But the irony that really makes me wince is how in her references to her decision to bring her down's syndrome baby to term and her daughter's pregnancy, over and over she (and surrogates) said she was proud of the "choice" they made. 

Here's the quote from the press release: " We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents"

From the Times on Tuesday: “It’s a challenge, and I just think we have to deal with it,” said Katon Dawson, the Republican chairman of South Carolina. “But it’s just not going to hurt her. This is a family problem that people have.”

Wait a second, doesn't she prefer a country that wouldn't offer her or her daughter that choice?  Shouldn't that word have been replaced with a statement that said "of course I had my child regardless of any disabilities he might face in life, and of course Bristol will deliver her baby.  In my family, and if John McCain is elected, for the whole country, that is the only possibility that is consistant with God's law."

Or something to that effect.  I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but that's the reason Bristol's pregnancy is legitimate fodder for the press - because she had a choice, and if McCain/Palin are elected, nobody will.

Much has been made of the attempt to play to fear in this campaign, and the bush campaigns, but I think the right likes to be angry most of all.  They want to feel like it's them against the (fill in the blank here - elitist snobs, power brokers of ny and washington, anything relating to liberals on the coasts, internationalists, multiculturalists, etc....) During Bill Clinton's campaign seems like I remember so much about the "angry white men".  Of course they came to power, but it didn't help - still angry, and still feeling like they are being victimized by the above groups all the time.

What Palin gave them was a story to channel their anger and stoke their sense of being victims.  The media was making fun of her because she was small town, a woman, an evangelical, someone with a pregnant daughter, or so they say.