MATT LEWIS: Claire Shipman’s Flexibility. By going part-time to spend more time with her kids, she’s made pay between men and women at ABC less equal. Obviously, this should be forbidden. But there’s more:

Call it hypocrisy or irony, but I’m reminded of two similar things — one from a few years ago — and one I just discovered.

First, the old one. During the 2008 Republican National Convention, then-MSNBC’s Norah O’Donnell suggested that maybe — just maybe — Sarah Palin should be home with her child (instead of running for vice president.)

O’Donnell was, herself, a busy working mom — married to a busy restaurateur. And yet, here she was suggesting (albeit in the “some people are saying” style of questioning) that Palin’s family would be better served if she were … baking cookies and standing by her man? — it’s unclear. Palin made a decision that would normally be applauded by feminists, but — because of her politics, I suppose — was subjected to a certain amount of suspicion. Shipman, in comparison, is the more traditional conservative, and is earning plaudits.

The second thing I’m reminded of is this: Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi were recently quoted in the New York Times dispensing some terrific advice about marriage (both have been married just once).

“[M]y marriage and my family have been a priority, said Louis-Dreyfus. “That may sound stupid. Many people would say exactly that. But I worked very, very hard to keep us intact. And it’s been my pleasure, because it’s the only way I could have survived in this business — with my family unit in place.”

“A successful marriage is a decision,” added Pelosi. “You decide it’s going to work.”

In Shipman, Louis-Dreyfus, and Pelosi, we see another interesting phenomenon: Liberal women living lifestyles one might associate with conservatism — or at least, traditionalism — while simultaneously advocating policies that would ostensibly have the result of incentivizing or encouraging opposite decisions (abortion on demand, postponing marriage, unwed motherhood, no-fault divorce, etc.)

Granted, these are very busy working women. But Pelosi didn’t run for Congress until after her kids were basically grown. Either way, both are eschewing the “a woman needs a fish like a man needs a bicycle” philosophy, in choosing — not unlike Shipman — to be flexible, to make sacrifices, and, yes, to stay committed.

Well, sure. For them.