feminist: Palin Responds to Rumors with News that Daughter is Pregnant

maerhys (

maerhys) wrote in

feminist,
@ 2008-09-01 13:41:00

Current mood:	irritated
Entry tags:	media, politics north america, pregnancy, united states

Palin Responds to Rumors with News that Daughter is Pregnant
US-centric: Palin is currently governor of Alaska and McCain's VP presumptive for the 2008 presidential election in USA. A rundown of Palin can be watched here.

Palin Says Her Daughter, 17, Is Pregnant .

And McCain and the Republicans have known about this. I've seen talk that this will sink the McCain ticket for sure. I detest Palin's politics and can't see why moderate voters like her - aside from her being white and a woman - a little salve on the HRC wound, possibly.

But to cast her aside as a liability because her daughter is pregnant? I don't even care if the young woman is going to marry the father (although I am sure that is going to be bolded and underlined everywhere). Why is this even an issue? There are plenty, a plethora of reasons that Palin is not the best choice but that her kid is 17 and choosing to have a baby is not one of them.

(Post a new comment)

	snowowl 2008-09-01 05:45 pm UTC (link)
	This isn't the worst of it. I can't count the times people who dislike platform have called her a "MILF" or "stewardess" or the like in the last week or so. It's disgusting. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	rawbery79 2008-09-01 06:13 pm UTC (link)
	Yes, that is irritating. Frankly, IMHO, I don't find her that attractive, and what does it matter? She could be a supermodel, but if she can't effectively lead, it won't do anyone a world of good. But then again, what do you expect? (Reply to this) (Parent)

	podpodpod 2008-09-01 06:22 pm UTC (link)
	People have also called her a lesbian. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) -

podpodpod, 2008-09-01 06:26 pm UTC

(no subject) -

star_lust, 2008-09-01 06:30 pm UTC

	eruv 2008-09-01 06:32 pm UTC (link)
	I have seen "naughty librarian" a lot more than "stewardess." (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) -

ivyblossom, 2008-09-01 06:50 pm UTC

(no subject) -

eruv, 2008-09-01 06:51 pm UTC

	coaldustcanary 2008-09-01 08:59 pm UTC (link)
	I'm actually seeing a lot more of that kind of objectifying talk from Republicans and social conservatives than people who disagree with her. www.VPILF.com is for the McCain/Palin ticket rather clearly, for instance. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	lovmelovmycats 2008-09-01 05:48 pm UTC (link)
	The young man who is marrying Palin's daughter better hope he never wants/needs a divorce (seeing as how she's harrassed her sister's ex...). (Reply to this)

oh_annalouise
2008-09-01 05:54 pm UTC (link)

Sarah Palin, or more specifically, Bristol Palin fill me with guilt because I just can't muster up a sense of sisterhood to passionately defend this kid and the undeserved thrashing she's going to get in the mass media.
The whole rumor mill about Bristol Palin and the focus on how she's marrying her babydaddy creeped me out because of how it harkend back to an old school shaming and hiding of unwed mothers. But the new school point-and-stare-and-speculate approach is just as disturbing.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	maerhys 2008-09-01 06:00 pm UTC (link)
	I can't say I will be passionately defending either Palin... because as much as I hate what the press is doing, I am pretty sure that their answer to all of it will be seeping with so much WWS that I will turn my back on the entire thing. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) -

cappucinogrrl, 2008-09-01 08:02 pm UTC

(no subject) -

the_living_end, 2008-09-01 08:14 pm UTC

(no subject) -

cappucinogrrl, 2008-09-01 08:15 pm UTC

(no subject) -

maerhys, 2008-09-01 08:43 pm UTC

	gloriousburdens 2008-09-01 08:08 pm UTC (link)
	Sarah Palin, or more specifically, Bristol Palin fill me with guilt because I just can't muster up a sense of sisterhood to passionately defend this kid and the undeserved thrashing she's going to get in the mass media. Me either. Abstinence-only sex education for the motherfucking win. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) -

raanve, 2008-09-01 09:54 pm UTC

(no subject) -

gloriousburdens, 2008-09-01 10:10 pm UTC

(no subject) -

raanve, 2008-09-01 10:19 pm UTC

(no subject) -

gloriousburdens, 2008-09-01 10:34 pm UTC

(no subject) -

raanve, 2008-09-02 12:25 am UTC

(no subject) -

sunnies, 2008-09-01 11:32 pm UTC

(no subject) -

raanve, 2008-09-02 12:24 am UTC

(no subject) -

gingersomething, 2008-09-02 02:13 am UTC

(no subject) -

cupkate, 2008-09-01 11:21 pm UTC

(no subject) -

supafrosh, 2008-09-02 01:53 am UTC

(no subject) -

akfelecia2, 2008-09-02 04:21 pm UTC

(no subject) -

noabsolutes, 2008-09-02 09:40 pm UTC

	loquacis 2008-09-01 05:55 pm UTC (link)
	See? Abstinence education works. keep your kids stupid and they won't have sex!! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	maerhys 2008-09-01 06:00 pm UTC (link)
	It's basically a reality tv version of "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" which is too creepy for words. (Reply to this) (Parent)

redstar826
2008-09-01 05:55 pm UTC (link)

Damn, and now Bristol is going to be subject to all sorts of scrutiny from folks all across the political spectrum.

There will be folks who will attack her for the 'crime' of being a sexually active teenage girl, and there will others who will hold her up as proof that her mother's policies don't work, or who will assume that she must have been forced by her family to choose to have this baby and to marry the father.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	maerhys 2008-09-01 05:58 pm UTC (link)
	Pretty much. It sucks all around to be her. smh (Reply to this) (Parent)

	californianight 2008-09-01 06:10 pm UTC (link)
	She is proof that her mother's policies don't work! (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) -

mtdrake, 2008-09-01 06:19 pm UTC

(no subject) -

redstar826, 2008-09-01 06:35 pm UTC

(no subject) -

snowowl, 2008-09-01 06:48 pm UTC

(no subject) -

sunnies, 2008-09-01 07:14 pm UTC

(no subject) -

snowowl, 2008-09-01 07:19 pm UTC

(no subject) -

sunnies, 2008-09-01 07:32 pm UTC

(no subject) -

supafrosh, 2008-09-02 01:56 am UTC

(no subject) -

rocketgeek, 2008-09-02 06:23 am UTC

(no subject) -

californianight, 2008-09-01 07:33 pm UTC

(no subject) -

cappucinogrrl, 2008-09-01 08:04 pm UTC

(no subject) -

californianight, 2008-09-01 07:37 pm UTC

(no subject) -

muliebrity, 2008-09-01 08:19 pm UTC

(no subject) -

snowowl, 2008-09-01 08:22 pm UTC

(no subject) -

dalassa, 2008-09-01 09:28 pm UTC

(no subject) -

muliebrity, 2008-09-01 11:53 pm UTC

(no subject) -

rocketgeek, 2008-09-02 06:25 am UTC

(no subject) -

lokilokust, 2008-09-02 01:08 pm UTC

(no subject) -

hector_rashbaum, 2008-09-01 08:35 pm UTC

(no subject) -

californianight, 2008-09-01 08:44 pm UTC

(no subject) -

hector_rashbaum, 2008-09-01 09:05 pm UTC

(no subject) -

californianight, 2008-09-01 09:12 pm UTC

(no subject) -

hector_rashbaum, 2008-09-01 09:24 pm UTC

(no subject) -

lizzelizzel, 2008-09-01 11:21 pm UTC

(no subject) -

supafrosh, 2008-09-02 02:00 am UTC

(no subject) -

squinting_kitty, 2008-09-02 06:43 am UTC

ivyblossom
2008-09-01 06:02 pm UTC (link)

It's a very strange story. I feel for Bristol, but I'm not sure who to blame; it kind of looks like mom is deflecting rumours about herself and turning them into solely rumours about her daughter. Couldn't she just have explained that she really was pregnant, not her daughter, and leave Bristol to her own devices? It seems that the only reason Bristol's current pregnancy is coming up is because it absolutely invalidates any claims that SP lied. That seems kind of low.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	brooklebee 2008-09-01 07:11 pm UTC (link)
	Yeah, along with her "heroism" for having her son Trig, she definitely doesn't seem above using her children to gain political points. (Reply to this) (Parent)

(no subject) -

goddessdragon, 2008-09-02 01:58 pm UTC

californianight
2008-09-01 06:08 pm UTC (link)

It's an issue because time and time again, Republicans point to unwed teen mothers as a marker of the moral decay of society--as long as they're poor and Black, of course.

If Republicans won't even support funding AIDS education without tying it to abstinence only education, then they should at least pretend to believe that abstinence-only education works.

I'd love to ask Palin why her daughter wasn't "responsible" enough to just "not get pregnant," which is something I hear from anti-choice activists over and over and over.

I couldn't care less about her daughter and her daughter's body...until she makes *other* women's bodies a basis of her political platform.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

rawbery79
2008-09-01 06:12 pm UTC (link)

Yes, exactly this. Not saying that parents control their children (who does, frankly?) but it's a glaring-in-your-face example of how the very things she preaches against and for--teen pregnancy, abstinence only education, against abortion and birth control, etc. All the things she's really stood for are kind of blowing up in her face.

Not to mention the other pregnancy related theories that are abounding...there's a lot of missing spots in her background and questions as to her leadership ability, and they are legitimate concerns, IMHO.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) -

maerhys, 2008-09-01 06:16 pm UTC

(no subject) -

rawbery79, 2008-09-01 06:18 pm UTC

(no subject) -

maerhys, 2008-09-01 06:13 pm UTC

(no subject) -

californianight, 2008-09-01 06:19 pm UTC

(no subject) -

crafting_change, 2008-09-01 08:11 pm UTC

(no subject) -

star_lust, 2008-09-01 06:14 pm UTC

(no subject) -

rawbery79, 2008-09-01 06:19 pm UTC

(no subject) -

californianight, 2008-09-01 06:22 pm UTC

(no subject) -

oh_annalouise, 2008-09-02 04:34 am UTC

(no subject) -

podpodpod, 2008-09-01 06:24 pm UTC

(no subject) -

lsmsrbls, 2008-09-02 03:55 am UTC

(no subject) -

stoneself, 2008-09-02 04:24 am UTC

(no subject) -

fancymcsnazsnaz, 2008-09-02 07:07 pm UTC

	star_lust 2008-09-01 06:12 pm UTC (link)
	My heart really goes out to Palin's daughter, I can't imagine how hard it must be have such a personal issue thrust into the media spotlight like this and politicized. But I'm also annoyed since I doubt this will influence Palin's stance on abstinence-only education and reproductive rights. (Reply to this)

	californianight 2008-09-01 06:24 pm UTC (link)
	I find it laughable that she's asking the media to respect her daughter's privacy. The very nature of being pro-life is that you have absolutely no respect for another person's privacy. If she thinks privacy isn't a right (as she's proven) but a privilege, I hope she understands when the media decided to revoke this privilege. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	typhoid 2008-09-01 07:22 pm UTC (link)
	Oh a THOUSAND times THIS. So a woman who chooses to keep the baby deserves privacy, but the women who wants to terminate the pregnancy does not? (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) -

asukasan, 2008-09-01 07:45 pm UTC

dancing_moon
2008-09-01 06:41 pm UTC (link)

semi-OT. Thanks for the informative line in the beginning for non US-ians =) Much appreciated!

On-topic: *sigh* I don't really see how what the children of a vice-president canditate does is so important, but I really hope it doesn't devolve into more thrashing of young mothers, women and whatnot. It's so sickening to see that same shit written and said again and again all over the world :/

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	supafrosh 2008-09-02 02:09 am UTC (link)
	I don't really see how what the children of a vice-president canditate does is so important It's important, because her mom has said "if you use abstinence-only education teen girls won't get pregnant ever!" and here is her own daughter living proof that her policy does not work for every girl & woman on the planet. (Reply to this) (Parent)

paradox_dragon
2008-09-01 07:24 pm UTC (link)

Yeah. I am uncomfortable with the way this is playing out. Palin and her daughter are separate people; it bothers me when children get used to prove or disprove the values and policies of their parents. Also, the whole "if you can't control your family" thing has weird patriarchal vibes to me. I don't agree with Palin's policies at all, but the idea that they (once again failing to distinguish them as individuals) deserve what they get as far as invasion of privacy and public shaming and such is just twisted.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	supafrosh 2008-09-02 02:02 am UTC (link)
	It's unfair to Bristol, yes. But when you shame other people's children for the choices they have made, sometimes the chickens come home to roost in a most uncomfortable manner. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) -

paradox_dragon, 2008-09-02 02:16 am UTC

(no subject) -

supafrosh, 2008-09-02 02:23 am UTC

(no subject) -

paradox_dragon, 2008-09-02 02:32 am UTC

(no subject) -

supafrosh, 2008-09-02 02:44 am UTC

(no subject) -

paradox_dragon, 2008-09-02 03:01 am UTC

(no subject) -

paradox_dragon, 2008-09-03 01:18 am UTC

(no subject) -

supafrosh, 2008-09-03 03:33 am UTC

(no subject) -

akfelecia2, 2008-09-02 04:26 pm UTC

(no subject) -

supafrosh, 2008-09-02 04:34 pm UTC

(no subject) -

rocketgeek, 2008-09-02 06:31 am UTC

(no subject) -

paradox_dragon, 2008-09-02 02:37 pm UTC

	sunnies 2008-09-01 07:25 pm UTC (link)
	Oh dear, that poor girl. I hope she gets through the whole ordeal OK. This yet another example that her mother's policies are unrealistic bullshit. It's just a shame Bristol has to go through this publicly and is going to be used as an example by the media. I'm sure this is already a very difficult situation for her, and now the whole shitstorm... ugh. poor kid. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	supafrosh 2008-09-02 02:28 am UTC (link)
	It's just a shame Bristol has to go through this publicly and is going to be used as an example by the media It's entirely her mother's fault. This is what happens when you stand up and say "this is the only way for everyone!" because "everyone" includes your own family. (Reply to this) (Parent)

kathygnome
2008-09-01 07:29 pm UTC (link)

It is a legitimate issue for two reasons:

1) Ms. Palin is an advocate of "abstinence only" education. Pregnancy and STDs generally follow.

2) Ms. Palin is in favor of using the force of law to limit her daughters choices about whether to keep the pregnancy or abort. It is a vivid juxtaposition of policies when the McCain campaign announces she has chosen to keep the baby and marry the father, when such a choice is against the policies of the ticket and the party.

3) Given the GOPs attempts to enforce right wing Christian morality with the force of law and shaming women who have children out of Christian marriage, it is legitimate to ask whether McCain is a hypocrite or suffering from poor judgement or dementia.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	kathygnome 2008-09-01 07:34 pm UTC (link)
	It is a legitimate issue for two reasons: I probably could have put it better as "It is a legitimate issue in as much as" (Reply to this) (Parent)

(no subject) -

crafting_change, 2008-09-01 08:14 pm UTC

(no subject) -

kathygnome, 2008-09-01 08:30 pm UTC

(no subject) -

crafting_change, 2008-09-01 08:40 pm UTC

(no subject) -

kathygnome, 2008-09-01 09:17 pm UTC

I am sorry -

crafting_change, 2008-09-01 10:16 pm UTC

(no subject) -

holzman, 2008-09-01 09:02 pm UTC

Because I am apparently now in love with the democratic ticket.

crafting_change
2008-09-01 08:26 pm UTC (link)

I think Obama said it best:
Barack Obama told reporters firmly that families are off-limits in this campaign, reacting to news that Sarah Palin’s 17-year-old daughter is five months pregnant.

“Let me be as clear as possible,” said Obama, “I think people’s families are off-limits and people's children are especially off-limits. This shouldn't be part of our politics. It has no relevance to Gov. Palin’s performance as governor, or her potential performance as a vice president.”

Obama said reporters should “back off these kinds of stories” and noted that he was born to an 18 year-old mother.

“How a family deals with issues and teenage children, that shouldn't be the topic of our politics and I hope that anybody who is supporting me understands that’s off-limits.”</i>

If you want to discuss the problems with abstinence only education there are a plethora of sources out there of studies that work far better than one instance. If you want to discuss Palin specifically - again, there are tons of more appropriate facts about the women.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: Because I am apparently now in love with the democratic ticket. maerhys 2008-09-01 08:29 pm UTC (link)
	Yes. (Reply to this) (Parent)

Re: Because I am apparently now in love with the democratic ticket. -

shyshutterbug, 2008-09-01 08:32 pm UTC

Re: Because I am apparently now in love with the democratic ticket. -

paradox_dragon, 2008-09-01 08:36 pm UTC

Re: Because I am apparently now in love with the democratic ticket. -

raanve, 2008-09-01 09:59 pm UTC

Re: Because I am apparently now in love with the democratic ticket. -

oh_annalouise, 2008-09-01 10:47 pm UTC

Re: Because I am apparently now in love with the democratic ticket. -

hungrymoon, 2008-09-01 10:48 pm UTC

Re: Because I am apparently now in love with the democratic ticket. -

supafrosh, 2008-09-02 02:07 am UTC

Re: Because I am apparently now in love with the democratic ticket. -

crafting_change, 2008-09-02 02:11 am UTC

Re: Because I am apparently now in love with the democratic ticket. -

igiveyoumylife, 2008-09-02 04:47 am UTC

(no subject) -

lordhellebore, 2008-09-02 08:19 pm UTC

Re: Because I am apparently now in love with the democratic ticket. -

gingersomething, 2008-09-02 02:26 am UTC

Re: Because I am apparently now in love with the democratic ticket. -

igiveyoumylife, 2008-09-02 04:44 am UTC

mickle
2008-09-01 11:14 pm UTC (link)

I hope that the spin on it - that Palin announced this to deflect rumors about her fifth child - is a media creation. I also hope that my dislike of Palin's politics are causing me to create a punitive tone to her comments (about how difficult it is to raise a child, as if that's a punishment for her daughter's Sinful Behavior) that isn't really there. And I also hope this story goes away soon. I keep finding myself infantilizing Bristol Palin and finding other such holes in my feminist reasoning.

Also, if the political storyline is going to devolve into this ridiculous morality/sin nonsense I'd rather it focus on John McCain's extramarital affairs and the circumstances involving his second marriage. Of course that stuff goes with his Superhero Flyboy Persona of Intense Charisma and Masculine Maleness, so it would probably be a net positive for him.

(Reply to this)

what i don't get

stoneself
2008-09-02 12:23 am UTC (link)

The 17-year-old daughter of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is pregnant, Palin said on Monday in an announcement intended to knock down rumors by liberal bloggers that Palin faked her own pregnancy to cover up for her child.

did palin really make this announcement with the intention to "knock down rumors by liberal bloggers that Palin faked her own pregnancy to cover up for her child"?

if this is true, how is putting your daughter up for public scrutiny good parenting? especially since it's used to divert attention from oneself?

or it this just some spin by anti-mccain journalism?

also, i just don't see how "my daughter is 5 months pregnant" is proof that her daughter wasn't pregnant about 5 months ago.

why did she bring this all up? was she cornered into it?

this is looking like palin using her daughter for political ends.

* * *

in a separate i don't get it moment:

Bristol Palin made the decision on her own to keep the baby, McCain aides said.

"mccain aides said"? that makes me skeptical. there's no way to say one way or the other at this time, but what if bristol wants/wanted an abortion, would her mother let her choose for herself?

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: what i don't get

supafrosh
2008-09-02 02:31 am UTC (link)

We will simply have to wait until Bristol writes her own memoirs years from now, because right now the only goal of the Republican party is to keep Palin and McCain from looking bad.

So of course, they will report that Bristol is going to keep the baby...because abortion is BAD!

And of course they will report that Bristol will marry the father...because unwed mothers are BAD!

And of course Bristol made these choices herself...because she is a GOOD Republican girl and knows RIGHT from WRONG!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

Re: what i don't get -

podpodpod, 2008-09-02 04:03 am UTC

Re: what i don't get -

stoneself, 2008-09-02 04:28 am UTC

Re: what i don't get -

stoneself, 2008-09-02 04:31 am UTC

Re: what i don't get -

lokilokust, 2008-09-02 01:15 pm UTC

Re: what i don't get -

rocketgeek, 2008-09-02 06:36 am UTC