September 1, 2008
Sep 01 04:43 The Inexperience/Commander-in-Chief Canard Sep 01 05:56 God Bless Kirsten Powers Sep 01 07:21 Meet Jeff Beatty Sep 01 08:33 Biden Steps In it Sep 01 09:08 Pundit Review: Sarah Palin a Game Changer Sep 01 12:46 Laura Bush to Dems: Watch Your Step Sep 01 13:52 "We're Still Counting" Sep 01 18:11 Evangelical Reaction To Bristol Palin
Prior Months: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug
The Inexperience/Commander-in-Chief Canard
Many in the Right Blogosphere have brought up the inexperience subject. To be fair, they've done so in a thoughtful manner. Two such people are Kevin at Pundit Review and Allahpundit at HotAir .
Here are a couple of concerns Kevin raises:
McCain turns 72 years old today. When thinking about a VP, I believe voters look at them and think, "can I imagine this person as president". For all his flaws, Joe Biden passes that test. Will Sarah Palin? I don't know?With all due respect to Kevin, Joe Biden only passes the test stylistically. That isn't nearly good enough for me. It's why I ignored statements like this or that candidate "looks presidential." When Sen. Obama took his overseas trip, especially after his meetings with President Sarkozy and PM Brown and in his 'Citizen of the World' speech in Berlin, the press practically wet their pants in talking about how presidential he looked.
Can she hold her own against a hostile press corps? How about against Joe Biden for that matter? The only honest answer is that nobody knows. I saw her about a month ago on Larry Kudlow's TV show and I thought she did ok, not great, just ok. If that was my impression watching her in friendly territory, how will she do when really pressed?
Back then, I told a friend that it only took an expensive suit, a fresh haircut and a manicure to look presidential. I said that it's another thing to be presidential.
People noticed the difference when Russia invaded Georgia. That's when people saw Sen. McCain looking and acting presidential.
Kevin cited Gov. Palin's interview with Larry Kudlow, saying that she looked ok, not great. I didn't see the interview so I'll take Kevin's word on that. The Sarah Palin that addressed the frienzied crowd in Dayton looked absolutely poised. Yes, she was introduced to a friendly crowd but she was also making history. I'd be surprised if there weren't a ton of butterflies loose in the pit of her stomach. She nailed that speech.
Allahpundit raises other serious concerns:
Whatever you think of Barry O, he's got intelligence to spare to handle the job; a voter worried that Obama doesn't know what he's in for can console himself with the fact that he'll be a quick study. That may be true of Palin too but she doesn't have much time to show it, which is why every last mistake on the trail will be magnified to "prove" that she's a hick who's out of her depth.I don't buy that argument in this sense. If she makes a tiny error, Keith Olberman, Chris Matthews, the Agenda Media and the Nutroots will cite this as proof that she isn't fit to be vice president. Big deal. Conservative naysayers like David Frum and Ramesh Punnuru likely will too, mostly to make the case that they were right.
Now let's get to the heart of the matter. I'll cede the point that Sarah Palin's Rolodez isn't filled with the names of every world leader. Neither is Sen. Obama's, which brings me to this point: There's a tradeoff this election.
Do we want an inexperienced man as commander-in-chief or an inexperienced woman as a heartbeat away from being commander-in-chief?
Another legitimate question is whether Sen. McCain could've picked someone else that would've had more experience. The answer is yes. He could've picked Joe Lieberman but that would've caused trouble with the GOP base. It also would've said that McCain was bringing in another traditional inside-the-Beltway thinker. With this being a change election, that pick would've been a disaster.
Now let me make the case for Sarah Palin.
It's true that Sarah Palin isn't the polished old pro on national security matters. I'll defy anyone to prove that she isn't a quick learner, though. Her son leaves for Iraq in 10 days. Anyone think that she won't be paying attention to everything that's happening there? I'm betting that she'll become real familiar real quick on foreign policy matters.
Which leads to the most important point. She isn't being brought in to be the foreign policy guru. She's being brought in to (a) drive the reform message, (b) drive the drilling message, and (c) drive the mesage home that wasteful spending is history in a McCain administration.
Does anyone, in either party, have her reform credentials? The answer is an emphatic no. Tim Pawlenty and Mitt Romney are both fine men capable of stepping right into the commander-in-chief role. That isn't what voters are looking for this election. They're looking for someone who won't just end business-as-usual Washington.
With Congress's approval rating half of Nixon's final approval rating, they want someone that'll take a torch to Capitol Hill and their K Street supporters . That's precisely what they see in Sarah Palin and only Sarah Palin . That's what will drive this election.
Before her pick, I've told friends that Obama's stumbles told me he wasn't ready for primetime. That's before he picked a nontalent like Joe Biden. By mid-August, I'd told friends that this was McCain's to lose. It's obvious that the Obama campaign's momentum ended with his fundraising speech in San Fransisco.
Meanwhile, the McCain campaign started gaining momentum after he clinched the nomination. It started off slow. Then he started closing the gap with Sen. Obama. When Sen. McCain picked Sarah Palin, that momentum reached maximum velocity. Already the Obama post-convention bounce has been eliminated. Don't be surprised if McCain-Palin leads in the polls before this week's end.
Finally, I'll point to something that Richard Nixon once said about the role of a running mate. He said that the best thing a running mate can do for the top of the ticket is to get the team elected. The thinking is inarguable. If they aren't elected, all other considerations are meaningless.
That's why the inexperience/Commander-in-Chief argument is a flimsy argument. It's an argument made by thoughtful people with the best of intentions but it's still a flimsy argument.
Posted Monday, September 1, 2008 4:50 AM
Comment 1 by Spec Bowers at 01-Sep-08 11:44 AM
Exactly!
Palin is an expert on drilling.
Palin is an expert on fighting corruption.
Palin is an expert on cutting waste.
On those three issues she is easily the most qualified person in the country.
Energy is the one issue that can turn this election around for McCain and for all Republicans. Many people aren't interested in politics. Everybody is interested in the price of oil.
Corruption and wasteful spending are a large part of why Republicans lost in 2006 - and fighting them is why Palin won in 2006 and has soared to such high approval ratings. She can restore the lost Republican brand.
These three issues resonate with voters across party llines. And Palin better than any other person can tell a strong and convincing story on all three. Fortunately, McCain has a decent story on these issues; Palin will be his megaphone.
God Bless Kirsten Powers
Kirsten Powers is one of the rational liberals on the national scene. Her column in this morning's NY Post is additional proof that she's got her head screwed on straight. Here's my favorite line in the column:
Hmm: Palin isn't running for president; she's running for vice president. Last time I checked, John McCain isn't dying. And if experience is your worry, there's plenty to worry about on the opposing ticket if, God forbid, something happens to Joe Biden.AMEN, Kirsten. That thought should scare the living bejeebers out of thoughtful voters all across the nation. It's impossible to forget Sen. Obama's deer-in-the-headlights look when Russia invaded Georgia. If not for that, Obama likely would've picked Kathleen Sebelius as his running mate:
"He really wanted [Kansas Gov. Kathleen] Sebelius," says one Obama insider with knowledge of the Democrat candidate's vetting process. "And if our European tour had played better here at home, she might have been the pick."That isn't the only wisdom found in Ms. Powers' column. Here's another great tidbit of wisdom:
But, says the insider, the campaign's internal polling indicated what the public polling indicated, that Obama failed in his European sojourn to build out his foreign policy credentials. "We needed the foreign policy on the bottom of the ticket more than we want to admit," says the insider.
Palin's challenge is to avoid any major gaffes that give the media the excuse to expand on its narrative-in-the-making that she's a ditzy beauty queen from Nowheresville who was only chosen because of her ovaries.Yes, her being a woman played a significant role in Sen. McCain picking her. So what? That isn't her only qualification. The fact that she took on the corrupt Alaskan GOP old boys network and beat them is impossible to ignore. There isn't a reform-minded conservative that doesn't think that that's an important quality. It's obvious that it meant alot to Sen. McCain.
Yes, being a woman was a factor in the choice, but fully in keeping with the way smart veep picks are always made: She energizes the ticket with the whiff of change and could attract disgruntled Hillary voters. And now the Democratic ticket isn't the only one that can lay claim to making hsitory.
There's good reason to pick a proven reformer: people see Washington as being badly broken. That shows up in the right track/wrong track number shows that 80+ percent of Americans think we're heading in the wrong direction. Status quo politics won't cut it this year. Sarah Palin is a genuine anti-status quo candidate. In fact, the McCain-Palin ticket is the only one committed to reforming Washington.
Yes, I know that Sen. Obama has talked endlessly about changing Washington but he's never mentioned a single specific what he'd change. As I said last night, change and reform aren't the same thing.
In light of the Obama campaign's attempt to silence investigator Stanley Kurtz , it isn't impossible to make a case that Sen. Obama would abuse the federal government's powers to silence his critics.
The rest of her personal story is just as compelling: a working mother with five kids (one on the way to Iraq) and a husband in the Steelworkers Union. She's gorgeous and feminine but she hunts and fishes. She's charismatic and a good speaker. She's the kind of woman you'd like to have a beer with.Don't think that she won't sell in blue collar Michigan and in churches across Ohio and Pennsylvania. The fact that she views her Down's Syndrome infant as a "gift from God" screams "I walk the walk" to pro-life Catholics and evangelicals. It's even enough to make Dick Morris get a little mushy. You can't get more pro-life than that.
Don't think that that won't matter in Virginia and North Carolina, too.
The fact that she's proudly identified herself as a hockey mom gives her a distinct advantage with suburban women, too. (Can you picture Joe Biden appealing to these women? I can't.)
Finally, there's this observation:
I actually buy the Obama camp's original argument that Washington experience isn't the only thing that matters. Life experience, thoughtfulness, intellectual curiosity, a willingness to listen and learn, shared values and an ability to inspire and communicate, all count as much.I'll finish this post where I started it. I agree with Kirsten on this. How can I not when I've argued that critical thinking ability is more important than experience? Sarah Palin's authenticity shines through whether we're talking about her taking on corruption within her party or whether we're talking about her living out her pro-life convictions.
Unless I'm misreading the polling, I'd say Sen. McCain has made a potentially brilliant choice.
Posted Monday, September 1, 2008 6:03 AM
Comment 1 by Robert Lewis at 01-Sep-08 10:53 AM
Obama's mother's original Social Security Number Application
webofdeception.com/obamamother'sssapplication.html
Meet Jeff Beatty
Yesterday, I posted something about Sen. Kerry's idiotic statement that Sarah Palin was just another Dick Cheney. A half hour after I first read that, I finally got my laughter under control. Simply put, Sen. Kerry needs to be forced into retirement. That's where Jeff Beatty comes in. Mr. Beatty is running against Sen. Kerry. He's mounting a serious challenge, too. I suspect that Massachusetts voters are taking him seriously because of Mr. Beatty's position on America's energy independence :
Energy PlanLet's be realistic: Jeff faces an uphill fight. Like William Russell running against John Murtha, this won't be easy. Running against an incumbent always is.
We must control our own destiny, our own future. The world is a volatile place and we cannot rely on foreign suppliers of energy. We must become more self reliant. With that in mind Jeff will push to bring online more sources of energy, not just for tomorrow, but for the next 20 or more years it will take to bridge the gap to advanced Hydrogen Cars and other new technologies.
Oil. We must access the oil we have by increased drilling. That includes Oil Shale, ANWR and Offshore. Strategically, we need to increase our refining capacity.
Clean Coal. This resource can carry a large part of the electrical generation needs and we must continue to use it extensively.
Natural Gas. In addition to power generation, as an interim measure, Natural Gas can be also used as fuel for our Cars. It is a resource we are rich in.
Nuclear. We must increase Nuclear Power use. Not only can we use it here but it is an outstanding potential export. Land based US Technology Nuclear Plants need to be exported to help reduce worldwide demand for oil. Nuclear Power Barges (like the Army's Sturgis) show how we can create, sell and deploy Nuclear Power while still maintaining control of the technology.
Solar. This technology has made advances that can reduce fossil fuel consumption on a local household and business level
Wind. Wind energy is an outstanding American opportunity. In the Rockies and on the Coast of Massachusetts, Wind is a money maker. We can build wind turbines here in our abandoned industrial base, providing much needed good manufacturing jobs as we reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Cities and Towns are using wind power for their schools and municipal buildings reducing need for fossil fuels and saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in fuel costs in their communities.
Hydroelectric and Tidal Energy. These sources are underexploited, particularly Tidal. Advances in these technologies will soon harness ocean and tidal currents to supplement rivers and relieve our dependence on foreign oil. Here too, we have the potential for new, good paying, manufacturing jobs.
All of these measures, and more, are part of a comprehensive energy plan that will start reducing the cost of oil in the near term and will allow America's families to minimize the effects of skyrocketing oil prices as we work towards new supplies and new technologies that will come online in the next 20-30 years. Jeff knows that we must control our own energy future and he will make sure we do.
Let's be clear, though: Defeating JFK II is doable. I don't think his record of supporting radical environmentalism will be particularly appealing with gas this expensive.
Jeff's energy policy isn't the only appealing part of his agenda. Based on his taxes issue page , it's clear that Jeff believes that taxpayers should keep more of their money. Massachusetts is one of the hardest hit states in terms of taxes, which is why many former Bostonians now reside in New Hampshire. Here's Jeff's position on taxes:
Jeff's stance on taxation has and always will be firm: we need to cut taxes. This is the fastest way to give every American worker a pay raise and part of a comprehensive package to get our economy moving again. When your taxes are lower, you have more money to take care of what matters most, your family. It's that simple. Jeff believes government needs a strong dose of fiscal discipline. Only by controlling spending and making government smaller can we accomplish the healthy and growing economy we expect. It's your money, and Jeff wants to help you keep more of it.Jeff throws in a great shot at Sen. Kerry. Here's that shot:
Jeff has been hit by high taxes the same way many of you have. He paid for college by working as a Teamster and met a payroll as the founder of a successful homeland security company. Unlike John Kerry, who has never created a business and has long abandoned the needs of regular people, Jeff understands the financial burdens we all face with, from the grocery store to the gas pump.Isn't it time we all chipped in and helped retire Sen. Blowhard? Isn't it time that we helped put someone with a feel for the real world in Washington? Nobody can seriously say that Sen. Kerry has a clue about what the average person deals with on a daily basis.
Having run a company, complying with the regulations and paying taxes, it's safe to say that Jeff Beatty knows plenty about real life. It's time that we did everything we can to get Jeff elected. Follow this link to contribute to Jeff Beatty's victory.
Posted Monday, September 1, 2008 7:26 AM
No comments.
Biden Steps In it
This morning, a number of Israeli newspapers are quoting Sen. Biden as saying that Israel will just have to live with a nuclearized Iran. Here's what Sen. Biden is quoted as saying:
"Israel will have to reconcile itself with the nuclearization of Iran," Army Radio quoted Biden as telling the unnamed officials. "It's doubtful if the economic sanctions will be effective, and I am against opening an additional military and diplomatic front."If these reports are accurate, then Sen. Biden has just told Israel to accept a death penalty. It's obvious that Sen. Biden doesn't take Iran's threats to blow Israel off the map seriously.
It won't take long before Obama-Biden will be backtracking from Sen. Biden's statement. They should be embarrassed. We started the weekend worried that Sen. Obama didn't have the national security/foreign policy credibility. Serious people thought that Sen. Biden would bring that credibility to the ticket. (I wasn't one of them but serious people thought that's what he'd bring to the table.)
That myth was just shattered.
Don't think that Jewish voters, whose support was already tepid, won't notice. Don't think that they won't be repulsed by Sen. Biden's statement. Don't think that that won't cripple the Obama-Biden ticket in Florida. It certainly will. Initially, Florida's Jewish community had their doubts about Sen. Obama. It was thought that Sen. Biden would shore up Sen. Obama's credibility.
This report destroys that.
This dispels the myth, too, that Sen. Biden is a great foreign policy guru. He isn't. He's a foreign policy disaster. Let's remember his presumptuous plan to tell the sovereign Iraqi government to split into three independent countries. This was a stupid plan right from the start. It hadn't dawned on Sen. Biden that an independent Kurdistan would quickly become rich and would destabilize the region.
His plan also would've given Anbar Province to AQI and forced southern Iraq into a strong allegiance with Iran.
Prior to Sen. Biden's most recent gaffe, Democrats planned on telling voters that they couldn't risk voting for someone as inexperienced as Gov. Palin. That argument just disappeared. When the American people hear about this, I suspect that they won't put a high priority on experience. I suspect that they'll put a higher priority on judgment.
Posted Monday, September 1, 2008 8:38 AM
Comment 1 by Shoebox at 01-Sep-08 11:11 AM
Gary,
Don't you know that Iran is just a "tiny country" and doesn't pose a threat to anyone? I've heard that the alledged centrifuges are just cotton spinning machines used to create stuffing for Teddy Bears!
Comment 2 by Walter hanson at 01-Sep-08 04:17 PM
Wow what happened to talking. I thought it was Obama's policy to talk to Iran to stop them from building nuclear weapons. I guess Obama's message is go ahead and have nuclear weapons.
Wow great leadership that will make America safe.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Pundit Review: Sarah Palin a Game Changer
Pundit Review Radio on WRKO is one of my favorite talk shows. The man who is PRR is Kevin Whalen. (I hope I spelled that right. Forgive me if I didn't.) Last night, I called into his show to talk about Sarah Palin. It was kinda strange because Kevin initially wanted Tim Pawlenty. (I certainly can't fault him for that.) Kevin politely listened as I made my case for Sarah Palin.
You can listen to PRR here:
This morning, Kevin has a new post up . It seems that last night's callers have given Kevin a new perspective.
Many thanks to Kevin. If you aren't listening regularly to PRR, I strongly encourage you to start. You'll be glad you did. It's worth noting that PRR relies heavily on the blogosphere for its information. Kevin frequently gets great guests like Col. Ralph Peters, Michael Yon and other top names.
Make sure you bookmark PRR's blog , too. It's always great reading.
Posted Monday, September 1, 2008 12:38 PM
No comments.
Laura Bush to Dems: Watch Your Step
First Lady Laura Bush cautioned Democrats that sexist remarks about Sarah Palin might backfire. Here's what Politico is reporting:
First lady Laura Bush said today that sexism aimed at Sarah Palin was a very real prospect and suggested Democrats watch what they say about the Alaska governor and John McCain's ticketmate.The Left's smear websites have already thrown alot of conspiracy theories out there. None have stuck. In fact, Kos has retreated from the story that Sarah Palin didn't give birth to Trig, that it was their daughter's illegitimate child.
"The other side will have to be particularly careful," Bush said in an interview on Fox News from St. Paul, "because that's something we all looked at." Questioned about whether Palin may face sexism from the media in the way Hillary Rodham Clinton supporters claim she did, Bush said: "I think that's a possibility."
The first lady, who had been planning to speak to the GOP convention tonight before Gustav scrambled the schedule, expressed pride in Palin.
"I'm going to get what I wanted, which is to be able to vote for a Republican woman," Bush said. "People, as they get to know her, are going to be so impressed with her grit and her sensible judgment." "She has shown how terrific women can be, and how strong women can be, in office."
The more conspiracy theories that the Left tries throwing at Gov. Palin, the bigger the backlash against the Left will be.
Mrs. Bush is right, though. The more people get to know Gov. Palin, the more they'll love about her. I can't remember where I read this but someone was making the point that Sarah Palin doesn't fit nicely in a box of any sort. She's unabashedly conservative. Her husband is a proud member of a union but he isn't a registered Republican. She's staunchly pro-life and an evangelical Christian who won a local beauty pageant. She's a picture of femininity and an avid outdoorsman. (That fits the description of a tomboy, doesn't it?)
Any attempts by Democrats to smear her will hurt the Obama-Biden ticket almost as much as Biden hurts the Obama-Biden ticket.
Posted Monday, September 1, 2008 12:47 PM
Comment 1 by Walter hanson at 01-Sep-08 04:16 PM
Wow Sarah Pallin has people trying to question her record seriously since day one. When has Obama's record been seriously questioned by the main stream media. I'm still waiting. It takes talk radio, Fox News, and and web sites to get it examined at all.
Just think if Obama's record had been seriously investigated like Hillary Clinton thought it should be. The candidate will be Hillary Clinton today. Of course they gave the same pass to John Edwards.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
"We're Still Counting"
According to ABC's Brian Ross , the McCain-Palin headquarters couldn't be happier. Here's why:
The McCain campaign raised more than $10 million in the two and a half days after Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was named as the vice presidential running mate, bringing the total raised in the month of August to more than $47 million, campaign officials tell ABC News.Rush was right. A couple months ago, Rush was talking about the NRCC's and NRSC's anemic numbers, as well as McCain's fundraising numbers. His opinion: When Republicans start acting like Republicans, the money will start flowing in. They did, starting with the House Oil Wars Rebellion. Donations have been improving ever since.
The final, official figures are expected to be reported in the next few days, but the amount appears to be a record for the McCain campaign, almost twice as much as it has raised in any other single month.
"We're still counting," said campaign spokesman Brian Rogers.
When Sen. McCain picked Gov. Palin, the floodgates flew open. Like Brian Rogers says, "We're still counting." That must bring a smile to Sen. McCain's face. Following his acceptance speech Thursday night, he'll get a check for $84 million. The good news is that Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin will be doing fundraisers for the RNC, which can spend the money on whichever race they choose.
Posted Monday, September 1, 2008 1:53 PM
Comment 1 by Walter hanson at 01-Sep-08 04:12 PM
I was waiting to see if Mccain picked a good VP before I gave money. Even though money is tight for me I wound up giving five dollars more than I was planning to give.
And I have a running debate with somebody on another blog that the Republican base being excited is a big thing. That person is trying to dismiss the excite because we're exciting a smaller base and making the independents that Mccain was trying to appeal for were going to desert him.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Comment 2 by Gary Gross at 01-Sep-08 05:27 PM
This person is wrong. Sarah Palin will appeal to suburban housewives, hockey moms, evangelical Christians & Second Amendment voters.
In short, Sarah Palin doesn't fit neatly into one box. She's authentic & she's charismatic. That's her biggest selling points. That & she's a hard-nosed reformer, too.
Evangelical Reaction To Bristol Palin
Leaders in the evangelical movement have started filtering in about the announcement that Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol is 5 months pregnant. First, here's Todd and Sarah Palin's statement on their daughter:
"We have been blessed with five wonderful children who we love with all our heart and mean everything to us. Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support.Here's what Dr. Richard Land, President of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, said in his official statement:
"Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family. We ask the media to respect our daughter and Levi's privacy as has always been the tradition of children of candidates."
"This is the pro-life choice. The fact that people will criticize her for this shows the astounding extent to which the secular critics of the pro-life movement just don't get it. Those who criticize the Palin family don't understand that we don't see babies as a punishment but as a blessing. Barack Obama said that if one of his daughters made a mistake and got pregnant out of wedlock he wouldn't want her to be punished with a child. Pro lifers don't see a child as punishment."Here's Tony Perkins' reaction to the news:
"Unfortunately, teenage pregnancy has become all too common in today*s society regardless of a family*s economic or social status. It is problem that we remain committed to reducing through encouraging young people to practice abstinence.I'll update this post as more reaction rolls in.
Fortunately, Bristol is following her mother and father*s example of choosing life in the midst of a difficult situation. We are committed to praying for Bristol and her husband to be and the entire Palin family and they walk through a very private matter in the eyes of the public."
Posted Monday, September 1, 2008 6:12 PM
Comment 1 by Paleocon at 01-Sep-08 07:27 PM
I think it's safe to assume that the Obamas would be more likely to have their own grandchild aborted than the Palins.
Comment 2 by Chuck at 01-Sep-08 09:49 PM
Kind of wondered how they would react, couple of good responses, thanks for sharing.
Quite frankly I thought the family handled this with class. I have three children and it's kind of a "but for the grace of God, there go I" situation. No parent wants their unmarried minor child to become pregnant, but she is. So then you support them. Finally, you do not punish the unborn child by killing it.
Comment 3 by Liam at 13-Sep-08 03:15 PM
I think it's safe to assume no one should assume what any parent(s) would do in any given situation.
If the Palins want the nation to respect the privacy of their daughter, then why not do two things: 1) keep her and Levi out of the public eye and 2) have the governor use her executive power to peerform the marriage?
As long as you put your kids out there, you can't complain if people comment.
The commentators are noble. But having been raised in a pentecostal family, I know very well the parents of my knocked-up (their words, not mine) mother were urged to force an immediate marriage or seclude her until I was adopted (the opted for the latter)
