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Sarah Palin Is Exploiting Trig, Her Baby With Down Syndrome

By Robert Paul Reyes

Sarah Palin, John McCain's vice-presidential running, takes her five-month-old baby with Down syndrome wherever she goes on the campaign trail. He's a valuable prop when appealing to the "family values" crowd or when pandering to parents of children with special needs.

When Trig is on a stage with his mother he is oblivious to the cynicism and pandering festering around him. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, Trig will always be unaware of how low some individuals will stoop to realize career ambitions.

JUNE KRONHOLZ of the Wall Street Journal posed this question:

"Little Trig Palin prompted more than delegate coos when he joined his mother on stage at the Republican convention. He also raised new questions among parents whose children have disabilities.

Was Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin simply including her 5-month-old son, who has Down syndrome, in a big family moment, or was she exploiting him in a tight presidential campaign?"

Trig's deep aspiration is not to help the McCain/Palin ticket solidify the GOP base; he cares only about getting nourishment and attention from his Mom. Trig's place is not before a crowd of hundreds or thousands on the campaign trail, he should be at home is his crib. If his mother has no time to take care of him, she should leave him in the capable hands of a nanny.

I'm sick of the spectacle of candidates, both Republican and Democrats, campaigning with their children in tow. Leave the damn kids at home; I'm not going to vote for a candidate because he or she has cute kids who have been trained to smile on cue.

Obama is also guilty of exploiting his children for political gain. His adorable daughters didn't belong on the stage at the Democratic convention; they should have been watching the festivities from the audience.

If candidates use their children to curry favor with the electorate, they shouldn't complain if their kids become fodder for the tabloids.

In her acceptance speech at the convention Palin promised parents of children with special needs that she would advocate for their cause. But you don't have to use your own Down syndrome baby as a prop to effectively campaign on their behalf.

Ted Kennedy is perhaps the best friend of the disabled community, but he doesn't feel a need to exploit his disabled family members to argue on their behalf.

Sarah Palin: For God's sake woman, leave Trig at home!

Robert Paul Reyes is a NewsBlaze writer on Politics, Pop Culture and Pointless Pontificating. Contact him by writing to NewsBlaze.