Fred Thompson On The Battle Of Bristol

By Kleinheider Posted on September 1, 2008 at 8:09 pm

The former Senator and Presidential candidate doesn’t think that the revelation of Sarah Palin’s teenaged daughter’s pregnancy will hurt the McCain ticket:

Pushed by NEWSWEEK’s reporters and editors to say whether having a pregnant teenage daughter and five-month-old baby with Down syndrome at home will raise questions about Palin’s “priorities,” Thompson immediately questioned the questioners. “Would you be saying that about man running for office in her shoes?” he asked. “I really think you’re going to be surprised at how average people–and especially women–who are not necessarily political one way or another identify with her. I see nothing in this that will hurt Sarah Palin politically. I mean, I get that it’s a necessary part of the process to ask those questions. But we have to keep it fair. If we don’t keep it fair, it will redound to her benefit.” Judging by the reaction in the room–one female Newsweeker said she couldn’t “believe that [our male reporters] were even asking this question”–I have a feeling he’s right. Saying a woman can’t pursue her professional goals AND care for her children is never a winning political issue–whether it’s conservatives or liberals wagging their fingers.

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