Opinion: Palin's daughter is pregnant, get over it

I think the personal life of a 17 year old should not be food for fodder, conjecture or really even discussed in any circle other than that of the the family in which he or she is a part of. As many in this country know parenting is not an easy task and the fact that this girl is someone's daughter who is in the public light does not reflect on the either (a) the ability to lead or (b) the public's so called right to know as to the private and personal lives those with whom fate gave them parents.
This 17 year has a right to her privacy, once upon a time that was a right jealously guarded inherent not only to the people but their children as well. I suppose the so called "inquiring minds want to know " and the public's need to know (which in this case it does not), has abridged a fundamental right to which we all would be outraged if someone peeped into our records, bedroom or wallets, that being the right to be secure in our person, papers and effects. The issue of so called morality, being touted by some whom perhaps should clean up their own house hold before they start criticizing others. Frankly this is not the public's business and its no one's business except the parties directly involved. Lame excuses such as this could reflect on the person who holds the vice presidency, this is a family issue not a public one. Leave the young woman alone.get on to real issues, this young lady is entitled to her privacy and frankly should not have to either explain her conduct to the public nor state what her actions will be henceforth regarding it. Its not anyone's business.

Okay, now make this headline for Obama and Ayres...   Political issues, not candidate's private choices are what should matter. 

See the PROBLEM was that Palin went out there preaching how sexuality was to be viewed... abstinence only and abortion free.  THAT opened her wide up to criticism based on her own family direction. 

When you want to throw the stones at EVERY AMERICAN out there, you'd darn well better be able to stand behind a fortress rather than in a glass house. 

I wonder if the religious right would feel Bristol's pregnancy was "none of our business" had she opted to abort.

So, because her daughter got pregnant, you don't think she is worthy of office? That is so narrow minded. If parents were judged and qualified by the acts of our children, there would be no one in ANY position, from Garbage truck driver, teacher, computer technician, Illinois Senator VP etc. The left is so hypocritical I can hardly stand it. For once, you and your candidates please focus on the issues. PLEASE! Age is a Minor consideration, AS IS experience. It comes down to what they are going to try and do, and who they are, and what they believe in. If your daughter got pregnant, you'd flip out if you were fired for it, and you know it, so come back into the sunshine and vote for the best President, not the best speech giver, nor the best looking, nor anything else, but what truly matters.

We've had presidents screwing around in the White House, Gov of states that have been caught in sex scandels, , We've had Presidents impeached, Bush's daughters caught drinking when they were younger, Let's not forgt John Edwards. So, Gov Palin's daughter is pregnant. It happenes. It happens in homes where there's a mom at home, fullitme, where there's a preacher as head of homes, it happenes, young people HAVE sex. My only question is WHY would anyone want to leave the beautiful state of Alaska to live in Washington D.C. I think she's having her daughter take responsibility for her actions. Leave the kid alone and let the presidential race forus on what REALLY matters.

We've had presidents screwing around in the White House, Gov of states that have been caught in sex scandels, , We've had Presidents impeached, Bush's daughters caught drinking when they were younger, Let's not forgt John Edwards. So, Gov Palin's daughter is pregnant. It happenes.

Yes and republicans made a huge deal about it and pushed for a costly investigation into a private matter so they could push Clinton into the corner where he'd have to lie or admit the affair (while they were busy committing adultry themselves) and pushing for impeachment because these fools want everyone to believe they are morally superior.

..and now that once again republicans find they are no better than anyone else. But rather than just admit that and that they have been suffering from a huge superiority complex, they instead take the double standard low road like Rush did when he became a drug addict but now thinks he should be exempt from his own contempt for people with drug problems. He the went directly to the liberal ACLU to defend him. Republicans are colossal hypocrites.

This country is full of unrealistic prudes and people dead-set on deifying Obama. It's none of our business regardless of what office Palin is running for. Both parties are full of hypocrites, Palin at least had the fortitude to come out and say publicly that her daughter was pregnant. Honestly, Americans should be more concerned over the candidate's stance on Russian aggression rather than this rubbish. America does not have the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the world, Russia does. I've heard little talk about this issue and what i have heard has come from McCain. It's really scary that the general population is more concerned about the sex life of a 17 year old than a potential dictator, Putin, brushing off the hammer and sickle.

No it is not your business.... Your business is to look at Obama who for twenty years spent his time in a church of Radicals that hate America. that is more important than a candidates child being PG-So put your big gossipy nose who wants to make an issue out of it!@ Shame on all of you. Put your nose in the facts that.... Mrs. Palin has more experience than Obama and he wants to be president... ( Give us a break) 142 days in the senate with 90% of his vote Present ( Non committal ) is not experience to be president. A community organizer is not experience to be President.
I have more experience than Obama..Give us a break! That is what you should be concern with...
Read, get informed before being Mrs. Nosey mean person!

Niliad,

good job here. My hat is off to you and your well thought out response.

Do it again.

It is still none of your business

You might want to take a look at Sarah's church and pastor who think that the Iraq war is a mission from God or Sarah is governor because the church founder prayed her there or that you're going to hell if you dare disagree with the President or that their church better get ready because during the end times everyone is going to be flocking to Alaska for sanctuary in their church. There are kooks everywhere.

So hold your righteous indignation. I agree that Sarah's daughter should be left alone. Too bad you guys weren't so cautious about sticking your nose into the problems of Kennedy kids who drink or too busy to make all those ugly Chelsea Clinton jokes or any of the other nasty things you've said about Democratic presidential children and spouses.

I applaud Sarah for coming out in the open about her daughter, although it's obvious it would have come out before the election anyway. Maybe she'll come out and tell the complete truth about a couple of those distortions she presented in her acceptance speech the other day about the bridge and taxes. Maybe she'll be straightforward with the commission that's investigating her instead of hiring a lawyer to tell the commission she can't be bothered answering questions right now. Maybe Ms Anti-earmark will explain the $27 million in earmarks she got as Mayor of a town of under 7000 people and the almost $200 million she's requested as Governor of the 47th most populous state.

Maybe next time you'll take your own advice and get informed before you become a 'nosey mean person'.

perhaps we need some "earmarks" because we have 2 roads in AK...You (the outside) had all your roads built in the 50's under Eisenhower so we could deploy troops within the states if necessary. We still have to roads...one that goes to a bit above Fairbanks....then becomes a dirt road.....and the other goes from Anchorage to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory....We have very little infrastructure....and most infrastructure consists of federal monies...

If we're going to be sanctimonious busy-bodies then it should be an equal opportunity free-for-all. Why not trash everybody? Trasher and trashee! Let's dig our tentacles into EVERY candidate's most personal life, savage their wives, husbands and defenseless children, then grill their fellow employees, teammates, classmates and friends, and finally each other.

Then after we've destroyed common decency how can we ever undo the hurt, and what do you think we'll look like to our children and the rest of the world?

Unfortunately, that is what modern politics consists of - character assassination. We no longer care about the issues, we want to hear about all the dirt! Who are they screwing? What are they wearing? What kind of trouble are their kids getting into?

I honestly believe that part of the reason W has not been impeached for the many lies he has told and attrocities committed in the name of our great nation is that we are too embarassed to impeach two presidents in a row. Although I think even a lot of people in his own party would love to have seen him gone, they all knew it would make America look foolish to keep impeaching our leaders. Since we did it to Clinton (over a bl*w job, and trying to keep said bl*w job private), Bush basically has had carte blanche to trample over our constitution, take away our rights, invade soverign nations, and fail to do the one thing it was all supposed to be about - get Bin Laden! Not to mention Katrina, the environment - the list goes on. But hey, at least the guy was faithful to his wife, and he's not a queer, right? That makes it all OK.

It is sad that we as citizens have become so obsessed with gossip that it is all we seem to be able to digest. Ask the average person a question about the candidates' foreign policy goals, and they will give you a blank stare, but they can damn well tell you O'Bama's middle name, how far along Palin's daughter is, and what Britney wore to the VMAs.

I agree with Jamie-393021. Her daughter's life details should be none of my business, but once Palin took the VP nomination and presented herself as a dutiful mother of five as one of the reasons I should trust her judgment in office, it became my business. I don't think should she get to exploit her children for political gain and then not get the public scrutiny she's begging for. Furthermore, the more we learn of Palin, we are seeing how she has a troubling tendency to blur official and personal lines. So we should consider how these family issues may impact her actions and decisions in office, even her capacity to fulfill her duties as VP, like traveling overseas on diplomatic assignments, or, god forbid, McCain dies in office and she has to step up. She's not well qualified to start with, and she has a massive learning curve - how realistically is she suppose to even be prepared by next February with one special needs child, one son deployed in Iraq and now her teenage daughter (who has been her on-call babysitter for the rest of the kids, apparently) is pregnant. How much can we expect her to handle? Seriously?

It's not about sex or juicy gossip, and it's not personal - it's simply about having the capacity for sound, accountable judgment. Even if you like Palin, you have to admit that between her gross inexperience and her responsibilities to her children due to their particular circumstances, her capacity to serve as VP is likely very compromised. This may sound unfair to some, but she needs to drop out of the race and go home to her kids. They obviously need her more than we need her as VP.

Nilad, ever go to an assemblies of god church (Palin's church for many years)?  There are no black people in those churches.  Do you know what's said in those churches?  I do.  Members of my family attend A of G churches, and they cannot stand black people.  Palin belonged to the same kind of church obama did, except the races are reversed.

Besides palins husband is the worse embarassment. 

Obamas church vs palins husband trying to get alaska to secede from the US.... Hmmmm which one is worse?

"...If you thoroughly teach children about sex, then there will be zero teenage pregnancies."

what planet are you on? kids make their own decisions and not all of them are based on parental values.

"...Also, if you have a teenage daughter who gets pregnant or a teenage son who impregnates a girl, then you are not diligent enough in your parenting."

you are so correct. i better follow my kids in and out of every room they go in and make sure i stand guard everywhere they go...

then i read the rest of your comment and realized that it is sarcastic and not meant to be taken seriously - which no one will....

I hope you are kidding. If not, God help us all.

So all women that have children...Stop Working! Stop working, throw your shoes away, run in the kitchen and do your cleaning and cooking....you are ridiculous and a male Pig!
With all this stupidity around is the reason why McCain will win~! that is the reason Oberman and Mathews! make their money on iudiots like you. that is the reason Hillary lost because of idiots like you Shame on all of you!!!

Niliad, you assumed a lot there. Which is what YOU accused me of doing. Who says I am a man anyway? Calm down and write something that helps us all.

Thank you

Just curious here, what is "thoroughly" in teaching your kids about sex?  I mean, is it icky, horrible, nasty stuff to stay away from?  Is it a beautiful thing shared between two (married) people who love each other and it'll ONLY be good if it's married sex?  Or did you go into all the dirty details there in the "thoroughly?" 

Wow.  I've taught my son not to say bad things about others, and I really don't have a full list of words that would be considered bad (heck the kids out there would make up new ones anyway) for him to carry around and check the list on a daily basis.  I caught him the other day calling a kid "gay" and I turned around with a VERY astonished look o my face and he was innocently smiling.  I then asked him if he even knew that it was a bad thing to call someone, and a look of horror came over his face, because in fact he did NOT know it was a bad thing - he's 6 - and he had heard the kids on the bus calling each other gay so assumed that other kids' parents would have taught them the right way also and it wasn't a bad word.  So when you find that "one you love" , that one you utterly trust not to steer you wrong as a 13, 14, - 18 year old, and they tell you that the true test of love, the ULTIMATE test of love is sex, and it seems to follow somewhat, your parents' teachings that it's between 2 who love each other, and that it is SOLELY an act of love (unless it's icky) there upon the edge of a precipice stands each unmarried virgin.  There's a 50/50 chance of that kid getting the right answer.  Those odds are NOT good for betting.  Nor can any parent lock their child away from daylight until the day they die. 

Palin is not a bad mom, working mom's are not the only parent (unless single) and we've had a serious number of presidents who had kids.  Frankly, I'd WANT presidents who have children... why?  BECAUSE THEY WOULD BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR CONSTITUENTS WHO HAVE CHILDREN! 

All prez with no children would seriously make for a skewed view in the hierarchy of The United States.  Should we then determine that no government worker should have children?  No head of any corporation?  No worker at all?  Let's have a society based solely upon your ability to have and raise children, vs. your ability to work.  Wait, I think that was a book... the handmaiden?  Or was it Scarlet Letter?

Right on the money partner. With drunk brothers like Clinton and Carter had, we all have things in the family, but it does not change the best one to run the country.....by the way that would be McCain.

here here here...with idiots voting like Mrs. Big mean Nosey gossipy and the other one that thinks women that have children should not be working..... God help us all!!! We really are going to be in trouble....
Shame on you!

You have got to be kidding. McCain blew it with this woman's selection as VP and it has NOTHING to do with her daughter's pregnancy. McCain and his staff DID NOT carefully vet this candidate. He selected her after Obama selected McCain and not Clinton as his running mate. He is clearly pandering to the right wing of the Republican Party. The only relevance this pregnancy has is whether or not these folks will finally take the opportunity to face the reality of raging hormones in teens and what it is doing to our society. Teenagers are not equipped to be parents. Obama stated that his mother was 18 when he was born, but, it is clear that her parents had a large part in his upbringing. Of course that sort of thing happens everyday in America. But, you have a forced GOP ticket with a VP rooted in family values, abstinence only, holier than thou rhetoric who can find the bright side when it is HER daughter who is unwed and pregnant at 17. My question is what about the rest of the unwed, pregnant teenagers in this country? They don't have the Palins' resources; yet, Sarah Palin would condemn such a child to continue with an unwanted pregnancy and in all likelihood live a life of limited opportunity because she supports "life"? How many physicians and child psychologists have to state that teenagers do not make good parents and usually don't raise well-adjusted children before we as a nation start to believe it? Look at our public school system--it is overburdened with children whose families do not have sufficient resources to support their educational or other needs. Our schools have many more problems than the illegal immigrants not being able to communicate with teachers. Some American born parents are incapable of doing this as well. That is why this matters to some degree.

By the way, Ford had a drunken wife; Bush had under aged drunken daughters and a drunken brother--and was a drunk himself. McCain is NOT the best suited candidate to run this country and his selection of this inexperienced, fringe politics practicing neophyte proves it. Obama in '08.

The ideal, is for a Mother to be at home, with the children, teaching then, mentoring them and doing what a man cannot do nearly as well. Being a Mother IS the highest honor any woman could have. It is not demeaning to say this or think it, it is truly an honor. That being said, there are many well capable Women that can do both WITH a little assistance from family, friends, and maybe even professional help.

Fine. Forget about it. But also forget about probing into MY bedroom and what I decide on abortion. If family matters are to remain private, then don't force your anti-abortion ideas on me.

Alaska has one of the most liberal abortion legislation in the country. It was passed several weeks ago. Sarah could have vetoes this...it is within her right as a governor.....but she did not do so...and has suffered lots of abuse for not vetoing it.

True.  Bristol's pregnancy should be off limits; she is a kid.

McCain's cheating on his injured wife, and ditching her for a rich woman, while refusing to pay for her medical bills, SHOULD be talked about, however.

You can teach your kids till you are blue in the face. You can teach them with all the love and vigor possible and it will come down to them having to make the choice someday. You do your very best, then THEY have to choose from there. If her daughter was running for VP, then you can say what you want, but she isn't is she? So back down and hope your kids/grand kids where raised so perfectly or you might loose your job too.

Absolutely! Her stance on "abstinence only" is the only thing that makes this an issue. Living proof right here that a more comprehensive sex education is in order. I would imagine all issues regarding women would suffer greatly with these two in the White House. After Dick Cheney for 8 years, it would be naive to think the VP has no influence regarding policy!

I do not know where the Palin family is from, but I would not be surprised if they were related to the Spears. The mother seems to be following the parenting advice from Britanny's mom to the T.

I do not want Brittany Spears-like drama in the White House. The country has not known this woman's name for even a week and already there is major drama, of the Britanny Spears/KFed variety. Do YOU want 4 years of this type of coverage?

Philissa,

get real. Get away from the TV and back to the real world. The only family drama we have had for decades in the White house was Pres. Clinton's escapades. This Palin gal has a lot to prove, but her daughter getting pregnant proves that her daughter is only a human who made a poor choice, BUT she is trying her best to make it as right as possible. Good for her. Now if you still want to lay it on the mother, and say it is her poor mothering, then you have to also give her the credit for teaching her daughter to not KILL the baby, to bring it to a family of a man and a woman who are married....if so, then I guess we should all clap for Mom Palin and vote for her too.

We can tell our children anything we want, but when it comes down to it, they will do what seems right for them at the time...isn't moral relativism touted by our society as the way to live? We shouldn't be surprized by any teenage pregnancy in this day and age, when it is widely accepted.

ITA, Liz! It would not be an issue if Palin had not decided she has the right to choose for EVERY family in America what sex ed their children should be taught in schools (as the article points out, it's proven that abstinence-only sex ed casues HIGHER rates of teen PG, poor Bristol is living proof!) and if Palin had not tried to take reproductive choice away from every family in America.

I disagree the girl is "taking responsibility for her actions" . Responsibility would have been using birth control- if her mother's actions hadn''t made it unavailable- or deferring sex until she were an adult.

And, Palin is pushing her daughter into a shotgun wedding with a boy who's publicly stated he does NOT want to marry and have kids. What kind of mother would force that on her daughter just to look good for the public? That is not just Palin's agenda for her own family, it's her agenda for America.

Has anyone done the math and realized this girl was getting PG while her mother was dealing with her own unplanned, special needs preganncy and birth? Seems to me Bristol found a very clear way to finally get her mother's attention! Sarah: How about being there for the kids you already have, instead of ignoring them for politics. And to see Bristol used as junior mommy/free nanny to the baby; being flown around to political events at state expense is appalling.

BTW here it is mid November and the girl still has not gotten married yet. Were they waiting for the White House Rose Garden?

"Make her own daughter behave"? What planet are you from? Do you beat your children if they don't behave in YOUR moral way?

Biden is 5 or 6 years younger than McCain. Your point is.......?????

and I might add Biden is no change at all and is the broken Washington Obama swore he was going to fix...Who is the change candidate now???? Certainly not Obama who would say and do anything to win.... Change...What a joke..Picks a man almost McCain's age and now all the liberals are having a heart attack... Palin is much more experienced than Mr. Community Organizer and Jr senator of 142 days who voted present in the senate.
Give us a break...

You are so right. And if something happens to Obama, then we continue to have old Washington in the Oval office. Goodness!

Big difference here is Palin's daughter was not President and she did not have sexual relations with someone in the White house pal. Oh, and by the way, she did not shake her finger at the whole country and deny it, did she? No, she admitted it and is having the baby and marrying the guy....by the way that is called CHARACTER. It is not hypocrisy, it is accuracy, try it some time. Comparing the 2 examples shows your limited and bias views.

Yorn, you're mistaken: 2 (or 3) wrongs do not make a right.

Her mom might have shown character when it counted by declining the VP shot so she could focus on her family. THAT my friend would have shown 'CHARACTER'.

Having a baby at 17, does not show 'character'. I would say it shows a choice but unfortunately I am under no delusion that her daughter had ANY choice or is aware of any alternative available to her. Having a baby at 17 is a choice but does not show 'character'.

Marrying the baby's daddy at 17 does not show 'character'. Perhaps it shows a choice but only if there was an alternative, again, I doubt there was any alternative made available to 'the kids'.

Riiight, because all moms who have daughters that get pregnant should quit their stressful jobs because pregnant daughter issues are only dealt with by Mom. Get a clue. If a person makes a very adult decision to have sex, if they get pregnant, make yet another adult decision and have the baby. Don't hide your choice under a rug like a little child. Notice, I did not say 'mistake', because babies are not mistakes...even if they come at suprising times, or have Down Syndrome, like Gov. Palin's. This woman is going strong, despite recent huge obsticles in her way. She is the perfect example of Women's Lib, which is why I'm so confused why some liberals are cutting her down. What happened to supporting a woman who is kicking butt in the state of Alaska, taking names, and is supporting her daughter? And this 'shotgun wedding' was a discussed matter before Bristol and her boyfriend Levi even found out they were pregnant.

Philissa,

I never said how ever many wrongs make anything right. You know that. Respond with a calm, well thought out blog please.

If you disagree with the idea that the daughter made a mistake 5 months ago, and is now trying to make it right, with what I call a decision with CHARACTER, what do you think she should do then? What would you do?

How long did it take you to figure that all out and put it into words?

The Palin-family issue(s), as you call it, have nothing to do with extremism. Religious extremism is a teenager strapping a bomb to his/her chest and blowing it up in a public arena because they've been brainwashed by the leaders of there religion to do so.

The Palin family is representative of the average American family: a family that holds certain ideals and standards to be true (in their particular case, conservative values), and strives to meet these standards in their daily lives. Unfortunately, no human being is perfect, and our inability to meet the standards we set for ourselves (or the standards we let our religion or other belief system set for us) in no way reflect a failure of religiousity or faith. Everyday people fail to attain to the standards and ideals they set for themselves. What reveals our true character is how we act in the aftermath of our failures.

Palin's daughter shows maturity and courage by accepting her role as a mother instead of rejecting the consequences for her behavior. And her behavior does not necessarily reflect failed parenting or an absent mother-turned-politician. Nor does her behavior prove anything concerning abstinence education. Sexual pressure in the life of a teenager is immense in today's culture; as is the pressure on America's mothers to juggle work and family. There are many pros and cons to having sex & getting pregnant out of wedlock, but I would argue that abstinence until marriage avoids a multitude of ugly consequences, and an education on "how to" only encourages an already conflicted generation of youth. My personal opinion is that the "how to" education should be optional and require parental permission, with abstinence the main focus of any gov't led program.

I chose abstinence, but my choice was not due to the sex-educator's view that stories of his own personal experience was the best education, or my parent's complete silence on the issue; my choice was based on my own conservative values mixed with watching my peers destroy their lives & their futures with multiple partners throughout elementary, junior high, & high school (yes, if you think your kids don't know about sex by the time they're 8 you're kidding yourself). I chose to set my standards higher than those of my peers, and now look forward to a more (statistically) satisfying marriage than any of them will ever attain.

Well stated. I am very proud of you and your decision. May you be blessed with a mate who holds himself in as high a regard as you have held yourself.

Have you even given this woman a chance to present how she sees the issues...Give me a break you Mrs. Know it all! Your mean spirit truly demonstrate how ugly it is to assume and make up stories.....< We have not even heard Mrs. Palin on any of the issues...you have not given her a chance-Shame on you!!! Mrs/Mr. Know it all!

Maybe you don't know her stance, Niliad, but those of us who have taken the time to research her speeches and policies when she ran for mayor and governor do. Funny that you seem to be accusing everyone else of not being informed and it seems in this case that you're the one who hasn't taken the time to inform yourself. Pot.....kettle.....

I believe that they probably support sex education by parents to child, rather that the "how to do it safely and in as many variations as possible" approach currently popular in government run public schools. Parental sex education ensures that the parents will also discuss values and beliefs, and actually incorporate right and wrong into the discussion.

Excuse me, but I actually teach sex ed to high school kids in ultra-liberal California and it absolutely is not "as many variations as possible". In fact we talk a lot of about the emotional impact of broken intimate relationships as a reason it just may be better to wait. We do say abstinence is the SAFEST path because even condoms do not prevent all STDs and all pregnancies.

Parent-taught sex ed presumes the parents and kids are comfortable talking to each other about intimate things. Many including, apparently Sarah and Bristol Palin, are NOT- presumes the parent and kids share the same values (often do not esp re: religion), presumes the parents actually have accurate information and knowledge of available resources- often they do not. Many of my inner city students are themselves the product of teen pregnancies, parents who dropped out of school and either went on welfare or to jail. Some are being raised by grandparents who did none too well with their own kids (or there wouldn't have been a need for granny to take over).

That is like saying parents should be teaching their kids 12th grade math and Shakespeare too- no need for professional teachers who are actually trained in appropriate content for teens. Some parents could do it, many could not.

It is great if families can talk among themselves about these things but a teen's health and welfare should not depend upon the parent's level of ability and knowledge. They need complete & accurate information about the workings of their body from professional health educators!

Wow, thank you for being so responsible, principal know-it-all.

How dare you claim the Palin's chose to "out" their daughter for political gain. If you know anything about your liberal media they would have outed Palin's daughter anyway. The Palins should be credited for being up front and honest about this issue. Which is more than you can say for all of the other candidates (Rep or Dem). And, please, their decision to marry is just that, their decision, not yours.

They did not "out" their daughter for political gain. The media handled the "outing" for them. They have asked for privacy. It is notable that the above comments came from a school principal. When watching Obama political adds, make note of how many are paid for by the NEA.

Hilarious...People have not any idea about education, nor do they behave any better than our middle schoolers. Notice that when they disagree with your opinions they resort to acting like an 11-year old and call you names like "principal know-it-all." Also, good luck in naming 5 principals in this country who are members of NEA! When you participate in dialogue you should act your age and know what you are talking about...it just makes democracy work better.

You do not know the whole situation...There goes another Mrs. Know it all...Do you know them personally? Do you know what and how they are going to work it out. Mind your own business and stop being judgemental and mean..Stop being controlling!! you do not know what the situation is.
Should Michelle stop working and focus on her children...They seemed like brats to me, interrupting at the convention, but if she permits this, that is her problem, if I permit my children to do this, which I have on many occasion it is my problem not others...so its time to mind our own business and focus on the issues.....everyone has their way! Wow I have never seen such
controlling and judgemental people. Watch your own families, watch your own children. You stay home if you want-

I know that she purposely brought a child into the world knowing he would have birth defects. That disgusts me!!! She selfishly had that baby knowing she was too old. When she obviously didn't have time to pay attention to the ones she already had.

Is this 2008 or 1908. Maybe we all got stuck in a time warp. Why cannot Todd take responsibility for the kids. I cannot believe that in this day we continue to speak of a woman's responsibiity to stay home and forget who you really are. Take care of the kids. I thank god every day that we no longer hide pg teens in closets or off to unwed homes. Thank god that the the female alone does not bear shame of pregnancy. This was not a virgin birth This is certainly not something we desire for our kids but it does happen, and why should the mother be blamed. I do agree that Sarah has had some extreme ideas on unwed mothers to include cutting funds for unweds so that it will not be encouraged. But let's look at her background and policies on subject not on Bristol. If you believe in the woman vote for her. If not vote Obama. The nomination of Palin caused me to make a decsion to vote for Obama,and I didn't even know that she had a pregnant 17 year old So what!!

"You do not know the whole situation...There goes another Mrs. Know it all...Do you know them personally? Do you know what and how they are going to work it out. Mind your own business and stop being judgemental and mean..Stop being controlling!! you do not know what the situation is.
Should Michelle stop working and focus on her children..."

Nilad, you really do sound like the ignoramus passing off as a Mr/Ms. Know-it-all. Shame that you are so blindsided by your enthusiasm towards Palin that you make unfair if not crazy comparisons. How can you liken Palin to Michelle Obama? I don't remember Mrs.Obama running for the position of a vice president or any other office in the White house so implying that she should quit anything for the sake of her children is an utterly ridiculous if not unintelligent thoughts spewing out of your mind. Now before hastily posting back a "scorching" reply, I would like you to take your time, breathe, and think straight before making any comments. I would hate you to sound any dumber than you already are.

Is there some reason why her husband cannot assume primary care of the family?

Niliad evidently DOES know them personally. 

You are finding joy in this? Wow, this country is worse off than I thought. Talk about adiquitly Vetting someone....did anyone Vet Obama? The guy has a grave yard full of skeleton's in his vast closet. By the way, would someone please tell me what great thing Obama has done for this country?
And what is he going to do that is so great....and how is he going to do it?
I can't wait foor the reply.

Yorn,
Finally someone with common sense! EVERYONE, and I do mean everyone, has skeletons in their closets.

I have no clue as to what Obama has done except give us lip service. Has he been in the Military? Nope. I am more proud of our Olympic participants that show respect for their Country and their Flag that I would be for a presidential candidate who shows no respect. btw, did the Democrats read Michelle Obama's college thesis?

Obama has run for president for two years, apparently that makes him qualified to be president. Obama hasn't been blasted with his past because anyone who says anything that could reflect poorly on him is labeled a racist.

No it was a great choice! The woman is brilliant and you will all see it...At least McCain had the guts to bring a woman in and we will see her in action... She is well respected in Alaska and she will knock our socks off.... Obama had the perfect woman and he was to insecure, his colognes went to his head and preferred an old man from the old same broken Washington. Hillary would have been a big change-a woman..The dream ticket people called it, but no..whe you have no guts...pass now, pay later...

You folks seem to have really strong opinions without knowing much about Obama or Palin's records. Here's a short list on Obama, since that's what you asked about. You can start with this list and then use 'the google' if you want more....

-Obama passed legislation with Republican Senator Jim Talent to give gas stations a tax credit for installing E85 ethanol refueling pumps. The tax credit covers 30 percent of the costs of switching one or more traditional petroleum pumps to E85, which is an 85 percent ethanol/15 percent gasoline blend.

-After a number of inmates on death row were found innocent, Senator Obama worked with law enforcement officials to require the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases.

-His first law was passed with Republican Tom Coburn, a measure to rebuild trust in government by allowing every American to go online and see how and where every dime of their tax dollars is spent.

-Obama created the Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income working families in 2000 and successfully sponsored a measure to make the credit permanent in 2003. The law offered about $105 million in tax relief over three years.

-Obama joined forces with former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon (D-IL) to pass the toughest campaign finance law in Illinois history. The legislation banned the personal use of campaign money by Illinois legislators and banned gifts from lobbyists. Before the law was passed, one organization ranked Illinois worst among 50 states for its campaign finance regulations.

-As a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Senator Obama has fought to help Illinois veterans get the disability pay they were promised, while working to prepare the VA for the return of the thousands of veterans who will need care after Iraq and Afghanistan.

-He traveled to Russia with Republican Dick Lugar to begin a new generation of non-proliferation efforts designed to find and secure deadly weapons around the world.

-Obama has been a leading advocate for protecting the right to vote, helping to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act and leading the opposition against discriminatory barriers to voting.

- In the U.S. Senate, Obama introduced the STOP FRAUD Act to increase penalties for mortgage fraud and provide more protections for low-income homebuyers, well before the current subprime crisis began.

-Obama sponsored legislation to combat predatory payday loans, and he also was credited with lobbied the state to more closely regulate some of the most egregious predatory lending practices.

-Barack Obama introduced the Patriot Employer Act of 2007 to provide a tax credit to companies that maintain or increase the number of full-time workers in America relative to those outside the US; maintain their corporate headquarters in America; pay decent wages; prepare workers for retirement; provide health insurance; and support employees who serve in the military.

-Obama worked to pass a number of laws in Illinois and Washington to improve the health of women. His accomplishments include creating a task force on cervical cancer, providing greater access to breast and cervical cancer screenings, and helping improve prenatal and premature birth services.

-Obama has introduced and helped pass bipartisan legislation to limit the abuse of no-bid federal contracts.

-Obama and Senator Feingold (D-WI) took on both parties and proposed ethics legislation that was described as the "gold standard" for reform. It was because of their leadership that ending subsidized corporate jet travel, mandating disclosure of lobbyists' bundling of contributions, and enacting strong new restrictions of lobbyist-sponsored trips became part of the final ethics bill that was signed into law.

Gailse:
Oh my God...Another know it all..Get a life, Who are you to be telling people you do no tknow nor know anything about them. How dare you take these liberties...Why don't you tell Obama to stop running, he has notexperience and he has kids tooo or tell Michelle. Give me a break..Your are nosey, judgemental and its non of your beeswax...my God stick to the issues. Get a life!

Believe me, the kids in Alaska...and the vallery are, in general, far less sexually active than the kids outside. As one who is a medical provider who moved from another area outside....way down south...I am flabbergasted that so many high schools kids have not had any sexual activity.....It is unfortunate about Bristol, but life goes on....she isn't the first, and she won't be the last.....

George, not sure where you are a medical provider, but if it was in Alaska, especially here in the valley you would know Alaska has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the nation, and we are number for domestic violence, sexual assault and child neglect and endagerment. Think there is a connection?

FOX news is biased, and equally so is NBC,CBS and ABC etc. The difference is, Fox is conservative and the others are liberal.

It is curious that Fox news is considered conservative. They challenge both sides equally, and do not pander to either party. Since they alone do not pander to the Democratic party, they are hailed as conservative, when in fact they are equally hard on both parties, if necessary. Is it because they do not worship in Obama's temple that they look more conservative? Too me, Fox news looks rational! I mean, Katy Couric doing yoga in Obama's temple? Serious new, right?

Go back further: Jeremiah Wright-Radical Racist-anti American
Farrakhan-Anti American-visiting enemies that would like to hurt America
Ayers-that bombed America
all above- Obama's associates of TWENTY YEARS.... so lets not be all that Almighty and start talking about a child!
I would not vote for Obama with all these associates of Twenty years! Twenty Years!!!!! Vote for Obama? You MIGHT wind up like in bed with Osama!! We don't know who Obama is!
as far as I am concern he is Risky Obami!

Stop ranting. You are not speaking on fact. That is the problem with repub conservatives, they never look or deny fact. It is really sad what is happening in the repub party and that you all are so naive. This entire thing has become about ego not facts. It is unfortunate that Mr McCain did not select a more suitable running mate. My guess, Palin will help him to lose the election. Yes, it does matter what is going on in her family. She is now a public figure. There is no privacy for public figures. People should be intelligent enough to understand that. Just look at celebrities.

Well yes, let's go back:

Reverend Hagee - anti American (hates Louisiana, more specifically New Orleans)

G. Gordon Liddy - convicted felon for his acts in Watergate, also a non-apologist who tells people to shoot for the head if the ATF comes calling

Al Quaida - endorses McCain (Osama even knew the guy WHAT?!?!?  Twenty YEARS AGO???) 

fair comparisons.  now, AGAIN, if Sarah had shut her big mouth about how she's for abstinence, and for anti-abortion legislation (how for it I don't know, cuz she didn't veto it in Alaska) she wouldn't be under the scrutiny she's under. 

When you're not busy trying to SHOVE your perfect religion down other people's throat, there tends not to be analytical, wrong or not, comparisons of your PERFECTIONS vs. your HUMANITY.  None of us is perfect, and we don't have to know everyone in the U.S. personally, Niliad to know this, so if we're NOT perfect then quit trying to show that you ARE and people will get off your back. 

I agree that for the most part, people vilify pregnant young girls, they lambast them for being sexually active (not the boy mind you) and they throw crap at them, like "welfare mom!"  and if the girl gives the baby up for adoption, she's heartless and without a soul, but if she keeps the baby, she's unthinking of the welfare of the child, and a selfish brat, and god TOTALLY forbid an abortion.  Any way a girl looks at it, she's dead in the water.  Now to have Palin espouse her religious views as those for the REST of the country is tasteless.  For people to see a HUGE flaw in Palin's belief therein, is perfectly legitimate.  It is also legitimate to BELIEVE in her beliefs if you so choose.  Just don't go around touting your god-serving mission to shove it down MY throat. 

the moral character of Palin's daughter was NEVER brought into question, the truth is, the kid is too young to have a full ability to make adult decisions in her life.  She might be making some (as she did when she slept with the other kid) but that proves she is yet in the teenage stage of more wrong decisions that right and not a lot of experience.  The girl should NEVER have been thrust into the limelight this way, she might have been "outed" as some of you would say, but again, that would have made the MEDIA look bad, not Palin. 

Palin implied a wrong on the part of her daughter in quickly adding "don't worry, she's going to marry the dad."  Okay, if the preganancy was NOT wrong, why does adding a marriage to a young kid make it rightER?  GOD FORBID the girl KEEP THE BABY AND REMAIN SINGLE until she learns enough in life to do it the right way for HERSELF.  Cuz then the Republicans would have to turn their backs... or would they?  Would this then be the one HOLY conception that all Republicans could agree upon?  Or would PLEASE let this be the case, Palin's daughter have the courage and the moral fortitude to take this as an opportunity to DENOUNCE all denunciations of pregnant girls?  And to stand forth and tell EVERYONE that to publicly humiliate ANY woman for her decisions about her child is WRONG. 

If she won't, I will.  For those who say this is off limits, I agree, but then STOP your moral chastizing of ANY pregnant woman, or single mom. 

dagman. I am of the opinion the daughter's baby should be submitted to DNA testing so America can learn the truth about who the real pappy is. Isn't there a mystery about why Mac chose her? Did you notice how embarrassed Mac is around her; he literally blushes and can barely look in her direction. Like, they have this little secret.

whitetrash, I don't really care who the pappy is. Again, this is not the point. The point is that this is just a flat out poor decision by John McCain to even pick her. I would wonder more who advised McCain to make this pick.

"white trash" is wacked! You have no good information. Please go elsewhere to listen to yourself.

Hey DMYR, your comment on the secessionist party has already been proven bogus but don't expect to read that in your talking points from the Daily Koz. As for the ethics investigation, more info has been released on that also and don't expect anything to come from it. Oh by the way, the reason the family were talking to the state police on the matter was that they had been threatened by the man in question. Now, you want proof of what the media and democratic party are really about? Had Gov Palin come out and said her 17-year-old daughter planned to have an abortion they would be pushing Biden out of the way to get her on their ticket.

What matters is, this dingaling best represents the thinking of all the brainwashed drones, human garbage and Neanderthals. She is inverse to everything that is class, dignity, a higher level of consciousness and a thinking, reasoning intellect.

At least think of something new. Call one of you one friend, they can help you out.

It's real easy to spot a supporter of Hussein Obama, the person who is quoted to say that "when the going gets tough for the Muslim's, he will make his stand with them". Spoken like a true Indonesian born American...

Obama's experience-Community Organiser, 142 days in the Senate as a Jr. Senator!
and he not running for President? OMG

Mreman and Niliad,
You really are ranting and raving...You are not contributing anything that is true or is of substance. Democracy works with dialogue that is rooted in truth and substance. Your comments are just sad.

That's nice.  Did you hear Obama himself saying Families are OFF LIMITS?  He wasn't just talking about his own kids.  His campaign did NOT go out and blast away at the pregnancy of Palin's daughter.