Campaign orchestrated news of Bristol Palin's pregnancy

John McCain-Sarah Palin manager Steve Schmidt warned reporters at the Republican National Convention that the American public might have a "harsh view" of them for continuing to write about Bristol Palin's out-of-wedlock pregnancy. Huh?

Only hours earlier, the campaign had released a statement on the subject -- an announcement that projected the virtually anonymous 17-year-old into the international spotlight. Did Schmidt really admonish the media n ot to continue to focus on the private news his campaign released?

Absolutely, according to The Ticket's Andrew Malcolm, who claims the campaign staged every syllable and the timing of their debut. Malcolm was there with a video camera to capture Schmidt's performance.

Ticket video by Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Rue Dee]

How naive to think her daughter would not be savaged by the media when her pregnancy was apparent. What kind of mother would subject her daughter to that? For her daughter's sake, Ms. Palin should have considered this and declined the offer of nomination. She is an example of grossly poor judgment and selfishness.

[Sharron L.]

This is an issue of misogyny. A female VP is told she needs to go back to the kitchen because her kids can't behave. Her daughter, at 17, decides to get married and have her baby and keep it in her family where it should be, and she is attacked as immoral and indecent. The reason this was announced was BECAUSE of the horrible lies in the Daily Kos that claimed Palin's infant was not hers, but her daughter's. That sort of disgusting smear is typical of Kos- and eaten up by the mindless readers who believe anything said. Palin did this to DEFEND her daughter. She had no choice. I'll tell you what is sick- a married woman like HIllary who stays with a man who humiliates her, then criticizes other women who "stand by their man". Ridiculous! A 17 year old is NOT a child, and Sarah Palin should stand tall and prove that she is a very strong woman. I remind you again- in colonial America 1 in 3 young brides walked down the aisle pregnant. It's nothing NEW- get over it. I hope those of you who try to condemn a mother with values over her daughter's decisions are put in a position one day to be judged by YOUR kid's behavior. Everyone who was a virgin when they were 17 raise your hand? I thought not. Obama's mother NEVER married his father. What will you DO about that?

[abby0802]

Bristol Palin is now fodder for the press and the blogs. Her mother Sarah Palin, not the press, put Bristol in that position. Sarah Palin wants to be vice president regardless of what the media attention brings to her family, her daughter, and the father of the baby. She apparently is so ambitious she would rather use/exploit her daughter to prove what a loving mother she is than to deal with the family issues that really need to be resolved.
What should be the issues are Sarah Palin's lack of experience, her extremist positions on abortion, the NRA, evangelism, etc.
The "righteous" right scare the hell out of me.....

[cta]

I'm more worried about her attempt to ban books in the local library when she was mayor.

[Rick]

What does her daughter's life have to do with her ability to run as VP? Absolutely nothing but the gd liberals got to stir up crap cause they're feeling their inexperienced man getting beat.

[Sonia Kermaz]

The Christian social conservatives politicized and publicized the personal long ago! Among other things, Palin wants to change policies and laws that affect our personal choices and behaviors to conform with her family values.

The tragedy about the Sarah Palins in our society and government isn't that "We can't control what our children do," it's that they absolutely want to control what my children do.

The lesson that free-thinking humans should take from the Palin morality play is this: It is always the worst offenders who despise us for their failings and mistakes.

[Cathy A]

To be honest it did seem very orchestrated and designed to get attention. I hope the circus dies down and I wish the expectant parents all the best.

[Thanks, but no thanks]

I learned yesterday that the far left is every bit the same as white supremacists or any other hate group. Frothing, bitter hatred of what this girl supposedly represents for getting pregnant early: lack of education, "trailer parks," irresponsibility, failure to "nip it in the bud" (to be euphemistic), stupidity. Problem is, teenage pregnancy is not the problem of a single party or political spectrum. What has emerged is the incredible contempt these far left people have for ordinary Americans who don't fit the common mold of PPDs (heard that one yesterday: Peacoat, Prius, and Dog!!!). I was an independent long before it was fashionable, and was actually very moved by Mr. Obama's speech last week. But if these are the kind of people who are going to gain power by his election, with their eugenics-minded hatred, I am now fully backing McCain/Palin.

[Karen]

I think the media has used a double standard on Palin.

If it was a man, this commentary would not happen.

Gov. Palin, like many professional working women, has a "village" (remember Hillary Clinton's book It Takes A Village?!) of family (her husband, parents) and friends to help her juggle.

All professional working Moms rely on the family and friends network - we help each other out and it is the only way we could achieve our potential and role model for our children (both boys and girls) that regardless of our gender, or whether we are parents or not, we all have something to offer this world.

I believe Gov Palin has much to offer; she has done what others promise to do - work in a bi-partisan way to solve real problems for real people.

The reality is we need to all get along and stop this uncivilized negativity.

I will vote for McCain Palin ticket.

This double standard and criticism does more harm than good for all of us.

[jane]

I hope Palin will not be charged to reform the “No Child Left Behind” Law:

One out of 20 children entering ninth grade in Alaska will have a college degree 10 years later, making the state one of the worst in postsecondary-education in the nation. Alaska's efforts to improve the dropout problem have also sunk. More than one in three ninth-graders will leave school before getting a diploma. These results from a new state study released today show a faltering Alaska education system.

The report found Alaska ranking at the bottom of educational attainment indicators -- from getting children through high school to achieving an advanced degree in a timely manner. Alaska is 8th from the bottom in the nation among states in the number of ninth-graders graduating four years later. 4th from the bottom in high school seniors going directly to college. Last in the number of college freshmen receiving a bachelor's degree within 150 percent of the normal program length.
"This really sends the message of how immediate the need is and the gravity of the situation," said Diane Barrans, executive director of the state's Postsecondary Education Commission, which released this study.

The problem is cultural. Alaska is a state of individualism, people doing their own things. Most of the debates and policies are in extraction of resources and corruption control. “Like a sieve, kids are falling away and the State Government has not seriously figured how to address the issue," said the study's author, Ron Phipps, of the Washington, D.C. - based Institute for Higher Education Policy.

[Bill in San Diego]

Pretty tone-deaf orchestration.

[Anonymoose]

Sharon, if Gov. Palin was pregnant, she did not show during those 9 months although her daughter did. Her daughter also left school for 8 months with "mono". Gov. Palin's "water broke" in Texas, she took a 8 hour flight to Alaska, and THEN had her risky birth.

If you think that Trig is Palin's son, you are just as delusional as she is, McCain is, and anyone who thinks that after the hell the media has put Michelle Obama through that we'll just ignore this story.

Get a grip. Open your eyes. See the truth. Make an informed decision about who you can trust with this country.

[laura]

Correction: Obama's father DID marry his mother.
Fact: There was no birth control nor education for young women in colonial America, and the analogy is ridiculous.

[Jim]

Palin's young daughter is pregnant, and the father (a kid) wants noting to do with it. Will this cause her to reexamine her stance on sex education in schools and/or abortion? Of couruse not. Palin is as Far Right as you can get. There is no clearer example of why we need to keep Conservative Republicans OUT of the White House indefintely.

[Silvi]

How do we know for certain that it is Bristol's idea to keep the baby and get married, but not her parents' imposition? Do we know if the baby's father agrees to become a father and get married? Is he not entitle to make a choice of his own because he's a man?

I have a daughter and a son; as much as I respect my daughter's right to her own decisions, I also believe my son is entitle to the same.

Just wondering....

[Jim]

Palin's young daughter is pregnant, and the father (a kid) wants noting to do with it. Will this cause her to reexamine her stance on sex education in schools and/or abortion? Of couruse not. Palin is as Far Right as you can get. There is no clearer example of why we need to keep Conservative Republicans OUT of the White House indefintely.

[joey]

in response to sharron l, i haven't heard any politician say that sarah needs to return to the kitchen. i also don't think her family's private life should be campaign news, except for one question.
i would like to hear someone ask mccain/palin how abstinence-only education works.
even though i don't think palin's family (or obama's, or biden's or mccains, or cindy's father's) should be campaign news, sarah palin and john mccain were the ones that introduced the family. i can't tell you how many times over the weekend i heard them boast about her being a mother of five and "a hockey mom". i heard sen. lindsey graham use her being a mother of 5 as a qualification for being VP (and eventually Pres).
so, in campaigns, when you use an attribute for your benefit, expect a little light to be shown on that attribute.

[Kenneth Bertschy]

If McCain knew about the pregnancy before picking Palin, he too had to know what effect this would have on Bristol. It's callous and heartless. McCain is so blinded by ambition that he doesn't care what happens to people he steps on in order to win. Sarah Palin is so blinded by ambition that she threw her own daughter to the hounds. Now that's compassionate conservatism.

[joey]

in response to sharron l, i haven't heard any politician say that sarah needs to return to the kitchen. i also don't think her family's private life should be campaign news, except for one question.
i would like to hear someone ask mccain/palin how abstinence-only education works.
even though i don't think palin's family (or obama's, or biden's or mccains, or cindy's father's) should be campaign news, sarah palin and john mccain were the ones that introduced the family. i can't tell you how many times over the weekend i heard them boast about her being a mother of five and "a hockey mom". i heard sen. lindsey graham use her being a mother of 5 as a qualification for being VP (and eventually Pres).
so, in campaigns, when you use an attribute for your benefit, expect a little light to be shown on that attribute.

[mary jones]

I was a virgin at 17, my daughter is a virgin at 20 and so is my 15 year old. My mother walked the isle a virgin. where are your chirstian moral values?

[Mtobias]

The pregnancy is only a small aspect of the bizarreness of this candidate.
She was a member of the AIP before she was Mayor f Wasilla, according to that organizations leadership,

see vid clip here:

The secretary of the AIP states she was a member prior to being mayor in this video clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE8A3lsydzQ&feature=related

The 1) troopergate, 2) the lies about not backing the Bridge to Nowhere, 3) being the director of indicted Senator Stevens 527... all adds up to extreme weirdness.

I agree, get off of the stupid pregnancy already and get into the true meats of the matter.

[Mtobias]

I want to know where my posts disappear to.

[The Man]

I bet none of you liars and idiots read the Kos article. It brought several interesting points, like why did Sarah Palin board a flight AFTER her water broke. This is extremely dangerous, esp for a Down's baby. You guys are fed propaganda by MSM and just eat it up.

[Heather]

Put the kool-aid down, Sharron. The McCain/ Palin campaign knew ALL ALONG Bristol was underage and pregnant. They also know that Levi Johnston, the soon-to-be-father, doesn't want kids (by his own admission). The McCain/ Palin USED Bristol's unfortunate condition to portray the Palins as just another American family in crisis. Unfortunately, their family is in crisis because Sarah and Todd cling to the failed policies of abstinence-only sex education. Sarah didn't DEFEND her daughter, she EXPLOITED her daughter.

But this Rovian tactic will work if it overshadows Sarah Palin's OTHER faults like her involvement with the Alaskan Independence Party.

[Jonathan]

Sharron - if you actually read the Daily Kos, you would see that the large majority of commentors on the article you refer to decried the rumor and said that it shouldn't have been written about.

And it's really silly to say that the McCain campaign only made this announcement because of some liberal website. You think that otherwise, they would have ignored the news?

[Concerned Mom]

Isn't this contraversy orchestrated by the republican party? Who actually started the rumor about baby Trig that supposedly prompted the news about Bristol? Wasn't it obvious to everyone who laid eyes on her that she was pregnant, wasn't the first bit of news / rumor a chance for Ms. Palin to become the wounded target of base-minded liberals? Then she could release the really bad news as a victim in need of defense from base-minded liberals. This is EXACTLY how spin doctors do their work and I'm hoping everyone will realize this. Now the news of a pregnant teen whose mom was off posing for Vogue, etc. instead of minding the store will appear benign, even wonderful...

[SWMIssouri]

This was planned by McCain and Co and is a typical Rovian tactic. Obama talked about bring America together...so the Rovian's brought in a Blue-Collar American to be ripped apart. At the end of the day...starting with Huckabee today...the Republican's will point the finger at the "liberal" media and the Democrats and tell the Americans that they did this to this woman and her family. It's the Straw Man with a twist.

[John]

I've heard of outdated logic, but wow... how are those straws you're grasping at?
Let's move this country forward, not backwards or even McSame.
--

From Sharron L.: "I remind you again- in colonial America 1 in 3 young brides walked down the aisle pregnant."

[Leon]

I was on the fence weather to vote republican or democrat this time around. I liked senator McCain for the sense that he brought to the US government, but candidate McCain is grasping for anything to catapult him past Obama. What Sarah Palin and her family do with their personal lives has nothing to do with being a good vice president, but now we are hearing about her religious preferences and how that might affect her public decision making and policies.
Enough! what happened to separation of church and state?

You win Obama, good luck, I hope you win it, for gods sake, ( and Bhudda, Mohammed, the Athiests etc...

[Thavian]

To Sharron L: I'm not going to argue with you because you are clearly very set in your opinion that this is all about sexism (and of course has nothing to do with conservative "family values" hypocrisy or the fact that Sarah Palin lacks the qualifications to lead the most powerful nation on Earth). However, I feel the need to correct one completely false statement in your post. You said Obama's mother and father were never married. That is a complete lie. Please do your research--his parents were in fact married.

[Connie Bryson]

Todd and Sarah Palin have issued a statement saying that Bristol will marry the high school senior who fathered her baby. Did the young man have a voice in this life-altering decision? Sounds like the parents are calling the shots (shotguns?)

[Rodney]

John McCain should take a paternity test to determine if he is the father of the teenager's baby. The only explanation for choosing Palin for VP is that she was blackmailing McCain, and made a deal to blame some kid as being the father. McCain must have been showing that he is a true Republican by engaging in satuary rape.

[Get your facts straight-]

To SharronL.

Obamas mother did marry his father in Hawaii. They divorced later.

Spoken from a woman who had a kid at 19YEARS it is a tough road to walk..

[Leslie Anderson]

I can't believe the poor judgement of John McCain to choose Sarah for VP role even after knowing about her daughters pregnancy and the kind of scrutiny she will have!
John McCain is really really reckless, IMO.

[Justin1982]

Not one to rain on parades and such, but SharonL., your facts are wrong. Baracks parents were married and later divorced.

And while a 17 year old is no longer a child, they are not quite yet an adult in terms of development.

I might agree with the general message you are reaching for, but your incorrect facts detract from the argument which should be...

"Palin's daughter is at the age of consent and self-determination. Beyond that, the matter should not be the business of the American public as the personal life of the candidates associates should not be used to judge the candidate."

[james o'neill]

Now the swiftboat is on the other foot. When she bails out(what are the current vegas odds?) McCain will go down with his ship. The USS Eagleton! Dems should smear this woman right back into her hole, just like they did John Kerry. Who cares if it's the truth. No mercy! Right Karl?

[TeenyLeeny]

"A female VP is told she needs to go back to the kitchen because her kids can't behave."

Family scandals in politics will always be publicized, i don't think it has anything to do with her being a woman...we all know she was chosen to get the female vote, but I'm kind of getting the feeling this was also publicized to get the sympathy vote from Hilary supporters.

Btw, I am a lady.

[Arlene]

The campaign released the statement because left wing loon medias like you were making false statements claiming Bristol is the mother of Palin's down syndrome child. They did not orchestrate it. How biased is this reporting?

[easy ed]

LA Times has NO CLASS, JUST LIKE THE REST OF THE LEFTIST JACKASSES. YOU ARE VILE REPUGNANT IDIOTS. F&%$ YOU.

[Mary Smith]

The fact that Sarah Palin has a daughter who is unwed and pregnant at 17 only tells me that she is even more in tune with what real families deal with all the time. I am a middle
class female, pro-choice, independent, and was undecided on who I would vote for. The more I learn about Sarah Palin
the more I think she is definitely capable of being Commander In Chief if it came to that. All the negative comments from the democrats only solidify the fact that Sarah Polin has opposed a true threat to their campaign.

[Robt]

Actually - Bristol put herself in position to be "fodder" for the press. It is the presses choice to continue using her as "fodder".

I suppose if Palin was Obama’s running mate and drug her daughter down to the local abortionist – the libs would be hailing her as a poster child for the modern woman and her actions were just teaching her daughter she has the right to do as she pleases with her body. Go figure you hypocrites.

[staples]

I must say I am having a pretty harsh view of the media swarming around a 17 year old and her boyfriend like they are. Even Obama said "hands-off".

I can say at least one thing - Palin stands by her beliefs. She's shown it in action in her personal decisions. That's a quite a bit more moral certainty than Biden's blatant stunts in '88 - Regardless of your political and spiritual leanings.

If Obama had a Down's child born last August, would you be clamoring that he ditch his candidacy for the sake of his child? The last I knew the Palins and Obamas were two-parent families.

[O.P. Neon]

This is comparable to the extremists who video taped themselves and the suicide-bombers in their horrific mission.

Not a respectable behavior in this country. Perhaps, terrorist tactic has found a home here!!

[John]

Re: the comments from Sharon -

what does the Bible say about fornicators? I'll wait while you go look it up. So, yes, this is a moral issue and, no, my sin does not excuse hers.

This issue does not make Ms. Palin "connect" with "everyday folks". I have a middle-of-the-road family and not one of my kids is having a baby out of wedlock.

One of the values that I have taught my children is that premarital sex is not OK. Values other than those are not right. And I do have the Bible to back that up.

[O.P. Neon]

They say Media folks are foolish. They could be right. Does anyone in the Media have evidence, if the young lady in question is pregnant. Do not believe the klan that is known for lies. Rove and Smith may be smirking away until you find the truth.

[John Quimby]

Did Schmidt just threaten the media? What a GREAT IDEA!

Let's re-name the "Straight Talk Express".

"The Blunder Bus" comes to mind.

The problem for you Schmidt is that this stuff just writes itself.

[Bill]

Sharron L~

Can you provide a link to the Daily Kos smears in question? I have searched the articles and found nothing insinuating the Palin's 5th child is her daughter's. Is the accusation you are referring to in the comments section? Those tend to be difficult to police.

Overall, I've found blogs on either side, outside of the regular biases, very measured and sympathetic in their approach to Bristol's situation. It's unfortunate, but in a free society, even those with poor judgement have a voice, and I think this is the case here, where your "smear" is, in fact, a product of the comments section.

[Greg]

So who speaks to America about teenage pregnancy from this group? Palin? McCain? Any supporting republicans who refuse to acknowledge this matter. Is it me or does it seem like when one person or group committs the same sin as another there is always and excuse, cover up, or smiley face attached to it?

From what I've heard the boy doesn't want kids and is a rebel. You think Palin put one of those guns to his head she shows of in her ads?

My question is what if the girl did not want to keep the child and is this REALLY her choice to keep the child?
Then it goes back again to the kids of America. We seem to react to all kinds of media that portray sex before marriage as being okay, but yet aren't they doing just that with their exaggerated words of kindness?? I'm sure many poor mothers around America are wondering why they aren't received in such a positive manner by that same group.

[Lissa Allen]

Wouldn't it be terrific if we could all focus on the very real, very hard issues currently facing this country? For pete's sake, who cares about Bristol Palin? Really. At the end of the day, who really truly cares. No one but her own family and friends. that's who. When all the dust settles we'll all go back to our day -to-day lives struggling to get by and to help our own families. Then it'll be Bristol who? Funny, I haven't heard when the wedding is, have you? Intending to marry and setting a date like maybe tomorrow....is just talk. This is a silly argument and one that has been orchestrated brilliantly by the Republicans to take everyone's mind off the fact that Sarah Palin is in absolutely NO position to lead this country. That McCain lost control of his own moment to shine by making his own choice of a running mate. Put some of this into perspective for cryingoutloud before you get your panties in a twist (and yes, I'm a woman...so no sexual bias here....) We are not voting for an American Idol contestant.....Has she ever even been abroad? I understand she just got her passport last year. How does that translate to being able to successfully manage foreign affairs. She was the mayor of a small town with less population than most college campuses. She's made some state based oil agreements...ok....but how does that qualify her to really get her hands dirty. Most states don't run in the black. ...There are a lot of good mothers out there, people....lots of great moms....but that doesn't qualify them to lead the country or to dictate social norm.... She is not qualified folks. She wouldn't be where she is in any other state of this Union either other than Alaska. Why wouldn't a state wtih a majority of its residents being male....vote for a good lookin' gun toting, tight t-shirt wearing (yup..saw it with my own eyes....) woman. She's a perfect example of someone that has failed upward only because she's got a cute smile and the MILF look....As far as sexist...I think she wears it well and I think she plays it up. Beyond that, if your asking for fair pay for equal work..then please do lose the sexist (yawn) argument. It's not ladies night Harry's Bar down the street. Most of the world leaders are men and she will have to play in their club. Getoverit..... If you don't believe she's without experience, then explain to me why she's been quoted as saying, "what does a vice president do, anyway?" HUH? Did I miss the punchline on that comment? Maybe those of you who are willing to lay your futures and the futures of your own children in this woman's path should take stock of what kind of mothers you are. C'mon...gimme a break. Vote for someone who can lead this country toward a more positive and prosperous future, not a gun toting Annie Oakley. And as a woman, I'm so "over" reading comments from other women who stand up for her just because she's of the same gender. Please...I've never seen a more obvious example of how this country has dumbed itself down to the level of an average 13 year old. MCCain should be ashamed of himself for allowing this. And if you vote for her because she has 'values' then don't complain when you lose your home, can't afford to put gas in your car, breath the pollution, can't afford to rent, buy a car, pay your debts or find a job....at least you'll know that your American Idol is on the job.

[Louis Lafreniere]

I love how the GOP wants us to not make an issue of Palin's daughter's pregnancy. Funny, THEY have no problem making an issue out of gays, lesbians, transsexuals, and anyone else they think is less than "moral." I say we make a BIG deal out of this out-of-wedlock pregnancy. Give em a taste of their own self-righteous medicine.