News from the congresswoman

PP certainly can’t let any news from Herseth Sandlin go without a snide remark. Real Classy, PP.

Here’s what GOP Governor Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) said when she was pregnant (with her 5th child) and while serving as Governor:

“To any critics who say a woman can’t think and work and carry a baby at the same time, I’d just like to escort that Neanderthal back to the cave.”

And in a state with the highest percentage of working mothers in the country, I’m sure there won’t be a lot of sympathy for suggesting women with kids aren’t as capable as women without kids.

But let’s see what the Neanderthal’s on this site have to say… I’m sure they’ll make Sarah Palin proud to be a Republican…

I feel sorry for Chris Lien…Ya ever try and debate a pregnant lady?

Heard the DNC is changing mascots from the Jackass to the Opossum.

Yeah, but Palin could do her job before. Why do democrats give legitimacy to candidates because they are different?

Ice cream and pickles will be on every menu for political events. And, unless Max will be traveling with her, I’d hate to be the person assigned to rub her feet.

Congratulations to the couple. What a blessing.

Seriously, women have made the strides they have because they don’t demand special treatment and work diligently at their job right up to their due date.

Stephanie has a strong opponent and she would be wise to not think she deserves special treatment. And, knowing Lars, he’d be as disappointed in her as I would be in one of my three daughters.

In short, no effect.

Guy Smylie I know it’s hard, but don’t be a jerk.

Everyone loves a pregnant woman!

Anon #1 – snide remark? Apparently you’re demanding special treatment already.

If I chided her in the last election for ducking debates, why would I change now?

Sounds like someone is sniping because there’s no special treatment here.

This idea that Herseth Sandlin ducks debates is an absolute fallacy. She debated Larry Diedrich multiple times, and she debated Bruce Whalen (as painful as those were to watch) multiple times. She’ll debate Chris Lien as well… yet PP will continue to claim that she’s “ducking” debates.

Under PP’s rules, unless you commit to participate in absolutely every debate scheduled on every day in every corner of the debate, you’re “ducking” debates. The problem, of course, is that Herseth has participated in multiple debates in every campaign she’s ever run.

Personally, I can’t WAIT to see Stephanie debate Mr. Lien. She could be sleeping and do a fantastic job of debating someone … those who say she will want special treatment just don’t know Ms. Herseth Sandlin. The guy who implies that Stephanie isn’t doing her job hasn’t been paying much attention. Just ask all those republicans who are staunch supporters of hers … you know who they are.

Congrats to the Sandlins. I think everyone recognizes that this is special for them.

Stephanie is still a politician, so of course people will discuss what political impact this may have. That doesn’t diminish the fact that we congratulate her and Max.

My first thought is simply this. I don’t know if Lien was planning to go very negative this fall, but attacking an expectant mother seems like a tough needle to thread.

And it is an old rule in politics – if an incumbent has a credible challenger (which Lien is) the incumbent avoids joint appearances because they only elevate the challenger. I don’t know if Stephanie wants to avoid appearances with Lien. But if she does, she now has a very legitimate reason to do so – one that no one can question.

And I mean it – it IS legitimate reason. No one will expect a 7-month pregnant woman to, for example, walk the Hobo Day parade.

It is sort of analogous to Johnson. Johnson ALSO has a legitimate reason for skipping things. His problem is that his reason, his health, could be used against him as questioning his ability to do the job. NO ONE is going to question whether Stephanie’s pregnancy inhibits her ability to do her job – because it doesn’t, and anyone who says otherwise will be rightly crucified.

It is a fallacy that Herseth-Sandlin has ducked debates. She debated Janklow, Diederich and Whalen and I am sure she will debate Lien.

And #1 is right quoting Governor Palin. Herseth-Sandlin’s news means nothing about her work and ability and everything about the happiness she has found in her marriage.

Great, GREAT for her.

Chris Lien’s ad on this blog asks: “Think all political candidates are the same?”

His question has been answered to everyone’s satisfaction.

Lien is a credible candidate now, but when he loses by 15+ points, will he be damaged goods?

#10: Assuming she has a problem free pregnancy, being pregnant is not a “legitimate” reason to not campaign and participate in debates, and it is not reason not to RIDE in the Hobo Day parade.

Women in the past (my mother among them) have fought hard to prove the inherent differences in gender are not impediments to performing what is expected of a man.

If Chris Lien was tentative and soft, he is insulting all women. It is not only legitimate for Lien to criticize her positions and debate her rigorously but what I expect from someone who wants to be my Congressman.

If Stepanie were to expect special treatment, she too insults all women (and fathers who have raised their daughters to compete in this world) and is not worthy to be my Congressman. I want one who overcomes hardship and not succumbs to it.

Liberals who justify giving her a pass are hypocrites since they assert that the world should be gender neutral. Conservatives who justify giving her a pass are Neanderthals.

#11 is correct. This a blessing to their family and irrelevant to whether she is the best person to represent South Dakota in the House.

I pray that all goes well for all three of them. And hope that none of Lars’ looks come out, especially if the baby is a girl.

Last time I checked, being pregnant was no reason to miss a debate.

Just as the first comment expressed, being pregnant does not and should not effect a womans thought process.

Rep. Herseth has no excuse to miss an oppurtunity to debate challenger Chris Lein.

Unless, of course, she’s in labor.

OK. Nemec. Congratulations, Steph and Max!

Coincidence? I think not. I have to give it to her, she knows how to use her assets. First, it was the cutsie, innocent princess and now we will see mommy Herseth. The old analogy of not being able to vote against motherhood and apple pie certainly will play a part. At this rate we will be fighting to get rid of grandma Herseth.

#16, Are you saying it was ‘Planned’?

I have an old book which is based on the diaries of 8 women who traveled the Oregon Trail in the later 1800’s. Pregnancy didn’t stop many of the women on the wagon train from making the trip. Several accounts of women giving birth one and two months into the walk.

This shouldn’t stop SHS from campaigning and debating. If it does than it would be fishy.

Can someone please point where Herseth has asked for special treatment? Troy and others keep saying “she shouldn’t ask for special treatment,” but I haven’t seen her ask for any special treatment whatsoever.

She’ll debate Lien, and Lien will lose those debates. She’ll beat him in November, not because he’s a bad guy, but because the vast majority of voters think she’s done a good job in Congress. She won’t agree to every joint appearance invitation, PP will scream that she’s ducking debates, and his hysterics won’t change a single vote. Same as it was yesterday.

And from what I know about Stephanie, she won’t ask for any special treatment because of her pregnancy. She’ll do her job, and she’ll do it without complaint, and she’ll do it to the satisfaction of the vast majority of people in the State of South Dakota. Guy Smylie and Feasant will not be impressed, and will claim she’s more liberal than Nancy Pelosi.

The fact is, this fantastic news doesn’t change the dynamics of the race one bit. She’ll still win by a sizable margin in November.

Politics aside, Congrats to our Congresswoman and her family. As someone who knows what it’s like to have kids, I’m sure she’s elated.

“To any critics who say a woman can’t think and work and carry a baby at the same time, I’d just like to escort that Neanderthal back to the cave.”

So appropriate. And ironic given all the photo ops the Lien team took with her on his epic quest to tame the barren wilderness and save us from foreign oil interests.

Nothing but the best wishes for the Herseth-Sandlin family. I think it’ll just prove that once and for all, this woman is utterly amazing. I doubt you’ll see her skimping on the campaign trail.

Stephanie could whoop Lien in a debate, in labor, blindfolded, with both hands tied behind her back, in Rapid City.

Then, I will stop commenting on her pregnancy until it’s brought back up. I see it’s 3:00 pm central time.

#20 Well said! “Stephanie could whoop Lien in a debate, in labor, blindfolded, with both hands tied behind her back, in Rapid City.”

Congratulations to SHS and MS. I don’t know that I agree that the “vast majority” of voters recognize what a great job she’s done for SD. She may have beat Whalen 69% to 29%, but she didn’t exactly whup up on Diedrich in 2004. I think she may have a little more trouble with a serious candidate. Especially after her Presidential endorsements of 2 such Liberal candidates.

mellow, how does her endorsing the future President of the US hurt her? I remember the repub’s claiming that we should vote for JT beause he had the President’s ear. Well JT may have had the ear but the rest of us got some other part of the President’s anatomy.

#24 I think it was, and I quote, “John has the President on his speed dial” or some ridiculous thing like that. The president must be ignoring John’s calls then when the topic is the Lewis and Clark water project

Stephanie is so liberal she’s a Democrat. To us hardcore Republicans, that means she’s liberal whether she’s liberal or not. So when she endorses her Democratic speaker candidate, we’re shocked and outraged. When she endorses her Democratic Presidential candidate, we’re stunned and outraged.

If Stephanie does one more thing, or doesn’t do one more thing, she will lose my vote that she never had in the first place. And I’m speaking for everyone else’s vote that she never had too! She really blew it! If she thinks she’s getting to 69% this time she’s got another thing coming.

26 – You are just too clever, Yellow B-head.

24 – Wishful thinking won’t make Obama president. And I really don’t think Thune supposedly having the President’s ear was why he was elected. I think the voters who elected Thune over Daschle did so more because they felt Daschle had lost touch with South Dakotans.

Wow Yellow, chill out. You’ve told us several things, 1) that Stephanie doesn’t need to worry about ever getting your vote no matter what she does or doesn’t do, you vote along straight party lines so to sweat over trying to reach a voter like you is time-wasted, and 2) you don’t believe that every person should be able to have a voice or an opinion b/c if you don’t agree with it, you become “outraged, stunned, shocked…whatever.” Luckily, most voters in SD are reasonable, moderate, and appreciate character, hard work and integrity…all qualities a majority of South Dakotans see in Stephanie Herseth Sandlin. But really, you should find a way to relax and calm down. Stephanie will win in November by a significant margin, get over it.

28 – I think “Yellow Bedhead” was “joking.”

You’re all missing the big question.

Boy or girl?

Hey 28 is that you Levson? Most South Dakotans are conservative, hard working, and have integrity.

I would say 80% of the population spends very little time wondering about politics. Us 20% nuts, are on the War College. I would bet anything you couldn’t change 1% either way with regular readers.

Bob, we need more information. Was conception before or after midnight, was the wind from the North or the South, did she eat tomatoes for supper, does Max wear boxers. . . . You are the investigative reporter. Do your job!

Find this out and I’ll give you a sure lock answer.

So, if sometime between now and the November election Lien falls ill, is in a serious car accident, takes Viagra and it lasts too long, etc, etc., then he too will not be excused from ducking out of a debate.

“Steph and Max sittin in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G first comes love…………..”

How the hell did she get this far without anyone knowing?? 4 1/2-5 months pregnant is easily seen. Mumus back in style?

Gag. Who cares as long as it’s a healthy baby (hear that Pro-Choice, Pro Herseth supporters). My only hope is that whoever it is, comes out and gives Steph an allergy to donkeys and other like asses.

I can see the headlines now: “Rep Herseth indicted for illegal nanny.” If anything, she’ll market her condition to her advantage.

Contrats Stephie and Max. You should still no duck dbates with Chris Lien.

Mellow Redhead, I for one like your comments. You sound like a person who puts thought into what you write. Keep commenting, we need rational thought.

One other differing thought on her pregnancy. Will she want to spend more time being a mommy after the baby is born rather than being a senator and all the hours away from family that entails? Just an honest question that maybe she doesn’t even realize yet.

I wouldn’t have missed any of the time I was lucky enough to have with my kids. I did work but it was flexible and not full-time. I don’t regret any time I spent with family instead of working. Just another thought.

Congrats to the happy couple!

10, you are contradicting yourself. You say that pregnancy is a legitimate reason to skip things…but won’t affect how she does her job.

Which is it?

Duh @ 8:34 is the classic example as to why some animals eat their young.

what was steph’s position before conception?

Yeah, tgrindadams! I’m sure you AIN’T gonna have any conservative children! Ya know planned parenthood!