Another aspect of the Palin "baby story" that doesn't add up (from article)

*caveat: I'm a family physician and I have to admit that while I am intrigued this Palin baby story, it's hard for me to buy it. One, it's really rare for a 17 year girl to deliver a Down's syndrome baby and two, although it would be easy to fake/hide a pregnancy, I think it would really hard to fake/hide a birth in a hospital because of the size of a medical team involved. I lean toward the notion that the baby is really the governor's. However, there's enough of this story that is fishy and doesn't add up that certainly makes this worth discussing in my book. I just want to know the truth one way or the other.

This article is from Anchorage Daily News, dated April 22nd, 2008. The key part is that allegedly Gov. Palin's water broke at 4:00am on April 17th, 2008 and at the time she thought she was "experiencing cotnractions". This is in direct conflict with other reports where she states it broke during her conference. That it might have broke at 4:00 am is significant for a few reasons.

1.) If her water truly broke at 4:00 am on 4/17 and she delivered at 6:30 am on 4/18 then her period of time of rupture of membranes would be 26 hours. This is a dangerous delay as risk of perinatal infection to mother and child go up after 24 hours. So, by this timeline Gov. Palin and her doctor, truly put the baby at risk in objectifiable terms. If we are to believe Palin, had anything gone wrong, her doctor would have justifiably been possibly guilty of medical malpractice because it seems the doctor didn't make it apparent to Gov. Palin that the baby needed to come out by the 24 hour mark.

2.) Now, if she though her water broke at 4:30 am and decided to attend her noon luncheon that would be really odd indeed, furthermore, from the way things read, she didn't even get on a plane until much later and didn't arrive in Alaska until very late. All of these unnecessary delays seem like extremely bad judgment. It also makes it hard to believe the timeline. As another OB posted at TPM, as a multiparous woman (meaning she had delivered many babies before), her water breaking would often lead to delivering the baby long prior to the 26 hour window we are led to believe this occurred. Like that OB said, there was a high probability that baby would have been delivered on the plane or before. Given that medical equipment, suction, and a baby warmer is not available at 27K feet, I think risking that is really really stupid.

3.) Number one and number two not only raise concerns about the "common sense" of Gov. Palin (and she strikes me as someone who doesn't have any) but it also raises a lot of questions in my mind about that family doctor. I've personally delivered 50 babies and spent 6 months on an ob floor in my Family Practice training. To be honest, that's not a lot of experience, but it is some experience. I was taught to take ROM seriously (although it can be managed expectantly) because it "starts the clock ticking". It is important to rule in or rule out. The main way to do this is to put the vaginal fluid under a microscope and check for ferning, which means when the fluid dries it looks like fern leaves or snowflake crystals. There's no way to do this without except by a vaginal exam for collection of the fluid. I just find it really surprising that she claims her water broke at 4:30am yet when she called her doctor it seems as if both of them agreed to "take their time" and just wait until well over 12 hours later just to rule in or out ROM.

What kind of doctor, with the PRE-TERM high risk pregnancy of the governor in her hands would act so nonchalantly about telling her to seek care when the governor was literally several thousand miles away?

Let's put this another way. Let's say you were pregnant and at 4:00am you thought your water broke and you were having contractions. Let's say that you called your doctor and they essentially told you "don't worry about it, finish your work day, come seem me at mignight". Then let's say your baby didn't come out until the 26 hour mark and then you or the baby developed a serious infection. Wouldn't you be really, really upset with the judgment of that doctor?

Also, why exactly is a family doctor (not an OB), performing management the pregnancy of a high profile official when it is such a high risk pregnancy without apparent OB backup. Gov Palin is 44, with an alleged Down's syndrome child, who's water broke in a preterm baby. On several accounts this is a high risk case. Usually high risk cases have an OB involved. However, I do understand that in certain places in Alaska, family doctors do have to act outside the normal realm of care. But then again, this is the Governor of the state, it's not some poor fisherman's wife from Seward.

---

The article, and other articles, raise the "she didn't look pregnant" point. Now, last night some folks here linked us photos that were supposedly taken on March 19th, 2008 where Palin looked VERY pregnant. They were not embedded photos and therefore could be photoshop specials but they do look real. However, there are other photos, videos, and first hand accounts of Palin that explicitly show or state a definite lack of showing any signs of pregnancy. It's just a weird piece of the puzzle that doesn't add up.

Furthermore, it seems extremely implausible that Bristol Palin would legitimately be out of school for 4 to 8 months because of "Mono". Mono is a throat infection caused by Epstein Barr Virus. It can result in severe fatigue, which generally lasts 2 to 6 weeks but sometimes can last months. However, it is rare that people have to take off more than 2 weeks from week or school. When I say rare, I mean like I've never heard of it in over 12 years of experience. I'm not saying that it doesn't happen, it's just that if it does it's really, really rare. Frankly, I just don't buy it. Perhaps she was depressed, perhaps it was something else. However, it just doesn't pass the smell test.

And speaking of the smell test, I think that's why this bothers so many of us. Usually, I run the other direction in "stories" like these. You can never tell what the truth might be and even if you did, without a DNA sample or a witness, you can never prove it. Furthermore, it's all lifetime TV stuff, which I find boring to no end. However, in this case and like so many things with the Palins , things just don't smell right. Everything about her being the VP pick is improbable and bizarre.

So, why do I care people might rightly ask. To be honest, I wonder that myself. I think it is because I've literally been in a funk for 8 years because we put Bush in the White House. To me, McCain does not = Bush, but Palin in fact does = Bush. An incurious, oafish, inexperienced, Christian Evangelical with a backwards social agenda is the core of what Bush is. That both were/are being marketed on their likeability factor (and I have to admit both Bush and Palin do have a magnetic quality) and not on the fact the fact that both would be really, rad bad for the country is extremely similar and unsettling.

I've probably spent too much time on this baby thing as it is and I hope someone proves it for me one way or the other.

Here's the article in question:

http://www.adn.com/626/story/382864.html

Palins' child diagnosed with Down syndrome

FAMILY FEELS BLESSED: Back at work already, governor says she wasn't in labor in Texas.

By LISA DEMER
ldemer@adn.com

Published: April 22nd, 2008 01:11 AM
Last Modified: April 22nd, 2008 12:05 PM

EARLY ARRIVAL

Palin was in Texas last week for an energy conference of the National Governors Association when she experienced signs of early labor. She wasn't due for another month.

Early Thursday -- she thinks it was around 4 a.m. Texas time -- she consulted with her doctor, family physician Cathy Baldwin-Johnson, who is based in the Valley and has delivered lots of babies, including Piper, Palin's 7-year-old.

Palin said she felt fine but had leaked amniotic fluid and also felt some contractions that seemed different from the false labor she had been having for months.

"I said I am going to stay for the day. I have a speech I was determined to give," Palin said. She gave the luncheon keynote address for the energy conference...

It points out that Palin's own behavior is causing the controversy. I do think this child is Gov. Palin's child. My conclusion is that she is an idiot.

Also, I agree that there is something about the Palins that is unsettling.

was getting the same sort of care and attention during labor as her other, unaffected children. She went through the pregnancy, sure, but how eager was she to give birth to a "healthy" child. That's what the stories make me wonder.

accepting that it is Sarah Palin's baby (absent of any proof otherwise), but I think her decision-making is suspect. After four kids, she should know a little more about how not to have complications like infection. I like this decision tree: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=6855834

I also wonder why her doctor did try to give her the name of a doc in Dallas or wherever she was going so she could seek emergency care that didn't involve the OBGYN ER at Parkland Hospital (if in Dallas). She would have been more comfortable at Presbyterian's Women's Hospital in D. (I love Parkland. Did volunteer work there in the ED ages ago. But it's a big mean hospital.)

Do you think her initial flight to Texas could have had something to do with her amniotic fluid leaking? I really am not versed on the specifics of flying while pregnant. I didn't fly at all during mine.

Yeah, I felt like the story didn't pass the smell test. There is a DU from Alaska that posted a plausible explanation for Palin's behavior. It has to do with being so new in her job, trying to maintain a strong image, and AK vs TX competitiveness. Although, I don't see why a mom would place her baby's health in jeopardy for any of those reasons.

that this is MUCH worse than a cover up story for a teen daughter. Piss poor judgement on either Sarah or her Doctor. or both. I don't know how much the baby weighed, but if she was barely showing, probably not much at 7and a half months along. My daughter was less than 3 pounds at birth, and stayed in intensive care for almost a month. I was also 7 and a half months. Instinctively, most mothers understand that premature birth is very risky and quite scary as well.

Apparently it's ideal for mums to have a baby at, the 6lb range. My sister was pre-mature and dangerous weight at the time she was born in the 80s, which was around 3lbs and a few ounces.

According to studies, IQ increases as birthweight increases, at least up to 9 pounds.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1483134.stm

It might have something to do with larger babies being better nourished in the womb.

So this baby sounds full term to me.

there certainly seems to be a caviler attitude towards a risky pregnancy.

Thanks for your professional opinion.

I don't usually get sucked in on stuff like this, so I've been asking myself this question for days now. The 8 years of funk, 8 years of being assaulted with lies & deception on a daily basis (even on crap that shouldn't matter)- has probably driven me to some sort of breaking point. I really think you hit the nail on the head with the, "new face, but more of the same shit" hypothesis. Just when we think things might be a "little" different, we're proved wrong. I thank you for answering this for me.

....it would be none of our business and wouldn't be given a second thought.

BUT, she is now a "conservative" Republican candidate for Vice President under a 72 year-old Presidential candidate (age notwithstanding, roughly 1/3 of all Vice Presidents ultimately become president one way or another).

1. Conservatives are supposed to be "better than us" - morally and ethicly.
2. According to the Republican campaign ads, they have "better judgement" than us.
3. As a fundamentalist, she's supposed to be honest to her God and constituency.
4. She's supposed to be a responsible family person, a "working mother", etc.

So, if the rumors (now appearing to be more than mere rumors!) are true, she's a liar, has VERY poor judgement, not honest to her God or her constituency, and she has done a lousy job of raising her child (not in my mind, but I'm sure in her's and her contemporaries) by allowing her underage daughter to have an illegitimate child.

Any way you look at it - whether the story is true or not - she fails. And she's got a 1/3 chance (probably higher considering McCain's age and medical history) of becoming President if they win in November.

Based on this, there are LOTS of reasons for all Americans to care.

Experience, this whole story sounds downright bizarre. I don't suspect the baby is anyone but the governor's, but her behavior was unbelievably nonchalant about what could have been an extremely adverse outcome (infection would have been the least of it - try a prolapsed cord or precipitous delivery). Maybe she felt that she could take chances because the baby had DS. If so, her "Right to Life" convictions don't bear close scrutiny.

Can't win either way.

Can't win either way.

Can't win either way.

Imagine what she would do as a VP??

It's a funny thing but I've noticed that it's typically the experts in any given area who sniff the lies pumped out by Team Buscho while the debunko squad gets busy posting their usual "it's just a conspiracy theory" bullshit.

As I said in another post, it is her judgment we should be hammering. As far as I'm concerned, not only did she display poor judgment, she (and her doctor) should be investigated for child endangerment! As a ret. RN with a great deal of OB/GYN and PEDS experience, I am appalled that anyone, much less a physician would approve her actions!!!

I've placed the caption of the photo below the image.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/searchbrowse?q=sarah+palin&uname=Ishmael.KoKon&psc=G&filter=1#8

This undated photo provided by the Heath family shows Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin pregnant in Wasilla, Alaska. Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., announced Palin as his vice presidential running mate on Friday, Aug. 29, 2008. (AP Photo/Heath Family)



She certainly showed her pregnancy when carrying this child.


This picture was taken at the National Governor's Association on Feb 25, 2008. Notice the position of her arms and hands. They seem normally placed as she doesn't to appear to have much protrusion from her abdomen.

http://www.america2050.org.nyud.net:8080/upload/2008/02/GLW_1433%20Select%20Posting%20Low%20Res1.jpg

Unfortunately I can't figure out how to post them - any help?

In both of them she's wearing heavy clothing (INDOORS) - not to cover up the "pregnancy", but maybe to cover up the LACK of pregnancy? Also, notice the abdomen of the 16 year old daughter! In fact, in one picture her two younger daughters are in short sleeve shirts, but she still is wearing a heavy sweater or jacket. Bizarre!

Unfortunately I can't figure out how to post them - any help?

In both of them she's wearing heavy clothing (INDOORS) - not to cover up the "pregnancy", but maybe to cover up the LACK of pregnancy? Also, notice the abdomen of the 16 year old daughter! In fact, in one picture her two younger daughters are in short sleeve shirts, but she still is wearing a heavy sweater or jacket. Bizarre!

Unfortunately I can't figure out how to post them - any help?

In both of them she's wearing heavy clothing (INDOORS) - not to cover up the "pregnancy", but maybe to cover up the LACK of pregnancy? Also, notice the abdomen of the 16 year old daughter! In fact, in one picture her two younger daughters are in short sleeve shirts, but she still is wearing a heavy sweater or jacket. Bizarre!

Control C (copy)

Control V (paste)

with your 5th pregnancy, at 7 months, you would not be showing. She appears in the picture as even having a waistline??????

time what everyone elses body takes 4, 5, 6 months to do

For thoughtfulness and careful reasoning.

:kick:

1.) Gov. Palin, as you note, went WAY out of her way so as to be seen ONLY in Wasilla.

2.) Reports are that Palin treated Wasilla as her own fiefdom

3.) Gov. Palin was VERY friendly with the doctor and nominated the good doctor for many awards. I suspect that the doctor shared Gov. Palin's political views.

4.) If the doctor was sympathetic to the plight of Bristol (and the Governor), perhaps she would go out of her way to insure that the subterfuge went off without a hitch. Now, would this cooperation go so far as to risk her license to practice medicine by forging a birth certificate is another question.

They are privileged. I doubt that anything was falsified.

The point is not that Palin's daughter might have had a baby. That's not what we're concerned about, because most of us here don't think that's a real big deal in this day and age.

What's a big deal is Palin's judgment. If her story about flying from Texas to Alaska - and then driving away from Anchorage, where anyone over the age of 40 experiencing pre-term labor with a special needs baby ought to have delivered - is true, then her own actions prove her to be impulsive (bordering on reckless) and foolish.

If she wasn't pregnant at all, then the flight from Texas to Alaska and long drive to the little hospital in her village way out there makes sense from a logistical point of view. But then we have to look at the fraudulent nature of the arrangement, falsifying birth certificate, insurance fraud, suborning others to lie.

Either way, it raises serious red flags about her judgment.

I believe that we should be hammering her on her judgment. But on a more personal note, it really does remind me of the people who believe in faith healing, or in other words, "I'll act irresponsibly and leave the outcome up to god".

"1.) If her water truly broke at 4:00 am on 4/17 and she delivered at 6:30 am on 4/18 then her period of time of rupture of membranes would be 26 hours."

If it broke at 0400 AM Central time and the baby was born at 0630 Alaska time, that's actually 29 hours and 30 minutes.

I had a very high risk pregnancy (moreso than Palin's) and I followed my perinatology practices orders to the letter. The only child I could ever have was that important to me. He's now a healthy almost teenager and even when I couldn't get out of the house much, dye my hair, or travel with Mr. B@L--and that all was very frustrating, I really struggled with it--I'm so very grateful that I did.

I had the best high risk pregnanacy doctors in the country (who fortunaely are based here in Phoenix) but I would have traveled--AND STAYED HERE THRU THE LAST TRIMESTER--to see them.

The baby is hers--and her willingness to risk her pregnancy means I don't want her risking MY OWN PRECIOUS ONLY CHILD's fate to an unjustified war.

It's the smell test indeed--and no matter where the smell comes from, let's not let it into the White House.

I had my sons in two different hospitals in two different states
and both doctors gave the same Diagnosis

Immediate induction
I was 38 week with both kids. and both time my am biotic fluid levels dropped from the week before by two points. though I had not reported any leaking, or noticed any each time.

Both Doctors in each pregnancy sent me to have my baby and within 12-23 hours I Had given birth(the first one took for ever to get out)

There are certainly several things that are weird about this story.

....she noticed the signs of early labor at 4 AM TEXAS time, and had the baby at 6:30 AM (more than "26 hours" later) in ALASKA time. There is a THREE HOUR time difference between Houston and Anchorage, so instead of more than 26 hours it was actually more than 29 hours!

Something very fishy about this, very !!

Since the writing of the OP this morning I learned that Palin announced her daughter is pregnant.

I agree with Obama that we shouldn't make it a political issue. We all know that abstinence only programs don't work so I think we should just leave it at that.

However, it's just awefully convenient for Bristol to be 5 months pregnant. She's just magically pregnant enough that they can say she is not the mother of Trig but not so pregnant that she actually has to produce a child before the election. If you don't get my meaning, let's just say that if Sarah Palin becomes VP don't be surprised if Bristol never carries to term, because she may not really be pregnant.

Like my wife says, the Republicans are masters of covering one story with another story.

Now, as a doctor and a liberal I have to admit my thoughts have been carried to a very dark place. But let's be honest, given that the Republicans have literally gotten hundreds of thousands of people killed based on lies without so much as batting an eye. Nothing, no matter how nefarious, surprises me anymore.

"But, but...the Palin's wouldn't do this...go to such lengths of trickery..."

The thing I know about people like the Palins and the Bushes of the world is that they consider their political efforts as part of an overall holy crusade waged on behalf of God. And in order to serve God, the ends always justify the means.

So in a nutshell, I will say this:

1.) If Bristol is 5 months pregnant, then Trig is the spawn of Sarah. This is very plausible and as such Bristol's pregnancy is a non issue. We can still shout from the rooftops that "abstinence only" programs don't work and should never shy away from doing so.

2.) If Trig is Sarah's child, then her and her doctor are absolute idiots for how they managed her labor and delivery. To the "but..but...she's doctor of the year..." crowd I will gladly have you know I am part of the AAFP and that awards like that are political and mean nothing.

3.) There is still a 3rd possibility, though remote, and that is Trig is Bristol's and this new magic "I'm 5 month's pregnant" story is an all-too-perfect concoction that can easily not be carried to term once Palin is VP. Yes, I went there. And yes, I don't put such trickery past people that think they are doing the will of God. If slicing heads off for God is doable, then I guess making up a fake pregnancy to cover a real one isn't a big deal.

4.) Obama can say "back off" all he wants. I love the guy. I think he really means it. The man has character and class to burn. There is nothing sinful or shameful about a teen pregnancy. No one wants it for their daughters because of the ramifications, however it's not a moral or personal failing. People like to screw, it's built into our DNA through hundreds of millions of years of EVOLUTION. However, Obama is my political candidate and is the moral compass of our party but he is not my direct boss. I still think it's important for people to seek the truth as long as that's all we are doing. It's about TRUTH and there's nothing wrong in that.

Well, I guess that's all I have to say about this stuff for now. No matter what I think we can all rest assured there will be many more surprises with Sarah Palin. Something's just not right about all of this. Anyone who basically the nominee because of Rush Limbaugh has to have some serious issues and ethical shortcomings. He's evil if there was such a thing.

Thanks. I tried to post similar sentiments, but none as eloquent or with as much authority as yours.

Thank you, doctor, for a fascinating review of the facts of this story.

Highly recommended!

you referred to bristol not carrying to term after palin is elected. what difference does it make whether she's elected or not? elected or not, if it's fake, she won't carry to term.

i'm really tired of secrets and coverups. i want to know everything about a candidate. i want the ENTIRE truth. frankly, i trust what I think over what obama thinks.

third thing (sorry). you find bush and palin magnetic? there's no explaining "charisma".

Frankly, I think she should lose her license over this. The only reason it's not malpractice is because both of her patients lived. Gross negligence. She should never have taken Palin on as a patient with her living in Juneau and the doctor in Wasilla (hours by flight away), and Wasilla's hospital doesn't even have a NICU!!

Whether the baby really is Sarah's or not, there is still something not quite right with the story, which only leads to questions concerning truthfulness and judgment on the part of someone who will be a heartbeat away from "leader of the free world".

why wait?????

kept her out of school, it didn't keep from having sex.

My husband said he expects to hear that Bristol has had a miscarriage soon.

that killed her precious grandchild and she will become patron saint of the repiggies./. thats why she needs to go and QUICKLY, before anything more "happens"

I think Bristol's got some "baby fat" there from having Trig..OR Trig's birthday is a bit earlier and ./.oops she did it again..

could mess around with bf

adds up to "weird family values", if nothing else.

also I would ask Bread and Circus, what kind of doctor (family or OB) would let a women with an at-risk pregnancy even fly at 7+ months?!?!?.... I mean who gave her an OK to even fly to Dallas to begin with?

Thanks, Bread and Circus, for providing your professional opinion to back up those garnered only from personal experience! :)

It really doesn't matter to me whom baby Trig belongs to, although I suspect he is Sarah's baby. What I and many mothers have found appalling all along is the cavalier attitude she displayed once her water allegedly broke. Few mothers can imagine risking their children's lives in that way. Importantly, it is an issue that many of us can relate to-- the desire to put our children first. When a person acts this selfishly, it resonates.

Add to that not the fact that Palin parades her daughter on stage in an effort to deflect the criticism that has arisen due to the bizarre story of Trig's birth. I feel so sorry for Bristol-- she had no choice to be born into a family where basic facts of human biology are ignored. Sure she made a questionable decision-- but the vast majority of teens are sexually active. The fault here lies with her mother. Promoting abstinence-only is another example of this woman's poor judgment.

1. Is it possible this child does not have Down Syndrome at all? Can you tell by looking?
2. Another doctor said it was nearly impossible that Sarah could last as long as she claimed after her water broke without having the baby. Do you agree?
3. A strange aspect is - why even give all that as the official story? Why not just say she flew back and had the baby? Or that she had a couple contractions that stopped but she decided to fly back to be on the safe side? I hypothesized elsewhere that it's perhaps to jibe with some other lie she told that we may not even know about. If not, can you think of anything from a medical angle that might help explain it?

Someone on another thread -- which would would take me literally hours to find, given the volume of DU analysis of Babygate -- suggested that the lie was in the suggestion that she had leakage while in Texas. The truth, on this hypothesis, is that she gave her speech, flew back to Alaska, all was normal until late in the flight when she began experiencing contractions. Therefore, upon landing, she got to the hospital where her ob/gyn was, and labor was induced, as per the official story. The part about flying while about to deliver was added later to show how tough she was. I think the DUer posting this was an Alaskan who said it would be in keeping with the way the state's culture values such traits, and that it would also have tied in with Palin's need to rebut grumbling that her pregnancy might keep her from properly tending to official business.

On this theory, once the story was put out it had to be kept up, and the ob/gyn had to be brought into the fold to lie to the reporters about phone conversations with Palin.

I could never swallow the idea that it was Bristol's child. You just couldn't fake a birth under these circumstances without word getting out. This theory is much more plausible because only one person (your own doctor) needs to be in on it and all that needs to be faked is a phone conversation.

No doctor, with a high risk patient that close to her due date (and pregnant with a baby that's at high risk for premature birth), would okay her getting on a plane to begin with. Well, no good doctor trying to keep her license and her malpractice insurance, anyway.

If Palin made up the whole thing, why did her doctor verify part of the story but also say that Palin did not ask for a medical OK to fly? It's easier for me to believe the doctor would help Palin lie if the story about Bristol being Trig's mom is true. I can see the doctor being paid off to lie in that case. It's harder for me to believe that the doctor would help Palin lie ONLY about her water breaking in TX. I can't believe the doctor wouldn't have told Palin that the story would only make Palin look insane, not heroic (and that it would make the doctor look incompetent). I can't believe it would be so important for Palin to puff herself up that she would pay off the doctor to go along with that lie. Even if Palin made up the smaller lie without consulting with her doctor and THEN asked the doctor to corroborate her story, the doctor could have just not spoken to the press, citing HIPAA laws. That would actually look better than telling the press that Palin never asked for a medical OK to fly.

She knew how bad the story was and was worried people would think she told Palin it was fine to wait almost 24 hours to get back to Wasilla from Houston. She had to say something to make it look like she disagreed with Palin's behavior but couldn't control it.

1. Yes, you can tell Down's Syndrome from just looking at the baby. I have yet to see any pictures of him that show his face clearly or even at all, which is fine (privacy and all that), but I haven't seen anything to know for sure.

2. I would agree, having gone through labor twice and being married to a guy who went to medical school, that it's very, very unlikely that she could've lasted that long. In her version, she said she felt her contractions change and some fluid leak out at 4 am. When I felt my contractions change, I had our daughter 12 hours later and our son 5 hours later. Given it was early, the baby was smaller, and he was her fifth child, I cannot imagine at all how the hell she lasted that long. She has to be lying about it.

3. The lie is massive. If she thought telling the story like this made her sound like a strong Alaskan, she was wrong. It makes her sound like a callous mother who used her baby and put his (and her) life at risk for a damn political stunt. It shows that she has terrible decision making skills in a crisis situation. Period.

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//080830/480/ab320817ff754818a990bfcec85d78bd/

I'm just getting the red x. Humph. Darn computers.

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//080830/480/ab320817ff754818a990bfcec85d78bd/

?x=400&y=262&q=85&sig=qaC3ZfeKrjrlscP8yp8K1Q--

Either of those work?

Just go to Yahoo News and do a search on Trig Palin. On page 2 at the bottom is a photo of him with the Palins.

Thanks!

I can't tell from the photo, but he sure is a little cutie. Too bad about how crazy his parents are.

We probably get more mileage from "On her own version of the facts, she was reckless" than we do from "Her version of the facts is implausible so she's probably lying."

In the limited contacts I've had with people on this, I've found that women who've given birth are essentially unanimous in criticizing Palin's decision to fly home. (Even flying to Texas was questionable, as others have pointed out.) Granted, my unscientific survey included only women who were predisposed against Palin, but still, I've been struck by the firmness and intensity of their reaction.

Therefore, I'd say let's not go with "The lie is massive" (the part of your point #3 that I don't agree with). Accuse the Governor of Alaska of lying? Who, us? Well, yeah, maybe about Troopergate, but not about this. We're just taking her at her word and evaluating her self-reported conduct.

I hadn't thought of it that way, but it does make sense to say that her story proves she was reckless and even dangerously so instead of saying it's obviously a lie. We don't know how she is--maybe she likes living on the edge and taking insane risks with her life. Who knows. What we do know is that the story shows she put her child's life and her life as well as serious risk, apparently all to score political points in Alaska.

recent photos.

and suggested this. He said that they would want to monitor any woman who came in with rupture of membranes and probably advise admission and induction of labor. A woman who had already given birth four times would know that her labor was going to be short especially if she was already experiencing contractions. Getting on a plane could have been a death sentence for this baby.

Thank you! That doctor is entirely right. The whole thing smacks of malpractice, and what kind of doctor would risk the lives of the mother and baby and her license? What kind of mother would risk her life and her baby's life for a political stunt (make sure it's born in the right state, etc.)?

This chick hired the wrong doctor and showed incredibly piss-poor judgement in a crisis situation. She shouldn't be anywhere near the presidency.

it is so horribly wrong i wont let it go

unheard of. simply unheard of. i cannot believe it.

was 5 months pregnant right now AND McLoonery KNEW about it, am I wrong. I have a Dish and they have Direct TV that broke into the US Open with her show. I admit I didn't know how to change the channel so Couric came on.

What's the deal??? If you reply I'll have to catch it later... got to get back to house-sitting! Maybe someone else knows something about this... I don't know, just checking in right now.

Thanks!

It doesn't make much sense, does it? Except if you ask yourself - who was the priority here? Her ego and it HAS to be in Alaska obsession, or the health and welfare of the baby? The answer I come up with doesn't reflect well on palin.