Breaking: The Rumors are True. Partly.

Filed in National by on September 1, 2008

Bristol Palin is pregnant.  Right now.  She is five months pregnant, right now.   So the rumors are partly right.  No, Sarah Palin did not fake a pregnancy to adopt her daughter’s child back in April.    But her minor unwed daughter is pregnant.   Normally, I would make no value judgments on this, as it is none of my business or anyone else’s.  But, when radical religous nutjobs like Sarah Palin make it their business to make value judgments about unwed teenage mothers and premarital sex and family values, it is every bit my business, for it is evidence that for all their pontification, they are hypocrites.

Is Bristol Palin now evil, as some radical reich preachers suggest?  Of course not, and that was the liberal point of view all along.   Perhaps Governor Palin and those like her will shut their big fat mouths about family values for once, and spend more time minding their own families business, instead of everyone else’s.

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  1. mike says:

    DD, your link is malformed.

  2. Steve Newton says:

    Normally, I would make no value judgments on this, as it is none of my business or anyone else’s.

    Which is where this post should have stopped.

    Of course, it didn’t.

    But, when radical religous nutjobs like Sarah Palin make it their business to make value judgments about unwed teenage mothers and premarital sex and family values, it is every bit my business, for it is evidence that for all their pontification, they are hypocrites.

    Congratulations, you’ve now gone from admitting that you guys helped perpetuate a false rumor to making a family’s difficulty the salacious fodder for politics.

    And your pretentious–“they made it my business”–excuse is nothing more or less than that: a cheap excuse to score political points.

    But of course everybody here who’s never had a daughter come home pregnant, or caught a child doing drugs, or had to be brought home by the police will chime in….

  3. Awesome.

    the real evangelical nutjobs should love this one. Palin has a wanton daughter. Priceless.

    I wonder if the LA Gov will perform and exorcism on the daughter?

  4. mike says:

    I think we should probably leave this alone. You can paint this as a tragedy or as a failure of parenting, but if the young lady and the father plan to marry and raise the child then we should wish them well and mazeltov.

    I’ve seen this sort of situation turn out just fine; it takes lots of love and understanding from family. It will help if the two young parents are able to mature into their roles. I’ll send them my best wishes.

    I still ain’t voting for Palin/McCain, however. My vote goes to Obama/Biden.

  5. Call It says:

    “But, when radical religous nutjobs like Sarah Palin make it their business to make value judgments about unwed teenage mothers and premarital sex and family values, it is every bit my business, for it is evidence that for all their pontification, they are hypocrites.”

    So Mrs. Sarah Palin is against unwed, teenage mothers. She thinks it’s evil. She cries out against it. Now her unwed, teenage daughter is pregnant.

    Because she opposes it publicly and her daughter now falls into that category she is a hypocrite? That’s fucking low.

    So if you are staunchly anti-gun and call people like mike w. and his ilk “gun nuts,” then your son goes and accidentally shoots himself, YOUR a hypocrite? Get the fuck over yourself.

  6. pandora says:

    I will chime in…

    I don’t like this, DD. I have consistently said that children are off the table.

  7. delawaredem says:

    Mike…the link is fixed.

    Steve…do you think I want to be talking about this? No.

    But for decades the right wing has preached about family values, degrading anyone who did not follow the religious right’s formulation of what “traditional values” means. And time and again, they get caught not practicing what they preach.

    Should we be silent when they get caught, and allow them to continue their hypocritical preaching?

    You obviously say yes. You believe that they should be allowed to continue their false pontification for as long as they want.

    I disagree.

    You chide me for using a family’s difficulty fodder for politics. That is outrageous considering that the Right Wing has been doing that for years. Your outrage is false.

  8. Call It says:

    “And your pretentious–”they made it my business”–excuse is nothing more or less than that: a cheap excuse to score political points.”

    Well said Steve.

  9. you know, this wouldn’t have happened if the parents had been more involved in her life.

  10. Call It says:

    “But for decades the right wing has preached about family values, degrading anyone who did not follow the religious right’s formulation of what “traditional values” means. And time and again, they get caught not practicing what they preach.”

    So since when do intellectual people subscribe to the “Well they do, so I can” policy?

    This is garbage delawaredem.

  11. Unstable Isotope says:

    I feel sorry for Bristol Palin, that she was thrust into the spotlight like this. My best wishes to her.

  12. I have an idea all you fella’s that don’t want to post this stuff

    get your own blog and monitor it how you want.

    oh wait…..

  13. delawaredem says:

    I hate this too Pandora. But the right wing does not think children are off the table. Remember all the attacks on Chelsea Clinton? Remember all the attacks on other “family difficulties?”

    Indeed, I am not even attacking Bristol Palin. I am attacking her mother’s hypocrisy.

  14. unstopable?

    b/c she is pregnant? or b/c her mother was asked to be VP?

  15. cassandra m says:

    The only reason that any of this is even on the table is that the right (the wingnut right esp) consistently uses the tragedy of teen pregnancy, drug addiction, criminality, meanness, materialism and all of the other teen ills on the failure of parents. This failure of parents is the reason to not support comprehensive sex education, access to birth control, access to drug education, access to drug treatment and all of the other supports that teens (and their parents) who find themselves in real difficulty might need. Their wedge is that somehow they are more perfect as parents than others are — and we all know that isn’t true. And we also all know that all of the picture perfect parenting in the world doesn’t always provide enough of a shield for some kids.

    We should all be more compassionate, but there is little wrong is pointing out that folks are asking for compassion for a group of people who certainly aren’t organized or inclined to give it in return. And to a group of people who are rarely asked — for all of their Christian pretensions — for more compassion, either.

  16. delawaredem says:

    Exactly Cassandra. Thank you.

  17. DPN says:

    Vetting process? What vetting process?

  18. delawaredem says:

    For all those outraged, let me ask you a hypothetical question:

    How would the Republicans and the press react if Obama’s hypothetical 17 year old daughter got pregnant?

  19. snark says:

    Maybe Bristol’s child will grow up to be a candidate for President like you know who.

  20. Call It says:

    “This failure of parents is the reason to not support comprehensive sex education, access to birth control, access to drug education, access to drug treatment and all of the other supports that teens (and their parents) who find themselves in real difficulty might need.”

    No one, I think, is arguing the fact that right-wingers generally use this argument to not support the things you mentioned above. However, the problem I have with this post is that is is a “political talking point,” like Steve said.

    With this post, you are giving the right-wingers just what they want: more pub. No one gives a shit if her daughter got pregnant. Millions of teenagers get pregnant every year, granted none are daughters of Vice-Presidential candidates. And do you think the parents of those millions of teenagers, Republican or Democrat, want their kids to get pregnant? No, they don’t! So I feel that all you are doing by making this post is using her daughter for political leverage, and that is why this post is garbage.

    “Remember all the attacks on Chelsea Clinton? Remember all the attacks on other “family difficulties?” ”

    Yeah, we do remember. And that’s why the people who brought all of that up are pieces of shit. However, that doesn’t give you the right to say, “I know you are but what am I?”

  21. DPN says:

    Come join me on Delaware Politics and let’s talk about McCain’s judgment and leadership.

    http://delawarepolitics.net/2008/09/01/it-needs-to-stop/#comments

    As sad as this is, the more important issue is what does this say about John McCain’s judgment? His most serious decision as the presidential nominee and a vetting process (?) that could only be called inept, is this showing leadership?

    Oh wait, he’s a POW.

  22. Call It says:

    To answer you question delawaredem, they would be up in arms and all over him. However, that is not the point. JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE DOES SOMETHING BAD, DOESN’T MEAN YOU STOOP TO THAT LEVEL! What is so hard to understand about that? You all preach a “New kind of politics,” but what you are doing with this post is more of the “Same old kind of politics in Washington.”

    I don’t think Mr. Obama would be too proud of your tactics.

  23. snark says:

    compare and contrast

    “I am going to teach them first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.

  24. jason330 says:

    HA HA HA HA HA !!!!!

    Holier than thou bullshit artist with egg on her face!!!!

  25. John Feroce says:

    “How would the Republicans and the press react if Obama’s hypothetical 17 year old daughter got pregnant?”

    Reluctantly entering this discussion…fine let’s run with it.

    We wouldn’t know about Obama’s daughter, because she would have taken care of it, right?

    Why are you punishing this girl for opting to have the baby. Doesn’t she have the right to make that decision? Stop picking on women who opt to have the baby, it is their right.

    Leave their kids out of it, let’s maintain an elevated discussion based on issues.

  26. snark says:

    I believe the faith based responce is:
    “not perfect, just forgiven”

  27. DPN says:

    I’m questioning John’s judgment now.

    Hey John, do you represent your district or are you just a Walking Talking Point?

  28. Benjamin says:

    Dear John,

    In your world, and Sarah Palin’s world, abortion would be illegal. Therefore Bristol would not “opt” to have the baby.
    She would be forced to have it.

    The end.

  29. snark says:

    apparently in the delawareliberal world, Miss Palin should be ridiculed and scorned for NOT having an abortion.

  30. John Feroce says:

    The law allows for abortions, she has decided not to have one, why is this such a problem?

    It’s their family decision, not ours.

    I look forward to loyal opposition debates on real issues in this forum and others thru the 4th of Nov and not this silliness.

  31. Benjamin says:

    No.
    She should be ridiculued for advocating abstiencen-only education that results in unwanted pregnancies in teenage girls.

    She should never have been pregnant in the first place. And I guarantee you that if she had been taught about condoms and the pills instead of finger-wagged into thinking those are evil, there would have been no pregnancy in the first place.

  32. Benjamin says:

    This is a problem because both McCain and Palin want to change the law to impose their choice on other teenage girls that may make a different choice.

  33. Call It says:

    This is fucking terrible.

  34. cassandra m says:

    Benjamin is exactly right.

    Those who are being accused of scoring political points and a lack of compassion here are the ones who are working for a world where teens and parents have choices ( for birth control, for child support, for drug treatment and so on) while those who call themselves compassionate conservatives routinely use the children of parents whose kids are having children out of wedlock or who have drug problems as an excuse to codify their own lack of compassion.

    But I guess we aren’t supposed to notice that.

  35. snark says:

    keep digging, I’ll check the shed for more shovels

  36. Joanne Christian says:

    Again…kids are off the table…and please don’t confuse Sarah’s values w/ her teenage daughter’s! She’s not a “hypocrite”, because this happened…I’m sure she feels very much the same, with some added stomach juice, because her daughter “chose” differently. No hypocrisy here…but a disappointment in parenting feedback of what you hoped/expected/wanted for your child. Those of us with teens/young adults know they will make their choices. Reflect back on your own siblings….we all sat at the same table….and I can’t believe what difference of opinion there is!!!!

  37. Call It says:

    No one is saying not to notice that Cassandra. What we are saying – and let me preface this by saying that those opposing your view on this post are coming from the left, middle, and right – is that you are using the same tactics as those you are bemoaning. YES, many “compassionate conservatives” use instances of children having kids out of wedlock as a means to further their political policies, and you all become outraged over this.

    “Remember all the attacks on Chelsea Clinton? Remember all the attacks on other “family difficulties?” ”

    “How would the Republicans and the press react if Obama’s hypothetical 17 year old daughter got pregnant?”

    “You chide me for using a family’s difficulty fodder for politics. That is outrageous considering that the Right Wing has been doing that for years.”

    But what exactly are you all doing here? You are USING the child of a political figure to further your political policies and talking points.

    And Cassandra, when you say, “But I guess we aren’t supposed to notice that,” you need to understand that NOTICING and USING are two completely different things. When you made that statement, I believe you meant to say, “But I guess we aren’t supposed to use that.”

    My point is that you all become outraged when social conservatives use this tactic, yet you are stooping to their level in order to “keep a level playing field.”

    I said it before and I’ll say it again, it is complete garbage.

  38. Wonderful Post, DelDem!!! Absolutely wonderful. Second paragraph encapsulates it all!

  39. Unstable Isotope says:

    The more I think about it, the more I question Sarah Palin’s judgment. What the heck was she thinking in accepting the VP nod now? She’s the one who put her daughter in the spotlight. I know they’re blaming liberal bloggers, but those rumors came from Alaska first. But did they really think no one would find out? If she’s 5 months along now by the time the election came around she’d be 7 months along and it would be noticeable.

    I really don’t understand what Gov. Palin was thinking. Is she putting her ambition above her family? What did she have to lose by waiting another 4 yrs. before going into the national spotlight. She’d at least have more experience, and time to brush up on national and international affairs. I really, really don’t understand this at all.

    And, I feel sorry for Bristol because her mother put her in the spotlight. Also, despite what McCain says, I don’t believe he knew. Why would you want this bombshell dropped?

  40. pandora says:

    UI, that’s a valid point.

  41. David says:

    As someone said on DP.net, if the Democrats start attacking a 17 year old lady because she is having the child of the of the young man she plans to spend her life with, they will suffer the wrath of the American people. It is a non issue politically. Yet the Victorian Liberals who would make porn available on the library computers to children, condemn them when they act out and in a bill of attainer condemn their parents.

    If Palin took her to get an abortion, it would be a problem. The Palins loving and supporting their child to help her move forward deserves applause.

    Shame on you.

  42. DelDem, I’ll reiterate: I’m with you on this one. The right-wing has made a mess of these “family values” issues for decades. I don’t give a fuck that it’s Palin’s near-adult daughter. Anyone else claiming that kids are off limits, I can kind of agree with that…to a point. But when the right-wing has so viciously spread its filth on these issues, where were you? I am not a fan of the uber-righty tactics of laying judgment to people who may not follow their Morality Code, but I’ll be damned if we don’t get to use it against them when they break it!

  43. Call It says:

    Does anyone else see the contradictions in that statement, or am I alone on this one?

  44. In what statement? Mine?

  45. DPN says:

    Democrats are not attacking a 17-year-old.

    Democrats are questioning the judgment of McCain and Palin though. There is a stark difference.

  46. Call It says:

    “I am not a fan of the uber-righty tactics of laying judgment to people who may not follow their Morality Code, but I’ll be damned if we don’t get to use it against them when they break it!”

    The defense rests its case, your honor.

  47. Call It,

    For years, I’ve ignored it. For years, I’ve believed that I shouldn’t sink to their level. But then the right-wing claims we’re impotent pussies who’d rather have a pow wow than a real knock-down, drag-out. I’m sick of that shit. It’s time they learned that if they continue to spew their vile that the Democrats will no longer take it. I am only a Democrat until Sept. 10, but I’m still a liberal. I will keep fighting the right-wing noise machine that, for some reason, continues to win elections even though 90% of the shit they’re selling goes so against what the middle- and lower-classes need.

    So, my argument stands. Perhaps I should have added “anymore” to the end of the above statement that has so obviously provoked your ire?

  48. Bob Cooper says:

    Remember this, if the unthinkable happens and the McCain/Palin ticket succeeds –we will have another 4 years of sanctimonious, self-righteous preaching from the White House. Without doubt, Sarah Palin will be right in the middle of that.

    I don’t care if Bristol Palin is pregnant –and good for her for keeping the baby. But I also don’t want to hear the crap from the religious Right, of which Sarah Palin is a star, telling other pregnant 17 year olds they can’t end the pregnancy if they so choose.

    And that is exactly what we are talking about. Forget that the family values crowd believes premarital sex is a one way ticket to Hell. Forget that they claim to know how the rest of the world should live and ocnduct themselves. Forget that their vision of the world is dramatically skewed.

    Just remember they are Hypocrites.

  49. Right on, Bob. Are you getting it now, Call It? This is very much fair game. Again, this has nothing to do with her daughter getting pregnant. I’m happy for her, just like any other woman who’s pregnant. All I’m asking is for the right-wing TO FINALLY stop this bullshit they’ve been pulling ever since an unwed Murphy Brown decided to have a baby on TV 20 years ago.

  50. cassandra_m says:

    You know, Call It, I am not especially advocating any side here — I am weighing on why this could be fair game.

    I never cease to be amazed that folks can really be asking for compassion and a pass for this young woman and her family, when none of them speak up for all of the nameless families routinely struggling and working through these same issues when these nameless families are consistently held out to be irresponsible and lacking in family values.

    Again, this would be not much of a political issue if the right had not spent the last couple of decades demonizing the kids and parents in similar straits.

  51. Call It says:

    Mike,

    It’s not just the statement you have made…it is 99% of the comments above. Just read what I have commented and you will get the gist of what side of the tracks I stand on.

    I am in complete agreement that the social conservative wing of the Republican party uses these hideous tactics to their advantage. But listen dude, because I choose not use those same tactics during intelligent discourse doesn’t mean I’m a pussy. I stand for what I believe in and I don’t think this shit has any place in politics.

    What I am saying is that I think it is YOU ALL who are actually the hypocrites. Calling on Hope, Change, and a New Kind Of Politics, yet using the same garbage that we have seen from the right-wing. Please, brotha, this is fucking garbage.

    No wonder I am not persuaded whatsoever to vote for Mr. Obama.

  52. Jadegold says:

    This is but one small domino that will fall in the coming weeks.

  53. Cassandra,

    There’s where your wrong. The righties DO speak up for those families. They tell them they’re going straight to hell!

    Abstinence first, pull out second! Condoms? What are they?

  54. cassandra_m says:

    Mike, that’s not speaking up — that is being superior to and expecting that the same would never happen to their perfect kids.

  55. Call It,

    So the left-wing is supposed to sit by when every closeted Republican/right-winger, wife-beater, wife-cheater comes out? Dude, this IS about change. The right-wing needs to realize that until they stop their attempts to legislate morality, then at EVERY stop, when some skeleton comes out of their closet, that it is completely fair game.

    So, this most definitely IS about change. Change from the right-wing theocracy many of them would like to see enacted on America. I’ve been around this crap the last eight years of my life. The right-wing, for some reason, CONTINUES to win elections using these tactics. They’re awful tactics, scaring people that gays are the bogeymen and that abortion will send you to hell. I’d like to think that US pointing out these hypocrisies is A-OK, in any rational-thinking person’s mind.

  56. veroferitas says:

    Jadegold is here! The IQ of this thread just went up 20 points!

    So Jade, what is the population of Chicago again?

  57. Call It says:

    Mike,

    I made this point earlier, and I think it sums up how I feel about this.

    “So if you are staunchly anti-gun and call people like mike w. and his ilk “gun nuts,” then your son goes and accidentally shoots himself, YOUR a hypocrite?”

  58. Jadegold says:

    Vero! I hardly see you at my blog. Why is that?

    I guess Sarah was too busy shooting and listening to Ted Nugent to supervise her young daughter.

  59. Now, I agree with that point, Call It.

  60. Duffy says:

    This is the best thread ever. Some real howlers in here:

    “She should never have been pregnant in the first place. And I guarantee you that if she had been taught about condoms and the pills instead of finger-wagged into thinking those are evil, there would have been no pregnancy in the first place.”

    Yeah, condoms, the pill and abortions being all secret and stuff.

    “Steve…do you think I want to be talking about this? No.”

    …But I must, my Overlords have decreed that anyone who fails to do so must report to Berkley for further indoctrination!

    I can picture him, one hand wrestling the other Dr. Strangelove style. “No, you can’t blog about that. Stop it damn you!”

  61. Honestly, I think I can defer to Dave Burris on this. What Dave says is what I believe, although I have a more, umm, colorful way of putting it.

    The GOP needs to stop running on the social conservative bullshit. Right. Now.

  62. John Feroce says:

    Can we change the rules so we can have a Bill Clinton / Bristol Palin ticket?

    Couldn’t resist.

  63. PBaumbach says:

    What is the proper manner to discuss this situation.
    1)start by noting that this is a private matter for the Palin family.
    2)But that is not the end of it. Conservatives have spent years promoting policy that is factually inaccurate—homosexuality is a learned behavior, abstinence is the best method to stop teenage pregnancy, liberals weaken family values..
    3)Conservatives focus on abstract numbers. Conservatives like to point out the weakness and evil of ‘them’, abstract groups of people clearly separate and unequal from the conservative speakers.
    4)Liberals focus on individuals, and the harmful impact of conservative ideology on actual people. For those with compassion, whether they are of conservative or liberal leanings, concrete examples can help us better understand the impact on fellow Americans and fellow humans.
    5)It is not hypocrisy that is revealed by situations such as the Palin family’s current situation, but factual falsehoods. Abstinence is a failed policy. The Palin’s family provides a visible example, but there are examples across the county. It is merely more difficult for conservatives to ignore the facts when they are ‘us’, and not an abstract ‘them’.
    6)Homosexuality is not a character flaw, it is not ‘learned’, it is not the result of poor parenting, and it is not the result of poor family values. The Cheney family is another visible example of ideology conflicting with reality, like millions across the country, but an example that conservatives find more difficult to ignore, since it is amongst their ‘us’, and not the abstract ‘them’. We don’t need to pry into Mary Cheney’s life, but we can note that there are wonderful examples of gays and lesbians throughout our society, in families of conservatives, liberals, and everyone in between, and that providing them with inferior rights and privileges is unAmerican.
    7)Let us give Bristol Palin the privacy that she deserves, privacy that we would all want for our own daughter or niece in the same situation. But let us refuse to give conservatives such as Sarah Palin a pass on important issues such as the failure of abstinence-only approach to teenage pregnancy, and on the simply cruel view (held by Sarah Palin) that abortion should be prohibited in cases of rape and incest.

  64. veroferitas says:

    Palin – Ubersexy gungirl. Independent spirit. Practices what she preaches (no secret abortion). Scares the heck out of lefties to the point of wild rumormongering, probably originating with Obama supporters.

    Biden – Zzzzzzzzzz…

  65. Not Brian says:

    Wow! we seem to me to be hypocrites on all sides!

    Who cares about her daughter’s pregnancy when there is real policy stuff to jump on her about

    http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN3125537020080901

    I am not saying she is not a hypocrite, but a lot of folks here act like they are taking the high road, and this much attention to this issue is the low road. It is muckraking.

    And every conservative commenter should be ashamed of themselves and their party for the insinuations about Obama’s religion, the race baiting, and the other very common personal attacks by your candidate’s surrogates.

    Shame on all of you (aren’t I holier than thou! Hope it don’t make my daughter a whore!)

    The bride to nowhere is a real issue…

  66. veroferitas says:

    And Jade, nobody goes to your blog. You do not allow comments. You fear discussion.

  67. Jadegold says:

    Gosh, Vero, I wonder how those 1200 comments got on my blog if I don’t allow comments?

    I guess that abstinence-only education paid off for Bristol.

  68. veroferitas says:

    You mean like the comment you attribute to me that you wrote yourself?

    Like birdshit hitting the windshield at 60mph, you are a brief and unpleasant distraction from our travels.

  69. Jadegold says:

    Vero, you really believe I wrote all 1200 comments myself? Tsk, tsk.

    BTW, so much for being anti-corruption; Palin was Ted Stevens’ 527 director.

  70. veroferitas says:

    Sorry for the aside w/ Jadegold, everyone. I couldn’t help directing a little love toward a classic troll of Jadegold’s stature.

  71. DavidV says:

    It’s tragic she has been placed in this position.

    Maybe, just maybe, abstinence only is not the way. We’ve all been there and done that, religious right wingers or not. Children will experiment. Proper sex education by involved parents, schools and social programs is a must.

  72. JohnnyX says:

    Just an observation – since Palin has been announced as the VP choice I have heard a number of women expressing concern that becoming VP (or potentially president if something were to happen to McCain) would detract from Palin’s ability to take care of her children, particularly the youngest with DS. I’m now wondering if once this hits the news that these same women will be showing even more trepidation – now she’s got one infant daughter with DS plus a teenage daughter with a new baby on the way.

    On a different, totally unrelated note – how weird is it to have an “aunt” who is less than a year older than you are?

  73. Elizabeth says:

    I say fair game.

    I have been in conversations with conservative supporters who told me they hold her family values, social conservative stance against sex ed et al very high up on their positives list. THEY put this on the table, they are the ones who claim to want to legislate our morality, after all.

    I have heard the argument that her first and foremost experience is the “successful management of a large family” and her “crusade against corruption”…. methinks she doth protest too much*.

    Talking about this is not partisan slander. This is a citizenry that has every right to demand that we have honest, qualified citizens in charge of our country. And we can demand that of the “other party” as we could be answering to them, too, one day soon.

    I’m an Independent, but I am liberal, so in the interest of fairness *let me hold up Elliot Spitzer and John Edwards as two of the Democrat’s own mistakes – men in whom I believed strongly once upon a time – who betrayed their followers as hypocrites of the worst order. It happens…why fight it? You won’t see me waste my energy defending them against a Republican attack.

    Integrity is key. Palin is slowly revealing herself to be POSSIBLY yet another ambitious barrucuda in folksy clothing. And it hasn’t even been a week…Think how long Obama has stood to this scrutiny.

    If we the people stop voting for and exalting candidates on personally meaningful but often-deceptive superficial qualities (race, gender, faith), we will get the qualified candidates we deserve…instead of this endless minstrel show of phony, pious family man cowboys & good old girls.

    Obama/Biden 2008

  74. DPN says:

    Palin is not going to pass the Eagleton line of 17 days.

  75. Jadegold says:

    We need an over/under pool.

    I say she is off the ticket by 20 Sep.

  76. David says:

    You folks are simultaneously appalling and pathetic. You are so agenda driven that you have lost a piece of your humanity.

  77. David,

    Point that mirror inward, my friend. It is your party that has been agenda-driven on these issues for 20 years as opposed to simply letting their people live their fucking lives.

  78. Joanne Christian says:

    Not every Republican decries teen pregnancy and unwed mothers as a moral objection. I would like to add the documented fiscal and social costs those behaviors add to us as a nation…in terms of abysmal results of women finishing their education, earning power, and increased need for support by government programs….not every teen can be Jamie Lyn Speers, and I really don’t want the bill.

  79. JohnnyX says:

    “Not every Republican decries teen pregnancy and unwed mothers as a moral objection. I would like to add the documented fiscal and social costs those behaviors add to us as a nation…in terms of abysmal results of women finishing their education, earning power, and increased need for support by government programs….not every teen can be Jamie Lyn Speers, and I really don’t want the bill.”

    Yeah, I don’t want the bill either – but unlike moral majority dimwits I don’t live in a fantasy world where simply telling kids they should save it for marriage because skydad says so is the only viable option. A pack of 12 trojans at Wal-Mart will run you less than 10 bucks – quite a bit less than a new baby is gonna run you.

  80. Joanne Christian says:

    And having worked w/ teens a llllloooonnngggg time the trip to Walmart is too far….AND…it’s not going to happen to me, (or us), and baby I want it now!!!!!!!Go with it…..

  81. JohnnyX says:

    Ok, so instead of Wal-Mart let’s say the 3 pack at 7-11 or Wawa, which are open 24 hours…a little cheaper too.

    Again, I’m not saying teens don’t do stupid things. I’m saying you can pretty much expect them to – I just think it helps to have all the information and options on the table. I was a 16 year old catholic boy with raging hormones once, and “wait until marriage” went out the window real quick. Why don’t I have any kids? ‘Cause my parents were realistic and told me what condoms were.

  82. liberalgeek says:

    I have heard one parent (I think Dominique) say that having a 100 pack under the sink makes the use of a single one (or 20) unnoticeable. Sounds like a good strategy to me.

    That said, I will not crucify Palin for her daughter being human. Please raise your hand if you were a virgin when you were married.

  83. JohnnyX says:

    …definitely not raising hand…

  84. Joanne Christian says:

    Do you have a webcam?

  85. pandora says:

    I loved Dom’s condom idea and implemented it last month. And no, I haven’t counted!

  86. Susan says:

    If you worked for Obama on his campaign, you would now be fired for what you are saying here. I started reading DelDem because of his father. I learned a lot reading his blogs and started to believe more in the dems. I vote for who I think will do the best for this country, not based on political party. But now I feel this has crossed the line. I have a daughter who is 21, and she was brought up with the right values. We have an open communication always have and when she started dating seriously at the age of 18, I told her to talk to me before she decided to have sex so that we could get her on the pill. She had always said that she was not going to have sex until she was married. I told her that when she was in love and in the moment that she would change her mind. She insisted that wouldn’t happen. Luckily when it did, she ended up not going all the way and did not end up pregnant. I sat down with both her and her bf and talked to them, not condemning them. So unless you which you haven’t DelDem been a parent and raised a child you have no idea what that child will turn out to do regardless of how you raise them. And if you were a parent, you would know that children should not be a part of this. I condemn any politician regardless of political party when something like this happens and this is one thing that makes up my mind when I vote. I admire Obama for his stance on this as I just read before responding to this. I am not a blogger, have no desire to be one, but this is one I decided I had to respond too. So leave the children alone and I hope one day you have a child so you will really know how it feels.

  87. delawaredem says:

    Point taken, Susan. I am sorry I disappointed you today, but one of the things in this world that angers me to the point of rage is hypocrisy and false moral pontification.

    Perhaps I let that cloud my judgment in posting this.

    I do agree children are off limits, and in fact this post did not criticize Bristol Palin at all, it criticized Sarah Palin for the hypocrisy.

    But you are right, Sarah is first a parent and this is a private affair.

    I just hope the social conservatives on the right are now enlightened. There but for the grace of God go I.

  88. jason330 says:

    Bullshit.

    Your judgement was not clouded. Palin and the rest of the holier than thou right made this an issue when they decided to make personal sexuality and sexual ethics a campaign wedge issue.

  89. Stella Bluez says:

    Knowing her daughter was pregnant she should have NEVER accepted the offer for Veep…..

    that just blows my mind…..

    Her judgment is as poor as McCain’s….

  90. snark says:

    is it being a mother or being a grandmother that disqualifies her from being VP?

  91. snark says:

    how old was Stanley Ann?

  92. mike w. says:

    Stella – Why the hell not?

    Biden didn’t step down when his wife was killed in a car accident and his son’s were seriously injured. Why should he have?

  93. Stella Bluez says:

    Being a mother or grandmother is NOT the problem….

    The problem is THIS!!! Just what is going on right now. The media & the people dealing with the story of her 17 y/o daughter being pregnant & unmarried…..

    What did she think would happen??

    McCain’s choice for VP puts that person in the biggest spotlight in the friggin world….so she just put her 17 y/o daughter right in IT….

  94. mike w. says:

    “The GOP needs to stop running on the social conservative bullshit. Right. Now.”

    Agreed. The anti-abortion, anti-gay rights stances of the GOP are going to end up killing it IMO.