Knoxville News-Sentinel: That Sarah Palin rumor

[bananas]

This is a blog at the newspaper Knoxville News-Sentinel,
so I don't know if it qualifies as "LBN" yet.
It clearly makes the point why this is a valid and important topic for discussion.

http://blogs.knoxnews.com/knx/granju/2008/08/that-sarah-palin-rumor.html

That Sarah Palin rumor

Bloggers are all over the theory that Sarah Palin's four-month-old baby may actually be her grandchild - the son of her 16-year-old daughter, who missed most of the last school year with what the family said was mononucleosis.

It's a far-fetched theory but after reading one pundit's case, I had to begrudgingly admit that it looks like it isn't quite as "out there" as one might initially believe.

My first thought is that this sort of scrutiny has to be really hard on the 16-year-old girl in question. And my second thought was that IF this turns out to be true, I'll find it a really scary example - perhaps the most scary example of anything I've seen in a long time - of a politician who would do anything to get elected.

No one - no matter what her political views - wants to hear the words "Mom, I'm pregnant," from her teenage daughter. But I've known many families of many backgrounds who have faced this challenge with grace, dignity and tremendous respect for the mother-child bond that their teenage daughter now shares with her child. It's not ideal, but it's important to get past the mistake that caused the situation, and move on to the realities of a pregnant young woman who now needs support and guidance in raising her baby.

Gone are the days when we secreted pregnant teenagers away to "homes" far away from their families, to give birth in shame and fear, and to give their babies up for adoption - to family members or to strangers. But when you are serving in elective office on a platform that includes a rigid "abstinence only" social policy, it would be extremely embarrassing to have your teenager turn up pregnant.

<snip>

[Qutzupalotl]

1. Tell the tabloids.

Give me facts, not rumors.

[dkf]

2. And when did you realize that John Edwards was having an affair?

I'm guessing you were a little slow on that one.

[greguganus]

3. oh snap! kicked and rec'd.n/t

[hexola]

4. That was FAR easier to fathom...

This is pretty far out...

[dkf]

6. When is the last time you heard of someone being out of school for 6 months

because of mono?

[Qutzupalotl]

8. I had mono for 6 months.

All I could do to drag myself to work in the morning. Some days I couldn't. There was no remedy.

[WhiteTara]

22. I got one shot of prednisone

and damn I felt fine! I don't recommend steriod use, but it sure was a big help!

[Motown_Johnny]

9. There is some circumstantial evidence for it. Either way it knocks them off their talking points

The daughter being out of school for 5 months with mono at exactly the same time the child was being carried to term is suspicious. Mono normally only lasts 1-2 months. For an otherwise healthy young woman to sequestered for 5 months with this disease is extremely unlikely.

The plane trip is suspicious also.

[Qutzupalotl]

5. Rumors can backfire. Facts can't.

[No Elephants]

7. Exactly. All this about claiming the baby to "protect" her daughter is bs.

You protect your daughter by letting her know she is a fine person and you live her. Not by acting as though what she did is too heinous for human consumption.

We still don't know if this is true in the first place, but the protection meme is crap on a stick.

[tired_old_fireman]

10. Agreed

You also protect your child by educating them about sex, birth control and stds before it gets that far. It's fine if Palin doesn't want to educate her daughter, but she wants everyone else's sons and daughters not to be educated. In this case (if it is true,) the downside is an unplanned baby. What if it was herpes or hpv that went untreated? You don't protect your family by living in a fantasy world where all teenagers will abstain from premarital sex.

[Jane Eyre]

11. The daughter was holding the baby during the VP announcement

I noticed that Bristol Palin was holding the infant when McCain was announcing that Sarah Palin was his VP pick and introducing her (and her family) to the world.

At the time, I thought it was odd that the oldest girl was left holding the baby during this important announcement. This was before I had heard any of the rumors concerning his birth. Why wasn't the father holding the baby, or indeed, why wasn't the baby left offstage with a babysitter for a few minutes? Let's face it, the family members are basically props during these events. There are very good reasons to leave the kids offstage in order to preserve their privacy. The first thought that popped into my head when I saw the way in which the infant was being carried by his oldest sister is that the girl was being used as the designated babysitter. There was something about the way in which she held the child that suggested that she was her little brother's primary caretaker instead of Mr. and Mrs. Palin.

At the event in Washington, PA, Sarah Palin introduced her family but announced that Trig Palin was taking a nap on the campaign bus and that his big sister Bristol was with him. That seemed to confirm that Bristol is caring for the baby during this campaign.

[WCGreen]

12. Perhaps a Wet Nurse....

[Motown_Johnny]

13. Are you suggesting we check and see which of them is lactating?

[Jane Eyre]

14. No

But I do think that it is reasonable to ask the parents about the arrangements for caring for a newborn while she is campaigning full-time. Especially if she insists upon having her kids travel with her. Are they going to school during this time? Home schooled?

Education and child care are legitimate campaign issues, and voters should be allowed to know in general how the candidate carries out those duties within her own family. Delegating child care duties to the oldest child, who should be in school now especially after missing so many months due to illness, doesn't seem to be the best way to approach the issue of child care for this special needs infant.

[Beausoir]

15. Yes. That is exactly what they are suggesting. Beyond perverted.

[WCGreen]

17. I am not suggesting that...

I am mearly making a snide remark...

You, on the other hand, automatically infered that...

[hexola]

16. How about this - They were BOTH pregnant...

The older Ms Palin miscarries...and adopts the daughters baby.

[Crooked Moon]

19. why not...

if we're going to squander our credibility, why not go for the gusto?

[invictus]

18. K&R

nt

[cabbage08]

20. K&R

Interesting thought

[NJmaverick]

21. This is exactly why it's worth pursuing this line of attack/investigation

this article is pretty damning.