My almost 30 year old with Downs absolutely adores Sarah Palin and the whole family. I just want to reach through the screen and hug Trig. He is precious.

What a blessing Palin is to this nation. She has already made a difference.

Source? I’ve watched MUCH of what she’s said that’s been available and never heard her refer to her decision to have Trig as a “tough” one. Nor her daughter’s unborn child.

Here you go:
Palin, who campaigns on a Christian, anti-abortion ticket, said the couple planned to marry: “We’re proud of Bristol’s decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents.”

Nothing referred to Sarah’s “tough” choice. And really only barely concedes that Bristol had a “choice” to make. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder here. When you referred to it as a “tough” choice, I was really looking for something more along the lines of, “Our family and Bristol agonized for days and months over whether or not her unborn child would ruin her future, strap her unnecessarily or otherwise ‘punish’ (thank you BHO) her…” Instead you point out a colloquial quote that, if you’re LOOKING for it…can be construed as conceding an opportunity for choice. Kudos to you, grand master.

Neither of them understood this. And does this issue matter?

You contradict yourself, RSS. You brought this up when you asked:

I want to know, does she understand the difference between policy and the tactical, operational, strategic levels of warfare as it relates to foreign policy and national power (diplomatic, information, military, and economic)? She has neither the training nor experience for this.

I ask the same question and you recommend a book about Reagan published well after his legacy is established. Can you please cite a well-read publication crowing about Reagan’s depth of insight into defeating Communism and/or his uncanny grasp of foreign policy that was written before he was elected? Or maybe you could just concede the point that it’s possible that someone that doesn’t have your cherished demonstrable experience just may be able to “figure it out” – even as Vice President. Tell me…how does one gain the experience required to be President…without having been President?

Also, consider this: 1) If one doesn’t understand the difference between a First Sergeant and a Lieutenant, for example, then how is he/she going to understand issues more complex than rank structures, such as operational and strategic levels of warfare?

What a positively ridiculous statement. While I certainly won’t argue that it helps to have served (walk a mile in my boots…) in order to understand soldiering, I certainly don’t think one must have walked miles through the dust and dirt with no rank on their collar to one day “truly understand the operational and strategic level of warfare.” If this were the case, perhaps the Framers would have mandated that only seasoned military veterans (or today, those who have graduated from the US Army War College and other service equivalents) a prerequisite to be President? I haven’t found that section of the Constitution yet…perhaps you can point it out to me?

2) To understand a Soldier, one cannot read a book or watch Saving Private Ryan and consider themselves enlightened as to a Soldier’s character and mindset. How can one lead Soldiers whom they do not understand and share no relation? Soldiers, of course, will respect the position of the President, but how much better if the Soldiers can respect the President as a former brother in arms when the President orders them into battle?

I added the emphasis to point out that, once again, you contradict yourself. You understand Palin has sent her eldest to fight in Iraq, yes? And that that they are related, right? Oh wait, I forgot…he “ran to Iraq to get away from his dysfunctional family.” My bad.

Your boy Ron Paul was a flight surgeon. If you think for a second that, “Soldiers can respect the President as a former brother in arms,” because he/she was flight surgeon…you’re smoking something you should share. John McCain was a warrior’s warrior. Ron Paul examined the inner ear of pilots returning from combat (see also REMF).

Sarah Palin, while she has no military service to speak of, has sent her eldest into a combat theater. Soldiers will respect that greater than a guy who was a flight surgeon and never had a bullet fired at him in anger thirty-plus years ago.

Unless the candidate has been willing to fight for, shed blood for, and potentially die for this country, how can we, as citizens, assume that person has the commitment to this country that the job requires?

Which do you think a mother would rather shed – her blood or her eldest son’s? Commitment enough for you?

These people are real sweethearts.

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