She is obviously very driven, strong and a real force in public office.

I question Sarah Palins abilities for good judgment.
Can she make good decisions for our country?

As I must question her choosing to put these young people in the spotlight.

I see it as a private issue, only ... if you live your life privately.
Everyone in the active campaign is aware that there are really no private matters in public life.
She has chosen a public life on an international stage.
If I were in the same position as Bristol and Levi Johnson, I would, at the very least, be very uncomfortable.

Am I also to believe, her husband will thrive as a house husband in Washington, DC.. ?
Coming from his own seat of power in Alaska.

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That remind me of Geena Davis President TV drama.

Her husband was miserable as First Gentleman.

Good show, that went the wrong way in production.

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"And Lord, I pray that you would guard your own reputation, because they're going to think that their god is bigger than you, if that happens. So I pray that you will step forward and honor your own name with all that happens between now and Election Day."--Rev. Arnold Conrad

I've been trying to think honestly about what I would say or do if it were a man in this position or if it were a woman with whom I agreed politically. What's absolutely clear to me is that I would never vote for Sarah Palin regardless of her family status - we're at opposite ends of the political spectrum.

So lay these factors out: you are a parent of five, with your 2nd eldest a pregnant 17-year-old who wants to keep and raise the baby, and your youngest a special needs infant. You have a demanding job, but your spouse is an incredibly engaged and supportive partner, who relishes the opportunity to be the primary parent and does a great job of it. An opportunity arises to pursue a substantially more lucrative and very prestigious job in your field, but the employer's selection process will require 8 weeks of intensive interviewing, with substantial national travel, while you are still trying to maintain at least the impression of doing your current job. And if you get the job, you will need to move your family 4000 miles away. Your daughter (to whom you have promised "all your love and support") would thus have to choose between coming with you with her husband and baby, losing the entire rest of her support network, or staying behind and having little, if any, in-person support from you. While nothing is certain, given the current trajectory of your career, it's possible that the opportunity to seek this position would arise again within a few years, though turning it down now makes that less likely.

Clearly, if you seek the job, then this is the story of someone who places professional ambition above the best possible outcome for the family. What is absolutely true in our society is that while many people of both genders do that, it is the women who are far more likely to be personally criticized for doing so.

The question progressives should ask before condemning Palin, or suggesting that those who might otherwise support the Republican ticket should not support the ticket because Palin is so clearly choosing professional ambition over her family, is, "If Obama had selected a running mate with a similar personal profile but opposite politics, would you still support the Obama ticket?" For me the answer is crystal clear: of course I would continue to support the Obama ticket. I would have my own personal doubts about the personal choices that this imaginary VP candidate would have made, but it would not have the slightest chance of changing my vote.

There are probably some people who will make voting decisions based on this issue, but it shouldn't be encouraged. There is so much policy and governance stuff on which to challenge Palin's candidacy that saying anything about the family is a foolish distraction.

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Thomas Taylor

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At the risk of sounding anti-feminist (which I'm not), I was first very skeptical when I learned that Palin had not only a newborn, but a special needs baby. I simply can't imagine how the campaign lifestyle could possibly be good for that baby. I firmly believe in routine, consistency, home, bedtimes, breastfeeding, etc for babies, all of which must be difficult if not impossible on the campaign trail and/or in the vice presidency. My point of view is that we've got 40 odd years of our lives for working - so how bad could it be to take just a few to spend with babies/toddlers when they need mom most? But that's me.

But then I had to remember that I'm simply not a career driven person, so it's hard for me to understand anyone who really wants a high-powered job. And of all the jobs I've heard of women leaving tiny babies to return to, well, this one might actually be the opportunity of a lifetime. So if you are the career driven type, which Palin clearly is and there's nothing wrong that after all, would it really be so awful to do this? Maybe there are other benefits for her kids in having a mother successful in the political world.

So I haven't decided where I stand on this one.

As for the pregnant daughter, she'd have a lot less support from the religious right if she didn't have the baby. It seems to me they'll have to marry her off, but I don't know if that's the end of the world. She's already connected to this guy for life, for better or worse, why not give marriage a try? After all, marriage isn't the big commitment these days, but having a child is definately a lifelong commitment.