Can Palin do it?

The presidency is a job that takes long days and long weeks. There is not much time off when you are the Commander-in-Chief. McCain has always put his country first and will continue to do so if he is President. But the question is out there: "What if McCain dies and Palin has to step up to the presidency? Can she handle the highest office in the land and be a good mom?"

Let's think about other people who serve their country. When a soldier goes off to war, he does so in service of his country. He leaves the bulk of the parenting to his wife who stays home with the kids. He could be gone for years with just a few visits home. Sometimes when one parent is serving their country to the fullest extent, the other has to take on more responsibility for a time.

We also see the flip side of this when our women soldiers go off to war and the husbands stay home with the kids. There are many families like this right now in America. For a time, while their mom serves the country, the kids are taken care of primarily by their father and the extended family. But when mom gets back home a few years later, the balance is restored. Would we call that mom a "bad mom" because she went to serve her country? By serving her country is she putting her family second? I would say "no" on both accounts.

And this same principle applies to Palin. No doubt, as VP she will have a busy, time-consuming job. So I am sure her husband might take a little bit more of the parenting load for the next 4 to 8 years. This is even more the case if something tragic happens to McCain and Palin takes the lead. But even if her husband has to take more of the responsibility for a time, is that any different than what all the Presidents' wives have done? Not to mention his family who will rally around them to give them all the help they need.

Just like sending a mother off to war, sending a woman to the White House will require sacrifice. But that sacrifice is a noble one. It doesn't make a woman less of a mom. Instead, these are exactly the kinds of moms we want in America. And when that mom comes home from war or comes home from the White House, she comes home to a thankful and loving family. The balance of parenting is restored and their kids have a hero for a mom.