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Question

Vice Presidential candidate Palin's daughter, at 17, is pregnant. Here is one excerpt regarding the new child:

"We all make mistakes. Certainly, the ideal is not to get pregnant out of wedlock. But she made the right decision after her mistake." Obviously, she's keeping the baby, and marrying its father. Any thoughts on this situation?

(And just to get my biases out of the way immediately, I think anyone who calls her own grandchild "a mistake" has no business partaking in the running of a country).

Answer 1

My interpretation is that she stated clearly that getting pregnant outside of marriage was a mistake, and not the child himself or herself.

It does appear that we have two extremes running for office... we have the story you just spoke of and then Obama being the only one to support abortion after live birth(even among pro-choicers)... with the one example of a baby born for hours and left in a linen closet and then murdered. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORqC49mMC...   there are many videos about this)

Answer 2

I just laughed at this situation. I can understand her keeping the baby, but  the whole "marrying the father" part is just ridiculous. Palin's daughter should have the child, arrange an open adoption or have her mother care for the baby, and then go to college. I just don't understand why people think everyone who has kids has to get married. Marriage isn't real. It's a legal situation meant to protect each of the partners' assets and possible children. God didn't create marriage, humans did.

Answer 3

Mathew Staver, dean of Liberty University School of Law, said: "We're all sinners."

"We all make mistakes. Certainly, the ideal is not to get pregnant out of wedlock. But she made the right decision after her mistake," he said.

Staver also criticized anyone who would seek to make it a negative campaign issue: "It's absolutely shameful to put her child in the spotlight. She's not running for office. When someone can't face issues, they try to tear down a family."

I don't know if you are intentionally misquoting or not but as the above shows it wasn't Sarah Palin who gave that statement. It was Matt Staver, dean of Liberty University.

Personally I think this situation makes her even more easy to relate to. Sarah Palin is truly living through the life and experiences the average American citizen lives through. I mean how many of us are teenage parents, know teenage parents, or have friends and family who are teenage parents?

I personally can name quite a few off the top of my head.

Of course you can choose to not like her for whatever reasons but I think it's a bit silly to not like her because of things you assume about her family, her life, and what she thinks.

ETA:

The article came out today. How do you know she's even heard that particular statement?

Yes it's wholly unfair that someone is alluding to the child as a mistake. However, she has just been given to the wolves and has been called some very horrible names, along with her husband, her children (even  the youngest with down syndrome) and her friends.

She's has to fight the good fight but she also has to pick those fights.

More than likely she hasn't even heard the statement and more than likely if she has, the allusion hasn't even registered with her yet because unlike you she's never been in this situation.

Is it not possible to cut her a little slack? She's a woman with five kids and a grandchild on the way. She was just name a McCain's VP and people are still tearing her apart. You can't expect her to come out, guns blazing against every single negative statement and you can't fairly assume that because she doesn't it means she agrees with the statement.

While I completely understand your feelings, I think you are looking at this from a point of view that's too personal.

Answer 4

Viewing her grandchild as a mistake is certainly the wrong attitude, but perhaps she spoke without thinking. The most important thing is that she is standing by her daughter and supporting her choice, which I respect.

Congratulations to her daughter on both her pregnancy and her engagement. I wish her the best.

I'm an Obama supporter, but I do agree with many of Palin's opinions on the family, and I find Obama's stance on abortion far too extreme.  

Answer 5

I agree that calling a child a mistake is decadent.  Perhaps (and I'm just speculating) she was referring to the daughter's failure to use proper contraception or to engage in coitus at an age where one or the other felt it was inappropriate.

But, indeed, I agree that calling an unborn child a mistake is decadent, but totally consistent with Feminism in its hatred for the unborn amongst many other people and/or things.

Answer 6

I'm not sure she is pregnant.  I'm not sure the 5-month-old is Sarah's.  I wonder if the girl will "miscarry," thereby eliminating the "problem."  I *am* sure that if she marries at 17, both she, the baby that might be, and the baby's father will regret it.  I'm not sure this marriage is her choice.  I suspect she's being forced into it.

I think McCain's people should have done a better job vetting Palin.  I think McCain's people should have advised him better.  I feel very, very sorry for a confused, frightened 17-yr-old girl who stands to be humiliated in a national arena no matter what happens.  

Answer 7

I was going to say just what Katherine did. She never said the child was a mistake but the decision to have unprotected s*x as an unmarried minor WAS a bad decision AKA mistake. Stupid actions can have a few positive results and still be stupid. You can drive drunk and arrive home safe and sound, but it's still a stupid thing to do and so is irresponsible s*x.

Answer 8

It's true that everyone makes mistakes, and although that was her daughter, and it's a personal subject, I don't think it should affect her campaing. Shall there be any consequences, I think they should be treated separately from what she is doing. I like that way she said that she made a mistake, but dodged making the second mistake and on and on. Mistake should be treated separately along with it's consequences, my opinion.

Answer 9

Just for the record, here is Palin's official statement:

Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned," she said in a statement with her husband Todd.

"We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support," they said.

"Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family.

"We ask the media to respect our daughter and Levi's privacy as has always been the tradition of children of candidates."

What amazes me is, did she really think that everyone would just ignore the fact that her unmarried teenaged daughter was pregnant?  Did she and McCain really not realize what her daughter would be put through?  Either, as you say, the daughter is a pawn, or the parents are completely clueless.