{I originally posted this as a comment over here, but am reposting as it's own article. Cause that's how I roll.}

OK, baby is down for nap and Bumbershoot plans have been made. So, a few thoughts.

First, the obvious: Palin's profound lack of experience, especially while vying to veep for a candidate who is older than dirt, is terrifying. After all the months of knocking Obama's for his alleged lack of experience, it's actually laughable. Bringing a woman onboard to attempt to woo former Hillary supporters — that's as hilarious as it is insulting. As if all the Repubs had to do was play map-the-gender and 18 million votes would come on over. Lunacy.

But you all knew all of that.

Here's what's so interesting to me: Being the new mama that I am, I was intrigued to hear Palin also has a new baby, born in April. Apparently she kept her pregnancy a secret because she knew the baby had Downs Syndrome because she didn't want any pressure to terminate the pregnancy (cause we pro-choice people go hassle women who decide to keep babies, dontcha know). She made a very big deal about keeping her baby {insert Madonna lyric here}.

These alleged family values of hers have caused the Evangelical nutters to slather her with exuberant praise. I heard Ralph Reed on NPR after her speech, falling over himself to praise her family values. James Dobson, founder of the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family, practically drooled with delight with the veep choice, as did loads of other so-called Family this-and-that groups.

Check out this quote from Janice Shaw Crouse of the conservative Christian group Concerned Women for America:

"Sarah Palin is pro-life, pro-marriage and pro-family. She is a woman who is balancing the personal and professional in admirable ways. Sarah Palin is chief among equals with American professional women; she brings the kind of balance that characterizes the high-achieving women of today."

Balance? Really? I understand juggling career and baby (I do it myself). Take today, for example. I'm having a damn hard time just trying to figure out how to cover Bumbershoot weekend with an eight-month old. And that's a lot easier than tackling foreign dictators, presiding over Congress, etc. Can someone from Team Fundie please explain how one balances raising a baby and um, running the country as second in command? Who the hell do they think is going to raise Sarah Palin's baby now that she's on the campaign trail?

And more importantly: Why are all these Family Values people not up-in-arms that Palin isn't Focusing on HER Family? These so-called Family Values people are drooling over a VP candidate who is clearly not living up to the values they preach (and I use that word literally).

And if I feel this way, as a wild and crazy rock and roll liberal, then shouldn't these Evangelical nut jobs be squawking on behalf of Palin's neglected child?

When Palin chose to have a child, she should haven chosen to raise it too. Put that in your Family Values pipe and smoke it, Evangelicals!!!!