[Reagan Man]

I’ve given you my opinion. You don’t like what you’re hearing.

Somehow I get the impression you think this is a positive event for McCain’s campaign.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

[puroresu]

Way back in 1884 Grover Cleveland was running for president, and was forced to admit he had fathered an illegitimate child and had been paying child support to the mother. His opponents thought it would destroy him, creating the chant "Ma, Ma, Where's my Pa? He's in the White House, ha ha ha!"

Instead, Cleveland's acknowledgement of his mistake, and his willingness to take financial responsibility for it, enabled him to weather the storm.

Today, we're dealing not with a candidate, but the daughter of a candidate. Did she do something stupid? You betcha! But at the same time the Palins handled this matter by welcoming the unborn child. They didn't sneak the daughter off for a clandestine abortion to protect their careers. They didn't sacrifice a child's viability for their political viability.

One can never fully know how something like this will play out, but I respect the Palins for handling a crisis this way. And I rarely praise McCain, but if he chose Palin knowing this, rather than throwing her overboard, it speaks damn well of him.