Family Comes First for Palin and Her Supporters, Unless It Doesn’t Come First

When Sarah Palin declared she would not seek the GOP nomination for president, she cited her family as the primary reasons for the decision. “Family comes first” she said.

It is unclear what she meant by that phrase? Did she mean that she couldn’t bear to miss the next episode of Dancing with the Stars featuring Piper? Did she mean that she wouldn’t tolerate the delegation of the job of hiring a babysitter for Trig? Did she mean that only she could coordinate press releases for Todd to be issued by the Anchorage Police Department? Maybe she was feeling that nobody could teach Piper and Trig the value of abstinence like she could? Maybe she missed the birth of Tripp and swore she wouldn’t miss the birth of Willow’s first child. It could have been her commitment to teaching Piper how to bake really fattening desserts that inspired her to give up running for President. It certainly couldn’t have been based on the importance of spending time with her family. She traveled to Lynchburg Va. just three days after announcing that she would not run, and then she was off to South Korea to demonstrate her commitment to family,by leaving them.

Palin supporters seem to have internalized this commitment to family too. Peter Singleton and Michelle McCormick of Texas left their jobs, homes, and families to move to Iowa to campaign for the non-candidate. Some supporters didn’t leave their homes and families, but felt disappointed when she announced she wasn’t running after all. The C4P community is probably the community most heartbroken by Palin’s announcement, and it’s there that angry supporters who feel jilted are posting and commiserating. This is a sign that a real backlash against Palin is building in response to her decision.

TENCOLE posted: “I feel sad, disappointed and very bitter. I feel like the bride left at the alter and not feeling very good about the person that left me there. This could have been handled much better……we deserve better…the “boots on the ground” deserve better. I feel “led on”, and when I think of the numerous times I defended her/us against just such an announcement as this, I get nauseous … Her speeches coming up. you know like this weekend … guess what, I don’t care …”

Sarah Palin was disingenuous when she continued to raise money for a Presidential campaign that she never intended to launch. Remember when Bristol announced that her mom had made her decision? It was June when Bristol said “she definitely knows.”  If she wasn’t going to run, why would she allow people to compromise their family lives, their financial security, and give of their time to her campaign? The answer is the same answer for why Sarah Palin quit her job as Governor of Alaska. She obviously had no regard for anyone but herself. The fact that people had given her money and campaigned to elect her as Governor, only to be disappointed when she voluntarily gave up that position is a clear indication that Palin has no regard for her supporters. Even though she is worth millions, she still takes money from the unemployed and retired. Even though she talks to God, she doesn’t do it in church. Even though she proclaims her love of country, she inspires war. Even though she declares her commitment to family, she abandons her children often, and for long periods of time, without even the excuse that she is running for office. If she can make a difference without a “title” then perhaps she should abandon the title of “mother” and be satisfied with the title “ Caribou Barbie.”