Motherhood plays strong part in politics

It seems that parenting has become a hot ticket when it comes to politics. This has always been the case in one way or another.

A single candidate has always been viewed with suspicion, even by single voters, and having children has always been a basic credential. Fair or not, those were the unwritten rules.

This remained the case even as the cultural revolution of the 1960s and ‘70s brought a critical eye to traditional families and as more and more women entered the work force. It may have been fashionable to talk about the freedom of childlessness and the limitations of married life, but the basic demographic demands we made on our elected officials remained the same.

Now though, it’s not enough to simply have a family, it has to be central to the campaign. Both parties feature women who seemingly can do it all. To a certain extent this is inevitable, because when someone runs for office his or her private life become public, so why not use it to the maximum possible benefit?

Still, this year feels unique. Michelle Obama, a self-made lawyer and career professional, has to tone down her own successes and play up her motherhood. There’s no doubt she loves her kids and has sacrificed for them, but you’re not likely to hear her talking about her work experience, which has clearly been a major part of who she is. Instead, you’ll hear her talking about bedtimes and her husband’s support for regular families. It’s pretty clear no one thinks the party will earn votes impressing voters with her intellect and professional accomplishments; what the voters want is a mom.

The Republican response has been a female vice presidential candidate.  Cynical political observers point out that the choice of Sarah Palin is meant to sweep up those women who were pro-Hillary but disillusioned when she wasn’t chosen as the Dems’ VP. That’s probably true, in part, though Palin is a very capable, self-made woman. What’s notable is that she’s very much a mom, and that’s clearly meant to be a large part of her appeal. As far as playing the motherhood card, she’s the ultimate one-up.

So both parties are using the new traditionalism to their advantage, putting forth moms who do it all but who are still moms. Is this really something to complain about? No, the veneration of the family is a good thing.

But this is still just politics. The average mom doesn’t have near the money or support of the polished supermoms on the national stage, they are forced to make real sacrifices. Michelle Obama and Sarah Palin have probably made many sacrifices, but you’ll only hear about the ones they’ve made for their families. That’s the reality of politics.

Anita Doberman is a freelance writer, mother of five and wife of an Air Force pilot stationed at Hurlburt AFB in Florida.