticizing black people values but he wouldn't dare go into poor white communitiees and say the same thing. I wonder how long black people are going to let Obama get away with throwing black people under the bus for white votes.

[JustLeftOfRight]

Yes, I'm sure that would seal the white vote for him. African Americans have had to play this game for generations -- that has not changed. You think the remnants of Jim Crow aren't embedded in the american psyche and handed down from generation to generation? C'mon. Obama isn't on an equal playing field and no black candidate can ever be unless perhaps he is elected and we start to view race in a fundamentally different way. I'd rather bet on that than 4 more years of McSame.

[USALover]

JustLeftOfRight,

Thank you! Thank you so much!! You are so right on!

If there is one African American vote that is loss by YOUR revelation, then those people are unaware of all that is around them.

And if there is one white vote gained from this, it will be a miracle.

But this "race" is about our economic future, our freedom of choice, our wars, our international relationships, our children's futures...­not about whether or not Obama will chose whites over blacks. He is running for United States of America. (I know, I know the whites have only been looking out for themselves when they are in office and blacks are just benefactors depending on which class bucket they happen to fall into...but that is the AMERICAN WAY) that is not going to change.

So please stop trying to pit African Americans against a man that represents blacks in so many positive ways.

Remember what this race is about.

[johnlee]

@JustLeftOfRight

You state "Obama isn't on an equal playing field" AND "You think the remnants of Jim Crow aren't embedded in the American psyche and handed down from generation to generation?" SOMEBODY BETTER TELL THIS TO OBAMA THE NEXT TIME HE STARTS MORALIZING ABOUT POOR BLACKS TO WHITE PEOPLE. The fact that racism exist in our society doesn't make Obama eagerness to defend this white girl and throwing blacks to the conservative wolfs who make the same bad choices any less of a hypocrite.

[strangelet]

Great question. Too bad he let him off the hook.

[nellie]

Everybody could see the truth, though.

[strangelet]

Hope so.