Is Sarah Palin justified in using son's arrest to attack Obama's vets record?
Speaking at a rally for Republican Donald Trump Wednesday, one day after endorsing the presidential hopeful, Sarah Palin talked of her son鈥檚 recent arrest related to domestic violence.
The former GOP vice presidential nominee and Alaska governor related her son's legal problems to his military service, talking about post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and accusing President Obama of doing too little to support veterans.
While some have lauded Ms. Palin鈥檚 willingness to address the emotive issue of PTSD, there are those, including veterans themselves, who have protested at her laying blame on Mr. Obama.
鈥淢y son, like so many others, they come back a bit different, they come back hardened, they come back for what it is that their fellow soldiers and airmen and every other member of the military so sacrificially have given to this country,鈥� Palin said at the Tulsa, Okla., rally.
鈥淪o when my own son is going through what he goes through coming back, I can certainly relate with other families who kind of feel these ramifications of some PTSD and some of the woundedness that our soldiers do return with."
Track Palin served with the , deployed to Iraq for a year in 2008. He was arrested Monday at his mother鈥檚 Wasila, Alaska, home, where he lives, after his girlfriend called 911 to report he had punched her in the face.
He was also , according to his girlfriend, which she was afraid he might use to harm himself.
Charges were filed against Mr. Palin Tuesday, the same day as his mother鈥檚 endorsement of Mr. Trump, but it was only at the rally the following day that Sarah Palin made mention of the incident.
She began her comments on PTSD by addressing 鈥�."
She talked to the 8,000-strong crowd of the respect for what the military does, the sacrifices they make, as having to start 鈥渇rom the top."
鈥淭he question, though, it comes from the top, the question, though, that comes from our own president where they have to look at him and wonder: 鈥�? Do you know what we鈥檙e trying to do to secure America and to secure the freedoms that have been bequeathed us?鈥欌��
She went on to say that it was 鈥渘ow or never鈥� for the United States to have a commander in chief who will 鈥渞espect鈥� and 鈥渉onor鈥� those who serve.
鈥淲hen I talk about a commander in chief who will never leave our men and our women behind, let me get a little bit personal on this. I鈥檓 talking about also, our wounded warriors who come home from the battlefield bringing new battles with them."
Some people, such as Republican candidate Ted Cruz, have taken exception to the media鈥檚 coverage of Track Palin鈥檚 arrest.
鈥淵ou should leave our family members out of it,鈥� said the Texas senator Thursday. 鈥�, and I鈥檓 sorry that Sarah and her family are going through it.鈥�
For others, though, it was Sarah Palin鈥檚 attack on Obama that caused dismay.
"that Sarah Palin's son has PTSD," said Paul Rieckhoff, head of the non-partisan (IAVA). "PTSD is a very serious problem, a complicated mental health injury and I would be extremely reluctant to blame any one person in particular."
Championing this as an opportunity for Sarah Palin to reach a wider audience about PTSD itself, Mr. Rieckhoff nonetheless cautioned against 鈥渢he urge to politicize鈥� the matter, according to NBC News.
Indeed, a producer for MSNBC, Steve Benen, disagreed with the fundamental notion that Obama has been lax when it comes to offering support to veterans, citing a huge expansion of treatment options in recent years.
鈥淚n other words, ; it鈥檚 also untrue鈥�, concluded Mr. Benen.
