Congress’s First ‘Unwed Mother’
EmailOver at National Review’s "The Corner," K-Lo calls it a "cultural indicator:" Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., will likely become Congress’s first unwed mother, or single mom, if you prefer.
As reported by the Washington Post’s Reliable Source, Sanchez — with help from her "unofficial fiancé" Jim Sullivan — is "poised to become only the eighth congresswoman in history to have a baby while in office — and the first to do so while single….The two are ‘unofficially engaged,’ she says, and looking to buy a house. They will plan a wedding later — but at her age, she says, planning a baby couldn’t wait."
The Los Angeles Times was the first to announce the news to the world. "Twenty years ago, it simply wouldn’t have been possible — pregnant, single and a member of Congress?" wrote Patt Morrison. "Oh, the scandal! But Hester Prynne has morphed into Juno MacGuff, the culture wars have been fought to a truce of exhaustion, and ‘unwed mother’ has been recast as ‘single mom.’"
Says Sanchez: "I’m hopeful there won’t be this sort of ugliness about something that for me is really a blessed event."
But Morrison asks, "how might Sanchez’s pregnancy play out in her district, which is 61 percent Latino? The national Latina teenage pregnancy rate is twice the country’s average. Could a teenager point to her and say, ‘If she can do it, why can’t I?’
"The differences, Sanchez thinks, are substantial, and that’s a big teachable moment. She’s not a ‘surprised pregnant teenager,’ 15 or 16, poor, jobless, a dropout. ‘I’m established in my life. I have a career. I’m financially stable. I have a loving, committed partner. This is something that was planned, not something that was accidental.’ Sanchez is 39 and divorced, and early this year, her doctor told her that ‘if your intention is to become a mother, I wouldn’t put it off.’ So she and Sullivan didn’t. They haven’t yet set a wedding date. As he told me, ‘We have the rest of our lives to get engaged and married — we don’t have the rest of our lives’ for Sanchez to become pregnant."
– jpt
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Another example of degradation masked as being “progressive.”
Quite the example.
And one wonders why society is going down the tubes?
Ever notice that the more we “tolerate” and “accept” the more garbage we encounter?
Posted by: drjohn | November 21, 2008, 9:48 am 9:48 am
The woman is 39 not 16 people. Think more Murphy Brown rather than Juno.
Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | November 21, 2008, 10:00 am 10:00 am
How is this even an issue, it wouldn’t be an issue if it were a man.
Posted by: samhiguchi | November 21, 2008, 10:01 am 10:01 am
Miss Sanchez is an excellent role model for young women. I wish her well in the future.
Posted by: Jeffrey12342001 | November 21, 2008, 10:06 am 10:06 am
Another great example to young women in America. Have a baby first and then get married later and lets not forget the divorce. But hey, this is all normal now for Liberals.
Posted by: CHARLIE | November 21, 2008, 10:12 am 10:12 am
This is a clear indicator of nothing more than how far the right has NOT come in moderating their institutional prejudice. In this case, against women.
it is no joke to state that there have been dozens of MEN in congress with children out of wedlock.
Why is it never story about that? well they get a pass because A0 most them are illigitimate progeny of afairs and B) because they are men and above such moral accountability.
Strom Thurmond, possibly the most openly racist and sexist man in American political history fathered a (gasp) black child, hid it for his entire public career and was nonetheless rewarded by his white christian brethren for “owning up to it” when it came out. (The daughter was in her, what, in her fifties maybe, when it leaked.)
This is the exact kind of junk that the incindiary right thinks is ok, because it is at the margins, but it turns good people away from them a few more each time…
Posted by: andyd | November 21, 2008, 10:19 am 10:19 am
I don’t know how I feel about this. Well, I guess the christian side of me won’t make it easy for me to accept. On the other hand, I am a humble a christian. I guess it would’ve been better if she had just married the guy.
Posted by: D | November 21, 2008, 10:22 am 10:22 am
Good for her. Why is it any one else’s business?
Posted by: Brooklyn Democrat | November 21, 2008, 10:22 am 10:22 am
I consider myself a red (if not) purple person from a very red state but, this story doesn’t bother me. (A) she’s 39 and established in a career. (B) This is no different, or maybe a better situation than the child having to go through a divorce later. (C) Again, no one elese’s business.
Posted by: Libricrat | November 21, 2008, 10:26 am 10:26 am
lmao and the MSN and the left wing idiots raised hell about Sarah palins daughter friggin hippocrites
Posted by: like it or not here I come | November 21, 2008, 10:26 am 10:26 am
Who cares its her business we have bigger problems like THE ECONOMY STUPIDS Stay out of peoples private lives!
Posted by: ANGIE | November 21, 2008, 10:27 am 10:27 am
its 2008 ……AND.
Posted by: sally | November 21, 2008, 10:27 am 10:27 am
Another disgrace with great spin on the news!
If marriage is not such a big deal anymore, why is then gays are so eager to marry!!
Posted by: frieda | November 21, 2008, 10:31 am 10:31 am
lmao and the MSN and the left wing idiots raised hell about Sarah palins daughter friggin hippocrites
Posted by: like it or not here I come | Nov 21, 2008 10:26:23 AM
________________________________________
the reason those left wing idiots make sarah palin daughter a issue.. because The RIGHTWING nuts always liked to play the MORALITY POLICE.. and constantly went after liberals for behavior like this , so when the tables were turn the republicans were crying foul or TURKEY ..take your pick.
Posted by: sam | November 21, 2008, 10:34 am 10:34 am
Jake, what does Sullivan’s employer think of him being a “single dad”?
Is Sullivan fired?
Palintologists want to know!
Posted by: tchanta | November 21, 2008, 10:40 am 10:40 am
it is her business at 39, but what about the latina teen pregnancy rate?
and teenagers with raging hormones will look at her and say if she can i can.
they will not make the connection about age,poor,no job,and a drop out.
and if she and man are committed, why not just go ahead and get married?
Posted by: My goodness | November 21, 2008, 10:45 am 10:45 am
As a pro-life Republican I wish good health to the mother and baby.
I’m not sure what else to say. I’m more distracted, annoyed really, by the constant ABC TV network ad featuring the prostitute on the right side of my screen.
Posted by: OBAMANATION [uh-bom-uh-NEY-shuhn] | November 21, 2008, 10:47 am 10:47 am
What is unofficially engaged? Why not just say that you got pregnant by your boyfriend and call it a day. If he wanted to marry her, they would be married. You can always have a big ceremony at a later date.
Posted by: Tina | November 21, 2008, 10:48 am 10:48 am
WELL I am a left wing nut and I can tell you I don’t like this one little bit. This is a really awful thing for this person to do. If she wanted to have a child she should have gotten married first then had a child. People are looking to her, she took this job won an election and has to be a roll model. This is no different than if she took money or bribes or did any other thing that casts a bad light on her and her district. And the fact that latino teenagers have so many children so young is awful and if ever they need a women to look up to it is in these times.When did common rules of society get thrown totally out the window. THIS IS VERY LOW CLASS.
Posted by: Bonnie Kimberly | November 21, 2008, 10:53 am 10:53 am
Okay, outrage-o-philes… I know I know it’s so appalling that a successful 39-year-old woman is doing what she wants with her body. For shame. But were you this outraged about Bristol? I would think that was more of a “cultural indicator” — the cultural indication being that most people consider these things personal and family decisions and not the business of pundits.
But that seemed okay, even cheer-worthy at the GOP convention. Frankly, I could have done with knowing none of it. But maybe the cultural indicator is that, like with the whole gay marriage issue, there are people in this country who want to make others’ family decisions their own.
Run your family the way you want. Leave everyone else alone. Gay, straight, single, married, pregnant, whatever… I am always blown away by those who are apparently so perfect in their own lives they have the time and energy to judge someone else’s…
Posted by: Lettuce | November 21, 2008, 10:57 am 10:57 am
Congrats!!! Congresswoman Linda Sanchez is a wonderful representative in the House. All the best to her and her child.
Posted by: cathy | November 21, 2008, 11:02 am 11:02 am
Now I know why the divorce rate is where it is. People are forced into getting married only to get divorced later as it does not work out. People should only get married if they wish not just because they want to have a child.The important thing is that the child have loving parents and a good home, who cares if they are married. You have marrages that does not offer the child a caring and loving environment. If I had to choose as a child I would prefer to be loved, of course it would be nice to have both but not everyone is that lucky.
Posted by: Barb | November 21, 2008, 11:02 am 11:02 am
To Bonnie:
You may be a nut, but you are hardly left-wing. I’m sure you have better things to do with your time than worry about the personal life decisions of a successful, mature, established individual like Congresswoman Sanchez. Good for the Congresswoman. All the best to you on this wonderful news.
Posted by: carl | November 21, 2008, 11:05 am 11:05 am
There was a time when the church taught that engagement was tantamount to marriage. In other words, breaking an engagement was about as bad as getting a divorce. I only mention this because it would seem that they have made promises to each other and they have made them public so there are plenty of witnesses. So let’s get on with life. They are adults, not minors.
Posted by: George | November 21, 2008, 11:06 am 11:06 am
The worse thing is media running this story and the story line they choose.
Premarital sex is ok for a purpose.
You have the rest of your life to get engaged or get married.
Sorta throws the reasoning the democrats give for abortion out the window.
See getting pregnant does not harm your futute after all. It is not a burden, you still can be all you can be.
So which way is it? Oh wait the Democrats say one thing, then do another.
Posted by: seah | November 21, 2008, 11:12 am 11:12 am
Congratulations to Ms Sanchez. If this affects her work in any sense or her constituents are worried about her role model-ness, they will let her know in two years. The rest of you, get back to work on this fine Friday. However, the state of CA should make sure that Mr Jim Sullivan doesn’t have any outstanding child support payments. Do check on him, CA.
Posted by: Question | November 21, 2008, 11:18 am 11:18 am
Sanchez represents the communities of Artesia, Cerritos, Florence, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, La Mirada, Long Beach, Lynwood, Paramount, South Gate, Watts, Whittier, and Willowbrook. Want to take a guess as to how many poor, young, minority girls reside in those communities. Welfare payments to single parent families in these communities are off the charts. It’s nice to see that her youngest female consituents and their boyfriends have such a great role model.
Posted by: moder8 | November 21, 2008, 12:01 pm 12:01 pm
Congratulations to Ms. Sanchez. A child is a blesssed event. But it only takes a quick trip to the courthouse to get married. The engagement and wedding are not the important part.
Posted by: Terri | November 21, 2008, 12:14 pm 12:14 pm
That Sanchez is unmarried is far less important than how emotionally and financially stable she and how involved the father will be in the child’s upbringing. We all know plenty of families where Daddy is absent, even if he’s living with the family.
However, Sanchez’s pregnancy sets a terrible example for teen-age Latinas,. They will see only that Sanchez is Hispanic and having a child out of wedlock — and use her to justify their own irresponsible behavior. They are too young and thoughtless to consider the economic and social subtleties of the situation.
And before someone brands me as racist, I, too, am Latina.
Posted by: Aleja | November 21, 2008, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm
lmao and the MSN and the left wing idiots raised hell about Sarah palins daughter friggin hippocrites
Posted by: like it or not here I come | Nov 21, 2008 10:26:23 AM
________________________________________
the reason those left wing idiots make sarah palin daughter a issue.. because The RIGHTWING nuts always liked to play the MORALITY POLICE.. and constantly went after liberals for behavior like this , so when the tables were turn the republicans were crying foul or TURKEY ..take your pick.
Posted by: sam | Nov 21, 2008 10:34:08 AM
********************************
You left wing liberal democrats are such hypocrits. Guess none of you democrats ever heard of the bible. Oh, I
forgot the liberals want to burn that too along with the flag. Maybe the republicans are a morality patrol. But you get married, then you have a baby. Being in congress doesn’t make it right. Don’t give us anymore of your bs about Sarah Palin’s daughter…I can forgive her for her mistake, she is a child, but this woman is an adult. Now she will most likely want a bail out for her mistake. Just like a friggin yellow dog liberal.
Posted by: Moline | November 21, 2008, 1:20 pm 1:20 pm
None of my business, but it only takes 20 minutes for most people to get married – why should it take them “the rest of their lives”? Unless there are some outstanding legal issues, of course. Unofficial fiance? Unofficially engaged? Yet looking to buy a house together? I hope Linda has a good lawyer to handle all the potential complications.
Posted by: Tom J | November 21, 2008, 2:21 pm 2:21 pm
Posted by: Tom J
re: “None of my business, but……..”
the anthem of the Right Wing Morality police…
just like Terri Schiavo….
Republicans always for less intrusive government.. except when they butt in…
lots of references to the bible and the church, why don’t you folks just settle your religious differences and make 1 of your religions the official state religion of America and then we can get back to arresting people who don’t believe as you do…
Posted by: Blue | November 21, 2008, 2:58 pm 2:58 pm
me and my lady have been happily together for 32 years un-married….no probs…
how many of you can match 32 years together?
Posted by: Happy Man | November 21, 2008, 3:01 pm 3:01 pm
Once again a member of Congress provides a wonderful role model for our children- congratulations deep down I am sure your mother and grandparents are proud of you.
Posted by: Mac | November 21, 2008, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm
Put a sock in it Mac. If she was a ‘single father’ you’d throw a parade…
Posted by: Concerned | November 21, 2008, 6:24 pm 6:24 pm
A Latino Congresswoman. What
do you expect?
She’s rough, crude, disarranged
and disordered.
She represents the lowest
common denominator.
Posted by: anon | November 21, 2008, 7:39 pm 7:39 pm
Is she legal or Mexican?
Posted by: anon | November 21, 2008, 7:49 pm 7:49 pm
No role model here. It takes 5 minutes in the court house to bring a child into the world with two committed parents. And no she doesn’t have the rest of her life to plan a marriage and a wedding. Tomorrow is not promised. What’s really up with not getting married? You can make a promise to a baby but not to each other?
What does that say about your relationship? Not much.
Posted by: polisci4real | November 22, 2008, 11:47 pm 11:47 pm