By all accounts, Rich Eisen seems like a nice enough guy. He does a great job on NFL Network, as he did at ESPN, and never really ruffles any feathers. I guess the same can't be said about his wife and former ABC sportscaster Suzy Shuster, who writes a little for The Huffington Post. Shuster decided on Friday that the Sarah Palin act had gone too far, only it wasn't the "I'm a good ol' fashioned mom" act that led Tina Fey to revive her Saturday Night Live career, no, the act Schuster takes offense to is the supposed "quit flaunting your five-month old baby Trig" act that only Shuster seems to take offense to. Trig, as you probably know, is Palin's youngest child, who was also diagnosed with Down Syndrome.
It actually came after the debate, when for seemingly the millionth time, Sarah Palin trotted out her piece de resistance, her favorite prop of this campaign season: her five and a half month old son Trig.
Why is this child up so late every time there is a camera op? Why isn't this baby sleeping in a crib or bassinet somewhere with a sleep sheep or some other sound apparatus lulling him into night-night? Is it just me or does it seem like she carts this poor child around like a living breathing example of how wonderful a mom she is? After all, she's more than adopted the "I'm just a mom, just like you moms out there, America" attitude.
This can't be for real, can it? Sure, the political debates amongst the country are pretty heated at this point but, no matter your take on the candidates, is it really necessary to be knocking Palin's parenting skills with her newborn baby, who happens to be stricken with a chromosomal disorder? Shuster and Eisen have an eight-week old child, so maybe seeing this bothered her in some unique way, but can anyone really agree with Shuster? Does anyone really think that Palin is out pimping her child for votes? Not even politicians are that dirty.
I guess we can all agree that the mainstream media isn't all that fond of Palin. Just yesterday, CNBC's Keith Olbermann, never a man to back down from the Republican party, used the most famous of Palin slip-ups as a one-liner when talking about Trent Edwards' recent concussion.
NBC's Keith Olbermann will likely generate a flurry of calls and e-mails for his comment while narrating highlights of a disoriented Edwards being carted off the field.
"I can see Russia from here" was the line Olbermann attributed to Edwards.Obviously this was a play at humor, but Shuster just seems upset and looking for any and all ways to attack the vice presidential candidate. In this instance, these accusations were way over the line.
[AJ at Deadspin]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
10-06-2008 @ 5:12PM
Nolan Fletcher said...
Really? You don't think for a second that almost every move these people make is calculated and scripted out. Of course she whips her baby out at every opportunity. It helps cement her status as a "hockey mom" Just a little reminder to America that she is down home and folksy. Just like when she spoke directly to the camera at the debate.
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10-06-2008 @ 5:22PM
Al said...
Of course she brought her child there for political gain, that's why children are brought to events. But, is this really even sports-related? At least the Obama/McCain articles here were about sports.
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10-06-2008 @ 5:48PM
Rich said...
you all are missing the point, she can see Russia from her house!
http://www.collegefastbreak.com/
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10-06-2008 @ 8:23PM
stmvh said...
Kinda of like Barack - sans tie and his shirt sleeves rolled up! That image is contrived also.
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10-06-2008 @ 6:40PM
Stephanie Stradley said...
Technically, it wasn't quite 11:00 pm that the baby was up if the baby is used to Alaska time. Even so, personally, I find it uncomfortable seeing a baby being carried about in public late at night. I've heard other people say similar things so I don't think it is just Shuster.
Yeah, the debate is a historic moment for her family, but I think that for a child of that age, a babysitter would be more appropriate and better for the child. If we are talking common sense, I think that is the common sense, mom thing to do.
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10-06-2008 @ 7:19PM
aziza said...
Many of us feel the same - this is NO Way to treat an infant, especialy one who is suffering from Down's. This poor baby needs a stable atmosphere - not being carted around crowds of people and being tossed from one family member to another (I even saw Palin hand this infant to a girl who looks like ten years old). This baby is subject to getting all sorts of deseases from these crowds and is not resting properly. Palin is an AWFUL mother - using her innocent child to get votes.
10-06-2008 @ 6:44PM
Robert said...
I just can't figure out why we never hear anything negative about Barack Heussein Obama or his running mate Joe Biden. Can any of you whack-job liberals tell me why that is? After all when someone has a microphone in front of them during 80% of their day they are all bound to say something unintelligent, right? Oh, I forgot it's the Left. You should try to form your own opinion rather than adopt the one of your favorite actor or newscaster.
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10-06-2008 @ 7:14PM
cherokee said...
You are right robert could not have said better,
10-06-2008 @ 7:41PM
Monica said...
She was totally using the baby to show how wonderful a mother she is, though she quickly dropped him off in her youngest daughter's arms who could barely hold him up. She's a ridiculous candidate who is an embarrassment. She can have a talk show, or a blog, or a How-to-Field-Dress-a-Moose webinar co-starring Fred Thompson. But she should not be on a national ticket. As if the country doesn't already have real problems, then this joke is added on top. Are we really that self-loathing?
10-06-2008 @ 8:25PM
tdbrought said...
Seriously Robert? You haven't heard anything negative about Obama? Perhaps you should watch a McCain speech. Smearing Obama as horribly different is about all McCain's got left, since his campaign explicitly said they aren't going to discuss real issues anymore.
Let's name a few stories Robert apparently hasn't heard about yet. I'd suggest going to any major newspaper, since every single one of them has covered these.
Jeremiah Wright. Bill Ayers. Michelle Obama hates America. Biden thinks FDR invented the TV in the '20's. BARACK'S A SECRET MOOSLIM!!! (ok no reputable news station would touch that crap, but it's obviously been discussed). Why does Obama hate America and refuse to wear a pin on his shirt?
I find it absolutely hysterical how Republicans can just shut their eyes and blame the GOP's disaster this year on the media. Look towards the White House if you are wondering why McCain is losing. It's not Katie Couric's fault Palin doesn't know a thing about anything other than shooting moose. She asked retardedly easy questions (Name a Supreme Court case? Seriously I knew more than just Roe V Wade in the fourth grade). It's not the New York Times who voted 95% of the time with Bush. This is why the GOP will lose this year. But I'm sure that the deadenders will insist it wasn't their party that failed to live up to it's principles. They will continue to do the same things that got them where they are. Good luck with that. Maybe in 20 years or so you will be a viable party again.
10-06-2008 @ 7:40PM
Alicia W. said...
I think the same thing EVERY time they bring that tiny thing out at these events. Poor guy should be in a crib somewhere. I totally think it is for the sympathy factor, and I don't like it at all.
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10-07-2008 @ 11:37AM
BJD said...
Well, I AM a single, full-time working Mom of a son with Down Syndrome. And while I admire that, at least from 'appearance' looks like she can 'fry the bacon and bring it home in a pan,' I, too, have felt very uncomfortable with all the bringing out of her son. Don't get me wrong. I believe she is proud of her family. But don't also forget that this is politics, and nothing -- ABSOLUTELY NOTHING -- is left to chance, especially at this point in the game. And besides...the card she's really playing is running for President in 2012 instead -- that's the REAL plan going forward.
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10-06-2008 @ 7:57PM
Janet said...
I have heard many people, mostly women, express Suzy Shuster's feelings. I do agree with her that Sarah Palin is using her baby as a prop for votes. Before Sarah Palin had her baby she slashed the budget in Alaska for special needs children by 60%. If you don't believe me, google it.
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10-08-2008 @ 4:21AM
tdbrought said...
Just to point out Janet, Palin actually transfered funding for special needs kids to a different department. Actually she increased funding for special ed kids. And no, I am not a McCain or Palin supporter. I think she is pathetically unready to lead.
10-06-2008 @ 8:04PM
Keith said...
Sarah Palin is definitely using her baby as a campaign prop. He doesn't accompany her to a VP debate so that she can see him, only so that she can be seeing holding him for about 30 seconds before handing him back off to a surrogate. A self-described "good mom" would have the little one in bed.
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10-06-2008 @ 8:04PM
John S. said...
Who's your favorite newscaster, Robert? Bill O'Reilly?
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10-06-2008 @ 8:14PM
Joe said...
You people should really get a life. Sarah Palin is not using her child for personal motives. Only a lib could think of this.
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10-06-2008 @ 8:22PM
Addison said...
If you want to call "parents" liberals.
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10-06-2008 @ 8:23PM
Tom said...
Let me get this right...Sarah is a bad mother for having her INFANT baby with her. But if the baby was with a nanny then she'd be a bad mother for having her INFANT pawned off on some "strange peson" rather than being the mother she should be. Is that correct?
You morons hate seing a successful mother, business woman and leader all in one. You're jealous, shallow and ignorant.
And Robert is right on the money with his statement.
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10-07-2008 @ 6:46PM
patsy said...
i love what you said! i have 5 children and i took my babys every where , rep. love to have their children with them. dem leave their kids with a baby sitter