Posted on 08/29/2008 1:34:27 PM PDT by Zakeet
CNN’s John Roberts, after briefly alluding to the issue of Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin’s experience he called into question earlier on Friday’s "Newsroom" program, asked correspondent Dana Bash about how the Alaska governor’s newborn son with Down’s syndrome might be affected if she were elected: "There's also this issue that on April 18th, she gave birth to a baby with Down's Syndrome.... Children with Down's syndrome require an awful lot of attention. The role of Vice President, it seems to me, would take up an awful lot of her time, and it raises the issue of how much time will she have to dedicate to her newborn child?"
Bash deftly answered this question, which has the implication that Palin could neglect her infant son, and made a possible counter-argument the McCain camp would use, that a question like Roberts’ would be sexist: "That's a very good question, and I guess -- my guess is that, perhaps, the line inside the McCain campaign would be, if it were a man being picked who also had a baby, but -- you know, four months ago with Down's Syndrome, would you ask the same question?"
The CNN correspondent continued by briefly describing the Palin’s family situation and the thinking that may have gone into the situation for both McCain and Palin herself. She concluded by reporting on the Alaska governor’s appeal to social conservatives because she is "very staunchly anti-abortion," in Bash’s words.
The full transcript of the exchange between John Roberts and Dana Bash, which began 7 minutes into the 11 am Eastern hour of CNN’s "Newsroom" [audio available here]:
JOHN ROBERTS: You know, there's one other issue -- we've talked about her experience and what depth of experience she has; the fact that maybe she tries to peel off a few women voters on the Democratic side, who really wanted to see a woman in the White House in some way, shape, or form. There's also this issue that on April 18th, she gave birth to a baby with Down's Syndrome.DANA BASH: Yes.
ROBERTS: The baby is just slightly more than four months old now. Children with Down's syndrome require an awful lot of attention. The role of Vice President, it seems to me, would take up an awful lot of her time, and it raises the issue of how much time will she have to dedicate to her newborn child?
BASH: That's a very good question, and I guess -- my guess is that, perhaps, the line inside the McCain campaign would be, if it were a man being picked who also had a baby, but -- you know, four months ago with Down's Syndrome, would you ask the same question? And that might be another way to kind of, you know, kind of close the gender gap in trying to make the point that, yes, she not only has, unfortunately, a baby with Down's Syndrome, but she has five children, the oldest of whom is apparently going -- is in the Army and going to head off to Iraq in the fall. So, you know, it absolutely is going to be a question that she is going to have to answer, and there's no question that she had to do soul-searching and figure out if she could take this on when John McCain made clear that he wanted her to be her [sic] running mate, and it is going to be one of the interesting things that we are going to be able to hear from her when she finally does speaks, whether she does address these things here or in subsequent interviews.
That's going to be a fascinating thing, but it also does -- it also does appeal to social conservatives in another way, and that is that, you know, part of her story, if you read her discussions about that baby, is that, you know, she knew before she gave birth to that baby, that it had Down's Syndrome, and she chose to keep the baby. And that is -- that is because she is somebody who is anti-abortion. She is somebody who is very staunchly anti-abortion. That kind of story, also, can help appeal to the social conservatives that John McCain is still trying to win over in his own party.
—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.
John Roberts, you incorrigible boob, you ought to be slapped up the side of the head with a salmon.
Dr. Obama says the fifth trimester still isn't too late.
I knew this was going to be an issue out of the gate, and your response is exactly how the McCain campaign needs to handle this issue.
The sheer nerve of these people. Can you imagine the firestorm if someone said that about a Democrat? This woman has and will be more accomplished than all of these hacks put together. How dare he say something like that. How very shamefull indeed.
Talk about Friday bookends: John Roberts on the Downs Syndrome baby and Jimmah Cahtah saying McCain is milking his North Viet prison experience. Gad.
What a couple of ignorant sons of bitches! Bash and Roberts.
So, they never heard of nannies? Plus, did you see how the baby’s older sisters held him and lavished love on him?
The baby also has a FATHER: something unknown in Democrap circles.
He has loving grandparents who are still living.
That baby gets more love and attention than Obama’s two brats, I am sure.
Un-freaking believable!!!! What, should she have aborted and let that precious child of God die in a dirty laundry room, a practice that Obama supports?!
A sexual Harassment suit should be filed against John Roberts and CNN for their blatant misogyny, and creation of a sexually hostile political environment.
There’s a long, long negative shadow being cast by someone, except its not Palin. I think every ounce of negativeness done at this point...amounts to 500 more votes for the McCain/Palin team. John Roberts simply convinces older independent women who were former Hillery-supporters...to side with Palin. The chat on no experience....goes nowhere because she was elected to a city council, a mayors job, and a governor’s job...something neither Obama or Biden can ever confess to.
Any passes to Harvard or Colombia Law School for Palin? No. Any bottles of $50 wine? No. Any visits by rich Saudis? No. Any positive views of dimwitted lobbyists? No. Any cares about winning Nobel Prizes? No. Any chatter on change? Only if it actually improves the lives of regular people or the smooth running of the state.
Bluntly, Alaskans don’t stand around waiting for some government program to fix their situation. They don’t expect an awful lot from their government.
So the more John Roberts speaks....the less attractive Obama becomes.
Hehehhehe...let them spew all the jelousy they want...Stupid idiots haven’t even the idiot what Palin can bring to the ticket, the demoncrat special needs parent vote along with disability folk vote too. The mediapukes just woke up from their nightmarish honeymoon with the big ZEROsama
. They’ll be walking on egg shells until election day!!
Don’t forget: that gift from God is still just a fetus to a Dem.
We need his email address!
This will return to bite them, just like everything else they try.
Unfortunately, I have heard this here on FR, too.
The Party of Infanticide should just STHU on this — how many of the Demagogues would have simply murdered that baby?
I am sure that Sarah Palin and her husband and her teenage children are fully capable of providing the care and support needed.
IMO this comment is actually a thinly veiled expression of Bash's own reaction to Roberts' question.
Disgusting, to say the least. I sure hope the people at DU that are spreading this crap kept their genes out of the pool.
you did read the article, yes? no! Zoots alors!!!!
Algores teenage son was a frickin’ retard. How did he managed to do 8 years in the VP slot???
Anybody think a teenage girl requires more parental attention than a 4 month old child? Then cross out Amy Carter and Chelsea Clinton.
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