By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer
ST. PAUL, Minn. - John McCain's running mate Sarah Palin said Monday that her 17-year-old unmarried daughter is five months pregnant, an announcement campaign aides said was aimed at rebutting Internet rumors that Palin's youngest son, born in April, was actually her daughter's.
A statement released by the campaign said that Bristol Palin will keep her baby
and marry the child's father. Bristol Palin's 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 the brief statement.
The
disclosure of the pregnancy came on the opening day of the Republican National
Convention, scaled back because of Hurricane Gustav, and three days after McCain
named Palin as his running mate. Other news was likely to overshadow the
disclosure.
A likely story.
contiunued...
"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," they added. The father was identified in the statement as Levi, but the campaign said it was not disclosing his last name or age.
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.
Palin spokesman Bill McAllister emphatically denied those rumors, and McCain adviser Mark Salter said the campaign announced the daughter's pregnancy to rebut them.
"Senator McCain's view is this is a private family matter. As parents, (the Palins) love their daughter unconditionally and are going to support their daughter," said McCain spokesman Steve Schmidt.
"Life happens," he said.
"An American family," added Salter.
The advisers said Palin told them about the pregnancy during lengthy discussions about her background. At several points during the discussions, McCain's team warned Palin that the scrutiny into her private life would be intense and that there was nothing she could do to prepare for it.
Prominent religious conservatives, many of whom have been lukewarm toward
McCain's candidacy, predicted that Palin's daughter's pregnancy would not
diminish conservative Christian enthusiasm over the vice presidential
hopeful.
"I think it's a very private matter," said Roberta Combs, president
of the Christian Coalition of America. "It's a matter that should stay in the
family and they have to work through it together. My prayers go out to
them."
Added Combs: "We're excited about the governor and think she's going
to do well."
Mathew Staver, dean of Liberty University School of Law, said:
"We're all sinners."
"We all make mistakes. Certainly, the ideal is not to
get pregnant out of wedlock. But she made the right decision after her mistake,"
he said.
Staver also criticized anyone who would seek to make it a negative
campaign issue: "It's absolutely shameful to put her child in the spotlight.
She's not running for office. When someone can't face issues, they try to tear
down a family."
My two cents and then some.
This last part is so much bullshit. I'm all for the kid keeping her child if she wants to, but to force the two of them into a marriage is premature. Give them time to consider whether this is best for them, not just because it "looks good' for them to marry.
Also, I feel this is hypocritical of the so-called Christian Collalition to be saying this is "okay". After all, if this was one of Barack Obama's kids at the same age and preggers, they would be tearing him and his wife apart for bad morals and irresponsible parenting.
The Palin's have not armed their daughter with the knowledge she really needed to avoid a pregnancy and waited a while before telling them. That tells me there is a lack of openness in that family. Their support is not true support and love. It's judgemental and smacks of excessive control in their kid's lives.
In raising 4 kids myself, we have not sheilded our oldest from sex ed. She was present when our youngest was born and has no interest in sex (thankfully!) at the tender age of 13. Too many children have an unhealthy view of sexuality. A lack of open and honest sex ed from parents and schools (promoting abstinence without accurate information) and then too much sex-infused media content contributes to kids experimenting. Honesty is the best policy.
