[jandc]

I think Obama is probably a wonderful father. I should probably leave it there because that was the question right? Well, no one else has so here's a few more thoughts. I think the same of McCain. I bet Biden is as well. I think Palin is probably a wonderful mother. No one should be going after her family. That said, unless one of Obama's girls is a pregnant unwed girl, the tit for tat is joke. "From a distance" Palin's kids seem very normal as well. I feel really sorry for this girl having to endure such scrutiny. She doesn't deserve it and it shouldn't be happening. The hypocracy comes when extreme conservatives have used the platform of family values to help create an us vs. them chasm. I say "help" because both sides are equally guilty of this. I have listened to conservative commentators go after the Spears girl and what must have been a lack of parent involvement then now say what a strong family the Palin's must be. HUH??? I bet they are but why the hypocracy?
I also believe you will here harsh criticisms of the USA the world over, not just muslim countries. You can here them right here on US soil.
And as for what is said in a church. You are right. BUT there are a lot of churches where things are said that are down right nasty. I live not for from the Focus on the Family. The opinion of a gay lifestyle is saddening, for just one example. Any organization, no matter what it may be, that preaches exclusion and divisiveness, in my opinion is not a good thing. To respond to the preacher of the church that Obama went to, the tapes of the great majority of his sermons were nothing like the ones you refer to. In fact, if you listened to them, they are probably sermons most would enjoy. To the ones that became public, Obama had already denounced those messages and openly disagreed with the preacher. (I dont agree with everything my pastor says. God gave me this brain and it is an honor to use it in any and all settings) Sadly, as time and the spotlight became more intense, that preacher had a national pulpit to speak from and he used it in the worst of ways. Obama separated himself from him fully. So, what did he teach his girls? Well, maybe that everyone has something to say but you don't have to believe in all of it. And when it is something that you can't believe in anymore, you go your separate ways.

[ToulouG]

I wonder why so many people are talking about Palin and her 17 year old daughter and not Obama and his relationship with an unrepentent terrorist......

I too am an informed and educated voter. And what I have learned about Obama just plain bothers me. People that love him are completely obsessed with him and what he portrays himself to be. The negative is just explained away by speech writers and swept under the carpet while anything and everything McCain/Palin is just the worst!!! Now that is hypocritical.


And Obama went to school in Indonesia from the time he was 6 to 10 years old---very impressionable years. And yes, it has been shown from school records published by the Associated Press that he is listed as Muslim. He studied Mengaji--learning to recite the Quran. This class was not for children from moderate Muslim families. I could go on and on, but those of you who love him can not see past your rose colored glasses. But wait....that is what you say about "us".

I was going to vote for Hillary.....but there is no way I will vote Democrat now or for a man like Obama.

[jules17]

SKL, I am referencing your # 4. I am lost.

To be fair to both sides, you must be saying that both Barack and Sarah should be focusing on their families? If so, should no one with children be allowed to hold office?

Parents work. Some parents work nights. Some work weekends. Some travel. Some are VPs and presidents. It is the family's business. I am so sick of this. My husband works late and isn't able to see the boys much 3 days a week. Does that make him a bad parent? (NO) Because the time he has is 150% quality time. Quantity doesn't equal quality.

[Leebert2]

It seems to me that he and his wife are wonderful parents. I am totally confused why it would be a problem to be muslim? What is wrong with that?

[SKL]

Originally Posted by erinelway

So why do we need to bring in the fact that he once, long long ago, as a child, for a few years, lived in a country where Islam is the predominant religion?

What is wrong with stating this fact? Are you ashamed of it? Would you rather most people remain ignorant of it? Why?

If I was running for office, I would tell the truth about my past, not the story I felt voters wanted to hear. Joe Lieberman doesn't hide the fact that he's Jewish, even though he knows it (wrongly) affects the way some people vote. When someone hides or distorts his past, people like me wonder, why? What does he have to hide? What else is he hiding?

[Leebert2]

It seems to me that he and his wife are wonderful parents. I am totally confused why it would be a problem to be muslim? What is wrong with that? I am talking about the latter comment in this post. I didn't see why the last post was closed. I will check it out after I write this so I am not referring to anything in that post.

Of course I am not talking about the extreme muslim movement. I think that is a bad thing. I think any religious extreme is not productive for society. In fact, I think that Sarah Palin is an extreme Christian. The more I read about her, the more of a fanatic I realize she is. I find it VERY scary. Truly.

[SKL]

Originally Posted by jules17

SKL, I am referencing your # 4. I am lost.

To be fair to both sides, you must be saying that both Barack and Sarah should be focusing on their families? If so, should no one with children be allowed to hold office?

Parents work. Some parents work nights. Some work weekends. Some travel. Some are VPs and presidents. It is the family's business. I am so sick of this. My husband works late and isn't able to see the boys much 3 days a week. Does that make him a bad parent? (NO) Because the time he has is 150% quality time. Quantity doesn't equal quality.

I'm just trying for a balanced view. Well over a hundred posts weighed in on whether Palin will be taking time away from her kids. Yes, she will. And so will Obama. The next question is, does it matter less in Obama's case? Because many people seem to think it does. My answer, however, is that it's at least as important for a father to be there for his daughters as for a mother to be. Studies prove it may be more important to daughters, which both of Obama's kids are. My point is to say that I disagree with people who believe it's more wrong for Palin to take time away from her kids than for Obama to do so.

Both candidates' families are making real sacrifices. The next question is, are there offsetting benefits? I feel that there are - in the case of Obama's kids, they get to see a person of their race compete for (and maybe win) the highest office in the world. In the case of Palin's kids, they get to see a woman compete for (and maybe win) a very high office and maybe someday go all the way. Both are extremely valuable and probably outweigh the sacrifices the families are making. People have no trouble seeing this with a male candidate, but they can't seem to get it with a woman candidate.

[Leebert2]

Okay, I just read the closed thread and now feel more informed. I'd like to strike my earlier post in this thread -even though I meant what I said. Never mind. I did not like at all what I read towards the end of the closed thread and it seems that there is a serious agenda attached to this thread. I don't want to fall prey to an agenda. It seems so obvious to me now. I wish the moderaters would just shut this one down too. To me, it is the end of the closed thread in disguise. I'm out!

[CEB]

Originally Posted by Leebert2

I did not like at all what I read towards the end of the closed thread and it seems that there is a serious agenda attached to this thread. I don't want to fall prey to an agenda. It seems so obvious to me now. I wish the moderaters would just shut this one down too. To me, it is the end of the closed thread in disguise. I'm out!

Lisa - I so agree with you on your thoughts and action stated above. Thanks. See you on another thread - I am out as well.

[jules17]

I think the whole question is silly. What do we think of Barack Obama as a parent? Well, hmmm. Considering that, to my knowledge, none of knows him or his family, how in the H*#L would we know, really?

Are we supposed to base our judgment on what the media shows us? Or "pretend" we know them? Or what?

Who gives a rip what we think about his parenting skills? Do you think he does? Not likely.

[SKL]

I find it fascinating how different the responses to this thread are versus the one on Palin.

And sad.

[jules17]

I don't find any part of any of this debate fascinating and I am done with it.

[guatparents2be]

Wow, how passive aggressive. LOL.

[gwenrenee007]

Hey all, I'm not wanting to get into the politics or the pro-life/anti-abortion discussion but have been wondering what you guys think about Palin going for this job as a mom with several little ones including one with Down's Syndrome.

As a feminist I find myself with very very mixed opinions about it. This is the one place that I know anyone with similar religious views to Palin, and am honestly so busy with my own life I haven't gotten to chat with many other women about it.

SO without getting your political hat on, what do you think of a VP and possible president doing this job with young children at home?



Above is the other question posed on the other thread. I copied and pasted it to show how different the current question is....what do you think of obama as a parent? I feel that Samantha's original question was a genuine one while yours is fishing for what I don't know.


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[mommytoEli]

closed pending review