Maybe it was a different daughter

Or maybe some gullible DUers have learned a valuable lesson about falling for fact-free rumors just because they make our opponents look bad.

(on edit)

I'm gonna say something I shouldn't. McCain was right, maybe even brave, in not letting Palin's family circumstance affect his choice for VP (it was still an idiotic choice, but only as a matter of governance). Unwanted pregnancies are not ideal, but they happen to ordinary people. I hope DUers can conduct themselves as true pro-choicers, respecting the choice that Bristol Palin made and respecting her right to privacy on a private matter by leaving her situation out of the debate. Sarah Palin and her record of public service, bad ideas, and lack of preparation for higher office are the only issues here.

Her daughter's pregnancy doesn't make Palin unfit to serve. Only her terrible policy positions do this. The children of politicians are off limits always. Yes, even the children of politicians who want to stick the government's nose into our personal lives. I know some DUers like to gloat by saying "turnabout is fair play" and "fight fire with fire." The problem in this case is that "turnabout" reinforces their values and undermines ours. I won't fight fire with fire if it puts me on the same moral plane as Rush Limbaugh.

I think that's what happens.

You have a premise, you look for things to support it and you ignore things that don't support it.

A professional woman like that hiding a pregnancy, not too far fetched.

On the other hand, if the daughter had been pregnant, not sure they would have just come out and lived it down. It would have been a "career problem" for her.

The daughter disappearing for all that time before the baby came is suspicious.

What will have to happen to resolve the issue is some doctor will come forth and say he delivered the baby.

It's not strange. The only thing strange going on is that this woman ran her city into debt and then got elected governor... and now is pledging millionaire tax cuts for a nation with a huge debt and even huger infrastructure needs going unmet.

Private lives are private lives. It's bullshit to say otherwise.

One doesn't disprove the other... Maybe the McCain campaign had Maury Povich on the VP selection committee...

Instead of appearing noble in a misguided attempt to protect her family, we know have this CONFIRMED two-fer:

1) She was incredibly reckless and negligent (stupid?) flying from TX to AK after leaking amniotic fluid.
2) Her teenage daughter is currently pregnant and unwed.

BOOM!

The rules don't apply, even the Constitution is optional. And we know how they pick and choose the rules from the bible and twist them to fit their needs.

You'd have to have the ethics of Karl Rove to drag her family's personal business into the public sphere.

It's just wrong.

nomination--she's a "hockey mom", don'tcha know. Turns out, she doesn't have a handle on her own kids, and she was completely reckless with her own infant. When you hold out your motherhood as a rationale to be VP, then it's fair to scrutinize.

Kid couldn't play Div I hockey because he didn't even have a 2.0 average. With grade inflation as it is today, that's pathetic -- at most schools, if you have a 3.0 you're in the bottom 3rd of your class or so, or at least in the bottom half.
As and Bs are handed out like smile buttons, and there are dozens of bullshit classes to get the low achievers through. A B+ is the new C.

Wonder what kind of "boarding school" he went to in Michigan?

She made her bed politically, now she has to lie in it.

Once again, BOOM!

Seriously? You can't talk about the children? Since when? Who have come up with this law? Cause I sure have missed it.

Enough said.

Even though it was completely untrue, enough undecideds were swayed enough not to vote for Kerry. In my mind, babygate is fair game.

Regardless of whether you find it fair game, it's incredibly stupid politics to attack motherhood. It simply sends the wrong signal.

I'm attacking her stance on abstinence only education and how well it works.

And, if you call me Karl again, I'll kill you.


:rofl:

Look at what door has been opened.

And, I am suspicious of this announcement about Bristol. She had mono so badly that she missed 8 months of school and still managed to get pregnant five months ago?

*shakes head*

And the attack was pure bullshit.

When you pull others into it with you. IMO, the people who used DU to promote the sexist babygate story should pony up a few hundred apiece to the admins for use of the board.

promotes abstinence only sex education and does not want ANYONE to use any type of birth control AT ALL makes this an issue. The McCain camp is claiming that they knew about the pregnancy before asking Palin. What kind of a parent puts her pregnant teenager through a process like this? Seriously. It speaks volumes about her judgment.

And, if this IS true, it speaks volumes about her judgment in getting on a plane with leaking amniotic fluid at 44 years old with AMA and carrying a speacial needs baby.

Talking about Palin and abstinency / sex education because her daughter IS pregnant is valid.

Promoting false accusations / rumors = bullshit. Congrats to everyone, they're right up there with whomever's behind Larry Sinclair.

And, frankly, the 'rumor' about her getting on a plane with leaking amniotic fluid is far more disgusting than the 'rumor' that the baby isn't hers. She jeopardized that baby's life and should be ashamed.


In all honesty, I think what the SBVFT did to John Kerry, a legitimately decorated war hero was far, far worse.

Are you fucking nuts? You think he knew?

Man, I had no idea you were so gullible.

One sign of being a grown up is to be able to disagree with me without calling me names.

I find scorn on DU is generally a fig leaf hiding a thin respect for established facts.

pregnancy is despicable and must be avoided ( and I admit I have posted a couple of snarky, juvenile, lousy joke comments). At the same time, though, we can, should and must bring up important issues that are related to health care, education, support programs for families.

Fundies will see her daughter's pregnancy, and Governor Palin's tough and legitimate choice, as simply a right to life issue. A lot of parents facing issues like this with their kids ( as a parent of four kids - one who got through a real crisis - very different but just as heartbreaking) will identify with the Palins. In some ways, I honestly do identify with the moral complexity of the situation.

All well and good. But then we have got to come back with how Dems provide real support for educational programs that support safe sex, how we support scientific research to help make pregnancies safer and birth defects less frequent, how Dems are concerned with the health and well-being of a child having a child when you might not have family support or might not have the economic resources available to the upper-middle class.

The Republicans will use this as a means of taking all family issues off the table while implicitly shoring up the right-wing base. Bring what really matters about family issues right up there. It is a delicate balance, but necessary.

edited for syntax: didn't want anyone to think I was equating family support with upper middle-class.

wants her abstinence only views, anti-abortion views become public policy.

And how did these 'values' work for her and her family?

Maybe a bit of comprehensive sex and family planning information would have prevented this.

by not being forthright about her daughter's pregnancy and trying to cover it up by having her daughter hold Trig constantly. All people here did was point out oddities and possible (although sometimes implausible) explanations.

Her questionable antics while pregnant are still in play. All of it speaks to her and McCain's judgment and decision making capabilities. It also shows the failure of their policies.

Post some non-baby stories. Try to distract them.
This crap should soon die down.