Liz, thank you for being a voice of reason in all of this. I wholeheartedly agree that we should give Palin and the campaigns some time to calm down a bit while the information filters down about her. The Gibson interview will be very enlightening. I do hope that Whoopi will give us the heads-up when Palin hits The View. Now that will be an episode to see!!!

I believe that Palin’s experience in Alaska will not begin to prepare her for what she will experience in DC and around the world. She may feel that she is ready, but I’m concerned that she has no real context to compare it to. It is like the proverbial fish trying to understand the concept of fire. No real context. With regards to her daughter’s pregnancy, I’m surprised that there has not been more concern for the forced marraige of these two children. Forcing an 18 year old young man/boy into a marraige when he has already stated that he does not want children is far more irresponsible, in my opinion, than the pregnancy in the first place. Carry the baby to full term, if that is your belief and desire. Don’t compound the mistake with a marriage!

An amazing story. Mind you, I can’t imagine starting a family at 45 years of age. I have 2 daughters in their late 20’s- amazing women in their own right. My own mother passed away in January of this year. It was only in that last few years that she was able to get close to my girls. You see, my mother didn’t like little kids (even her own, I think. That’s years of therapy and a story for another day!). Once they became ‘tame’ enough to carry on conversations, debates and the like with her, she allowed them into her life. I am glad that she was finally able to get to know my kids. It was one of her very few regrets in her life that she wasn’t able to relate to her grandchildren. Both of my girls are saying that will not have children (more therapy!). Now that one of them is married, that may change. The other is creating a great career for herself. Rounding out her life with a man (or woman) is not her priority right now. While I am looking forward to grandchildren, I do not want to pressure them into procreating for my benefit. I am reading a great book right now called “nobody’s mother - Life without kids”. It is a collection of essays written by women writers, artists, biologists, teachers and the like. The editor - Lynne Van Luven - notes in her introduction that not one of them is a nobody simply because she is ‘nobody’s mother”. We live in such a different world now, thanks to women like my mother that fought for our rights. I plan to give copies of this book to my daughters. If they truly choose not to have kids, that is their right and I will support them in their choice. Having said that, I do feel that my daughters are my best legacy. I am caught now. Both of my parents are now gone. I no longer can be the daughter/child. When I hear my mother’s voice now, it is in response to non-maternal events. How I would love to hear her take on the Democratic convention, the naming of Palin as McCain’s running mate ( I think she is spinning right now!). I applaud what Diane has done,taking on motherhood at a time when some of us are feeling the emotions of the empty nest. I have found this time in my life is getting back to finding me. Maybe not so much getting back as finding me for the first time.

I always look forward to the new issue of Vanity Fair. With your preview of the cover and your tantalizing tidbits of tales from the upcoming issue, I will be waiting beside the racks for the magazine mechandisers to swap out the Sept. issue. Better still, maybe it’s time for a subscription. When I first started bringing VF into the house, my husband would pass it over for his mags. Now, I have to hide it so I can read it first. The political reporting has prompted many a great discussion. Domonic Dunne’s articles are fabulous. “Scandalous” peaks my interest even more. And any opportunity to glimpse behind the scenes with Annie Leibovitz and her iconic photos will be an insight into the woman herself. That will be worth the price of admission alone. Congratulations on the 25th anniversary. May I be around to the see 50th!