Sarah Palin's teenage daughter pregnant
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7592636.stm
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, newly picked as Republican John McCain's running mate, has revealed that her 17-year-old daughter is pregnant.
Mrs Palin, a social conservative who is opposed to abortion, said in a statement her daughter Bristol would keep the child and marry its father.
The Alaska governor, a mother-of-five, was presented three days ago as her party's vice-presidential candidate.
The news comes as the Republicans' national convention gets under way.
The McCain campaign and Palin family asked for respect for the young couple's privacy.
Mrs Palin and her husband Todd said in a statement: "Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realise very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family."
Bristol is reportedly five months pregnant and would be due to give birth in late December.
Advisers to the McCain campaign said they had known about the pregnancy before offering Mrs Palin the vice-presidential nomination.
"Senator McCain's view is this is a private family matter," said McCain spokesman Steve Schmidt.
"As parents, [the Palins] love their daughter unconditionally and are going to support their daughter. Life happens."
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, asked for his response to the news while campaigning in Michigan, said people should "back off" from such stories.
"I think people's families are off-limits, and people's children are especially off-limits," he told reporters.
"This shouldn't be part of our politics. It has no relevance to Governor Palin's performance as a governor, or her potential performance as a vice-president."
The announcement of Bristol's pregnancy followed rumours on internet blog sites over the weekend suggesting that Mrs Palin's youngest child, Trig, born in April, had actually been born to Bristol. The boy has Down's Syndrome.
The National Journal reported that a spokesman for Mrs Palin had also confirmed that her husband had been arrested for driving under the influence in 1986.
Talking point
The BBC's Justin Webb in St Paul, Minnesota, where the Republicans' national convention is taking place, says the news will certainly be a talking point but may not damage Mrs Palin's standing.
She was brought on board to appeal to social conservatives, our correspondent says, and they may respect the decision by her daughter to keep the baby and to marry the father.
However, some people in the party who already had concerns about the lack of knowledge about Mrs Palin's record may fear what other revelations lie in wait, our correspondent adds.
The party's four-day convention opened on Monday but its schedule has been curtailed because of the threat of Hurricane Gustav to states on the southern US coast.
Mrs Palin is due to be formally nominated by delegates as the party's vice-presidential choice later this week.
She was elected governor of Alaska in 2006 and before that was mayor of the small town of Wasilla, Alaska.
Note: I hope this seals McCain's fate
I dont have a kid but I think 17 is too young to have a kid. Again it also depends on the family the kid is born into eg: grandparents etc, for the mother its too young...
I dream of a better tomorrow where Chickens can cross the Road without having their motives questioned - Unknown
Really what has happened here is everyone is different so everyone will experience things differently!
Look at the UK Queen not all roses in that family either but does it not make them more likely to understand us instead of being unreal???
Mr Paul, it may be a generalization, but I am just reflecting on what it takes to make a marriage with children work. Usually teenagers do not have enough life experience to make it work out for them. She or he will hit 21, the drinking age, and realize that they didn't get to do the things that teenagers do, high school prom, parties. I don't know about elsewhere in the world, but usually in the US the parents of the teenagers end up raising the babies because the teenagers can't handle the responsibility. Now remember, I said usually, not all the time.
...even as a democratic supporter I would not wish this to be true!
so, it's a case-to-case basis... :)
"In a couple of years, they will be getting a divorce and then she will be a teen single mom. "
I didnt get married till i was 29, my lad was born when i was 30, and now at 35, im almost divorced.
So age isnt the issue here, i know people who were childhood sweethearts and their marriges are still going strong...
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NIL ILLEGITIMI CARBORUNDUM
I agree Gypsy, 17 is a little young to be getting married, much less having a baby. In a couple of years, they will be getting a divorce and then she will be a teen single mom. This is just my opinion though. I waited until I was 30 to get married and I had my baby when I was 33. I am more patient, educated and comfortable in my life, which allows me to be a better mother and provide more for my daughter.
Oh, poor you..... go on and sneak a few puffs in the cubicle.... :)
Hmmm 17's a bit young to be getting married.
Visit www.qatarhappening.com
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thanks QT.. dont look so glum... :)
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lol,jauntie..
do you think about Obama & Palin..?...a child?...
:)
Rumours were going around that Palin's youngest kid was really her daughter's child, not hers ... All in the BEST possible taste, isn't it (NOT)
17 years and 1 month it's ok?
Yes, they may have wanted to keep the baby, and I wish them the best (other than the election), and 17 may be an "acceptable" age, but in my eyes, definately not "suitable"
mmmm, we've never met!....
And i thought you looked a tad over twenty...
17 is quite an acceptable age to have a baby, I should know! mine is 2 years old!
Obviously she's gone past the abortion stage, so she must have always wanted to keep the baby..
Cynics like me would however wonder about The term shot gun wedding ..
Just though it was interesting enough to share!
Sorry again!
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so what?