Democrat ticket wisely avoids flawed strategy.

Since the addition of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to the GOP ticket, many conservatives have warmed up to the idea of a John McCain presidency. As a result, many lefty blogs (along with the New York Times) seem hell bent on reminding us all that Gov. Palin's 17-year old daughter is pregnant. The objective of such overkill would be an attempt to drive a wedge between social conservative voters and the McCain-Palin ticket.

But to Barack Obama's credit, he's not partaking in such tactics.

"Let me be as clear as possible," Obama said. "I think people's families are off-limits, and people's children are especially off-limits. This shouldn't be part of our politics. It has no relevance to Gov. Palin's performance as governor or her potential performance as a vice president."

Obama said reporters should "back off these kinds of stories" and noted that he was born to an 18-year-old mother.

"How a family deals with issues and teenage children, that shouldn't be the topic of our politics, and I hope that anybody who is supporting me understands that's off-limits."

While Obama appears to be making a noble plea to his supporters, I would venture a guess that he's learned from the resounding blunders made by his party four years ago.

In the 2004 Presidential race, both John Kerry and John Edwards made blatant attempts to convey the fact that Vice President Dick Cheney had a lesbian daughter. It was made worse by Kerry's campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill when she declared Mary Cheney "fair game." The obvious references to Mary Cheney's sexual orientation wasn't the sole reason Kerry-Edwards fell short but it certainly didn't make the waves they had hoped for.

Obama also realizes this could be used to the advantage of the pro-life ticket of McCain-Palin. Both have strongly professed their pro-life stances. The fact that Bristol Palin is committed to carrying her child to term and raising it with the father further emphasizes the Palin family's commitment to the unborn. Imagine that. Young people owning up to their mistake by accepting the consequences. Pretty noble for teenagers being "punished with a baby", wouldn't you say Senator Obama?

But I digress.

Obama may have no discernible agenda and no significant political accomplishments but he must be given credit where credit is due: he knows all too well of his party's failed history.

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