Bristol Palin calls teen motherhood ‘hard work’

Momma Palin makes you nervous, huh?

not nervous, frightened

Yes, she scares the hell outta' me... Something about reckless divide, ego and stupidity wrapped into a seductive package ought to frighten any sane individual.

Are you talking about Obama or Palin?

This teen's story is as old as Time. Only these days, less shame, less marriages. But, less abortions too. Abstinence (the perfect world solution) is not adequate, but at least the girl stopped with the party line long enough to say get protection if having sex.

Teen pregnancy costs are high, surely this girl's child, unless the grandparents are now his legal guardians and financially responsible, is on medicaid. How else could a jobless teen provide medical care? At least the teen mother, unlike the father, will graduate high school. Pretty sad scenario, but repeated throughout the land all too often.

It's too bad this kid is being run out there to save her mother's political career. Sarah has absolutely no scruples when it comes to gaining a political advantage. It's sad, but at least it's entertaining. I wonder if they'll be on Maury before 2012. I hope so.

"The results of the DNA test are in!...."

This is a laugh out loud train wreck.

"Abstinence" didn't work for her. And now she expects others to listen?

You reap what you sow.

Rick in BH,

Your comment: "

Yes, she scares the hell outta' me... Something about reckless divide, ego and stupidity wrapped into a seductive package ought to frighten any sane individual."

Sounds like you could be talking about Obama.  All you have to do is change the "she" to "he" in your comment.

Reckless divide- Spending more than any president in our history

Ego- Yep Obama has a HUGE ego- Thinks he knows everything when he in fact knows very little about the economy and foreign relations.

Stupidity- Definite Marxist views and he can't make a speech without a teleprompter.  What's up with that anyway?

The discussions on this message board just crack me up! I can't believe how many "followers" whether Liberal of Conservative. Everyone is so 100% SURE their view is the right answer to every question and situation. Oh yeah, and how everything is "politcially" motivated. What a joke!

Now, let's see...if you abstain from the action, you won't have the result, right? So abstaining is the best possible way to avoid pregnancy, right? The argument that it's not reasonable is an argument for lack of self control...you are condoning lack of self control. Murderers have a lack of self control, so I guess that is okay to (I'm not talking about abortion here)

Bottomline:

1. If you don't do it, it won't happen.

2. "Safe Sex" is not 100% effective

3. So if you don't want to get pregnant...don't the ONLY thing you can do to get pregnant.

Whether you are liberal or conservative, this logic makes sense and works 100% of the time.

Abortions should only be used if a person was violated by another, my opinion.

Alan,

Who makes speeches in this age without a teleprompter? Did you watch the Republicans campaign last year or the RNC? Everyone uses a teleprompter. It is the easiest and best way to keep your speeches on track. No fumbling with papers and losing your place.

Alan you are right.......and Obama is to be feared for sure.

What a dolt! As if she's anything special. She just has a right wing/populist mom, which emphasizes the hypocrisy of her talk not matching up with her walk.

Teens + unprotected sex = pregnancy. Is that new to human history? Hardly.

To right wing evangelicals she is a mother. Other teens in the same position would be called trash or troubled teens. Here is a prime example of abstinance, instead of the pill or other contraceptives. Lets look at the upside of this situation and put a good spin on this stituation--Momma Sarah running for national office...needs to look good!!! Gag.

This has nothing to do with Obama. This has to do with Sarah and Todd Palin running their teen daughter out in front of cameras to hold their illegitimate grandson and tell us how abstinence only education is an effective means to avoid teen pregnancy.

All irony is lost if you focus on Obama! Come on people! This is great stuff.

No Paintdreamer, liberals are Nazi's. Think about it, they want to interfere with every facet of your life; self protection laws; moniter everything we do, etc.

Who tells me I can't do what I want to my own body? Who wants me to pray to their god in school? Who wants to tell me what plants I can ingest? Who wants to listen to my phone calls and read my email without a warrant? Who wants to detain me without due process? Who embraces imperialism and wants to be the world's police, all at my expense? That's what a Nazi is.

Bristol Palin "I'm not here to talk about my personal life." UH DUH moron, you're on TV talking about what a blessing your baby is, how many bottles you make and diapers you change (like any of us really believe Mommy and her staff isn't helping), it doens't get any more personal then THAT. You were a teen screwing your boyfriend in your mother's house while she was force feeding her BS views on abstinence down everyone else's throat even though she was allowing her teen daughter's boyfriend to spend the night in her house. I want the PALIN'S OFF MY TV and out of view....they are frighteningly ignorant individuals who have no business preaching anything to anyone!

As for the teen pregnancy, it happens...I was a teen mother, I got pregnant the very first time I had sex (using a condom...it broke) and I am now 38, my son is 22 and I am a first time Grandma to a five month old adorable grandson. Yes it IS hard but things HAPPEN we don't plan for in life and you just have to make the best of every situation. Whenever anyone asks me the age of my children (22, 12, 7) they ask me my age next and I can actually see them formulating the age difference in their heads, like OH she was a TEENAGER. Bristol Palin is NOT a role model and her mother is just the most annoying and ignorant person I've ever seen elected to office. I'm glad they are not in Washington because they certainly do not speak for me, my family or anyone else I konw. GO AWAY PLEASE!

Enough of the Palin's!!!! Please go away and quit reporting on them every time they sneeze.

Hey MSN How Come Your Not Reporting on the Border Patrol Catching the Illegal Bus Driver that was Caught Today Trying to Cross Back Over the Border to Avoid being Prosecuting for Murdering TWO People in Dec.! What it's not a Pro-Illegal Story!!!

Well keep reporting the sob stories about illegals to help pushing to keep cheap labor.

Sorry Newsvine readers but I had No other way of contacting them directly.

Erin in Iowa- Talk about two-faced. In your missive you are showing your colors. You put down Bristol because you don't like her mother and then talk about you being a teen mother and how it is hard and things happen that you don't plan for. So, it's okay for you and others but not okay for them because of who they are. Get real. Her mother may preach abstinence is better (which it is) but kids will do what they will do, in some cases no matter how hard parents try. You are a classic example, by your own admission. My husband raised three kids, the first two who never gave him any trouble and the last who was trouble all through high school and after before he got his life on track. He was treated the same. It happens.

And she can be a role model by telling her story and encouraging kids to wait and get their life in place before they have kids. She should know, she's been there. Do you encourage your kids to do what you did just because you did it? Probably not. Many people who have been on drugs are the best spokespeople for staying off drugs because they went through the problems. People will listen to them before they listen to someone who has not been on drugs.

It's life, have some compassion. All people need to think about if it was your neighbor's daughter would you be so mean to her or is it just because you don't like her mother. She seems like a well-adjusted girl who made a mistake. She is going to school and getting her life back on track just like you did. Get over who her mother is.

des,

Obama takes the teleprompter everywhere. He is lost without it. I have no problem with politicians using it for major speaches, but for news confrences- not needed. Hell, he probably takes it with him to read bedtime stories to his kids! Its a joke.

Alan, why do you care?

Would you agree with his policies if it weren't for that daggone teleprompter? For some reason I doubt it.

And what does this have to do with Bristol Palin?

I am now 32yrs old and I had a child when I ws 16. I understand what it feels like to be under fire for a child having a child. I was just a teenager who made a bad decision. She is just a teenager who made a bad decision. I'm sure that every person who has made a comment here has at some point made a bad decision that they have had consequences for. Out of these bad decisions we have to turn them into good, to learn from them. Raising a child at that age was the most difficult thing I have ever done. But I had him, so I had to make the most of it, and whether it was right or wrong how he entered this world, he was still my child, a blessing to me that I loved and cherished. Abstinence is the answer, but lets face it, its not happening. So the best thing we can do is to help educate these children. This has nothing to do with politics or Nazis, this is just life!

guess Bristol learned the hard way that parents aren't just blowing smoke. No abstinence isn't easy, especially in this society, but then nothing worth having is easy.

Name the society where abstinence is easy!

I can tell you it is not a long lived society. HA! If men had a surefire way to have sex and no kids, we sure as hell wouldn't have 6 billion people on this planet. As soon as that reliable male birth control pill comes out, this country's population goes down overnight.

To Tammylou and Madmaxine...Got any ideas how to get the guys to keep it where it belongs so abstinence can be 100% effective? If there is one gender that intensely dislikes, from the day of birth, the word "NO", it's the one that for thousands of years thinks babies and mommies go together like peanut butter and jelly. You two make me laugh. Both of you are preaching your gospels of abstinence to the wrong gender. It's easy to tell a young 15 year old girl to abstain. Try telling that to a 15 year old boy. Not gonna happen. In 62 years, I've yet to see one....just one....male say "NO" to any girl. Or, to "abstain" from a sexual encounter heading in the wrong direction. But then, one might suppose you two think that's okay. After all, it's easier to continue old history and preach to the girls and not the boys from birth.

ewent:

It's like Chris Rock's bit on platonic friends. "Men don't have platonic friends. Men have friends they haven't had sex with YET." Women have friends that are break-glass-in-case-of-emergency friends.

Hi-freaking-larious!

Schwann....Too funny. My expertise on men comes from life in an all male world. You know what was really absurd? My 7 brothers knew their peers so well, that their over-protection of me was enough to make me dizzy. It was pretty amusing watching them protect me from their male friends.

Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol is proof of her ungrounded family life. Life emulates life..........Sarah Palin is into promoting Sarah Palin..........why did she have all these children if she didn't want to nurture, teach and raise them? Statistics prove that a large percentage of working mother's would love the chance to stay at home and raise their children. A career in politics..............is time consuming, traveling, speeches, meetings and all that goes into preparing for said responsibilities. Todd Palin has his interests, jobs etc..................who is rearing all the Palin children?? No one should have an abortion............but if you have the child/children they need selfless mothering. Motherhood is a reponsibility.......... many are abdicating their responsibility due to financial needs or career needs............and our children are suffering.

Checkerbattery, sounds like you are STILL talking about Liberal Nazi's, hence former hippies, probably just like you. I AM NOT A REPUBLICAN NOR A CONSERVATIVE. I do NOT beleive in God or religion. I am a MODERATE, so lets get that clear right now, shall we? I despise BOTH liberals and hard core conservatives. Rush and O'Reilly are as big a joke as that one nut on MSNBC (of course I cant recall his name right now...white guy, grey hair, funky glasses...Keith Oberman?). He is JUST as bad.

I dont care what you do with or to your body, or even if you kill yourself. Big deal. I am, however, against abortion being used as a birth control device due to lack of ANY responsibility by either party and am against people cramming their ideals down my throat...Bush, Obama, liberals, conservatives, hate groups, homo's, christians, etc. You name it.

I just cant believe in this day and age, we cant accept EVERYONE for who or what they are. Isnt there enough room for everyone and their way of life? Oh that's right, I am a smoker, and therefore I dont count. That is how the mentality is out there. Where are MY rights?

Due Process detention: Both Liberals and conservatives (I have worked in the criminal justice field for 20 years and know case law, precedent, etc).

Your body: This one SCREAMS liberals...except abortion (i.e: smoking; seat belts, etc)

Plants to ingest: Duh, liberals!! Unless you are talking MJ, then I believe that should be legal or decriminalized.

Invasion of Privacy: Kind of mixed, both Dems and Repub's, but mostly Liberals...got to know everthing there is about you so we can sell you what you dont need and keep record of it. However, wiretapping, etc...was a result of 911. I didnt recall hearing Obama complaining then.

World Police: Another mixed one...both Dems and Repub's. And NO we shouldnt intervene unless it is a threat to us as a nation.

Prayer in school: Liberals...because they are so quick to acknowledge OTHER religions first, but denounce christianity...which AGAIN I do not believe in God. However, am not against prayer in school, or "Merry Christmas".

Please do a little more homework next time.

Hey, Tripp will be the first of many more white trash kids to come. She'll have 5 under her belt before she's 28. Something fun to look forward to.

Bristol looks like octomom when you look at her face.

Joe American,

I'm interested in the basis for your not wanting anyone to use abortion as "birth control." If you claim to be non-partisan and an atheist, I'd love to know what the driving force is behind that belief.

SoupMom, recklessness maybe? I'm an atheist, but I don't like the idea of abortion being used as birth control. I believe that someone should only have an abortion is the mother's life is in danger, it was from a rape/incest, etc., and depending on the situation, affordability of the baby (just being pregnant can cost you money). I see it as laziness that someone who wouldn't take precautions can keep having an abortion over and over again.

Unfortunatley, I knew someone like that. She used abortion as a birth control. Wouldn't it be easier to buy the condoms or the pill than the procedure?

She does NOT think this baby is a mistake. But I guess if you just want to kill your fetus and never accept responsibility for your choices than that is your choice. Otheriwise, some people out there have morals, and pay for their mistakes. But your way is a lot easier, get pregnant, kill the fetus, get pregnant, kill the fetus, get pregnant, kill the fetus...nice. I really look up to you, NOT!

wondered how many so called 'liberal' haters would be on here.

Her father called the baby a mistake. These people need to quit exploiting their daughter for political gain. Once that baby goes to school, how many of the kids are going to tease him about being a mistake and having no father.

And for the record, birth control, not telling a kid to abstain from sex works!

Naw... they'll just tease him about his name. Or maybe a physical feature. Kids are kids, and pretty cool when young. They don't pull out the heavy hurt until older.

One lesson I learned while raising my niece and my own kids... never never call them a mistake or regret their birth... I really believe that life itself is a blessing and not a mistake. What the mistake and regret should be is the circumstances surrounding their conception/ birth. Telling a kid that you wish you had THEM later in life or under better circumstances is a lot better than saying that they were a mistake.

Giving Todd Palin the benefit of a doubt, I believe he meant her getting pregnant out of wedlock and as a teen was the mistake, not Tripp himself. I don't believe in automatically painting a tail, horns, and goatee on someone just because they belong to a specific party.

She does NOT think this baby is a mistake.

That's right. She's just explaining that even though her, umm, error is really a blessing, she wouldn't want anyone else to make the same, umm, error. Even though it's really a blessing. Really it is. Just not for anyone else.

In all seriousness, the last thing this world needs is another unwanted child. The jails are already full of them.

Thank you that was my thought. I'm so tired of people walking around with signs pro choice. It's not your choice or your business if a person has an abortion. I would rather see someone have an abortion than beat, shake, or molest a 6 month old baby. We need tougher laws for men to step up to the plate, pay & take responsiblity. It's not all the womens fault. If there were stiffer laws and a guy knew he would have to pay I bet he would keep it in his pants more or take some of the responsibility for birth control

Why not just make it that every time a child is born because the mother was detered from having an abortion, whether anti-abortionists used scare tactics or harassed her or the doctor let their morals get in the way, the anti-abortionists have to pay for child support and all the medical bills.

The only reason it got deleted was because it had good pro-life points. And media liberals do not like that.

So go to a conservative blog....(are there any left?)

tyler, exactly what was personal about my initial statement? If pro-abortion people want to attack Bristol Palin for having her baby, then it stands to reason there must be some pride in having an abortion.

Isn't he the one that had a problem with meth?

Yeah, I think so.

The rumor was that momma pulled strings to get her oldest out of "trouble" and into the military, and straightened out. Another old story, ship 'em off and let the military change them. Hope it works, for the kid's sake.

Track was also born 7 months after Told and Sara were married (eloped). So Todd talking about a mistake should look at himself and the mistake he and Sara made so many years ago. AND then they go talking about abstinence only.....hypocrites!!!!

Where is the evidence that Track had a meth issue? I think that it is from the same type of rumor mill regarding Obama's passport.

Hey people the election is over!

And by the way, my parents were married 7 years before I came along and I was 2 months early. Maybe Track was a Preemie?

Neonatal, and Obstetric care has improved alot since I was born. Premature infants have better successful survival rates now.

Yeah I hear that your first baby always come early. That's what my very conservative grandmother said about my father.

You are correct. Real sex education should include an emphasis on the fact that every child deserves an intact home, with parents who are committed to one another and each other. Real sex education includes instructing young girls on the value of themselves and what they can contribute to society, outside of being a plaything for some boy. Real sex education includes instructing kids on the importance of respecting themselves and each other, and that they are not animals, and that they can discipline their minds, bodies, and actions.Real sex education includes an emphasis on personal responsibility to ourselves, each other, and to the unborn.Real sex education describes the importance of fatherhood and motherhood. Not just how to do it, but why and when, and how the consequences can change your life. This could shut down Jerry Springer and Maury Povitch, of course.

So when are we going to start teaching our BOYS not to treat our young women like playthings?

When girls stop letting them. It takes two to tango and two to have sex and make a baby. When a girl says, NO, she should mean it. Otherwise that sexual act is called rape.............

Right around the same time that girls (and women) refuse to be someone's plaything.

Check out MSN any time, any day: Shop Flirty Dresses ! Ten Things That Really Turn Him On ! Tricks To Make You Look Younger/Thinner/Sexier ! It's pathetic.

So the boys are not responsible for their behavior? They can continue to run around and behave like animals? I don't think so. If men want women to stop considering them as the "lesser sex" then they need to step up to the plate and behave like humans.

We do need to teach the boys that women are not sex objects and to respect and value a girl for as a whole and not a body parts to be used as a game. Teach the teens that can be a very emotional attachment to sex and that it might pleasure the body... it can break hearts more so.

Doesn't help when the media goes gaga over people like Anna Nicole, Pamela Anderson, Brittany Spears and Lindsey Lohan. The media treats them like sex toys- they barely dress (or wear underwear) and the media adores them. Or male artist (actors and singers) are treated like playboys, listing all the beautiful females they get hanging all over them. Pays attention to them. It's human nature for our teens to have the approval of not only their parents but their peers as well. Which message is getting out to the kids... sex sells, sex will bring you attention and boys objectify the gals and they will come running to you. Not a very good message when you want to stop teen pregnancies. Personally I think that soap operas are the worse. Heck they are worse than nighttime television.

I do agree abstinence is the ONLY 100% guarantee against getting pregnant or getting an STD. You can try to downplay it but you can't deny it. Realistically though.. mistakes happen- and they do need to know how to protect themselves. So it can not be approached with a single message.. it needs to be approached from every angle with self respect and respecting the other in the forefront, abstinence up next then protection.

I know this may sound crazy but girls like sex too.

Add to that list SI.com.(Sports Illustrated) A boy (or girl) may want to read about sports and scores of games, but go to that location right now and tell me what you see. What do very brief bathing suits on models have to do with sports? Also, why do we need a (half naked) swimsuit edition? Let's clean things up!!

I agree with you both God Bless and MKC. But I remember when I had sex ed in JR High; they taught us all of that PLUS had images to back it up. I'm not just taking about teen moms talking about how hard it is to be a teen parent. I'm talking about the scary images of what the Sexually Transmitted Diseases looked like. UGH! I waited til I was 20.

MsDiyya, they did the same thing at my high school with the images and the video of women giving birth. We still got 3 who became pregnant.

I was in a store in one of those outlet malls and saw thong undies in size 6x! Isn't that little girl size? Now, who is buying that stuff? Not the media, and not Hollywood! It's convenient to blame that nameless bad media borg, or those sin-city types, but it's the Mamas buying that particular product.

"Real sex education should include an emphasis on the fact that every child deserves an intact home, with parents who are committed to one another and each other."

What bull@!$%# on so many levels. The number of parents a child has, their relationship to the child, their gender, sexual orientation or number, level of committment isn't as important as the quality and consistancy of the parenting itself.

The largest number of unwed, single parent and divorced homes in the USNA come from those who identify themselves as xtians, not surprisingly.

Sex ed now is a joke. Parents go all nervous when schools try to educate their kids about sex, but they don't take the responsibility either, feeling uncomfortable to talk to ther kids about their body, relationships, responsibility. I remember growing up in a very Catholic atmosphere, and yet by age 7 i already new where babies come from, that i'd get my period in a few years, that boys and girls have different body parts and i knew exactly what these body parts where used for. Both my parents AND my Catholic school were very open when explaining how my body worked included sex and reproduction.

I don't get why people get so nervous about this in America. We treat bodies and sex with a double standard: we're fascinated by the privates of celebrities who forget their underwear, yet we freak out if a two year old runs butt naked on the beach (this happened to my little cousin, he run away from his mom when she was changing him at the beach, and a lifeguard told us we should get him dressed or leave immediately, as we were making some people uncomfortable... Seriously!!!!). We can buy the "best" in pronography, but FREAK out about 2 seconds of nipple on national TV.

Let's get a grip on reality, stop freaking out about sex like a bunch of thirteen year olds and treat our bodies with respect.

LOL @ Checkmate-983933. Yeah we had one in my class get pregnant as well.

Why do you think God or mother nature created us with an active sex drive at 13 or 14 years old? Our bodies were meant to start having sex in our teens. The devil doesn't fuel our sex drive(like many religious nuts seem to believe).

Sex isn't wrong in itself as long as both persons are consenting and understand the consequences(via sex ed).

I don't agree with abortion for "mistakes", but I don't believe I have the right to make the choice for someone else.

When all the anti abortionist extremists start adopting unwanted children themselves, I might take them more seriously.

Yeah, MsDiyya, but was one of them an Honor student? *laughs* I still laugh when I was told that we should look up to teachers and to the honor students because they were better than us.

Not that I can recall but I know she did not stay in school long afterward. I can say that I never saw an "obviously" pregnant teen when I was in school (jr high or high school years.) It was still consisdered an embarrasement to be a pregnant teenager.

Well said American Lobo!

This isn't news in Alaska either. When I lived there almost every girl was pregnant by the age of seventeen. A lot of girls got pregnant at fourteen. It is nothing new in Alaska, it is just new to the rest of the United States. People need something to make a fuss over. But honestly, she is doing the best she can.

What else are you supposed to do in the winter, when it is light for 4 hours a day, do drugs and have sex I guess. I have a friend who grew up in the lower 48 and one who grew up in Wassila and both kind of tell the same Alaska story. The one from my childhood ended up addicted to coccain. He became hooked on it while working in the fish industry at his summer and winter jobs in college. It was not discovered until after he graduated and was fired from his first job after 2 months. My friend that grew up in Wassila said his parents made sure to get him as far away as possible from his friends after HS. He ended up going to college in on the east coast of the US, and his parents moved to Washington. They did this to escape what he told me was a culture of drugs and dead end lives.

In all honesty who cares, but if the GOP wants to let the Palin circus continue four years from now let them, because no one will buy it again. For those of you who have children can you imagine parading your pregnant daughter all over TV like she is the bearded lady at the circus? In all honesty is not a Demo vs. Repub thing folks it is comon sense family values and this crew is seriously lacking in that dept.

Yea, in Arkansas, they preach abstinence and then close their eyes to their kids having sex. They don't teach safe sex because that would be 'condoning' their children to HAVE sex!! WHATEVER!! I taught all my girls about safe sex, using birth control, and how to get it if they didn't feel comfortable coming to me about it (the Health Dept gives out FREE birth control without parental consent!). My two 18 year olds are still virgins and my 26 year old is pregnant with her first child that her and her man PLANNED. People are mammals and mammals have sex. As for abortion, well, if it is in the best interest of the mother and the baby in some cases, then do it in the first trimester, otherwise put it up for adoption. Oh wait, no one wants to adopt a drug-addicted or sickly baby, now do they? Well, just add that child to the growing list of sexually and physically abused children in this country whose parents chose life.

Bristol is a hyppocrite just like her mom!

So, if she just said "I have sex all the time and used protection and got pregnant anyway" it would be okay? If you would stop hating her because of her mother and actually pay attention, she said abstinence is the best way not to get pregnant (and it is) but it's not realistic. She is saying she loves her baby, but it is a very difficult, changed lifestyle now. That is a fact.

She is obviously a strong headed young lady and she agreed to several interviews without telling her parents. They are not parading her.

This has nothing to do with dems vs repubs. This is a young girl who has been through a teen pregnancy that happens to be well known so she is asked about it and decided that is what she wants to do, talk about it. Just like an actor who talks about politics or causes because he is known and people pay attention.

"She is obviously a strong headed young lady and she agreed to several interviews without telling her parents. They are not parading her."

Name ONE interview she has given without having a parent right there.

lol...

woulda, coulda, shoulda...too late bristol. bad role model.

I expect that Mr. Palin mispoke. I expect he meant that the pregnancy was a mistake - they do not strike me as a family that would do anything but love and accept a new life. Perhaps this is what happens when you don't rely on a teleprompter. As parents, we raised our children to value themselves and to wait for marriage - we have six children, and only 50% of them heeded our value system. While we have not had any unexpected pregnancies as yet, they certainly are all living their own lives in the way they see fit. While this is dissapointing to us, I think that children make their own choices, no matter how they are raised. And we love and accept our children and their partners, to the best of our ability.

God bless America

Give me a break. The guy said what was on his mind that is why they are changing the kids name to "the mistake".

dal, it sounded like he was saying that getting pregnant was the mistake, but the baby was not. It was a mistake on the mother's part to get pregnant. But looked at how it was corrected: she's raising the baby.

The baby is not a mistake, it's a blessing, and every teenage girl should have one.

The only good thing to come out of all this, was that last year's GOP covention was a first.... the first time in recent years that teenage pregnancy was not blamed for the economic and moral decline of the country.

I don't know about every teenage girl. Are they responsible? Will they learn from the situation? The reason why I bring this up is that I am slowly seeing a growing number of teens who get pregnant, either give the baby up, keep it, or give it to the care of their parents. . .and then get pregnant again. And these are teens that don't have a job and/or either don't care. It's complete ignorance.

As for Bristol, she got pregnant once and she is raising the baby. Maybe she learned from the situation. Who can truly tell until some time passes.

Being an unplanned pregnancy does not mean adoption is the best choice for a woman and the child. Many people are a result of an unplanned pregnancy (me, for one !) and I know my parents want and love me. Being "planned" does not give a guarantee to everything going smoothly.

And to "gOD Bless America", what makes you so sure your adult children haven't had any unplanned pregnancies ? Do you think you would be provided information regarding an unplanned pregnancy ? People do have some right to medical privacy...

Sandy - me too, I say I was my mother's engagement ring. They stayed married almost 25 years, but kid #4 was unplanned too - the middle ones were "planned".

Good point on the "what makes you so sure your adult children haven't had any unplanned pregnancies"... my parents still don't know that my sister ended one, over 20 years ago. She is married today with 2 lovely elementary age kids. We don't talk about it.

Due to lack of shame today, adoption of infants has steadily been on the decline for a long time. Older kids with issues are available - no shortage there.

"I wish that she had also discussed other options-- not just abstinence, but giving the baby up for adoption to a loving home, etc. Most teenagers today keep their babies, and there are many wonderful would-be parents that can not have children. "

Like there are so many willing adoptive parents waiting in the wings for another po' white trash blond hair blue eyed Aryan baby to adopt./sarcasm

Must be nce to live in denial.

And Father Palin is right, it is a mistake. The mistake that he and his socktwat wife were hypocrites with their own children.

Dowser, neither Gramma or Grampa Palin care much what label Tripp ends up. He's their ticket to the White House. Their phony attempts at rallying sympathy from the public in some ambiguous plot of heroism is not happening.

Heleva dear--

I took a very good friend of mine last week to a fertility clinic, and discussed this very subject with other women in the waiting area while my friend had her 'procedure'. Every woman there, but one, said that adoption was an alternative for them if fertility treatment didn't work out. Several women made the comment that they couldn't find a baby to adopt, because many teenagers are keeping their infants. Most of them stated that they wanted 'normal' children, not crack-head babies. While a lot of you out there may bristle at that statement, it takes a very special kind of person to adopt a child that you know is likely to have severe problems growing up. Not that I don't know several couples that have done just that, as well.

I would imagine that if a teenager like Bristol Palin wanted to find a home for her baby, all she would have to do is contact a fertility treatment center. She would likely be able to find quite a few prospective parents there that had just had some bad luck.

My own sister-in-law, a pediatrician in California, adopted a little girl from Columbia as a baby. She is autistic, and it is truly a match made in heaven. I can not think of a better parent for that child.

Sarah Palin is not my favorite person. I'm not sure that I am that fond of Bristol Palin, either. But there are many would-be good parents out there that don't qualify for regular adoptions because of age or health problems-- things that don't keep you from being a good parent. It is a shame that the option was not discussed, that is all I am saying.

Dowser don't fogret to add that the one sector of the population that does adopt children with special needs are those who are not afforded equal rights of marriage contracts in the majority of states - Same Sex couples.

Heleva, I agree with you totally. I wish it had been mentioned as well, but likely she was focused on one subject. Oh well, another post, another day, right?

Please don't think I was fussing at you, or in any way trying to offend you. Because I wasn't-- I just thought I had better say what I meant in a better way. I am too old to have children any more, or adopt, and am not in the best of health. That doesn't stop me from wanting another child, but I know that it would be better for the child if I had all my physical faculties, so to speak.

EWENT-- I hope you are right. :-)

It is wonderful she had sex at 16 because now she sets a good example of why not to have a child? That lesson has been made time and time again but I am glad that motherhood is a "blessed event" because I am sure that is what teens want to hear. The hypocrisy continues.

gOd Bless America, you must have grown up in the 50's, when no one used drugs, everyone drove a cool car, and even if you were Jewish, you went to church on Sunday.

1. the unborn are not children their disposition comes after that of the woman carrying them.

2. Children ARE sexual beings from the moment they are born.

3. Girls want to get their rocks off too.

4. In sexual relations ALL parties are equally responsible to prevent STD's and pregnancies.

Why are most people here ONLY yammering on about Bristol?? This was not the Immaculate Conception. Levi made a contribution too.

Teen pregnancies aren't JUST the result of the girls. It's time to address the MALE role in creating these babies.

God Bless America...Stop with the abortion crappola. It's been around before you were born. Now...Got a very serious question for you.....Those of us who have had what is referred to in the medical profession as a "missed abortion", otherwise known as "a miscarriage" would like to know if you want to criminalize all of us because the fetus didn't progress past the 3 month of pregnancy or more?

I'm going to take a long shot here and predict your response...."Well, that's different. You didn't choose to have a miscarriage." So, your argument is less about abortion than it is about choice. You do realize that if you don't have a D&C (diletation and curetage) or "scraping" as it's commonly called, after a miscarriage, you can die carrying a dead fetus inside your body? This ought to put a stop to your blood and gore routine.

I think it's because our pop culture promotes early sexualization and also hollywood seems to have some stake in this - the young wealthy starlets with their out of wedlock babies...of course, when you make millions a year that unwedded mother deal is probably a bit easier to handle than when you are a middle class suburban teen...abstinence is the answer, but children must also be taught self respect, self discipline, and that they are not animals, and that they have a responsibility to the future generations.

I think it is because we as parents have failed our children along the line. Self respect and all that should start at home on day one. It is our responsibility as parents to teach our children about sex and the consequences and the responsibilities of it. Sex education in schools does not promote doing it , it makes our kids aware of all it entails and how it affects their lives.

Social environments definitely can be a negative and positive influence on people and children, but to blame one for your lack of parenting? People make choices and then have to live with those choices. People have been having premarital sex probably since the dawn of humanity, so please quit blaming everyone else for your indiscretions and start blaming yourself.

erica - It is well known that sex ed in most other industrialized nations far exceeds what teens get in the U.S. Europe censors "sex" far less than we do here, yet keep a lower pregnancy rate.

There will always be that element of people, usually this is socio-economic, whose teens are twisting in the wind with no direction, and they join those teens who will become sexually active with no protection other than "dumb luck". Teens think they are invincible.

Yup.

The more you censor something and try to keep it from teens, the more they want it. they will find ways around it .

Not all of them are dumb and some are downright devious

Erica...Think about this. When you were in school, how many girls received the same attention in math and science classes as the boys? When your discussed career choices in senior year of high school, how many times did the guidance counselor steer the girls toward engineering, chemistry, medicine or law? How many girls you know graduated from college with PhDs in computer science, robotics, physics or economics? For that matter, how many girls graduated with a masters or MBA in finance? Get the point? It begins early in childhood, not in the teens. A young girl isn't as interested in sex when she knows her direction in life and has to work for it. We can all name the girls in our past school lives who were considered brains because they didn't play cutesy with the guys and made love to their future careers instead? And, were they respected for that? You bet not.

Bristol Palin is 18 years old. She is an adult. A question I have often asked is, my grandparents were married when my grandmother was 17. They immediately began having kids. My Great grandmother was having her first child at 16. She had 8 more by the time she was 29. My great uncle married his wife at 14 and they had their first baby by the time she was 15. This was common place 75 years ago or so. The norm. I am not advocating that 14 yearl old start having kids I am just wondering when it was that the major swing occurred and why.

The major swing occurred because we started living longer. In your great-uncle's time, 30 was middle-aged. So, if you were going to have children, you had to do it well before them to avoid leaving orphans behind.

Now, as we are living longer, we have to find ways to finance our old age. And skipping education to raise children is certainly no way to do that.

Erica, I think it is caused by many factors, perhaps. One, that the abstinence only campaign is laughable. Two, that birth control is not free and readily available to teenagers. Three, the past administrations have cut funding for "reproductive health" for poor women. Four, it has become popular with a segment of the teenage population to have children out of wedlock.

And a host of other reasons that I can't think of right now... But I'm sure many of you can. Just please, I'm not mentioning the A word, here, so I don't want to start a big huge discussion on the morals of Abortion versus Abstinence. I'm just saying that perhaps these are factors. In my humble opinion.

dal....Todd Palin is a frustrated man who likely was forced into marriage because of a "mistake". You can tell from his attitude that he suffers from being second in line to his wife's political aspirations and therefore, seeks respite from parenthood.

I think what she meant is that she doesn't want to talk about how or when they had protected or unprotected sex...she want others to learn from her experience. She is just a kid...in a difficult spot...without a teleprompter.

God bless America

Another Republican hardliner trying to make the best of a hypocritical situation. Thank god you threw in the Obama rub because I am sure that covered up the nonsense the Palin's are spreading. It seems that teen pregnancy and welfare is becoming a Repub staple I guess that is no longer a Democrat thing huh? Good try on taking this another direction.

i saw the interview with Bristol & dad. It seems to me that she is being exploited by the group that wants to use her for a spokesperson. If S U betcha Palin really wanted to protect her child & grandchild, she would have advised Bristol against doing this very public campaign that makes her vulnerable to a press that can be brutal. I do not hold this young woman responsible for the choice to appear in the public, I hold her self promoting mother responsible, she knows too well how hard that public role can be.

It is part of the Rove Palin socktwat political ploy to keep the family name in the newscycles at least every two weeks.

Amen to that! I don't want my teenager "learning" from her and her hypocrisy!

At least Jamie Lynn Spears has managed to keep out of the spotlight. It's pretty hard not to send a mixed message to teens when these girls are getting attention from the media.

He's too worried about getting a lawyer so his drug dealing mother can be around his kid.

The artice is about BEING A TEEN MOTHER IS HARDWORK. What did she expect. Hell, it's hard work raising a baby when you're a grown ass woman with a husband. She needs to be shaken until she wakes the hell up. Idiot.

Pattycakes, how does this very privileged young woman speak to other young teens about abstinence only and the hardship of teen pregnancy? How does this very privileged young woman make it unappealing all the while looking so appealing, almost angelic-like with Dad by her side? I can assure you that this very privileged young woman will not have any impact on this very real, very serious issue.

Hypocrites are those who prostitute their private values and family privacy for political and finacial gain. The shoe fits the Palin socktwat and her family well.

The haters on this blog who call Bristol a hypocrite choose to forget about the professional athletes who abuse drugs and call themselves 'role models'. Those are hypocrites!

No one is forgetting them. But they're not teen mothers promoting abstinence only which is what the discussion is about. Why would anyone bring up athletes for this?

Eirene: I agree with you. I was thinking the same exact thing. She comes from a family with money. She is still living at home and taking high school courses online while she goes on speaking tours. Next she plans on going to college while still living at home and having her parents help in raising the child. I am guessing she does not work because where would she have the time between going to school online, taking care of her baby, and doing the speaking circuit. Most teen moms do not have these luxuries. Most teen moms are lucky to finish high school. Then she is going to go out there and say I feel where teen moms are coming from. She's going to go out and say abstinence only is  a good method (even though she went on fox news a couple months ago and said it's not). The hypocrisy is so ridiculous. I guess her mom is getting her out there campaigning for 2012. She has to put a positive spin on this situation somehow.

I just saw the script for the new Lifetime for women movie called "Abstinence Only: The Bristol Palin Story." Here is a sneak peak at one of the scenes.

Scene opens to a beautiful shot of a lovely large living room with lots of dead animals in it. Bristol and Tripp are happily playing on Grandma's Bear skin rug. Sarah enters the room

Sarah: Honey I need to talk to you.

Bristol: Yea mom what's up?

Sarah: Bristol you know I have no problem with you staying here while you get your diploma. I don't mind helping out with Tripp and helping you get through college. I mean its the least I can do after ripping away our families privacy and making you out your pregnancy to the whole world.

Bristol: I know mom thanks I really appreciate all your help and support.

Sarah: Now Bristol you know I even made that evil boyfriend of yours go away. You know that nasty boy that be-smudged my innocent daughter and took her delicate flower away before marriage. We know that you kept on telling him that you don't need a condom because abstinence is the only way. You kept telling him that your invisible shield of abstinence would repel those nasty well you know. But now he is gone and you can be a successful powerful, mom just like your mommy (as Sarah stares at herself in the mirror)

Bristol: I know mom and I....well I guess i appreciate that. I mean I guess it would have been nice if we had the birds and the bees talk before I got pregnant but I know you really believe that abstinence is the only answer. I know you had too much going on at the office for that talk. I mean the whole trooper gate thing. You were just trying to do what was best for you... I mean the family.

Sarah: Now gee gosh honey since we are helping you out so darn much maybe you can do something for mommy.

Bristol: Sure mom anything for you.

Sarah: well honey remember when you went on fox news and said abstinence only is not the best policy. Well that really hurt mommies numbers. You know I ...I mean we want he white house in 2012. And this time we won't have that old fuddyduddy slowing us down.

Bristol: (confused) yeah mom....

Sarah: well honey I need you to go on a talk show circuit and take back what you said. Its important for the party (Sarah looks up lovingly at the big portrait of Dick Chaney above the fire place) and me. I need you to tell people how much you love abstinence.

Bristol: (pointing to Tripp) well mom I don't think I really loved it that much.

Sarah and Bristol both laugh

Sarah: I know honey but you know I waited till I was married (Sarah winks several times to alert Bristol to her joke)

They both laugh again

Bristol: But mom you want me to lie to the American people.

Sarah: honey I did it for months. it's not that hard.

Bristol: well o.k. mom I guess I can do a couple shows.

Sarah Gee golly darn it honey. That's why you have always been my favorite. (her son just home on leave screams and storms out of the room)

(Sarah playfully waives a Bald Eagle claw at tripp.) Now who's grammies big wolf hunter. AHHH that's right you are Tripp.

the camera slowly pans out to the American flag outside the Palin home flapping in the wind. A snow mobile has just pulled into the driveway.

Scene.

Fin

That was lovely. They should do that on SNL. :)

I am productive. But her mommy is so worried about dropping out of the spotlight she trots these kids like show ponies around the media circus. She made a mistake, but she doesn't believe in abstinence, her mom does. When mommy stops using these kids as props in a political charade, we'll stop throwing stones.

Some are mistakes. Just because irresponsibility and lack of thought with regards to the consequences of one's actions doesn't change that fact. This family (Palins) is feeding themselves through sef promotion on purpose to profit from media exposure. If they don't like the stones then they shouldn't prostitute themselves in the first place. Perish the plight of hypocrites./sarcasm

Photogrrl....If you want visibility, you do what Bristol Palin did...put yourself and your past in front of cameras. If you want privacy....guess what? You don't do TV interviews. The public can't judge what it can't see...get it now?

are you kidding me?

Vangogh - explain to me what gives you the right to throw any stone at any woman for the CHOICE she made to lay under someone? She was young! THAT was her mistake. NOT the baby.

Heleva - You make partial sense; however, it does NOT consitute calling her a prostitute because of the choice she made.

Ewent - She can't help who her parents are, and the fact that she has no choice to be in the spotlight. I get clearly what is happening - ya'll are a bunch of mean folks with nothing better to do with your time than to criticize someone who made a poor choice.

To all of you - I say again - a human being is NOT, repeat NOT a mistake. Even if it was made at the dawn of youth. The choice was not the smartest, i agree, and believe me i would be none too happy if my children became a parent at ayoung age, it's never a fun thing to do, or deal with. it makes you grow up way too fast. This thing is that, regardless of her choice to have a baby, the choice was HERS to make. NOT yours. NOT mine. Not her family. Are you all telling me that you've never done anything in your lives that warrants stupidity?I highly doubt that. Once again, she COULD not help who her parents are and the fact that she lives a "media" life. It's just part of who she is.

Is this really going to matter in a day or two? Nope. Not until the media brings it up again. So why spend soo much time and energy worrying about how this girl did all the wrong things? I"m just shaking my head right now at all of this.

She can't help who her parents are, and the fact that she has no choice to be in the spotlight.

She's 18 she could decline going on shows like the Today show. She could choose to stay home and not put herself out there. Like it or not when you choose to live your life in front of a cam don't be surprised when people have something to say good or bad.

I think the best point made so far as to why Bristol is not a great choice for promotion of abstinence was stated by

Eirene:

Pattycakes, how does this very privileged young woman speak to other young teens about abstinence only and the hardship of teen pregnancy? How does this very privileged young woman make it unappealing all the while looking so appealing, almost angelic-like with Dad by her side?

Promotion of abstinence only is an irresponsible approach to a serious issue. In a perfect world yes, all nice families would raise all nice children to have all the self respect to keep their legs shut. But this isn't a perfect world and kids need to know there is an alternative if they are struggling with self worth. Not all kids come from these fairy tale fantasies of 100% perfect family lives.

Welcome to reality.

And since some people think teaching self respect and self worth is the road to abstinence it begs the question then... Did Sarah fail to provide Bristol with any of that? Did Sarah Palin raise and animal with no self control? Because that is essentially the picture some of you are painting.

That was my favorite when she said abstinence is not realistic and now she's saying it's the only way. You can just see Sarah talking, can't you??

The Republicans did not outlaw abortion because they know it would destroy their party. They would have nothing left to preach about. Republicans use abortion to control the evangelicals. One day they will wake up and see that they have a better chance of getting Democrates to outlaw abortion than Republicans.

republicans made no effort to ban abortions because 40% of their party would have defected. immediately. not slowly over the next 6 years the way it actually happened.

democrats have, reluctantly, quit talking about abortion. why? because too many democrats are pro-life. and they have finally come to terms with it, and sthu.

republicans still dont seem to understand that abortion isnt a conservative or liberal thing. and they continue to chase a lot of real conservatives out of their own party.

Abortion is just one of their (few) pieces of bait that they lure their minions around with. If they actually did ANYTHING about abortion other than the BS "partial birth abortion" crap, they wouldn't have anything left. I know more religious nutjobs that ONLY vote Republican because of abortion... they wouldn't even bother going to the polls if it was illegal.

It's pretty safe to say that it's going nowhere.

Well, she doesn't have to live with her rich parents. She could opt to move out with her baby, get an apartment, go to school, bring the baby to daycare and let the taxpayers pay the bill. I have seen that option taken many more times than the unwed mother getting a job or 2 or 3 to take care of herself and her child. Isn't it better that her parents are able and willing to have her and her child continue to live in their home than to have them further burdon the welfare rolls?

quit presenting her to us

Tell that to Matt Lauer and all the rest of the media types who keep these boring and unextrordinary people on the front burner of the news so you'll have something to @!$%# about.

Then get out of our faces with your hypocracy!

ohhno..Let's see...You want the public to ignore an interview consented to by both Gramma and Grandpa Palin and Bristol? You do realize you can't get anyone on a TV interview without their consent, don't you? And, let's see you make an excuse for this one....I'd bet anything that Bristol figured out that a cool couple of hundred thousand dollars for a few minutes of interview time would be a nice piece of change in her pocket.....lots of diapers to buy.

She biologically ceased being a child when she became capable of reproduction.

Heleva, you are saying that 11-year-old girls are not children? That's ridiculous.

Biology and medicine define sexually mature at the onset of menarch - Child is defined as not having matured. All other arguments are sociological. philosophical and religious constructs. If "children" defined by any other term are biologically capable of breeding then they should be educated accordingly as to the rights and responsibilites of that capability. 11 year old boys who have reached maturity are fully capable of getting 11 year old girls who have matured pregnant. WAKE UP and deal with cold facts. Ignoring them only cripples the future.

Actually, I believe it's Obama telling us we should pay our taxes.

Wrong analogy. Pres. Obama paid his taxes.

It will be Rush telling us not to use DRUGS and don't be FAT. They are both really, really bad for ya'.

Rush already does that. He has made it a habit over the years to ridicule drug users and call for them all to be in prison. Yet when it was him, it was OK because they were "prescription" drugs that he was using/stealing/illegally purchasing. :o)

I really would love to find a way for hypocrisy to work for me like that. Hell, I'll take a low 6 figure salary for my hypocrisy, no need for a 9 figure one.

Livonia, someone must have scared you with your rattle when you were a baby.

Miss Palin is not a 13 year old, she is a young woman who is making difficult choices.

She is living at home because that is what is best for her baby.

Do you think it would be better if she lived in a home for at risk teenage mothers ? Or should she collect welfare (TANF) and live in substandard housing ?

Too many people seem too angry that Miss Palin has not been abandoned by her family. That is what would make the Sarah Palin-Haters happy, if she put her daughter and grandchild out of her home.

Sandy - you don't think she is getting welfare assistance of some sort? You have got to be kidding. Unless the grandparents are legal guardians of the baby. Of course they did not kick their daughter out, she would have no where to go - unless Mr. Palin's tribal benefits would kick in? Welfare would not pay enough for the daughter to be more than destitute, and that would be political suicide, even if they were that cold (which I doubt).

You are so right Sandy! This is all about their hatred for Sarah Palin and has little to do with Bristol at all.

Is Bristol had left her baby daddy and hooked up with her lesbian girlfriend to raise the baby, she would be the media's golden girl.

Its a great thing the family is standing by her and helping her raise the baby. Its her best chance to have a normal life down the road and for the baby to have one as well.

It's because of Sarah's "image" that she doesn't put her daughter and grandson out. Now, I'm not saying she would even if she didn't have that image to uphold, but because she does......You see, she has to trot Bristol out and tell her to tout abstinence. She had to trot the boyfriend to the convention (and didn't he look natural and soooooo in love) (insert sarcasm here) and now she has to tout how wonderful it is to be a grandparent, but oh, teens, don't do this.....abstinence, abstinence, abstinence! You see, it's all about image!!

Exactly as I was thinking, Livonia. Bristol is on easy street compared to many other teen parents--does she have a real job? Does she have to worry about the rent, or paying for formula, diapers, childcare?

LS, I have had PR classes and when this broke about Palin's daughter, they were SCREWED either way. However, which one is the lighter load? Daughter doesn't travel with them? "Where's your daughter? Is she hiding her shame?" No boyfriend with daughter? "Where's the boyfriend? Did he run away from your daughter?"

The media is ruthless. These things would have came up if the daughter/boyfriend wasn't there. What it shows when they were together was the 'happy family' scenerio.

So, what do you do:

Keep the kids home and have the media make speculations about why they are not traveling around OR do you try to paint a pretty picture by making them look like a cute couple?

You're screwed either way, but which is the lighter load. Hillary Clinton had the same problem when Bill Clinton's affair got out.

checkmate you are right up to a point. S Palin used her children as a roadshow and that was the wrong choice, she could have chosen to allow her children privacy. If you're gonna make a mistake, make it in benefit of your children. Would it have affected the vote? Don't know but the choice should have been to protect her children, not exploit them to enhance her chances for VP.

Interesting opinion. However, I don't recall seing the Obama girls at EVERY SINGLE event Obama was at. I also don't remember Bill Clinton dragging Chelsea all over. Or the Carter's with Amy Carter. Sure, these kids were present as some events (emphasis on the word SOME). However, the Palin kids were permanent fixtures. All of them all of the time. Hell the McCain kids wern't anywhere near as visable as the Palin kids. It was very obvious that they were mere props in an attempt to say "See what a perfect family I have and what a good mom I am and how good I am vote for me". Didn't quite work out though and now they have thrown ALL of their kids out there in the public eye.

The possibly reasoning: Palin was a woman running, not a man. Automatically, men are considered the tough, head of the family, while women are considered the caring type and is surrounded by family. That is why Bill Clinton and Obama didn't have their kids around them when they were running. The idea is that the child(ren) were with the mom. That's media symbolism. So, yes, it was the "See what a perfect family I have and what a good mom I am and how good I am vote for me" as you put it.

Palin failed because of other reasons and the kids being with her isn't one of the big ones. It is a reason, but not one that lead her to her downfall.