Palin's Pregnant Teen Prompts Protests

Meredith's interview this morning regarding Gov. Palin's pregnant daughter was disgraceful. Thejournalistic "double standard" is disgustung! To this day, even though she is almost 30 years old, anything personal about Chelsea Clinton is an acknowledged:No No. Contrast that with the feeding frenzy surrounding this innocent 17-year-old. Since this is the new stamdard, I eagerly anticipate information about Joe Biden's daughter's sex life & I will accept no excuse for not revealing to us any and all premarital sexual relations involving Chelsea Clinton. By the way, I am neither Republican nor conservative---just fair.

How do we know this is the first pregnancy of young Miss Palin? How can anyone run this country when they don't have their own house in order, not to mention a new special needs baby! I think Gov. Palin would make an excellent VP...after she raises her kids properly b/c she chose to be a Mother and like it or not biology requires Mothers behave, well like Mothers.

Palin 2028 and not a day sooner.

Even Senator Obama has told the media that they need to lay off. How does anyone think that the life of this 17-year-old CHILD should be fair game? What a new low they've reached.

Sarah Palin could be the best parent in all the world. Her daughter could know all the reasons in the world about not having sex before marriage. Could know how to prevent pregnancy trough birth control. And Sarah's or any one elses daughter could still get pregnant. I know I have strong standards. I am also the mother of five children and a grandmother of three. My grandaughter asked me one time how old should you be before having sex. I told her when she is old enough to be responsible for another humanbeing. Because no matter what you do if you are sexually active you could get pregnant.

While I think it's highly suspect that Palin's 17-year-old daughter's pregnancy goes against everything that Mrs. Palin believes in, I don't think it affects her ability to be the VP (although I don't think she's the right candidate).

What is more concerning to me is how she is going to spend any quality time with her family or her newborn, special-needs baby? How will that baby get any attention from its mother when her #1 priority is (hopefully) being second in command?

Maybe I'm missing something, but why should we even CARE if this is Bristol's first pregnancy? So only neglectful parents have pregnant teens? And being a Christian family should mean perfect children with no mistakes? Give me a break. This is a normal family, and while I really am teaching my children abstinence (and it's working and they are in college) not all kids will live how mom and dad want them to. Having a pregnant teen doesn't mean she's a neglectful mom, what a poor choice of wording. We should all be so perfect. I don't know who gets my vote yet, but Palin's got a 'real' family facing choices and raising kids while carrying a responsible job. Sounds like a typical Mom to me, and a good choice for a V.P., someone who can actually relate to the voting families of America.

Being 17 and pregnant is bad enough. Being 17, pregnant and the gift that keeps on giving for late-night comics is the worst. It's sad.

Having said that, to all those conservative commentators who are shocked - shocked!! that anyone would dare mention the Palin's problems, I'd have to add: "Oh, puhleeze. You guys are so fixated on other people's sex lives and family arrangements you can hardly find time for anything else. The environment, the economy, failure on two war fronts, a crumbling infastructure, an obsolete education system, growing inequality ... ho hum. But mention anything about sex and the keyboards fly. And now the whole topic is suddenly off limits?"

That truly creepy Dobson guy who runs Focus on the Family would have burst into flames like a burning bush if this were on the other side of the political fence. But now, of course, we must respect the privacy of the family in this difficult time, let us all pray, blah blah blah.

How many women out there have huge careers, CEOs, Managers, sales, television anchors, etc. that require most of their attention? Careers that take you away from your families whether it be long hours or travel? How many work from home and spend all your extra time working? There are many of you out there!! Be honest! You and your family manage, don't you?

Sarah Palin's family must be very supportive or she wouldn't have chosen to take on the VP position. Her husband and older children can help care for the little one. I'm sure Trig will be greatly loved.

Her children should be kept out of the circus media. The media is so biased it makes me sick. No one is perfect or exempt from wrong choices. I know many people who's premarital sex led to preganancy. At least Bristol is courageous enough to choose life.

I believe it is fair to criticize Gov. Palin on the issue of her teen daughter's pregnancy, but only because of her strong abstinence-only, anti-contraceptive, anti-choice, background. She can't attempt to regulate the morals of others and exspect her own life to go unexamined. Otherwise, I feel sympathy for her daughter, who was told to just say no, instead of being properly educated on how to prevent pregancy.

There are a lot of things we don't need to know about their personal lives and past history. Personally, I don't care about her husband's arrest 20 years ago, and I don't care that she's got a teenage daughter who's pregnant. Morally, to each his own...

What does concern me is that being the VP of this country is going to demand her attention, energy and focus. I think it would be near impossible for her to NOT worry and think about her son and daughter while away, which is going to take her attention and focus away from the job of Vice President. I'm a working mom, but if I were to lose focus on things now and then, it's not really going to have an overall affect on anyone else. If she does, it has the potential to affect all of us.

I think Palin is a loser and so is her daughter. Sure, she's proud of having five kids and having a teen daughter who is pregnant, because this will get her lots of votes from the pro-life camp.

I have seen nothing this woman can do, other than breeding, that would qualify her for the office of vice president.

I find it ridiculous to read statements like "What is more concerning to me is how she is going to spend any quality time with her family or her newborn, special-needs baby? How will that baby get any attention from its mother when her #1 priority is (hopefully) being second in command?"

I've never heard a peep about wondering if George W. Bush would be able to spend quality time with his family when his 1st priority is being president.

I've never heard a peep about wondering if Obama would be able to spend quality time with his family when his 1st priority is being president.

I've never heard a peep about wondering if McCain would be able to spend quality time with his family when his 1st priority is being president.

The double-standard is ridiculous.

Just like ALL American families - should Palin become the VP - I am sure her family will all make adjustments . . .

Goodness this is 2008!!!!! This double standard is crazy!!! This nonsense of whether a woman would be able to raise a family and govern at the same time should not even be given the time of day!!!! When was that question ever asked of any male candidate...ever!!! If these journalists are going to dig up and expose any information about personal family life , then they need to do it for EACH! and every candidate elected or not. Each and every day I lose less and less respect for journalism. What are we reverting back to? The dark ages where people used to believe a woman's place was in her home raising her kids...times have changed!! Thank God!!! Besides being a young single unmarried mom is NOT the end of the world, do we not have bigger issues to think about.?

Okay, so we all are worried about the double-standard. Governor Palin is no champion for equal rights. She easily left her days-old child to return to work, while mothers in some parts of this nation would long to spend time with their newborns, be able to nurse them and bond with them, but have no paid maternity leave to speak of. I agree with a previous poster, she's a good brood mare.

First place we govern is our homes. So yes it does come into question if Palin can govern the country. Being V.P is a time consuming detail job as same as being a mother. I as a mother always had to stay one step of my children especially when they were teenagers. I know sometime you can do all you can do and they still veer off track. But the most important thing you can do as mother or parent is to pay attention to your kids, something that Palin was not doing or she would have known a little more about her daughter activities. No I don't think she is a good V.P candidate. Get your own house in order before tryning to fix America problem. Also you disappoint me as a mother and women to let this play ot on the national scene, you could have just said no.

By the time I read all this, I had to go back and check the calendar again. Is it really 2008??? So, having a pregnant teen daughter affects the honor of the family and disqualifies someone as a candidate? Come on...
That girl is a human being who has her own path in life, her own choices, despite of all the good intentions, information and beliefs she may have (or not) received from her parents. She and her boyfriend chose to have an active sex life, it resulted in a pregnancy and now they both (and not the whole world) have to deal with it.
One question: would you all be fussing around that much if it was a candidate's SON who had gotten a girl pregnant?
Or, would there be all those family / quality time / parent's hability to make their children perfect discussions if the candidate involved was a man?
I think you all could get off of other people's private lives and worry about what really matters. Some people like to run around saying out loud that they are Christians, pro-lifers, etc, so what about those innocent lives that are being taken by American weapons in wars? What about the environment? Education? Health system?

For me it isn't the fact that Palin's daughter is a pregnant teen, per se. Unwanted pregnancies happen to the best and worst of families. I am dubious because the situation flies in the face of the abstinence-only standard she promotes, and demonstrates she was ineffective in convincing her own daughter it it the best policy - much less anyone else's.

From reading some of these comments, my next point-of-view may not be too popular: Yes, it's the year 2008 and people are wondering about Palin's ability to spend time with her children while perhaps not giving the same consideration to our male candidates. I think that is fair, when put into perspective. Was she always the one working the long hours with her husband being the primary care-giver to the children? If yes, then the VP position won't be too much of a change. If no, the doubts are totally relevant! I know from years of experience in my own family and others, that generally speaking, children yearn for their moms and feel more comforted when mom is there to kiss the boo-boo or sympathize with the hurt feelings. It could be that Obama's children probably want and think to run to Michelle first... Also, I think men and women are raised differently and consequently, men greatly depend on their wives to handle a majority of the child rearing - especially with small children. I am a 37 year-old mom of 4 (ages 2 - 11) and I just found out two days ago we are expecting our final miracle next May. My husband is an engineer and up until 6 months ago I also had a demanding career as a Director for a mid-size company. My kids were in daycare and I routinely worked hours per day from home after I put them to bed. Even though we were both full-time career people, 95% of the responsibilty for the children fell on me, and I don't think our family was out of the ordinary. Not only was I sleep deprived for years, but I felt very guilty and constantly questioned whether I was as good as my children deserved - and it distracted me from work. I KNOW a special-needs child and a pregnant teen-aged daughter would be on my mind quite often. In these precarious times, our country can't afford distracted high-powered leaders.

Lastly, to the post from 2:02 PM, I definately do not believe the media is perpetuating a "double standard" because Chelsea Clinton's sex life is not being discussed...Chelsea Clinton is not a pregnant high-school student. Perhaps we didn't hear about Chelsea 10 years ago because her parents provided her with the knowledge that birth control is an act of responsibility - not a slight against God.

Have not yet decided who gets my vote. For the record the first three years of a child with Down's Syndrome are the most important. It is the most intense time for learning. AS the mother of a now 7 year old daughter with D/S I can tell you that the Birth - 3 time was extremenly busy. She had 19 therapies a month in our home. We were taught how to help our daughter maximize her strenghts and minimize her difficulties. I would not have given up that time with her for any job. (I say that selfishly--I loved teaching her) But completely unselfishly--I feel someone (mother or father) needs to be there for the child FULL TIME if it can be afforded--as it would appear to be the case here--If the mom's career is #1 right now I think it is time for Mr. Palin to step up and be a full time teacher/parent/caregiver. I do not care who is there --just hope someone will for Trig's sake.

I cannot believe what i am reading. It makes me almost ashamed to be a woman. I thought that these comments were being made by left wing men. Certainly not women. After the glass ceiling comments and Hillary's candidacy and obvious snub by Obama? I am no Hillary supporter but I could see sexism when it was right under my nose. Do we have to be a liberal in order to make history? Where were these comments and concerns when Chelsea was growing up in the white house? Where were these comments when Nancy Palosi or Barbara Boxer or Diana Feistein's families? I cannot believe how all of you can be so hypocritical and judgmental about a mother who is just facing a very difficult situation that is private and non of your business. Where are Obama's children when Michelle is out talking about how she is proud of america for the first time? Sasha is what 7? How can she be a mother and campaign for her husband?

I really don't mean to be rude, but it really isn't any of our business. And also all you people criticizing her daughter for being pregnant and pulling the my kid doesn't do that card, you are fooling yourselves. No teen will talk to you about if they are having sex. If they do you really got a great relationship with your kid that they can confide in you. But those moms that say their kids are in college and still virgins are crazy. I would never tell my dad about my sex life and he probably still thinks I'm a virgin. Because her daughter is pregnant doesn't change anything. Her teen is in a tough scenario from her own choices. You can tell your kids not to do it but they will.

Anyone really give any thought to the most obvious explanation for all this. If Trig is Bristol's, and they were covering it up in the first place (including not revealing the truth to the McCain campaign), and this was then discovered, what choice would the McCain camp have but to trump up some story such as: "Oh it can't be Bristol's, well, why?, well because she's been...pregnant actually, for 5 months as a matter of fact, and the baby is 4 months old...see, impossible." How perfectly convenient and how well it could the narrative could be sold to the evangelical right. Then a very sad miscarriage shortly after election day tragically happens, and all is forgotten. Does this seem so unlikely?? Has any independent source even confirmed the pregnancy? Maybe someone like a medical doctor!

I'm sorry...but after Karl Rove, I just can't put anything past the GOP when it comes to their clinging to power and the status quo.

I don't think anyone has the right to judge the Palin family. As a teen mother, myself, I understand the difficulties of having a child at a young age, but I now know that benefits that come from it. It will be different for each person. The personal issues that Governor Palin is facing brings her down to earth, and just makes her more of what this country needs, someone who understands. We can't blame her daughter's pregnancy on Gov Palin because she's 17. She's plenty old enough to defy her parents and do whatever she wants. I was 15 when I had my daughter. Even though I knew what could happen, and even though my parents talked to me about the consequences of "adult games," I did it anyway. Who are we to judge this family? I would rather have a Female Vice President who has a few family issues over an Obama presidency ANYDAY!!!!! Let's get off our high horses and try FOR ONCE to understand that we're not ALL THAT and get the hell over it. So, the 17 year old girl is pregnant! GET OVER IT! It doesn't mean that her mother will be a bad vice president! Geez, people, seriously!

I have two thoughts on this matter.

First, her mother chose to drag her very young, pregnant daughter into this scrutiny for her own career by accepting the VP candidate position on the McCain ticket. I have complete sympathy for the young woman and the young man who, now, are going to be forced into marriage at the age of seventeen because of the mother's career choices. If I were the parents of the young boy, I would be furious that my kid was being railroaded by political ambition.

Second, this is a discussion because the issues are a major part of the mother's political philosophy and plans.

Finally, Sarah Palin is completely unqualified for the job for which she seeks election to.

I do feel sorry for Bristol. It would be a terrible strain to go through this even under normal circumstances outside the public eye. However, I think the criticism of Sarah is completely acceptable. As an active member of the religious right who feel free to tell all the rest of us how to live our personal lives especially as it pertains to the raising of children and sex education, you can't expect to claim this issue is untouchable because it is impersonal. Secondly, as a married, working mother of 2 young children, I have had to recognize that there are real limits to the amount of time I have. It would be neglectful parenting on my behalf to have additional children and/or take on greater professional responsibility. I don't admire Sarah as a mother, a woman or a professional and consider it an insult that McCain and the republican party would think that women would want to vote for her!

I think people should leave Gov. Palin alone about this issue. It has nothing to do with her ability to lead this country should we need her to. I admire the fact that she has not turned her back on her daughter and she is supporting her. Its not fair to criticize her for something her daughter did. No parent can control everything their child does, and those that think they can are going to end up in the same shoes as Palin. It really irritates me to hear all this criticism about an issue that should be a private matter. Her daughter is doing the right thing by keeping the baby and her mother is doing the right thing in supporting her and helping her get through this. Nobody is perfect and Gov. Palin never claimed to be perfect nor claimed to have the perfect family. Nobody has a perfect family.

Nobody's making a big deal about Sen. Biden's son and brother being involved in two lawsuits of defrauding a former business partner and an investor of millions of dollars in a hedge fund deal that went sour. If people are going to judge Palin's children then they have to do the same for Biden.

Some parents do have the kind of relationship where the kids tell their parents if they are sexually active. And it IS POSSIBLE that people can be in their twenties and remain virgins. Not everyone is focused on only sex!
I have fought with several people over the new VP nomination. we should be focused on her lack of political experience, not her lack of parenting. I am for McCain 100% and will always be Republican but i believe Palin was a poor choice.

I can't believe anyone would say this is a normal family. This is not normal nor should it ever be considered normal. Children having children is not normal and it should never be acceptable. Nobody is criticizing the daughter in these discussions and people need to realize that. What is being criticized is Palins policies. If she cannot even enforce her own policies and philosophies in her own home why would we allow her to do so with the Nation. Isn't pre-maritial sex a mortal sin to the religious right. I guess if you sugar coat with she's getting married you can believe your own lies.

Uhm wow all i have to say is this is pretty disgusting considering it should'nt matter what age you have a baby, im 16 years old and have a newborn,And she is the best thing that has ever happend to me! It's not like we cant still get our education , sure it well be a little harder but who cares? Everything is harder with a baby no matter what age thank you. And it should not matter if you 16,18,25 or even 38 because any women at any age can with there first child can not sit here and say they know exactly what to do and how life is going to be with a new baby because that is a lie. NO matter what age you are, it is still a new thing and weither your 16 or 30 a sixteen year old is just as capable of doing the same thing as a mother as anybody else. Also, who doesn't have sex? Like give it up its not a sin or anything.

Simply.... if it was Obama's daughter this conversation wouldn't be going on. Or at least it wouldn't garner so much fervor in the media.

The Palin family has come straight from the Jerry Springer show to the possibility of the White House!! Who cares about this family's personal life, but is this really who we want to represent our country?

We can debate this point from any angle possible, but then we are the one's who put this child in the spotlight. The media will keep feeding this girl to the public as long as we will keep eating up this discussion...

America will have WHITE TRAILER TRASH in the WHITE HOUSE
No, this is not proper for a family that
is supposively to be an example for
the country to exemplify such low standards
and to flaunt her soon to be grandchild, and to add insult to injury she brings the guy who ruined her childs life
on television as though they are one big happy family but maybe that's the way WHITE TRASH beahve. The media has a right to bring this event up every chance they get. Just think of a few years ago when VP Cheney, daughter although
an ADULT admit to being a lesbian. Everyone thought
she was soooo wrong, and some even blamed the Cheney's
for this adult woman making her own decison. This is
a seventeen year child who lives in the household
with her parents whom is the blame. The Clinton's
with former Pres. Clinton's affair was the talk of
the century this was also a family affair. Because if
Hillary was willing to stick it out,it was no concern of
ours. The Kennedy's were no exception their scandal's were
made public and scruntinized. What makes Sarah Palin's family
any different from any other political family.
Yes, she should stay out of this race

Who cares about the pregnancy!?!?! I am sick of this nonsense distracting us from asking real questions about her qualifications: Why did she change her view on the Bridge to Nowhere, what ACTUAL decisions has she personally ever made regarding deployment of the Alaska National Guard, how much money did she get in pork-barrel funding for her dinky town in the middle of nowhere?

And do we really want a president who can make such an impulsive decision as a president?

Those are my concerns. Frankly, I don't give a darn about her children. I don't care if they're happy or healthy or pregnant or delinquents or three-time teenage mothers! I care about the future of our country, and this VP selection downright SCARES me. I really cannot vote for John McCain now.

So many of you on here are playing that "I'm hollier than you are" game and my goodness give me a break...Have you ever heard, " He without sin cast the first stone?" I think she will make an awesome vp. It doesn't matter if you raise you kids just as perfectly as you can, and have them in the front row pew everytime the church doors are open, people still sin!!!! Give this lady a break will you? Let's pray for this country and the people that are running it... Instead of picking everyone else's life apart, start with your own!

Many are complaining about a perceived double standard - that Gov. Palin is receiving a scrutiny that would not have been applied to the men in this political race. I disagree. I think the men would receive the same scrutiny if their own words came back to bite them in the butt the way hers have. Her preaching of abstinence did not work in her home, yet she'll encourage it in ours and support legislation taking away our choices in the event that (surprise, surprise) it didn't work for us either?

I agree that we should focus on her political platform, not her family issues. But her family issues are a concrete example of why her platform is weak and her credibility questionable.

Regardless of my political preferences, as a woman, I find the media’s portrayal of Sarah Palin and her family very disturbing. I find it increasingly difficult to agree with commentators and pundits, many of whom I considered progressive advocates of women's issues, who continue to allude that one of Palin’s biggest shortcomings is the fact that she IS a woman. The blatant insinuations about women’s (specifically, women that are mothers) traditional roles, competence and abilities are hard to ignore. For the record, I have a successful career; I am an active/involved mother of 4 teen aged daughters and pro-choice. Although I am a life-long democrat, I am gradually finding myself identifying with Sarah Palin quite easily.

Palin is your basic meglomanical bully. There are rumors all over the net about Track and the miliary, possible incidents of vandalism and drugs. The military may not have been a choice. Having said that, it is her politics that should be looked at. She became the mayor of Wasila a town with no debt and left this town of 6700 individual with 20 million in debt. She fired the town librarian because she wouldn't remove books that Palin didn't like from the shelves. She fired the towns chief of police (rumors are because he arrested Track and wouldn't drop it). She also instituted a sales tax even on food. As governor she backed the bridge to nowhere until it was politically expedient to drop it. She also vetoed funding to help pregnant teenagers. She also called for hiring foreign fish processor to hand the Salmon harvest (husband is a commercial Salmon fisherman) The man that she hired to replace the state police chief that she fired had to quit after two weeks (sexual harrassment).

There is something very, very wrong with the character, and psychological make up of this person.

I see a definite double standard here. If any one of the men involved with politics had a daughter in this situation, it would be ignored. I don't believe it is Sarah Palin that is bringing out this information, I think it is the press.
When Bill Clinton was having affair after affair, no one ask him to go home and get his family in order. I am sure if the press dug into all the candidates lives, there would be skeletons in their closets. If any of us had to wait until our families were perfect, I don't think we could accomplish much. It is time we had someone in the white house that has had to be concerned about family problems. If a person has to live on a budget at home, maybe it will be easier to get us out of debt. The debt is not a one party issue. 16 trillion took several people to spend. Republicans, democrats both have responsibilities in this areana. I have learned that when I point fingers, three fingers are pointing at me. I wonder if the politicians know that.

This would all be a non-issue if Sarah was a male.

Nan said:

"Palin is your basic meglomanical bully"

Perhaps you were thinking of megAlomanic -- as in someone who has delusional fantasies of wealth, power, genius, or omnipotence? Certainly brings to mind Obama ... he really is quite full of himself.

I do agree though that it is Mrs. Palin's politics that we should be discussing, however that is not the topic of this particular discussion.

The topic is Mrs. Palin's 17 yr old daughter's pregnancy and the questions are: "What do you think about this news? Is it relevant? Do you think it should be used in the campaign on either side? Do you think this should call into question Sarah Palin's parenting skills or her ability to run for and hold an office?"

Im so glad that she is a normal american woman. She cannot controll every move that her child makes. Her daughter has been responsible about the situation and that should be admired. Everyone is so shocked that her teen could be pregnant- shes not above the rest of the world. On another note, age doesnt make a good parent.

We're all so quick to judge Palin for putting her young, pregnant, teenage daughter in the media spotlight and exposing her to their scrutiny. Why aren't we holding the media responsible for their anything-goes feeding frenzy on this child who is bravely facing enormous responsibility?

On another note, teenage pregnancy is not a result of poor parenting. It is the result of unprotected teenage sexual activity. My parents were less than terrific, my then boyfriend now husband's parents were terrific. I guess that makes our teenage pregnancy my parents fault? I think not. We took responsibilty for our choices mostly as a result of the good parenting in his household. Teenage parents have a tough road, partly because of the stigma and judgement of those who think themselves immune. It affected my self esteem until I finally began looking old enough to be a parent of a child my daughter's age. Is this what's best for soon-to-be parents who've accepted responsibilty? My opinion is no.

To those who think they are immune to premature grandparenthood. Think again. The woman who most vehemently protested my participation in school activities by writing letters and calling administrators didn't know then and probably still doesn't know that in the same year I gave birth, her son and his girlfriend (both my classmates) had an abortion. She wasn't immune, just uninformed(my nice way of saying it).

I gave birth to my firstborn at 18, and that was a great decision.My children got to know my grandparents,and shared with them lot's of joyful time. Postponing childbirth "till it seems convenient" living aside health problems and forced little spaces between siblings, deprives children of privilege of eve getting acquainted with there great grandparents, and even grandparents are often to frail to visit young once regularly and build strong bond with them. One should bare in mind price he forces his children to pay for his "responsible" birth postponing choices, they pay this price in relatives, he will never have a chance to meet and relatives tiered of waiting to meet him. That is the pass from extended to nuclear family.Yes, I am blessed with a supportive family, but my friends which were having hard times with their relatives early during their pregnancy, still feel the relations between their child and their ancestors was worth it.
Vasilisa Chklovski (mother of 3,29 year old, M.A. Hebrew Uniiversity in Jerusalem)

First of all - as a woman - we have choices.
A choice of what to do after we turn 18 and leave our parents "fold."
A choice of what school we shall attend for higher education.
A choice of who we may chose as a husband or a wife.
A choice of what we are going to do with our lives.
It is obvious that Governor Palin's choice has been to become a "power" figure at the national level.
When one makes that choice - they become scrutinized by the American public and open their house for everyone to see their dirty laundry.
If I were in her shoes, my choice would be to take care of my children and give my new baby all of my undivided attention. There are many fathers who have stepped up to the plate. Perhaps Governor Palin's husband will do so and become both Mom and Dad to the kids. But as I understand from the media (right out of Sarah's sister's mouth) they have extended family support. So I would presume every aunt, uncle, cousin of the family will be helping "first dude" care for the children.
I really don't think Gov Palin has earned her way into the VP.
So I am not ready for her to run the country as a VP or as a possibility of President if something were to happen to Senator McCain.
When you put yourself in the public eye - be prepared for the media to find everything they can regarding your life. Obviously the Barracuda doesn't care and that to me, is sad. Power first, family second. You cannot do it ALL.

Are we just going to attack the girl and her family? Isn't there a boy in this situation? Why does it all fall on the girl? I know how boys are, they will offer you the world to get into a girls pants, such is life. Leave the girl alone and quit blaming the mother. I think the family is handling this as well as they can. Bristol needs no more aggrivation than she already has and believe me I know what the girl is going through, I became a parent at the age of 13, it is hard enough to deal with without a bunch of "better than though" people throwing mud. I was able to finish high school and am self employed. My husband and I own our own company, not bad for a "bad" girl who had a child at the age of 13 now is it? People who live in glass houses need not throw rocks and as far as I am concerned there is not a one of you who don't have some sort of glass house which could be shattered. Stay out of other peoples business, that way you may have more time to attend to your own.

loser all she cares about is votes not anything else. if so she would take care of her family

I see a lot of stone throwing going on. I believe her daughter's pregnancy is between her and God and that He is the only one she has to answer to. I really don't believe it's our issue to debate. I, personally do not know of one family, that has not had a teen get pregnant, christian or not. Christianity is a faith in God, and in no way does that make any of us perfect! Thank God that His mercy is new every day and that he believes in forgiveness!!! He will forgive us as much as we forgive others. We are all sinners, every single one of us! Let those of you without sin, cast the next stone.

It is not the fact that her daughter is pregnant. It happens in every family. I just see the hypocrisy. If it happened to a family living in a poor neighborhood... If it was somebody that is not normally running for president or a high political office would everybody be so forgiving?

Sarah Palin didn't do a very good job of teaching abstinance to her own daughter. Was she too busy being a politican?

She knew running for office would put her family in the public eye. Did she even consider her daughters feelings and privacy?

I do believe that sex education should be taught in school as an elective, not just to prevent pregnancies, but to make young people aware of STD's.

Maybe a requirement should be that at least one parent or guardian attend the class with their child. The class could be conducted in the evening.

It's sad this is even a issue. It's life and stuff happens. The maturity level of America's voter's is what's really scadelous.

God's purpose for women is very clear. It is our responsibility to marry before giving our body to a man, it is then our responsibility to support our chosen partner, keep a home, have children, nurture and care for them and raise them up in the ways of the Lord. That is what God meant for women.

Perhaps if more Christian women, including Palin, understood their purpose and lived as God had intended rather than jumping on the "equality" bandwagon, this country would not be in the state that it's in. Godly wisdom, values and morals begin in the home...with the mother.

The fact is when you enter politics, your family is openly in the office with you. Right or wrong it happens. I believe that Ms. Palin should realize that Bristol does make her own decisions, yes, but with that said other teens do as well. Thus, abstinence only does not work for everyone. I do believe that a woman can be in office with children - no problem. I think some people have a hard time getting over the fact that she has a 4 month old at home. It's not my place to tell her what to do with her family. She may see the bigger picture, what they will have if she puts in the work now.

I just have a problem with the policy, not the people.

I don't have a problem with her being a working mom. I have a problem with her being a hypocrite. Preaching one thing and doing another. I also have a problem with the media ignoring her and her daughter while they media jumped on Jamie Lynn Spears when she announced she was pregnant at 16. Why is it okay for this christian white republican female with a boyfriend who has dropped out of high school to be pregnant? Oh because she is a republican, that's it.

I do believe that parents should teach sex ed at home but most don't.

I think that Governor Palin has used her daughter and future son-in-law as stage props. It is Palin who has thrust her daughter in the spotlight; so, now, we are a bit curious. She says that Bristol will marry the father of her baby, but her future husband's mother says her son is not ready for marriage.

It is very interesting and quite sad that people feel that they must judge others. Regardless of what party you stand for, what business it is ours to judge how Gov. Palin runs her household? Bill Clinton was performing things IN THE WHITE HOUSE that are and were attrocious and then people are making judgmental comments about a conservative's daughter? He claimed to be a man of faith as well. My parents didn't talk to me about abstinence OR birth control--and believe me, peer pressure is great and it only takes ONE TIME. We don't now the circumstances surrounding Bristol's decision, and quite frankly it isn't any of our business. She has made a tough road for herself, but that is not our business. I'd rather the politicians (and obvious one-sided media) woud discuss the REAL issues of this country instead of someone's kids. A child needs his/her father just as much as their mother, but no one is saying anything about Obama not being there for his kids! JFK had even younger kids when he was elected. Let's stick to the real issues of our country and vote for who will do the best job in the white house.

The white house is about image. Not my rules, their rules. This child having a child is a big blemish on the highest oval office position besides the president of the united states. Anyone who denies this or overlooks this is pushing the dirt under the rug. I strongly suspect that if the investigative reporters do their job they will find even more dirt on this woman. She is just wrong, plain wrong to begin with and it just shows how the Insane McCain Camp desparation to pick someone, anyone and did so with out properly vetting this woman. Nothing good will come of it.

I think it is wonderful that a "normal" American woman is running for VP. She is a remarkable woman. Teens will be teens. They don't always make the right decisions/choices and sometimes there are consequences. Those young people will do just fine. American people should leave family matters out of it!!!

I find it interesting that Palin, who has SUCH an abrasive, attacking and sniping manner of speaking (I've never seen her NOT that way, and trust me, she's about all you see on CNN these last few days) expects others to disregard the double standards that are SO evident and glaring in her own family!! She's always in attack mode! Yet the Republicans tried to turn around her pregnant teen daughter story to make Sarah into an absolute "mother-of-the-year" martyr!! Yes, it's just delightful that 2 17-yr-olds are being FORCED to get married, and perhaps not even finish high school! Especially when the young father-to-be "never wanted any kids" (which is his right, at THAT age!)
Sarah should tend to the many matters in her own home that require her immediate attention and leave the running of the country to more capable, less fragmented individuals.

If it were fine with most folks, there wouldn't be a protest as the title of this blog suggests. The white house is all about image. Always has been and always will be. This child having a child and all exposed with her family to be part of the highest offices in the nation is a damn blemish. And anyone who can't see this refuses to see... and is pushing the dirt under the rug. I suspect that if the investigative reports dug just a little more, they would probably find even more dirt. The woman is just wrong. How desperate the McCain camp must have been to chose her in the first place. Folks aren't stupid. She is no Hillary and her daughter could never compare to Chelsey. Vote her OUT!

WRONG WRONG WRONG for the house, wrong for the country!

What I find interesting is the politicians are so very pro-infant adoption for others ,but how many of them would want their own grandchildren to be removed from their natural family? If Bristol was any common pregnant Mom she would be blasted with pro-adoption propaganda.Healthy white infants are prime for the over two billion dollar industry.

Women of America wake up! Vote because you are educated on what issues are important to your life and your family's! Do not make a choice because"she's just like me, a real person, real mom with real family issues" That is not what VP's are made of! Call me silly but I want a President and Vice President smarter than me with an education that affords them the skills and knowledge base to make world impacting decisions! Sure someone like Palin is great for PTA mom, and mayor of a town of 11,000. But ladies, we are talking the USA, a country that has been a world leader and was respected all across the globe, until about 7 years ago! We don't need a hockey mom without lipstick, we need the Harvard and Syracuse law scholars leading our country!
As for Palin's daughter........it wouldn't be such an interesting topic if it weren't for her mother's position on teaching abstinence only, and not pro choice! This hits home ladies, do you and your daughters not want the govt interfering in your right to choose??????
Find out the facts, find out about Palin's bridge to nowhere stand, find out how much $$ she kept from the US govt for that bridge she rejected and where that $$ came from, find out how she feels about gays, find out she already spoke erroneously about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, find out all her bashing about the democrats increasing taxes is baloney check out the facts! She's wrong, she's not knowledgeable, she has NO international experience! If you believed in Hillary, Palin is NOT your VP candidate of choice! I implore you to vote wisely because you found out the facts that are important to America and your family! No McCain, No Palin, NO WAY!

Pregnancy is what you get when you screw around.

Maybe the Palin should have been a stay at home mom and worried about her own career after she properly raised her daughter. If was was an American that party just lost my vote!

As someone who watched the Palin speech, a few days back, I have three concerns with Ms.Palin.

1. This may mark me as something of a dinosaur ... but ... Ms.Palin presents as an extremely abrasive person. Niceties, absent. Basic courtesies, what's that? What I watched, until I could take no more, was not an assertive woman but an aggression that touched, more than once, on out and out viciousness. This is the average American woman? Well, well, well.

2. Ms. Palin was lauded as The Good Mother because she is supporting her pregnant daughter and because she did not abort her challenged baby son. Hmmmm ... isn't that what mother's do? ... support our children? And, as an avowed pro-lifer, Ms. Palin could be expected to do nothing less than carry her son to full term.

3. When the press began reporting on the daughter and son, Ms. Palin did not say, 'My children are off limits,' did not say, 'I will not discuss my children,' did not say, 'I am asking my supporters to not discuss my children.' These statements, this approach, would have removed her children from public scrutiny. But no. What did Ms. Palin do? She engaged in the discussion, she kept her children stage centre and, I would dare say, encouraged her supporters to build The Good Mother platform on the backs of her 16-year old daughter and 4-month old son. And, for myself, that moves Ms. Palin out of the niche of an aggressive woman to something very very distasteful.

And please, do not discount these comments on the grounds that Ms. Palin, as a female candidate, was forced into The Good Mother discussion. The woman I saw on television was a very forceful, very self assured individual who could have put an end to this focus on her children ... could have ... and choose not ...

Hi guys. Did yoyu see on CNN Sara Palin Revealed last night. Sara eloped with Todd and her first son was born eight months later.
So mother like daughter.
She is in no way a good example for our daughters to follow.

She hasn't told anybody this yet.

No wonder it's o.k. to get pregnant while in school as long as you marry when you get out.

PALIN IS ALL MOUTH, TALKS BIG BUT, has no substance.

Did ya's see the ladies on THE VIEW go after Mc Cain?

NO WAY NO HOW PALIN!!!!!!!!!!

On Sara Palin Revealed last night Sara's dad said he didn't care if Sara eloped, it saved him a lot of money.

It floored me when they said Sara was pregnant before they eloped. Her first son was born eight months later.

So like mother like daughter.

I'll bet she doesn't reveal this one, by her own mouth.

I almost fell out of my chair when I heard this.

She is all hot air. Yells loud so she sounds convincing, but that's about the size of it.

Pregnacy before marriage is what they used to call a slut,
back when I was going to school, 35 - 40 years ago.

For those of you commenting and disapproving, I would love to meet your perfect family and perfect children and speak with your parents about how perfect you were as a teenager. I didn't know we had so much perfection in this world but I have been proven wrong.

wow I read some comments here and wow how certain ones are so ready to put this woman on a cross yikes!! I guess shes the only working mom here I guess shes the only one in the world that might be a christian or another woman of other faiths that preach to there kids about abstinence and all kids listen right!! that why we hear alot on the news about teens pregnancies but lets crusify just this woman cause she brings up abstinence cause for one thats the way it should be but do you really think teens listen? do u really think her being home with her daughtor would of made a difference?? oh please we cant babysit are teens 24/7!! I would hate my parents if they went with me ever were I go with my friends to hope I dont do anything wrong. our parents preach to us hoping we would listen to what they say and after that they try to trust us to make the right decisions behind there backs. I was a teen once didnt listen to my parents I was 15 when I had sex, did all of u listen to your parents?? what does it matter if she works or not? come on people you cant control your teens ever move, I wish we could but we cant. can any of you admit that u were a good girl when u were a teen? I cant get over how not all of u stand behind this woman with compachion (how ever u spell it) saying hey i know what your going thru I understand!!! I understand cause I never listened to my parents about waiting and now I wish I did. everyone is so quick to pass judgment on this woman and I wonder how many people here has that right? I dont. im more worried about the politics part then her pregnant daughtor cause its no news to me!

If Mrs Palin Teaches Sex Ed at home - Her daughter must have missed a couple classes ????????
GOP has always been great At do as I say Not as I Do !!!!!
IE- Ney & Congressman From Florida chasing Pages !!!!!!!