VP candidate Palin says her teenage daughter is pregnant

This stinks! Both McCain and Gov Palin are guilty of exploiting these young people. Enough of this!

that are just not valid. No one is scolding the child, or the mother. Sarah announced it herself rather than ignoring the blog rumors about her 5th child not being hers. It is only an issue because she brought it up. We all think she is doing the right thing by embracing her daughter rather than the usual right wing scarlet letter. The conservatives act as if they invented caring for your child when unexpected circumstances bring on a family crisis.
It is a smokescreen for the real issues of earmarks, shady donations and the socialist redistribution of government cash, like the Saudis do, garnered from oil.

excellent! We've lowered the standard of this discussion to the ridiculous (if it ever rose above it). Everyone turn to someone that they don't agree with and bash away. Remember kids, people who disagree with you are stupid and evil and partisanship and ignorance are fun! Thanks for this lesson all. Cheers!

I take it now that it is the overwhelming position of the Democratic party that no one who was not a virgin at 18, or has a child who is not a virgin at 18, can be considered for political office.

I guess that will simplify the next primary season.

dragging out the daughter issue? Sarah announced it to the world, but that does not make it a political issue. She represents a state that sends a government check to everyone, rich or poor, for just breathing (and, noting Alaska's corrupt history, probably some that aren't). There has got to be a better use for the money…maybe pay for their own bridges. She lobbied hard through paid lobbying law firms to get more earmarks for her town. McCain's hypocrisy as an earmark foe is galling, to say the least. She has received donations through the same political sewer that funded Stevens and Young. Again, the right doesn't care so long as she can bravely shoot a 1000 lb. moose from the safety of an SUV with a high powered rifle. Now if she hunted in a loin cloth (with appropriate matching top, of course) and a spear, I would be more impressed. Stick to real economic issues, folks. You'll be better for it.

Those of you who state that her positions would not allow you to vote for her anyway and add that she should feel obligated to continue raising her family in Alaska, due to the youth of the baby with special needs and the expectant state of the 17-year-old daughter.

I haven't seen anyone on the Republican side who thinks those problems can't be handled from the Vice-Presidential mansion--D.C. has a lot of resources.

I'm thinking this election will be what it will be and her family will be just fine wherever they are. They are just another normal American family. I am really surprised at the partisan judgments towards people going through things we all go through in our lifetimes (my 17-year-old nephew had a baby--guess I don't qualify as a Republican anymore???). Cheers, MGM

Very simple here---your 17 year old CHILD is pregnant, has a year left in high school, and is not married. Palin's first choice should have been to support her daughter by keeping her out of the lime-light and safe at home, helping guide her through some very tough times, not drag her out as a public spectacle (intended or not) or rip her from her support structure. Also, as far as being compared to Hillary, there is NO comparison---she is against almost EVERYTHING Hillary stands for when it comes to women's rights and independence.

How's that working? Apparently she didn't do a good job educating her daughter at home either. Gov. Palin is also against Roe v Wade. That won't gain any democratic women supporters. Good luck with all that!

'Borked' is the applicable adverb here. Ever since that fine judge had every skeleton in his closet dragged out and scruntinized. I believe that precedent was set by liberal democrats. Not that both parties don't do it now ... But in spite of all the hype, the supposedly compassionate Democrats get pretty mean and nasty when power is at stake. Just look at how Mrs. Palin is being raked over the coals merely days after her selection.
There is a major bias here of course. Mr Biden has more skeletons in his closet than Pere Lachaise! (ignorant folks Google it!) May we speak of the Plagiarism incident? Also, I rememeber Mr. Obama, in his nomination acceptance speech, using Mr. McCain's 26 years in the Senate as proof of being part of 'business as usual' Washington In-Crowd. Strange, Mr Biden has been in that same corrupt Senate for 30 years. Wouldn't that make him part of that same 'business as usual' In-Crowd? For even longer?

bother me more than her family issues. Evidently she hired a lobbying firm while mayor of a town of 6300 and then got 27 million from Washington through Senator Stevens. That's a fair piece of change for a small town in a state that sends everyone a check from the government as a share of oil revenue. Talk about socialist leanings. She apparently was in favor of the bridge to nowhere, but that was before she was against it. Bottom line, as VP to the earmark Don Quixote she doesn't pass the duck test (walks like a duck, etc.). But, I suppose so long as she is strong in the guns, gods and gays department, then those are the issues we'll be dealing with.

They tried it with Clarence Thomas, too, but he made it through.

It's called being Borked. Unfortunately, it's been around a while. The minute you become a national figure, your life is combed through, your garbage is picked over, and you get to be in the hotseat until the next target comes along to be trashed. She knew it was coming. She will survive it. Cheers, MGM

So much for the party of values!!! This lady sure has alot of skeletons coming out of her closet.

We have not heard all about Gov. Palin and her family.

You might be surprised to try us (conservatives) and see that we come through.

Remember, if a Democrat girl got pregnant, it would possibly be in a pro-choice family where we would never even know.

So, if she decided to have the baby and marry the father, against the odds, I think I would really be pulling for her the way I am pulling for Bristol. It would be a pro-life stance, so how could I condemn her for it? Cheers, MGM

It's too bad that McCain will never be president.

This time next year, I doubt that anybody even remembers who McCain picked for a VP. Let alone, that her daughter was pregnant.

Just admit it guys. Palin has more experience than Obama-period. Plus pound for pound, Govenors have many more responsibilites than a Senator. The only problem you have w/ her is that she is a woman. Even woman who post on this and other boards seem to look right past her for no plausible reason. The facts are the facts. You feel more comfortable w/ a man than a woman in office. There is no other explanation. It is ironic that the republicans are making this so clear for everyone.

I suspect that the McCain camp did NOT know about Palin's daughter being pregnant. Or that Palin herself had join an Alaska-succession party (Alaska First!). McCain met Palin once before deciding to offer her the VP job, noting that she was her "soulmate". (Kinda like Shrub looking into Putin's eyes.) McCain staffers have refused to answer the direct question about whether JM knew BEFORE offering Palin the VP slot. McCain senior adviser Steve Schmidt would NOT say if they talked about it before McCain picked Palin as his vice presidential nominee.. Met her twice, no vetting before the pick, the religous right dictated for John his VP choice by scrubing Lieb and Romney. JM then hires the guy who slimed him in SC in 2000. What a Maverick!

The young lady isn't the first, nor will she be the last, teenager to find herself pregnant and unmarried. Stuff happens and, as a family, you deal with it as best you can.

However, I honestly don't think that conservatives would have been so kind and so forgiving if the young lady's mom had been a Democrat.

Further, had I been about to run for Veep and I knew my teenager was in this situation...I think I would have put her wellbeing first and kept her out of the spotlight by politely declining the opportunity.

Noon, you should know better then a ***Direct*** personal attack on a user in this forum.

It is very easy to taunt and satirize “family values” and “morals” when you don’t have any.
Marcm, there is such a huge difference between a “mistake” that is taken with responsibility and accountability and a “mistake” that is encouraged to continue with a “blame everyone else” mentality.

I am actually looking forward to a Palin vice presidency, we will be treated to her Moose hunts in the Alaska tundra on Versus. O or WE will have weeks of programming on the impending nuptials between Bristol and Levi, which may even take place on the White House grounds!!! HGTV will give us tours of log cabins in Wasilla as well as decorating tips to make our own homes more "tundra friendly". We undoubtedly will be treated to repeats of "Ice Road Truckers" and "Tougher in Alaska" on History. Furthermore, Discovery Health can keep us abreast with Bristol's pregnancy and pending grandmotherhood of the VP. Lastly, I suspect that TV LAND will revive the Northern Exposure TV series, which I missed the first time around, and I am sure gives a real impression of life in the 49th state. It will definitely be a winter of "All you ever wanted to know about Alaska and Alaskans but were afraid to ask"

With all this FREE TV time, McCain won't have to worry about his funding limits during the campaign.

It will be a long winter, and this sure beats watching hockey, basketball or 3 yr old movies since my entertainment budget is stretched with $4 gas, rising grocery costs, and electricity

The media turned what should have been a family issue into a media spectical. The media is the one that started publishing that the baby with Down Syndrom was actually the 17 year olds and mommy was covering for her.

So if Sarah didn't tell anyone then the blogsphere would have been calling her a lier and questioning her parenting and questioning her ability to be the Veep.

But, by coming out and being honest she gets the same treatment, just on a different slant...

Funny, I thought "Progressives" were supposed to be above this kinda rhetoric. Guess not... ;-)

This woman disgusts me! It seems like everyday there is a new scandal with her. And I feel bad for her poor daughter also, it's bad enough that she comes from a religious family that I'm sure is pressuring her in ways not described here, but now it's splashed all over the headlines. Not to mention she, as a young adult, is going to miss out on so much by being straddled with a child. Sarah Palin talks a big game about morality and Christianity; I just think it's irony, SWEET IRONY, that she's being investigated for corruption and that due to her political and religious beliefs her 17 year old daughter HAS to have this baby. Think of the scandal it would have caused for Bristol to get an abortion, i mean the kid pretty much has no choice; But hey that is what Sarah Palin wants to do to the rest of us also... I cannot believe any one would seriously consider this person to be the next in line for the presidency after all the fuss they caused over Bill Clinton; like that was the end of political world, but just a few years later, "oh it's OK that her daughter is preggers" "oh it happens" HA. IRONY

First, there was the liberal Democrat lynching of African-American Clarence Thomas. Now, it's the liberal Democrat "gang rape" not only of Sarah Palin, but also her teenage daughter. It's astonishing to witness something like this from people and media who supposedly embrace diversity and inclusion and women's rights. But it's no surprise.

Compassion is due to any young person who has made a mistake, regardless of political party.
The older folks we might hope would have learned . . . (and remember, Bristol Palin is not running for public office, John Edwards was). Even then, I learn a lot from older people who admit their mistakes. John Edwards seemed pretty sincere when he said that he started to think there were two sets of rules . . . that he was special and didn't have to abide by the ones to which he would normally hold other people. I like him *more* after his apology, not less.
And, finally, there is a difference between an unwed conception and an unwed birth. When I was young, there were lots of the first one and few of the second one. The economics still favor a married couple, however young. But we still owe all young people in this predicament our compassion. Cheers, MGM

How soon the liberal lefties forget they put in office a two-term President that had several extramarital affairs before and during his Presidency! Hypocrisy indeed.

Palin's daughter isn't running for office. Neither her marital status nor her pregnancy has any bearing on the upcoming Presidential election. If you think it does, then you’re the reason our country is in divided disarray – your focus is not on America.

I want to hear what Obama and McCain have planned for our country - minus the dirt and mud-slinging. I want to hear what Biden and Palin have planned as VP’s and possibly future Presidents. Can we focus on that...now...please?!

The reason this is such a big story and why it has legs is because it is such a glaring example of the hypocrisy of some in the conservative movement. Where are they when someone else has a child out of wedlock, commits adultery or other "moral" mistake? They always sit in judgement, I never hear the "Oh, everyone makes mistakes, oh, its not so bad blah blah blah" Well I for one think it is really bad for society for young people to have children out of wedlock. I don't condemn people who do, but Republicans are the first to point out the irresponsibility of people who have to go on welfare because they cannot afford to take care of their children. Because let's face it, most teenagers who get pregnant do not come from families who have the resources to help them out, the vast majority of pregnant teenagers have to go on welfare.
So my question to all those conservatives who are so ecstatic to have a Vice-President with so much baggage, Are you kidding me???
If the shoe were on the other foot and it were Obama or Bidens daughter pregnant I am sure there would all kinds of talk about how they are the wrong moral example for all of us. And you know what, it is

Having a strong belief in my Libertarian principles does not prevent me from enjoying politics as a spectator sport, and this is going to be good.

You lefties should have seen this coming. McCain knew about Bristol's pregnancy before selecting Palin, and he has decades of experience in playing the press, did you think he suddenly got stupid? McCain knew the left, and their accomplices in the press, were going to trash whoever he chose, and he needed a way to demonstrate that bias to the public.

Obama himself was smart enough not to take the bait, but the press and the leftwing blogs went for it with abandon. All McCain had to do was give the left an opportunity to display it's inherent meanness and petty partisanship, and they went charging out on that limb so McCain could saw it off behind them.

Well played, John, well played.

The pregnancy of Gov. Palin's daughter is the least of my concerns. The thought that Mrs. Palin could possibly be a heartbeat away from assuming the Presidency next year is the "Mother" of all nightmares! What was Senator McCain thinking? I know he is erratic and unpredictable.
Senator McCain calls it being a "Maverick". Selecting Gov. Palin as his VP shows not just poor judgement, it shows a total lack of any judgement.
There are quite a few conservative and experienced women in the Republican party, who would be able to assume the Presidency in a heartbeat if necessary. The criticism for this media circus belongs squarely on John McCain's shoulders. By the way, stay tuned, there is more news coming about Gov. Palin. Again, WHAT was McCain thinking??