Palin disclosures overshadow GOP convention opening
Published Monday, September 1, 2008
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Sarah Palin: Growing up Alaskan
Pictures of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's early days in Alaska politics and as a child growing up in the 49th State.
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Sarah Palin
Presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., announced that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was his choice as vice presidential running mate on Friday, Aug. 29, 2008.
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- John McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin, said Monday her 17-year-old unmarried daughter was five months pregnant, the latest in a string of disclosures that left the McCain campaign defending his choice and the thoroughness of the background check of the little-known Alaska governor.
It was also revealed Monday that an attorney had been hired to represent Palin in a state ethics probe and that her husband, Todd, had been arrested for drunken driving two decades ago. The man who led McCain's vice presidential search team said he thought everything that came up as a possible red flag during the background check had now been made public.
"I think so," Arthur B. Culvahouse Jr. told The Associated Press. "Yes. I think so. Correct."
The revelations threatened to steal any remaining thunder from Day One of the Republican National Convention, which already was overshadowed by Hurricane Gustav - and brought unwanted attention to the 44-year-old governor, a self-described "hockey mom" with little experience on the national stage.
The GOP convention had already been scaled back because of the hurricane, and just three days after McCain named Palin as his vice presidential running mate. Coming after the randomness of Gustav, the revelations added to the sense of unscriptedness hanging over the convention.
"Life happens," said McCain adviser Steve Schmidt, talking about the pregnancy story.
"An American family," added colleague Mark Salter.
In a brief respite from partisanship, Democratic rival Barack Obama weighed in: "I think people's families are off limits and people's children are especially off limits."
McCain aides said the announcement about the pregnancy of Palin's daughter, Bristol, was aimed at rebutting Internet rumors that Palin's own youngest son, born in April, was actually the daughter's
The national convention, which a political party counts on to send its candidate surging into the fall campaign, already had been relegated to a distant second to the hurricane on TV, in newspapers and on Internet Web sites.
The pregnancy statement, attributed to Sarah and Todd Palin and released by the campaign, said that Bristol Palin would keep her baby and marry the child's father, identified only as a young man named Levi. The baby is due in late December.
"Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents," Sarah and Todd Palin said in their brief statement.
Palin had told McCain's team about the pregnancy and her husband's old DUI during lengthy discussions about her background, aides said. At several points, McCain's team warned Palin that the scrutiny into her private life would be intense and there was nothing she could do to prepare for it.
Shortly after her announcement, McCain's team dispatched a dozen operatives and lawyers to Alaska, fueling speculation that a comprehensive examination of Palin's past was incomplete and being done only after she was placed on the ticket. Culvahouse denied that, saying his team of 25 scoured public and private records to produce a 40-page, single-spaced report on each top candidate.
He didn't say how many candidates, nor who else made McCain's short list. Culvahouse did say Palin underwent a "full and complete" review.
Prominent religious conservatives, many of whom have been lukewarm toward McCain's candidacy, predicted that the pregnancy announcement would not diminish conservative Christian enthusiasm for the vice presidential hopeful, a staunch abortion opponent. In fact, there was talk that it might help.
"Being a Christian does not mean you're perfect," said Focus on the Family founder James Dobson. "Nor does it mean your children are perfect. But it does mean there is forgiveness and restoration when we confess our imperfections to the Lord."
As for the Alaska probe, a Republican-dominated legislative committee is investigating whether Palin dismissed Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan after he refused to fire a state trooper who had divorced Palin's sister.
The state's attorney general, Talis Colberg, hired Thomas V. Van Flein more than two weeks ago to represent Palin and members of her staff, according to Van Flein. He has represented the Palin family in the past as a private attorney, according to a McCain aide who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
Van Flein said he couldn't confirm representing the family because of attorney-client privilege.
"Did I know the Palins before the state hired me? Yes," he told The Associated Press.
"The governor of every state gets legal counsel, and this attorney is part of a weeks-old effort to provide this governor defense in a series of outlandish, politically motivated charges," said senior McCain adviser Tucker Eskew. "It is a matter of her job and is not recent, and it is not related to her selection on the McCain-Palin ticket."
In St. Paul, the convention opened on time, though the opening-day session was shortened because of the hurricane. From the convention podium, GOP officials asked delegates to take out their cell phones and text-message contributions to help in the relief effort.
McCain's wife, Cindy, and first lady Laura Bush made their own appeals for relief help in the convention hall later in the day.
The delegates approved the party platform and other business, but most of the opening-day speeches - all of which had been expected to acclaim McCain and assail Obama - were scrapped.
Palin was in Minnesota preparing for her Wednesday night nomination acceptance speech when the campaign released the pregnancy statement; her family was home in Alaska.
"Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family," the parents said.
The campaign said it was not disclosing the father's full name or age or how he and Bristol knew each other, citing privacy.
Sarah Palin's fifth child, a son named Trig, was born in April with Down syndrome. Internet bloggers have been suggesting that the child was actually born to Bristol Palin but that her mother, the 44-year-old Alaska governor, claimed to be the mother.
Community Discussion
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Democrats have nothing to say, just the media. Even Obama is trying to protect the Palins.
Obama made a great speech and now Gustav and these inconvient issues with McCain's decisions are tripping the RNC. The internet and flawless communication of such issues make this the most INTERESTING election in history. All we need now is for Uncle Ted to be convicted to further discredit the GOP.
hahahahahahahhahah hilarious.
They make this sound like these things are embarassments...heck, who up here hasnt had a DWI? A 17 yr old pregnant? So what!! You go girl!!!
Obama is a good, decent man and I applaud him for very strongly stating that the candidate's kids are off limits. He is also extremely intelligent and well reasoned. He'll make an excellent president - one that we can be proud of rather than embarrassed by. It'll be a nice change after the last 8 years.
Amazing how the breathless bloggers are willing to push their candidate off the screen just so they an snipe at Sarah. They sound like they are truly scared!
I haven't had a DWI or DUI, didn't get pregnant at 16 or 17, got an education including a graduate degree. Not all Alaskans are hillbillies, Yukonjohn.
Besides, this isnt state politics, this is national politics.
akjak, you must be a boring Alaskan!! LOL
"They make this sound like these things are embarassments...heck, who up here hasnt had a DWI? A 17 yr old pregnant? So what!! You go girl!!!"
There you go, defending trash and criminals again, Yukon. Remember, a lot of us expect better from our fellow citizens and elected officials.
I hate to think that this woman is the country's view of a "typical Alaskan." We're a laughingstock now. Thanks, Sarah.
akjak....what have you done with that graduate degree? Stay in the University System?
I guess Palins didn't mind being "Punished with a child" as Obama says it.
Well, yay for moral relativism!
akjak - Please tell me what is so different about Obama? So far I've seen nothing specific how he will be different. Yes, he is a great speaker, but that is it. Not to mention that he picked Biden who has been in office for what now? 35 years? Here's what I did find out about Obama after a little research:
The following senators voted against making English the official language of America :
Biden (D-DE)
Obama (D-IL)
From Jan 07 until Present Senator Obama was listed as "Not Voting" 293 times:
442 Possible votes in 2007
196 Possible votes in 2008
42% of the time Mr. Obama had no vote. From the "Obama Revealed" story on CNN, of those 293 times Mr. Obama was listed as "Present" but had no vote 127 times.
This is right from Mr. Obama's website. I want a leader that can actually make a decision other than to "Not Vote". If leaders are sent to DC to make decisions, why wouldn't they make them?
So akjak, who is going to change what on that ticket? Mr. Obama who couldn't do his job 42% of the time? Mr. Biden that has been there for 35 years and stated on air that he didn't think Obama was the right person for the job but thought McCain could? With Mr. Obama's education, I would have thought he could have made a decision (what he was paid to do for the last 4 years).
I'm really not excited about any of them - except for Sarah now. She is the only true DC outsider that has a different vision that what is in there now. The only one I truly can't stand is Mr. Biden and that comes from watching his politics for the last 30 years. I really didn't care much for politics before that.
I hate to think that this woman is the country's view of a "typical Alaskan." We're a laughingstock now. Thanks, Sarah.
She is a "typical Alaskan". And she is doing a fantastic job as our Governor. 80+% of us think she is!!
At least we know where you stand (as if it were a secret). You call Todd a criminal because he had a DWI over two decades ago. And you call either Sarah or Bristol "trash" because she is pregnant but not married. Nice. Good to know you are such a fine Alaskan.
who up here hasnt had a DWI ask yukon john
I sure have not , heck I don't even drink alkyhol
I don't think Bristol is "trash". I think she is a child who made a mistake. I also strongly support her decision (whether it was her decision or not) to carry her baby to term and to have her baby. None of this discussion should be about Bristol. It should be about Sarah Palin's desire for power and the spotlight overriding her duty to be a good and attentive mother. She is a power-hungry person who has continually put politics before her family - great Christian. Her power mongering has come to light time and time again when she has fired people who don't see eye to eye with her.
akracefan, what was McCain's record from Jan 2008 to present? Its easy to portray your enemy in a bad light but for it to be meaningful you should compare it to his opponent's record. Statistics out of context are meaningless. So, just for you, I went and looked at John McCain's voting record from Jan 2008 to present - John McCain DID NOT VOTE on 82% of the votes since January 2008. He only voted 18% of the time, which is why Obama pointed out his own much better voting record. McCain couldn't do his job 82% of the time in 2008! See, a college education enables me to look at the facts for myself - I don't have to regurgitate what somebody else publishes.
So, do I want someone who works 18% of the time and hires a lady with no national knowledge, experience, or even a decent education to be a heartbeat away from the presidency or do I want someone who is very intelligent and well educated AND able to do his job 58% of the time, even while engaged in a very difficult battle for the Democratic nomination - John McCain had it wrapped up already and still couldn't do his job.
hmmm well she still rubs me the wrong way. i guess her good old conservative views didn't rub onto her daughter!! how many more hours before the whore jokes come out? any takers, i'm dying to hear some!!
yeah.... the more i hear the more i think that this is an example of a fine upstanding alaskan family (the palins). trouble is, does the rest of the country understand an alaskan family? do i care? if mccain and sarah lose the election we get our governor back. and we have work to do here. the rest of the usa can just fall off into the abyss. maybe in 8 years she can run for president instead of v.p.
O-p---
Didn't the Kennedys invent moral relativism?
Now that family was, and is, "trash". Right, IUR? They not only had pregnant teenagers, they had the studding part covered as well. If it didn't work out, well Teddy, or one of the lads, would just take them for a ride. Of course there was Jack, who was dallying with the same bimbo as Sam Gianconna, head of the Chicago mob. JFK was quite a player, indeed.
Maybe it was President Clinton who invented moral relativism. He and Hillary sure fit the picture of white trash. Bimbo eruption squads. The president using his authority to take sexual advantage of a young, idealistic female intern. Charges of rape. Giving false testimony, under oath. Is that really acceptible behavior for anyone, much less the POTUS?
Now you trash this young girl with epithets. Hypocrites!
AGIA is what should have been aborted....
...because it was so poorly crafted, and gave away most of the NGL's to foreign control leaving Alaskan's begging for more 20years ago and 5,10,15 years from now.
Grabbing onto the VP-ticket was a way to keep the boondoggle from bring put on the backburner by TransCanada.
Sarah got swallowed by the WHALE.
...any good whale hunters out there reading this?
http://news.google.com/news?ned=us&h...
The first faulty assumption of AGIA was that a big overpriced steel pipeline was the only design that would work to bring the gas to market.
FIRST GASLINE TO FAIRBANKS WINS !!!
http://s281.photobucket.com/albums/kk209...
[Heck there's always been a market in Alaska, beginning with 50miles south of Atigun Pass.]
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/arti...
FERC Offers To Help Merge 2 Alaska Gas Pipeline Projects
August 29, 2008: 05:41 PM EST
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Friday volunteered to help merge two competing Alaska natural gas pipeline projects into one.
TransCanada Corp. (TRP), with backing from the Alaska government, is planning to build a major natural gas pipeline from Alaska's North Slope to markets in Canada and the lower 48 states, while ConocoPhillips (COP) and BP PLC (BP) are proposing a similar project, minus the tax incentives and other inducements the state has pledged to TransCanada.
TransCanada agreed to terms requested by the state, such as rolled-in shipping rates, and competed for a chance to be selected as the developer of Alaska's natural gas pipeline. TransCanada's proposal was chosen by Gov. Sarah Palin and approved by the legislature as part of the state's Alaska Gasline Inducement Act.
Palin was named Friday as the vice presidential running mate of presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain.
.........
YukonJohn asks: "heck, who up here hasn't had a DWI? "
Well, I could get on my high-horse and proclaim "Not Me!" But I got lucky. I never got caught.
Todd Palin got his DUI at age twenty-two. At that age I also risked driving under the influence. When Todd was twenty-two, drunken driving was only beginning to be taken as seriously as it needed to be. I remember those days. This isn't to excuse what he did, but to put it in context. When I was that age, I didn't think seriously about the consequences, and neither did the law. The penalties then were not particularly harsh. It took a sustained nationwide educational campaign to change the laws and people's attitudes.
Unlike a highly publicized DUI involving a public official here in Fairbanks a few years ago, Todd Palin's DUI was his first and he made his mistake when he was young. If he's done it since, he hasn't been caught. Odds are he learned his lesson. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.
Bristol's pregnancy, and her family's willingness to toss it into the national spotlight, is a lot more disturbing. As I noted on another thread, Palin should have spared her the humiliation and turned down the nomination. That the Palins didn't do this is something I won't give them the benefit of the doubt on. Perhaps Bristol told her mom to go for it, but Sarah should have considered the fallout. I'm also amazed the McCain camp let this one through. The girl made a youthful mistake. It's forgivable. What the grownups have done isn't.
akjak - Your facts are a little misleading. If you go from 2007 to present. Obama was missing 45.5% of the time. Biden missing 30% of the time. My concern is how can Obama be present 127 times and not take a stand one way or another. Regurgitate all of it oh perfect one. He did have a better attendance record, but couldn't do anything with it.
Governor Palin,
What kind of American would accept Senator McCain's offer under these circumstances - unwed pregnant teenage daughter and 4 month old child with medical needs? You have thrown the entire country Upside down and surely embarrassed our country globally not because you have family problems, but because you accepted knowing your decision would Hurt the Republican's chances of winning.
Now if you Just didn't think your family problems would be an issue, than something is very wrong with you.
dear, step down now. Please get some help after you Apologize to Senator McCain and your fellow Americans.
Your career can come later down the road. Your family needs you more right now.
Regards,
A Christian Woman
Another dividend for the Palin gang... Maybe we might get more in the future.. Just a THOUGHT. I do not yet know of a perfect family and I been living for a while now, they will enjoy their new grandchild.
First off I am a "teen mother" I did indeed get pregnant at 17. I think that all this is just nonsense. Her daughter is mighty brave and is doing a good thing. She is standing up and taking resposibility for her actions! Age does not define how great of a parent you will be. Anyone who is a parent to a teen knows that no amount of talking in the world is going to stop a teen from having sex if that is what they really want to do (trust me my parents had plenty of talks) Also TWO decades ago really? Who cares about that!? Palin is not making Alaskans look bad she is making us look normal EVERY family has their issues but because she is in politics she is being picked apart. I personally believe that her childs (who is almost legal) choices shouldnt have anything to do with how well she will do as McCains VP.
I believe in traditional american values. I am a christian.
Gov Palin should do the right thing and step down.
Regards,
A Republican woman
you are so right alabama gal..is that U scarlett????
Sarah Palin will do the right thing and help We The People to re-take our government in Washington the way she cleaned house in Juneau. It will take her a while, but she will be able to do that after she helps John Sydney McCain trounce the Marxist opposition, Barack Hussein Obama.
Frankly the almost rabid attacks on Sarah Palin by the Chicago Political Machine orchestrated smear campaign is a most encouraging development. It is encouraging because the simple fact that the Democrat Party and the Chicago Barack Hussein Obama slime-mongers are obviously greatly threatened by Sarah Palin.
Go get them Sarah Palin!!! We sill miss you as Governor but you are the most needed Vice Presidential Candidate in this election cycle.
Who cares if her daughter is pregnant? It shows that they are a real famly. I've known many unmarried pregnant people who lead very good lives and bring their children up just fine.
glacierles- with you 100% about the Kennedy's and the Clintion's!
TAC- with you about 75%.
luvmypringle- with you like 150%!
Hey all I have never driven drunk, but man- I did do other things my parents didn't want me to do in my teens! Kids do that- yeah we should know who they are with and what they are doing. But guess what STUFF happens! Let me tell you what else, it doesn't always happen in "their free time" either. A lot of what kids do bad happens in school- yeah I said it. Kids get in a substantial amount of trouble at school- I don't hear all you whack jobs blaming the teachers! Yeah that's what I thought.
I do not ever condone drinking and driving, it isn't right. It was done twenty years ago though- people are just trying hard to dig up so much dung- over reaching.
What about our illustrious Wayne Gerke? Nary a mention of his DUI- right at the beginning of the school year too. I looked at the court records, a paltry hand slapping for his bad boy behavior. You guys think the teenagers aren't watching that dung roll down hill? What ever! Yup, that's what I thought- no defense for that. Shouldn't be either.
You know what? Bristol's pregnancy would have come out in the news whether or not she accepted the V.P. nod. She should in NO way step down. Not only that who of you thinks that Todd is not able to take care of kids- has no one ever heard of a house husband?
Why would Palin accept the invitation to be McCain's running mate? Knowing that people THINK she has no experience, knowing that she has a teenager who is pregnant, knowing that she would be under a major amount of public scrutiny... As my husband said earlier today to quote John Kennedy..."Ask not what your country can do for you..."
Oh and Alabama_Gal- get a grip- I believe in traditional American values (capitalized, thank you), and any good Christian knows God did not come here for the perfect, but for the sinners. Get that branch out of your eye....Christian woman, the bible is FULL of examples, he even used a donkey! AND David, who was after God's own heart was an adulterer- I could go on...
AKHockeyFan - with you too, was composing mine while you were...
Excellent comments Andrew Briseno and Grover_ Alaska!!!!!!!!!!
i love the whole reinteration (sp?) that she is going to marry the father... that just screams republican.
And glacierles wins the 'B...b....b....BUT CLINTON!!' award.
/It just isn't working anymore dude, except when you call into Rush Limbaugh or are sitting around whining with your buddies down to the coffee shop...
I agree with some of you libs on the stay home and take care of the kids attitude. For every woman out there that is working a kitchen goes empty, shame.
Wow! I think it may scream FAMILY! And yeah, the spelling was wrong- it is reiteration. And it means to say or do something again, once or several times, sometimes in a tiresome way. To the best of my knowledge Palin only said it once. WHO is reiterating? Hmmmm... the media? As a matter of fact who has said it more than once on this page? Maybe I am missing something...
Now, my oldest child (of voting age)said "he don't give two squirts of rat pee about the pregnancy- it does not make Palin a bad candidate". He is right too, all the racket you guys are trying to cause is not doing as much to make your candidate look as good as you think. Man, even Obama himself said this is a "hands off" subject!
Roadtrip- way way too funny. ROFL...running to girls room man!!!!
I don't understand you liberal dems. you say one thing and want another. the girl is pregnant. apparantly she had premarital sex and chooses to have the baby. isn't that pro- choice? to reps, it's pro-life. to dems it's pro-choice. no wonder our children are so confused. and both sides are shuving it down their throats. they do start to make decisions at that age on their own. didn't you?
I find it interesting that Palin is willing to publicize her daughter's situation so early on and so nationally to save her own public image as squeaky clean. Even more, I find it interesting that Palin, being so worshipped as the ideal mother, is a strong advocate of abstinence-before-marriage, something she apparently forgot to pass onto her daughter. Palin is also listed as pro-contraception but it would seem she also neglected to inform her daughter of such matters.
Most of all, though, is the way Palin has had no problem in negating her social and political contract with Alaskans. She was elected on a basic premise that one takes the job (of governor) for its full term assuming health allows. Suddenly, we find the minute she is offered the possibility of an advance in her career this social contract is tossed out the window. How would you feel about a co-worker who campaigns with zeal on so dearly wanting a certain job, gets it, and then less than 2 years later is looking for a better job. What happened to that good ol' "Republican, Christian" ideal of loyalty?
(BTW, Yukon....I've never been arrested for DUI, having never driven drunk. I guess it seems like a good ol' fun Alaskan thing to do in your view until you see your family dead due to a traffic accident caused by such a driver.)
Y'all have got to admit, it's kind of nationally embarassing, don't you think?
Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska and the first female vice presidential nominee in Republican history, already the media darling of the moment for that -- announces that her 17 y.o. daughter, a senior in HIGH SCHOOL is knocked up. That just doesn't reflect well on Alaska and it certainly doesn't reflect good'ole family values when your in school and pregnant.
I am with you snogoqueen. Not only that, the Libs are the ones that want sex education in school- after all premarital sex is ok (not!) Then you demonstrate to kids how to use "them" with cucumbers...but when "they" fail? TURN IT AGAINST THEM- if you can! It isn't going to work, you can't have your cake and eat it too!
The only difference between Bristol and Levi and most of us on this thread is that there teenage sex resulted in a baby. Most of us were just lucky. All you religious conservatives need to remember this one, "judge not, lest ye be judged." You can't specuate that Sarah didn't pass on her abstinence before marriage and contraception ideals to her daughter. What teenager does everything their parents tell them? This is nothing more than two kids making a bad decision, and not a failure on the part of Sarah or Todd.
obama's dad left before he was born. and his mother gave birth to him at the age of 18. so apparently she was pregnant at the age of about 17. does anyone think of that.
with you AKbychoice and snogoqueen!
and she didn't abort, and now he's running for president. imagine that. the opportunity of a life time.
Pure and simply. Sarah Palin was at best McCain's THIRD choice behind Joe Lieberman and Tom Ridge, but their views on abortion wouldn't fit the GOP platform. McCain's (desperate) folks didn't vet Palin at all, or they would have found her a questionable choice for the obvious reasons in the news these past 2 days. Alaskans, both Rep and Dem, know she is not VP material (maybe decades from now). The blind allegiance many folks have, without even any honest constructive criticism of her, is scary. Be honest folks, our GOV is best utilized and most needed here in Alaska. If you think having her in DC will bring floods of money back to AK, think again, McCain will shutdown earmarks. Sarah should help rural Alaskans preserve their lifestyle, bring them affordable fuel and electricity, clean water, sanitary waste disposal, and everything else we take for granted every day. Do that Sarah Palin and then maybe you can help the 300+ million White, Black, and Hispanic Americans with their many problems. Getting elected from within your confort zone of friends in Wasilla, running against the likes of Frank Murkowski, and even raising 5 children, are not qualifiers for the VP and possibly Presidency of the USA. Let's be honest folks, she needs to step down now, before McCain let's her go and loses the election for his very obvious bad decision making skills.
opportunity indeed! I bet he is happy his mom mad the "right choice" by him! All you that are voting for him should too! And you should leave Bristol alone- you are making something of absolutely nothing.
Heck, kids were pregnant in H.S. when I was going there. Kids have been pregnant in the 50's in H.S. too (course they sent them away back then). Kids way back when had babies (and got married) pretty early in the 1900's too! Hey! It's nothing new I guess! It's been happening forever, it's only a big deal if someone is Palin's daughter, but not if they are Brittany's sister.....
nobody has experience in the presidency. but there are certain people who have experience in leadership and governing people. and oboma doesn't have any of that.
I do not believe that if this were a male candidate with a pregnant daughter, that people would be suggesting that he bow out of the race and pay more attention to his family.
cheneys daughter came out of the closet announced she was gay. that didn't seem to destroy the republican party.
It has been said that
"Women have to do everything twice as well to be thought of half as much"
I really think this statement has truth because people didn't even want Sarah Palin to become Governor in the first place. Even though women are starting to get highly respected jobs in this day..... there are people wanting to drag them down.
I dont see why Sarah Palin should step down.
What a mess. First, it's so horribly obvious that the Guv isn't the mom of the baby her prego teen kid's holding. Even those who worked daily with her were shocked beyond words at her "We're having a baby in a few wks" bombshell. The 6 y/o child was her only "oops".
Next, I knew right up front when that prego teen kept sweating profusely, looking like a lost, scared animal on stage, obviously trying to hide her belly with a huge, draping blanket/sheet that she was either pg or had just had a baby. That girl never smiled, never seemed anything except HATING LIFE, and never even readjusting that baby, etc.
Furthermore, if the Guv WAS the momma, why wasn't her HUSBAND holding his child?????????? I've never, ever seen a sibling have to hold another child 100% of the time in these situations..........
I'm tearing up my GOP card, and looking for a Libertarian to vote for this fall.
Wow,
all you people come from perfect families?
If you do have any problems you are supposed to hide them?
Looks to me like Sarah Palin has never taken the easy way out.
Can't believe that the libs would suggest that a woman forgo her career and go home and hide.
well grover reiteration or not, what was the significance of them even pointing out that she was marrying the father? alaska's very own jaimie lynn spears is what we got here!! Getting married for the sake of the child is like staying with a wifebeater for the sake of the marriage. so what she got pregnant, maybe if mommy dearest would've taught her daughter about birth control and contraceptives she wouldn't be in this place. but now they are having these poor kids get married because of it. Marriage is hard and you should be sure about it first, not just say "oh shnikes a sweet little baby is coming, lets get hitched levi!" having a baby isn't the end of her life so why make it. let her be a teenager!
Alabama_Gal I agree and will go a bit further.
I think Palin is almost an idiot and a selfish person. Apparently she likes the sex but not the responsibility that goes with that. She has apparently not spent much time being a family member or a mother. Those traits are obviously passed to her daughter. Now she has a 4 month old in need and she is off on the campaign trail. That is bad enough, but in these difficult time she should be home and also doing what she was elected to do in Alaska!
I did not especially care for Obama as I think his is quite arrogant and not the poor deprived individual he likes to portray. Who paid for his education for example. However, now that McCain has chosen this morally bankrupt woman, Sara Palin, as his running mate I just can't vote for him. I fear he will drop dead and, god forbid, she will end up president. On the other hand, maybe Obama will drop dead and we get Biden … there is a pitiful mess of a person too. 35 years and ZIP ….
It is also interesting to note that she has literally dumped Alaska for her own advantage. She is not interested in Alaska and never has been. Just another job. Reminds me of good ole boy Wally Hickle ...
Sweet_Nothings, wow, I find it amazing that you would show your intellegence in front of everyone in Alaska. In the name of civility, I will leave it at that.
yeah, having a baby @ 17 is one thing (bad enough) but being FORCED into marriage at that age?
egad, where are we? Saudi Arabia?.
I wonder- If bristol was NOT pregnant would she still be getting married???
hmmmmmm
What I find amusing is how the new bloggers who probably are sitting in a campaign office somewhere in the lower 48 are coming on to the news Miner comments. Maybe it is time for the News Miner to demand actual people's names and locations and real e mail addresses. Other papers demand it. Dermont Cole may just have been right about this one.
Gov Palin should step down before this circus gets worse. It has already disrupted the beginning of the Republican Convention and starting to look like the Jerry Springer show.
Her child getting pregnant is not the issue. The issue is her announcement of the pregnancy at the beginning of the Republican Convention. Very poor choice .
For all of you who defend Palin by saying "no family is perfect" - you are missing the point.
If she were a real Patriot, she would have declined the invitation
let's get serious, this is a mistake. It is time for her to step down- it might not be too late for mccain but he needs to fix this now. We already lost the first night of the convention and I don't think it is all about Gustav. The whole party seems unorganized and upside down from all of this. Yes, americans love to watch trash and this is getting trashy
you libs really want her out of the way.........
if it were really true that her and her problems are so disgusting,
then I would think that you would be glad that she is making obama look so good.
Truth is, she is as real as it gets, and americans like that.
If she and her daughter had abortions you would be cheering.
She has more integrity that you libs ever could understand.
2cold4me -
Palin is the one that made family her platform by parading out infront of the world carrying babies and talking about her "family". I had preferred that she leave family "at home" and discussed the Real problems facing our nation like the economy. I could care less about her personal life. But, this is what she put in our faces.
I question if she can discuss anything "outside of her box" - Unfortunately, a disgrace for women and the Republican party.
Please urge her to do the right thing and step down otherwise, it will be an Obama victory and she could ruin her future in politics because of the branding - just google her name and you will see the keywords - not so many positive.
Or, you can continue to argue that she is Vice Presidential Material because "no families are perfect"/ lol
AKJAK - "It should be about Sarah Palin's desire for power and the spotlight overriding her duty to be a good and attentive mother. She is a power-hungry person who has continually put politics before her family - great Christian. "
Are you really saying that a mother/woman cannot do anything but be a parent? As I understand it, her husband has been taking care of the homefront while she has been govenor. Are you saying he is incapable of taking care of his children because he is a man and the only place for her is in the home?
I don't hear anyone telling Obama that he shouldn't run for president because he has children...let's not have a double standard.
OH My Goodness- you people are unreal. You cannot even debate resonably without stooping to the level of namecalling, and I am clearly wasting my time as you most obviously have your minds made up. Which is fine- I am now out of this conversation though, I made my mind up too. Hope people respect your perfect kids and your perfect lives when you need it most!
well grover, if it's fine that we made up our minds, why were you trying to change them?
marencolleen - who said they were only getting married for the sake of the unborn child? Maybe they planned to get married at a later date? Do you know them?
akcold - absolutely agree!
Alabama_Gal - Wasn't Mr. Biden a single parent after the death of his wife? Should he have stepped down as well?
I'm not attacking, I'm just asking so please don't take it that way.
yeeeah.....It would NOT have been strange for her to get married BEFORE SHE HAS EVEN GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, yeah, lotsa girls do that out of the blue and I'm sure she planned this pregnancy too...........
What a ridiculous notion, OF COURSE she's getting married ONLY because she is pregnant, her mother's stance is marriage before sex and Bristol made a stupid choice to try and be a woman while she is still a JUVENILE.
After all you people talk about her like she is 25 or something, she is still a child for goodness sake.
YukonJohn.....your comment "...heck, who up here hasnt had a DWI?" is an insult and slap in the face to the majority of Alaskans who have never had a DUI. I lived in Alaska for 25 years and despite the fact I am a social drinker, I have NEVER dr