Update:
Well, she evidently seems to be such a supporter of family values that as governor she's been flying her family all over the place on the public tit.

Original comment:
"Family values" is another phrase that has been hijacked by partisans.

That being said, her pro-life stance will resonate with the religious right in the GOP. Fine, but I find it disturbing when this issue is given higher importance than the economy, foreign policy, or energy dependence. Its a sign of the narrow thinking of some so called political "thinkers."

Probably easier than Obama explaining Black Liberation Theology to Americans of all race.

  Just wondering how they're gonna explain the wineglass to Baptists.

  UPDATE:

I think we all know 'family values' is one of those catch phrases designed to energize those who mistakenly believe God's Own Party is somehow more 'moral' than the Demoncrats.

UPDATE:

Representative Robin Hayes (R-NC) agrees with Governor Palin.

I'll defend Sarah Palin on this point. I don't believe that her religion should be used as a punch line like it has been during this election. To me, matters of spirituality are very personal.

I personally don't think Palin is ready for the job, and there are some other disqualifying factors at play, but the other day she said something about religion in our society during an interview that was particularly insightful. She said that we have reached a point where even the mention of God in public arouses derision amongst some. We cannot as a society lose that sense of spirituality and morality. I'm not talking about religion here in the doctrinal sense. I'm talking about principles that guide behavior, that establishes a sense of right and wrong--the old Golden Rule. Without these principles, we can become amoral and nihilistic, without a compass. We cannot allow for God to be completely taken out of the public square. We must respect everyone's viewpoints, and that includes religious beliefs. The separation of church and state was designed to prevent the establishment of a state religion that would have an undue effect on the affairs of state; it was not designed as a means to get rid of God and spirituality from the public square. Unfortunately, it sometimes seems as if that's the direction we're heading in.

And that's a bad thing??? ummmmm why??

Yeah, real family values this piece of trailer park white trash subscribes to.  First, she eloped with her cretinous husband because she was knocked up.  Secondly, over the age of 40, she knowingly and deliberately brought into the world a child that she knew was afflicted with Down's Syndrome, dooming that poor child to a life of mental retardation and severe physical challenges.  She had very strong justification to abort and spare that child a lifetime of agony, which would have been the humane thing to do, but, instead, let her gutter religion consign that boy to a second class existence.  Those are hardly family values that are well-considered or compassionate.  Thirdly, her elder son was a continual discipline problem, so they shipped his butt into the military to straighten it out.  I hope, for his sake, it doesn't get shot off first.  You have to wonder what went on behind closed doors when you consider a family dynamic like that.  Her teenage daughter, like her mother before her, got knocked up out of wedlock, and a shotgun wedding is in the offing at some undetermined point in the future, a vain attempt to retrospectively deny the bastardry of the little mutant currently in the womb.  What is this, Dogpatch?

I'm sick and tired of hearing about family values in politics. "Family values" should come from the family not from some politician who thinks it's a good catch phrase to get votes. What I find most amusing about "family values" is that for the most part the parties that preach them are the same ones that preach minimal government.

"Family values" and "cultural values" unfortunately mean different things to different people. "Family values" in the ordinary sense of the words are good things that both sides of the political spectrum can agree on. For example, I'm in agreement with EO, below, who's on a completely different side of the political spectrum, about the ordinary sense of the words: "Both parties espouse family values; the democrat party is a wider ideological tent [that] includes people of non-traditional lifestyles and different definitions of family."

"Family values" we all share include love of family and love of country. I'm willing to bet that Obama and Biden love their families and country just as much as McCain and Palin do, just as much as you and I do, and if you doubt that, your partisanship is overwhelming your common sense.

But "family values" also has come to mean--to some people--values they hold that aren't shared by all, values they believe everyone should hold and if anyone doesn't hold the same values, they are to be condemned. These include religious beliefs, which should include equal respect for other religious and non-religious beliefs, but don't. These also include respect for embryonic life versus respect for a woman's right to choose her own future. Each of those have legitimate grounds as values, but they're not truly family values, they're individual values; they vary from individual to individual.

So some "family values" have a different connotation. Often they are "code-words" for a reactionary attitude [dictionary definition: characterized by reaction, especially opposition to progress or liberalism; extremely conservative]. What bothers me about this attitude is its narrow-mindedness, its lack of respect for others who believe differently, its arrogance of thinking they alone have the only true and correct answers.

What's worse is that the GOP in its campaigns uses "family values" as code-words to appeal to baser, reactionary instincts and to denigrate the opposition--as if the GOP had a monopoly on "family values." This is a calculated, cynical ploy to get votes that stokes the fires of partisanship and divisiveness, which have polarized us, and I do mean both "us" and "U.S."

I just ran across someone's opinion that speaks to why I dislike what Sarah Palin stands for and am critical of those who support her. It's from Deepak Chopra, an Indian medical doctor and writer, and I found it here.

"In her acceptance speech Gov. Palin sent a rousing call to those who want to celebrate their resistance to change and a higher vision. . . . Palin reinforces the overall message of the reactionary right, which has been in play since 1980, that social justice is liberal-radical, that minorities and immigrants, being different from "us" pure American types, can be ignored, that progressivism takes too much effort and globalism is a foreign threat. The radical right marches under the banners of "I'm all right, Jack," and "Why change? Everything's OK as it is."

The irony, of course, is that Gov. Palin is a woman and a reactionary at the same time. She can add mom to apple pie on her resume, while blithely reversing forty years of feminist progress. The irony is superficial; there are millions of women who stand on the side of conservatism, however obviously they are voting against their own good. The Republicans have won multiple national elections by raising shadow issues based on fear, rejection, hostility to change, and narrow-mindedness."

We know she has family values because she and McCain can't stop reminding us. I am rather skeptical of politicians who extol family values. What they might call family values might not be in line with what I would call family values.

Oh yeah, I nearly forgot....That's her big dangerous secret weapon...

Is it a family value to ignore the needs of your infant with downs syndrome?  Is it a family value not to teach your children about contraception, and then concieve as a minor?  Is it a family value to expose your 17yr old pregnant daughter to media scrutiny and public humiliation?  This sounds a lot more like ambitious values to me.

Bah. Familiy values can only come from one place. YOUR FAMILY. Politicians can't give them to you and even schools and churches can't really make a dent. You either got a tight family or you don't. This is a sort of "Ho Hum" item as a result and I can't get a stiffy aobut it either way...

Don't voters from any stripe get tired of this? 

The next political candidate who utters this ultra trite catch all phrase ought to be yanked off the stage at once by a giant cane...

Frank -- I suppose you've never heard of Rosie Greer? I doubt you'd ever make light of his proficiency for knitting. And many other notable male sports figures have taken ballet lessons, to help them to develop better balance, and strength. So, go ahead -- compliment Gov. Palin's baking abilites, but recognize, too, that the world's top chefs are, predominantly....men. Perhaps, we should taste one of Sen. Biden's pies, before making our elections decision? Or, better still -- let's hold a skeet-shooting contest between the two V.P. hopefuls! My money is on Palin, btw. ;)

And she's probably a nice lady and bakes really good pies too.  John McCain really shored up his team with all of that.

One of her biggest assets. She understands the value of the family as the basic cell of our society. And her stand is morally and ethically pro family. A BIG plus for those who cherish family values.

She does, but that is not a reason to vote for John McCain.  Both parties espouse family values, the democrat party is a wider ideological tent which includes people of non-traditional lifestyles and different definitions of family.

Wonderful. So do I. Are you ready to make me president?

As a woman with five children, she knows the difficulties of raising a family, and will do much to help American families.