Jacob Weisberg of Slate.com, and a contributor at Newsweek, told David Schuster of MSNBC yesterday that President Reagan would be “rolling over in his grave” if he knew that Sarah Palin brought her unwed pregnant daughter on to the stage with the family at the Republican National Convention.
I was shocked to see her unmarried pregnant teenage daughter on stage with the Republican nominee. It seemed to me that Ronald Reagan would be rolling over in his grave if he saw the Republicans embracing unwed motherhood this way. And I think, really, the issue there is about the pro-life absolutism that has come to dominate the party.
Michael Reagan spoke to Eyeblast.tv today and said this claim from Weisberg about his father is wrong. He said that his dad would have applauded Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston’s decision to get married and raise the child together:
Ronald Reagan would applaud a parent supporting their children even when their children do not do things that parents agree with.
My father would not be rolling over in the grave. If anything, he would be applauding the fact that the young man who in fact got Bristol Palin pregnant is in fact following through with what my father would believe is his obligation to in fact marry the young girl and become a husband to her and a father to the child, as my father did back in 1951 when he married Nancy after she became pregnant with their daughter Patty who was born in October of that year.
Reagan pointed out that his sister Maureen was living with Dennis Revell, who she eventually married after her father’s first inauguration. According to Reagan, Revell was treated as part of the family and photographed often with the first family before he married Maureen.
Dennis Revell was in all of the photographs. In fact, he was in the official red room White House photograph that was taken as the first family photograph. The only person in that photograph who was not actually a member of the first family was in fact Dennis Revell, who was living with my sister Maureen at the time. They would not become married until April of 1981, which finally made that official first family portrait an official first family portrait, but when it first came out it was not, because Dennis was not an official member of the first family. He was only living with my sister. He was not married to her, and he was also on stage.
It is important to point out John McCain warmly and publicly welcomed Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston to Minneapolis when the Palin family first arrived.
Like the Reagan family, the Palins know that conservative family values are not about shaming or embarrassing your children when mistakes are made, but embracing sons and daughters and teaching them responsibility.
Weisberg and the rest of the media still have yet to figure that out.
Related item: "Slate's Weisberg: Abortion Essential to Family Values."
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Comments Policy
Only Obama
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 19:36 ET by allanfI guess he doesn't remember that Reagan was divorced and his son and daughter all but openly feuded with him politically.
I guess only Obama gets to bring his little girls on the stage.
If ever there was a family
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 19:38 ET by i b squidlyIf ever there was a family embarassment it was Patti and Ron Jr. Ron never said a bad word about either. Weisberg's a caprophagi.
First, kill all the lawyers.
-Wlm Shakespear
So
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 19:40 ET by NorthCoasterWeisberg is channeling Reagan? How would he know what Ronald Reagan would have thought. For all he knows he would have thought it was wonderful to show how families Love and support each other especially when there are difficulties.
Liberals channeling Reagan
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 19:40 ET by CobraManNow we have the liberals channeling Reagan, and getting the message wrong as usual.
Obama: My job is above my pay grade
And obviously this moron
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 20:42 ET by HypocriteHaterAnd obviously this moron forgot that Michael Reagan can speak better for his own father than this idiot can.
Maybe he should have given Michael a call to check first before he made these stupid comments in public.
They just don't get it.
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 19:50 ET by Hack CaffertyThey just don't get it.
The left's Dead-Baby Lobby
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 19:51 ET by seanrobinsThe left's Dead-Baby Lobby just can't seem to get over a young mother not opting to kill her baby. To sleazy vermin like Weisberg, there is no sin worse then not aborting your baby. Any other sin is almost automatically forgiven, any crime forgotten, any lack of morality excused.
But to pass on the opportunity to exercise the last remaining "women's right" - the "right" to kill the life within you - can never be forgiven.
sean robins
blog.seanrobins.com
of course
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 19:53 ET by candanceCause, you know, if anyone knows exactly what Reagan is thinking right now, it's Newsweek!
A little
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 20:00 ET by NorthCoasterA little smoke and mirrors with a crystal ball.
" I can see it now, the left ball is the Sun and the right ball is the Moon................Are you there President Reagan?"
"There they go again............."(says President Reagan)
Kerry Pickett... Thank
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 19:56 ET by bigtimerKerry Pickett...
Thank you.
I saw this segment and Michael Reagan said it all...
I immediately thought of his sisters ect when this idiot Weisberg was blathering on about what Reagan would do...
Give me a break, these twits are really running scared, grasping at straws with total desperation has been a wonderful thing to behold.
You summed it all up at the end of your blog pefectly in my opinion.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Before you know it, the left
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 20:09 ET by MrSnugglesBefore you know it, the left will be claiming "If Reagan were alive today, he would be a democrat!" just like they do with every heroic historical figure.
Liberal bigots
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 20:27 ET by wdhorningWhile liberal bigots accuse Palin of shaming herself or her daughter, Democrats shame themselves the way babies soil their diapers on a regular basis, because they are shamed by their lack of sensitivity.
If one of Obama's or Biden's children appeared on stage as unmarried and pregnant the leftist MSM would heap praises on Obama or Biden for their courage to stand up to bigotry.
I guess Palin stood up to the bigotry of the leftist MSM.
>>> I guess Palin stood up
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 21:00 ET by seanrobins>>> I guess Palin stood up to the bigotry of the leftist MSM.
Don't worry . . . she is, she is . . .
sean robins
blog.seanrobins.com
I think that Ronald Reagan
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 20:32 ET by motherbeltI think that Ronald Reagan would be rolling over in his grave if he saw republicans embracing unwed motherhood this way. And I think the issue there is the pro-life absolutism that has come to dominate the party. (emphasis added)
What the heck? It's not unwed motherhood Republicans are embracing. The two are getting married! Is he saying that Reagan would be in favor of an abortion instead?
Is he saying that Reagan would be more "flexible" on abortion? Such as it's OK to be pro-life, but not for an unwed mother? I don't know Ronald Reagan's mind, so I wouldn't say how he would feel about it.
So neither should Weisberg.
>>>Is he saying that Reagan
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 20:59 ET by seanrobins>>>Is he saying that Reagan would be more "flexible" on abortion? Such as it's OK to be pro-life, but not for an unwed mother? I don't know Ronald Reagan's mind, so I wouldn't say how he would feel about it.
Yeah, that is truly the bizarre part of trying to unscramble the minds of the Left.
Conservatives/Pro-Lifers are against abortion, and we are also against sex before marriage/out of wedlock, etc. Thus, reasons the leftist's brain, pro-lifers/conservatives, if an unwed girl becomes pregnant out of wedlock, we should abandon her, if she chooses not to kill her baby.
Huh???
But if she aborts her child, we should abandon her for killing it. But, but, but.....
What an amazing intellect these people have.
sean robins
blog.seanrobins.com
Rolling over in his grave
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 21:18 ET by flyoverlandRR has been rolling over in his grave since his son went to work for Air America
Sub-human
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 21:24 ET by nkviking75I hope most of America is repulsed by this grotesque nonsense and shows it at the ballot box. These people who are attacking Palin so disgustingly are barely human, and that's being generous. If you differ with her on issues, fine, say so. But quit using her kids against her.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
This Weisberg is a sniveling, little girlyman
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 21:32 ET by jefflebowskiI have written about his pathetic articles several times on my blog. He writes so much stupidity that he could be a blog all to himself. He is a liberal tool who couldn't carry Ronald Reagan's cowboy hat. He should not be allowed to mention Ronbo's sacred name!
I openly challenge Jacob Weisberg to a Texas Rope Match anytime, anywhere. Loser shut the hell up! You're going down Weisberg!
Jeff Lebowski
www.angrywhitedude.com
How Dare These People!!!
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 21:57 ET by Secret ConservativeHow dare these people presume to tell America what Ronald Reagan would think or do? They are so deep in the hole right now you can't even SEE the shovel.
Lib "journalist"
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 22:05 ET by MaximusBraveheartOver the top comment. Takes a lot of twisting nerve. Attacks never ending now. Attacks are not bad if legit, but THEIRS don't hold water. Moron news people survived the procedure perhaps and only retain PART of their brain. The rest got "sucked out."
These people don't understand social conservatives....
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 22:00 ET by Missouri Conservative....in the least. They have this vision of people who hold socially conservative views as fire-and-brimstone backwater hicks. I have no doubt that Bristol Palin getting pregnant was not the example she was taught in her home, but even the best parents in the world cannot control everything their kids do. A loving (and yes, socially conservative) parent would support their daughter and encourage them to own up to their newfound responsibility as a parent. These people think that just because someone happens to be socially/culturally conservative that they will condemn anyone who strays from a strict moral code of conduct.
"women and minorities hardest hit"
I have said more than once
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 22:25 ET by Clear thinkerI have said more than once over the past week... Sarah Palin may be the Gipper of this generation. And I think Reagan would be very proud of her, her family, and her accomplishments.
America Owes Sarah Palin A Debt Of Gratitude
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
Yes, whenever I wonder what Ronald Reagan would do
Wed, 09/10/2008 - 00:44 ET by DaMavI always head to Slate... (rolls eyes)
WTH?
Wed, 09/10/2008 - 04:31 ET by cheesegraterThis guy is a maroon! To say "he would be turning over" and "if he could hear" show that the writer doesn't understand the cleverness of the phrase. The irony of turning over in one's grave is that some item or statement is so outrageous that it can reanimate the dead. The way he puts it RR is still resting peacefully.
Daughter on stage, punished with a baby
Wed, 09/10/2008 - 07:20 ET by SickofLibsOMG, a supportive family. Another Palin flaw.