Politically Incorrect?

I have been thinking about John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin for the VP slot on the Republican ticket and I am wondering if some of my questions/musings are politically incorrect or if I'd feel the same way about a Democrat. My thoughts aren't quite as petty as concern over her hairdo (!), but more on the order of family (which is something she emphasizes about herself). She and her husband had a baby with Downs Syndrome 4 months ago, so she has an infant with potentially serious health issues. She already had a job a plane ride from where she lives (job in Juneau, house outside of Anchorage). Now she has that job, plus the campaign. She didn't tell anyone she was pregnant until she was 7 months into her pregnancy and she spoke at a governors meeting in Texas right before giving birth, then she went back to work 3 days after giving birth. Are these heroics necessary for a woman to be taken seriously? What message do they send to the rest of us mere mortals? I'm torn between thinking, wow she must take her job seriously and be the Energizer Bunny (I could not do any of those things - she is a governor after all), and that I feel like in some way she may not be putting her family first in this situation. She doesn't seem to be taking care of herself and may have, actually endangered herself traveling after her water had broken. I haven't heard but I assume she is going to carry the baby around with her while campaigning? Her husband (aka Alaska's 'First Dude') has a job and owns a business, so I'm not sure if he's planning on being a stay at home dad or even campaigning full time as well.

At the same time, I found it annoying the other night that the first thing the newscaster said after saying she's the governor of Alaska, was that she was the mother of 5. Would they have immediately pointed that out if she were a man? If she were a man, would I instinctively cringe that she has an infant and is going to be running around the country for the next 3 months. I'm sure she can sit on a campaign bus and strategize and talk while holding an infant, but what will McCain or the press say about that? Why do I care? Why does it not seem like a good idea to me? I know that Michelle Obama is also campaigning full time. Does that seem different because she is the wife, and I assume she is still taking primary care of the kids? Does the fact that the Obama campaign tells us that Michelle's mother is helping with the girls make me feel better? I actually have no idea why this bugs me at all. I was the girl singing "I Am Woman" in my room at the age of 10, and I truly believed I could do anything. I truly believe my daughters can do anything. Then why the confusion?

When are women empowered to do anything, and when are they foolhardy? I don't know the answer, but I'm thinking about it, and what it means for me, and my girls, now and 20 years from now. If you think you have the answer, let me know.