Dear Bridget,
Amar chotho apu. My sister from another mother (because all of us Bangladeshis essentially are, nah?). Is Bridget your bhalou nam or dak nam? Neither? Ok. Well, yay! Finally, a Bangladeshi-American makes it to the stage of a big political party convention. Rumor has it that your outfit was pretty fly. How did it feel being up there on stage? Did you feel like you were breaking boundaries? Because as the first Bangladeshi-American on stage at the Republican National Convention, you definitely were. And your mother, Cindy McCain, made sure to let everyone know in her RNC speech how she “discovered” you too.
For me, the great moment of clarity was when I became a mother. Something changed in me. I would never see my obligations the same way again. It was after that I was walking through the streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh, surrounded by terrible poverty and the devastation of a cyclone. All around me were the children and the desperate faces of their mothers. The pain was overwhelming, and I felt helpless. But then I visited an orphanage begun by Mother Teresa, and two very sick little girls captured my heart. There was something I could do. I could take them home, and so I did. Today, both of those little girls are healthy and happy. And one of them you just met tonight: our beautiful daughter, Bridget. [Fox News]
Ahh, but who is this other little Bangladeshi girl you were adopted with?
John and Cindy McCain adopted one of them, Wes Gullett [McCain’s former aide] and his wife Deborah adopted the other… The McCains adopted the baby with the cleft palate, Bridget, and the Gulletts adopted the other one, Nicki. Both children required a lot of medical attention, but the Gulletts never saw a hospital bill.[ABCNews]
It was a little bittersweet to see you on stage, I must admit. I wonder how many times you’ve heard that story told, over and over again. I wonder if you are tired of hearing it, or if in reality, you are too young to realize how you were touted like a token. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure you must be proud of your mother, the way you are proud of your father, John McCain. I’m also sure they provided you with a happy life in your four (or maybe seven?) houses. 
But, I have to admit, Cindy’s speech felt a little like pandering to me. Did it feel like that to you? Or maybe Cindy’s speech was simply your father taking Karl Rove’s advice. The video introducing your father said, “his youngest daughter…who became a McCain after his wife Cindy discovered her as a baby.”[YouTube @ 6:22] I hate they say that you were ‘discovered’ as if you are a piece of land to be colonized, or gold to be found. You existed as a Bangladeshi far before your discovery. At least this true story is a positive change from the smear campaign in the 2000 2004 where you were called a ‘black love child.’ So hey, at least there’s that.
Seriously though. It’s great. Really, the chance to have a Bangladeshi- American teenage girl in the White House. So exciting there’s even a couple of books out on it, The First Daughter series by Mitali Perkins.
The First Daughter books are about Sameera Righton, the daughter of a front-runner candidate in the presidential election…In the first novel, Extreme American Makeover, campaign staffers try to package Sameera into what they think would be a more “American” version of the Pakistani-born only daughter of James Righton… I had no idea that John McCain had adopted a daughter from Bangladesh, and by the time I found out about Bridget, the first book was already written. I wrote the Senator’s office and explained my dilemma–I had no desire to exploit Bridget’s real life joys and challenges for my own purposes…If she objected to the publication of books in any way, I’d be willing to dump them. McCain’s office responded with a lovely note setting me free to go ahead, asking for copies once the books were released, which I gladly sent. [cynsations]
So you see, Bridget? Your story is exciting. But since you have a chance at being a Bangladeshi voice in the White House, I have a couple of words of advice. Most Bangladeshi-Americans can’t afford the $300,000 outfit Cindy McCain wore on Monday. Nationally speaking, 23% of Bangladeshi Americans live below the federal poverty line. In fact, the median income for Bangladeshi’s in the US is $37,074 (Asian Indian is highest at $61,322). And even though your parents don’t know how many homes they own, only 25% of Bangladeshi- Americans own homes. And almost 23% of them have less than a high school degree.[AAJC’s A Community of Contrast]
I just…I kinda want you to know how the other Bangladeshi- Americans live in this country. If you make it to the White House, it’d be great if you could advocate for the Bangladeshi community. On the real, you are welcome to our house for some dhaal bhaat & roshogulla whenever you are in town. You know, to see how we do it on the flip side.
Khuda Hafiz, Taz Apa
Finally.
I was wondering why no one, not even the republicans, was mentioning this desi connection here. Where are Vic, Razib, Manju, Moornam et al?
Wow, call me an uninformed liberal git. I had no idea about this. My plans for the rest of the day are now limited to researching this on the net.
I know this is probly going to subject me to some major criticisms, but the adoption of these children by foreigners has never really sat well with me. I know it is much better for them to grow up here with loving parents than in some crummy orphanage.
But, there are children here that are orphaned, too. I know, that is such a politically incorrect thing to say. I’m a bad person.
Then, of course, Mrs. Mac’s rambling on about discovering her little gold nugget in the subcontinent just makes me feel a little sick to my stomach.
As the article above states, that would be Nicky Gullett. She also appeared at the party’s convention, on stage with her father. Wes Gullet shared the adoption story of Bridget and Nicky (née Leela) and read a quote from an essay by Nicky(video). (Sorry if this has been linked up/commented on before. You guys are such prolific posters that I can’t always keep up! 🙂
I believe Bridget was the one with a severe cleft plate that required extensive surgery. The other girl was on Tuesday night and is actually very attractive young girl. Bridget surely would have died if left in an orphanage. I didn’t care for trotting her out and using her for political mileage. However, there were strong rumors about McCain’s black love child during last election cycle, so perhaps they had to clarify the point.
Taz:
Vic:
Wasn’t the “black love child” incident from 2000, the last-to-last election cycle, in the South Carolina Republican primaries?
4 · Vic said
If this were true (and I rate it as possible but not exactly plausible), it would mean they think the base that they are ‘energizing’ during the convention actually needs a familiar face ( not Bridget) to clear their muddled heads of bigotry.
But doesn’t she have a greater chance of following Jindal’s public path and keeping all this ethnic business at arms length (not making a value judgment or suggesting he should wrap his arms around Punjab)? Will she think of herself still as the cleft-palate infant stuck in an orphanage or as the daughter of immense privilege and hopefully a product of a very happy and pleasant home? What’s the guarantee that she will agree with every person who gives her a primary ethnic identity when it’s largely been irrelevant in her actual upbringing? In other words, what will you say if she really doesn’t care?
You could also search SM’s all knowing archives. We’ve blogged about it as early as 2004.
Taz, if you aren’t already you should be ashamed of yourself. If the McCains don’t talk about their adopted kid then it’s bad because they are hiding her and if they talk about it, well, again it’s bad because they are using her. As much as I despise the right wing of the Republican party I have to empathize with their anger at idiotic partisanship of left wingers like you. Actually this is the first time that the McCains have so publicly appeared with all their children and also talked about Bridget. You can disagree with McCains’ politics as much as you want but you can’t deny they are really good people – both Cindy and John. And for all of your newly found ethnic solidarity with Bridget it is highly likely that a poor orphan like her wouldn’t ever have found a loving home in your class and color conscious native Bangladesh. And why gratuitously bring in all this –
Most Bangladeshi-Americans can’t afford the $300,000 outfit Cindy McCain wore on Monday.
People like you give much ammunition to the right wingers who often say no matter how much good the Republicans do for non-white people here and overseas they’ll never get credit for it. Why? Simply because ‘ people of color ‘ like you are too steeped in moronic identity politics. So McCains instead of being praised will be openly mocked for adopting and raising a poor baby girl from Bangladesh and Bush will never be complimented by progressive partisans for aiding Africa the most in American history. Neither will Bill Frist for quietly treating hundreds of poor African children.
Shame on you for making a mountain out of a molehill. And shame on SM for having you on.
8 · Humphrey said
Maybe you genuflect to the Jesuits before touching down in Desh, but that doesn’t mean all of us must perpetually kowtow as well. This is about making political capital out of a very private decision and I credited McCain before for largely keeping her out of the spotlight as a small child, but recently he’s been pounding the issue and at that point it becomes highly appropriate for discussion.
In discussing Cindy you chose to bring up a gossipy rag’s estimation of her wardrobe but ignored the several articles in serious publications like Newsweek that have recently pointed out Cindy’s immense charity work for some very noble causes all over the world. This is a woman who doesn’t just open her wallet, she actually travels to the most obscure and impoverished places with a genuine urge to help.
I believe Obama is indeed a once-in-a-lifetime candidate. But as an independent I have come to believe that many of his ardent supporters like you have chosen him over McCain simply because he is a fellow man of ‘ color ‘.
As I pointed out in an earlier post a few months back, Rove has been quite vocal about putting Bridget out there. Here is an article from just this week in fact:
So a person who did charity work for years, who cares about disadvantaged people, who has demonstrated that by adopting a child who was doomed to die; you accuse her of pandering? Next thing you’re gonna say is Palin had a Down’s syndrome baby to extract political mileage as well. SM’s standards have hit a new low. The McCains are good people and you would rather throw barbs. If there’s a way of accusing them of hypocrisy, I’m sure you’re going to find a way to do that to. Actually I wonder, what rules does SM have regarding trollish postings?
People like you give much ammunition to the right wingers who often say no matter how much good the Republicans do for non-white people here and overseas they’ll never get credit for it.
If you are going to speak for the entire white race (Republican=white in your sentence above), then objectively they’ve done much more harm in the Third World than good, so the cringe some of us feel is visceral and fully justified. Was Cindy also wearing one of those 30,000 Channel ceramaic watches?
Why? Simply because ‘ people of color ‘ like you are too steeped in moronic identity politics.
Christianist Republicanism is white identity politics, or don’t whites have an identity?
Most Bangladeshi’s can’t afford your freakin Ipod or the computer that you guys are blogging on. Why don’t you give up those? Why don’t you give up all your income first for people in need, and then we can talk about others?
Where’s the whining about how much Michelle’s dress cost?
McCain and his wife reported donating $129,390, or about 18%, of their joint income to charity in 2006 and nearly $211,000, or about 27%, last year.
How much did you contribute to charity? How much does your outfit cost?
My god, you’ve already split the Democratic party with your crazy identity politics and now are focusing on a little girl. I guess Bristol Palin wasn’t old enough for you to pick on, now you’re going after a little 12-year old girl trying to make her feel bad because her mother’s dress cost too much and for her parent’s temerity to have her on stage when her father is accepting the nomination to run for President of the United States.
How much social work have you done? How much has Michelle O’ done compared to Cindy McCain’s years of work (55 missions to Iraq, Nicaragua, India, Bangladesh, El Salvador)?
One day you’re gonna look back at all this and feel really bad.
2 · Faiqa said
Yes.. stories about a mother’s first meeting with her infant child, saving them from a tough life with a facial disfiguration which would not have got treated, and where her prospects for a happy and prosperous future would have been nil make me projectile vomit. What a disgusting story!
The kind of stories I like are where little black kids get raised by their white grandparents after their parents abandon them. Now that’s the kind of story about parental love and interracial reconciliation I can get behind.
This blog post and the following subsequent comment are evidence that the Right doesn’t have a monopoly on stupidity and bigotry.
Taz…had no idea you’re Bengali. Bring on the daal bhaat (and let’s not forget the ilish!)
On so many levels, it’s surreal to think that Bridgette – not Bobby – may be the first prominent brown face in the White House. It will be a coming of age story to remember.
Wow. When I first read this blog entry, I was actually proud that someone mentioned the Bangladeshi connection. I do think it is quite cool that we have the first Bangladeshi-American on the road to the white house. However, to defend my fellow Bangladeshi blogger, I feel that the letter wasn’t meant to accuse Bridget of anything as some of the comments have indicated. I feel that what the McCains did was very charitable and a great deed. However, I also do believe that they are stressing it too much to the point of using it as a sympathy tool. Isn’t the best charity the kind where you don’t flaunt it?
Again, not that I’m saying that what Cindy McCain did wasn’t amazing and very heart warming. I just think it has been stressed a bit too much.
She’s still a kid – the only people who can place expectations on her are her parents.
Taz,
anek dhonobahd ei post-tar jone. Jei rokhum thumi ei mei-tar golpo-ta nye khoob subtly athoo goolo socioeconomic factors discuss korle aamar khoob impressed legeche. Please, aaro lekho ei rokhoom.
much love and solidarity, dr. a
and i forgot to say, i thought it was khoob poignant as well. seriously, awesome job.
-dr a
Shobdo. (Word.)
I wonder if she gets to learn about Bangladeshi/Bengali culture at all? Man Bangladeshi-Americans would be all up on her if her dad (god forbid) made it into the White House.
Humphrey, et all, you’re missing the point! This was neither a screed nor vicious, unlike most political commentary I read (and write) these days – this was poignant, sarcastic, and at times a bit sweetly nostalgic – personal and political at once – like organizers are capable of 😉
F@#king read it, man. It’s a good post. It covers themes of orientalism, transnational adoption, socio-economic poverty in a South Asian-American community (though Taz, we should have a conversation about census stats on Bangladeshis…I am in possession of some info :), the presidential campaign, the complications of family, and it does all this without being dull or self-righteous.
Seriously…as a writer, there’s nothing worse than [23$@#$#@$@#$@#] readers. But I guess that’s why I don’t organize any more 🙂
Taz: Good post. Ignore Humphrey and the likes. “Aaamar Bhalo Bangladesh”.
5 · pingpong
Yeah, it was in 2000, when McCain was ahead of Bush and his $60 million dollars spent and running in the South Carolina primaries against Bush. He was accused of having an illegimate black baby through a whisper campaign (and I think polling). In the last election cycle, he seemed to have forgotten all that amidst all the hugging and was campaigning for Bush.
I don’t know the guy, but just going by his public persona – stand up actions by a father 😉
19 · KXB said
Word. And though some have accused them of “hiding” her, I think it’s far more likely that she wanted no part of being scrutinized by the public…being 15 is hard enough. That cute boy (or girl) from second period, who’s on the soccer team is enough of a puzzle, why add being dissected by millions to the mix? 🙂
I agree with one of the sentiments expressed above, that this is a no-win situation; if they don’t trot her out and emphasize that they love her and are proud of her, they’re accused of hiding her and being ashamed of her. If they do treat her the way McCain and Palin have treated their other children (recognizing them from the stage, speeching about them etc), then suddenly they are pandering or are exploiting her. What’s a candidate to do? It reminds me of blogging; no matter how sincere or good your intentions, someone is unhappy. 😉
I honestly (and perhaps naively) think that they are trying to balance the need to introduce their baby (I think she’s the youngest?) to a wary base, who may still recall or wonder about those rumors from South Carolina with a respect for her privacy. Big sister Megan wants to blog and be in the spotlight (and come under fire accordingly). Bridget may have wanted no part in such an adventure, after googling herself and finding out what sort of filth was aimed her way (after which she asked, “Mom, why does President Bush hate me?” or similar).
Isn’t it possible that these two people, who yes, probably have views that most of you disagree with, can still be (besides candidate and smiley wife), two parents who love this girl and have given her everything they could? Maybe there’s no nefariousness here.
Taz, lovely post– I’m a huge fan of the format. 😀
It’s highly unfair towards Bridget who didn’t choose to pick the McCains for parents and didn’t chooes to live the life she may have lived; to bear the burden of an entire country culture and people. And all because she happens to share the same roots and the same skin color? It’s uncalled for to blame her and taunt her for the choices her parents may have made most of which have been good choices.
The McCains are good people who have served a greater good most of their lives despite their wealth. They could very well have lived in the private sector and made even more $$ and not done any charity. There are lots of Americans like that. But they aren’t one of them. Irrespective of their politics it’s in very poor taste to go after their daughter who is only now thrust into limelight again not by her choice and to try to disregard her entire life that she has called them parents because her parents chose to identify her as adopted now!!
If this were true (and I rate it as possible but not exactly plausible), it would mean they think the base that they are ‘energizing’ during the convention actually needs a familiar face ( not Bridget) to clear their muddled heads of bigotry.
I will ignore your ‘bigoted’ comment about Republican base having ‘muddled heads of bigotry. It seems ‘Reverend Wright’ is a lot more openly bigoted than even David Duke, but he is colored, so he is excused.
Bigots aside, the convention was also seen by 30 million people, some of whom are extremely uninformed about politics and players in it. I would never second guess Rove on his political acumen to put Bridgette out there. However, that said, if you put your kids out there, you also subject them to criticism. However, Palin’s daughter has been dragged through mud and she was never put in the limelight. So perhaps the thinking is if the kids are going to be dragged in mud by liberal rags anyways, why not tell the story of Bridget’s adoption.
I agree with “Humphrey” (#8) and others. I was sickened by the posting.
Taz’s posting is written from prejudice and bigotry–against Republicans. Here, in Silicon Valley, California, I hear such prejudice very often. The sanctimonious Democrats around me don’t seem to realize that they are pickled in this prejudice.
I read Abhi a few days ago saying SM tries to be non-partisan. Er, Abhi, a lot more work is required in that area. 🙂
28 · Vic said
yeah, she was so retiring about her kids.
My sentiment is the same about going after Sarah Palin’s daughter. She f’ed up…people make mistakes…she’s 17 and has enough to deal with. She’s pregnant. Yes it brings a lot of questions about what she’s being taught at home and what a stark reminder of how abstinance programs don’t work…but she’s still 17 and did not choose to be in the limelight. It’s dirty to go after her.
All pols cynically use their kids as political fodder when they can, and then talk about privacy when the publicity is inconvenient to them. the sarah palin story this time has cast a harsh light on the hypocrisy of this kind of behavior, as has john mccain’s throwing of bridget under the bus by sucking up to those who lied about her in the most disgusting terms in 2000.
but that doesn’t mean we liberals need to bring up the kids: there’s enough to knock about mccain/palin without introducing them into the discussion. and as some of the more vitriolic commenters mentioned: there is a damned if you do-damned if you don’t aspect to the mccain’s exposure of bridget. if they hadn’t brought her on stage, it would be that they were hiding her to accommodate the faction that rove-bush played to.
P.S: I’ve always found it amusing, though, that Cindy mentioned in an interview that she brought Bridget home without even talking to John about it, and that he was surprised by the arrival of a new child (you can find this online). I wonder what the dynamic was in that decision.
32 · idiots r us said
Who you callin’ vitriolic? 😉
29 · Amit said
See: comment 26 (and the postscript to my “Community Organizer” post, where I outted myself as a lapsed Republican.) We are non-partisan and we welcome a diversity of views. There are ways for us to disagree with each other kindly; I’ve seen a lot of that recently, and it’s gratifying. The not-so-kind sniping…usually some “community organizing”** works wonders with that. 😀
**SM Meetups, y’all. They totally require organizing!
i agree that there’s no win here for the McCain’s … if they didn’t bring Bridget out, they would be accused of hiding her… and they have to go into her story … just like Palin discussed the stories of all of children (pregnancy, soldier, down-syndrome), why shouldn’t Cindy McCain do the same?
and i have to say the most objectionable thing to me is the mention of her $300+K outfit … come on now, how many people will click over to the other story to see that most of it was in jewelry .. these people are wealthy, its a known fact … but saying people can’t afford her $300K outfit makes it seem like she bought some crazy expensive duds for monday night … even if she came out in jeans and a shirt … her “outfit” would still have been that expensive … what exactly is the point here?
Note to persecuted Republicans: You’re not persecuted.
And I hope you will defend me as a quasi anarchist socialist marxist communist with your deep-seated belief in ideological diversity. Perhaps instant run-off voting? Fusion candidates? We’re on the same team now!!!!!!!
I am definitely rooting for McCain/Palin to lose. But I see this item as kind of weird. What relevance does Cindy’s consumption of wealth have to do with her good deed for adopting Bridget? So there is a little self congratulatory tone to it. But I am pretty sure Bridget is better off as “token” adoptee than being subjected to whatever fate she had in store for her in Bangladesh.
By the way, for those who whine about the media going after Palin’s family? Please. The repubs went after Chelsea Clinton in a really cruel manner and the kind of insults hurled at Chelsea had nothing to do with the policies of her parents. Palin’s policies and preaching were in contradiction to what was going on in her family. Why do I bring this up here? Because the bashing of Chelsea was much worse than the bashing of Palin’s family. Here is a more suitable analogy for the Chelsea bashing and this is why I bring it up here. Imagine if Democrats started making fun of Bridget’s weight and appearance. Or her uncomfortable demeanor at the convention(kind of similar to a shy Chelsea). That would be analogous to the “janet reno is chelsea’s father” jokes. The Palin stuff is no different from Bill O Reilly bashing Jamie Lynn Spears mom for raising her daughter that way.
Taz – Wouldn’t a South Asian – American per capita income stat be more appropriate and inclusive, rather than
Indian -American and Bangladeshi-American? But since you did highlight the difference between the two nationalities, the question to ask is, why the wide gap?
I am not an expert on the topic, but could one of the reasons be an emphasis on higher education amongst Indian -Americans, especially for girls?
As I said, I am only venturing a guess.
wow. this makes the reader like they reached down a drain and felt something slimy and wriggly. ick.
this is fundamentally a positive story and it just feels ugly the way it was spun. please leave the families out of the campaign discussion.
YES, pleez oraganize one and count me in 🙂
Props to Humphrey and Amit. The daughter is NOT being anymore trotted out than Obama’s girlies. If this were Angelina Jolie talking about adopting, she would be canonized. Cindy’s not making a token out of her child, but rather showing her more maternal side, as Obama & Co. have done. Most Bangladeshis can’t afford computer access, food on the table every night, or many of the luxuries ANY OF US have in this country.
This is best analogized to celebrity gossip. It’s not okay to sell you’re kids pics to Ok! Magazine and make loads of money. We will loathe you. It’s must better to be seen out and about with your kids — not staged though! Nice candid family shots to show that you do love your little ones.
So have the brown girl around (otherwise you’re hiding her).. just stop talking about it.
That’s assuming the only two choices are hide your children or exploit them shamelessly, turning them into public proof of your charitable impulses. I like the way the old McCain handled Bridget’s story – it was out there, but he didn’t try to make a huge deal out of it. She’s a part of the family, not an object to be discovered, and a story to be exploited.
Bristol’s pregnancy was exposed by the National Enquirer, but other than that the MSM have largely left her alone, as has the Obama campaign. I saw a piece where the author complained that actually it was the campaign that kept mentioning her as proof of their pro-life credentials, even when being asked about other things.
Bridget, Bristol and Trigg are all being turned into examples of ideological rectitude, proof of the pro-life and charitable credentials of their parents. It’s the party that’s making a big deal out of them, not the media (outside the fringe).
Harjot – Bridget got a lot of screen time and was at the center of the narrative last night. Obama’s kids remain on the fringe and certainly weren’t used as an example of anything.
42 · Ennis said
And Sarah Palin is constantly making a big deal out of her being a “hockey mom”, putting her parenting credentials out there. And if you expect me to believe that a pregnant teen is suddenly a symbol of good parenting and strong family values, well, excuse the f*@# out of me!
I am sure that Michelle Obama would be painted a … (insert your pick here) if her children had gone off and done something unsavory.
(As for Cindy’s statement, I don’t see it as beyond the pale of politics in America, and don’t think it is particularly distasteful either.)
42 · Ennis said
Well, hell…I liked old McCain in general. 🙂 I think the comparison isn’t quite analogous though, because McCain is the nominee now, before he was just a candidate. Who knows how he might have handled it back then, had he made it this far. Maybe they felt like it would be better to acknowledge her themselves and thus control the story, rather than have people wonder, then speculate and then…come up with inaccurate and potentially nasty backstories. I just don’t think that they were either hiding her or exploiting her shamelessly this week.
And I do think that no matter what they did, there’s a way to spin it in to something negative. 🙂 Roved if you do, Roved if you don’t…
The McCain’s are her parents and from all sources, she has been raised and loved as daughter. All anyone can ask from their parents is for their love and full support. The McCain’s were critcized of being far too private and not opening up their family, so they did. As with everything else a public figure says, each word gets dissected. In terms of the word play, women “discover” they are pregnant all the time, so saying they “discovered” Bridget isn’t too far off.
It all depends on if you see the McCains as outsiders doing a favor to a child, or from the perspective of parents that really love and care for their child.
The girl probably would have not recieved the care or nutrition she needed in Bangladesh. The McCains could have simply thrown money at the issue and not have to take the personal responsibility of having another child, but they decided to walk a road with greater personal responsibility.
Also, are the children of presidents responsible to take the duties of their father/mother on? Why can’t Bridget aspire to do other things and live as countless others do? Why is it her job to become an advocate for the Bangladeshi community? She will be visible for sure, but giving her a guilt trip about the conditions of Bangladeshi Americans (when she simply not feel any attachment to the community). Maybe she chooses to help other communities (veterans, other minorities, disabled individuals that suffered similarly to her, etc.).
It isn’t her responsibility to say “Mom, you’re wearing a 300k dress, but you’re not doing enough for the Bangladeshi American community…” Nor is it fair to judge the Cindy McCain on her choice of wardrobe, while she is objectively done more. She has money and can spend it as she wishes. I wouldn’t make the choice to pay such cash for clothing, but many do. Rich people buying expensive stuff is still paying a person’s salary…
29 · Amit said
Being non-partisan doesn’t mean not having passion or a backbone in the posts. It’s politics–things will get partisan. The idea is to offer both sides of the issue–BUT WITH PASSION. But both sides of the issue do not have to show up in the same blog post.
TAZ, MASHALLAH! Your post has both passion, bite, very clear understanding of how Bridget is being exploited, and best of all, you have a backbone.
DO NOT RETREAT from this post and apologize for HAVING AN OPINION.
Cindy McCain’s narrative about Bridget was very much to dispel rumors of the Black Baby (what kind of mother panders to that level of discourse–sickening). Additionally, it stinked of that White Man’s Burden crap. The idea that the blond white chick is the shining light of discovery, saving the savages who cannot care for their babies.
Adoption is a beautiful thing. Adopted children are beautiful because they got a chance at a second life. MILLIONS of people adopt children, all the freaking time. I am spending the weekend with my godchild, who was adopted from Lebanon. But if my goddaughter’s mother started making herself out to be Mother Teresa simply for being a MOTHER, then I would smack her silly (and then hug, ’cause I love her). There is pride in having a child and then there is blatant exploitation. Cindy McCain went with the later. After the black baby rumors, she has the gall to pander to people like Palin. Neocolonialism at its best.
She didn’t have to hide Bridget, but she didn’t have to trot out as some specimen of white ideals. B.S.
GREAT POST, TAZ. Don’t forget the kichri.
— Last night I found out that McCain was a POW and was tortured. Did you’ll know that? OMG. I never knew.
McCain: POLITICAL PANDERING is not a MAVERICK quality, you torture-supporting jackass.
sitting back with a HUGE tub of buttery popcorn….
why is everyone getting their panties in such a bunch on a friday? I seriously don’t think the author is trying to talk smack about the McCains or put down Bridget. Peeps — put down the imaginary ghost pen where you’re inserting stuff into the post that isn’t there!
42 · Ennis said
Donation drive to buy Ennis a TV..
Like I said, the campaign has been trotting her out and putting her up there, but from what I hear from journos, they’re not asking about her.
@ANNA I dunno. I think it’s like dressing. You can underdress and overdress and get critiqued either way, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a classy way to do things.
Honestly, my main objection to the Bridget thing was that it was tacky and yucky. I don’t think the only choices are exploit or ignore, there has to have been a classier way to introduce her without making a spectacle out of her.