Motherhood and teen pregnancy take center stage in presidential election

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  Posted by Jezabel Tue Sep 2, 2008 1:27pm PDT

  Ah yes, ignorance of abstinence-only strikes again. To think if a backup contraceptive was used, if one was used in the first place, this would never be an issue. Or perhaps maybe if abstinence education worked this would be a non-issue.

  Funny how the mother of Spears was accused of being a bad mother when her the youngest became pregnant and now the same people will cry "don't blame Paulin its not her fault!"

  Well its been 4 days and we already have a high profile "scandal" and RNC isn't even over! Are we trying to keep the air of the Beijing Olympics alive with this one? If Paulin cared about the republican ticket she should step down or change her platform fast.

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  Posted by springtime Tue Sep 2, 2008 1:31pm PDT

  Your title says it all. This is clearly not the focus the Republicans wanted to showcase at their convention. So, now they are scrambling . Sarah is not taking reporter's questions. How long can that last? Of course, she'll say she's thrilled that her 17 year old daughter and her 18 year old hockey boyfriend will be parents. What else can she say?

  Her nomination comes with other controversy. Her hubby works two jobs...one for BP and is oil operations manager. Yet, the McCain camp only acknowledges that he is a fishermen. BP is big oil....as in very. Is that why Sarah wants to throw the polar bears and other wildlife under the bus and drill under the continental shelf? What about Trooper Gate? Did the McCain camp know she was under investigation for abusing her power as governor?

  Too many questions, and not in a positive light.... no small wonder some Republicans believe John should ask her to step down.

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  Posted by TrphyWif Tue Sep 2, 2008 1:55pm PDT

  It seems to me that Sarah hasn't said she's happy her daughter is pg, just that she's proud of her pro-life decision and the decision to try to make a life for the baby. Walking the walk not just talking the talk... Parents all over the country, someday maybe even you or I or the next one of us, deal with the same heartbreak. She's a mom in the position to have to continue to parent her daughter even after she made some poor choices and is suffering the consequences. That's a lady that I would think any parent could relate with- we love our kids no matter what, even when we aren't happy about where they land themselves and the choices they make.

  It is a good question as to why she accepted the invite to the job at all. Clearly she's someone that loves America and believes she can help. I trust McCain is no idiot- he does what he thinks is best bottom line, even if it gets him in trouble. Being a working mother means figuring out how to make it work. To balance it all, we have to have help and no doubt she will/ does in the form of people beyond her family. I like the idea of leaving my kids at home with dad when I have to go to work, but that's not reality. They go to a babysitter- one that I know well and trust and communicate with. No doubt Sarah Palin and family are in that same boat.

  I support her and am interested to see how things shake out too. I think she can breath some good strength into the Republican Party and the country if we'll let her. JMO...

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  Posted by Andrea B Tue Sep 2, 2008 3:26pm PDT

  Abstinence only..for pete's sake who are we kidding?????

  I have two sons who are still young, but I swear, if I had any daughters the pill would be included next to the cereal bowl evey morning along with the daily vitamins once they got their period. And if they ever come up with the male contraceptive pill, I will give it to my sons too.

  I mean really. We tell out children to always buckle up in the car. To wash their hands. We try to feed them healthy food. We encorage excersice. Why not contraception?

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  Posted by Mimi-pz Tue Sep 2, 2008 3:59pm PDT

  Honestly, I like her. I think she's a great role model as a mother, a parent and a working woman. I agree 100% with TrphyWif.

  She loves her family and her country. I hear ya on the double standard thing... Yes, she is a mother. Yes she may one day be vice-president or president. Why does that matter more for women than for men? Were people asking these questions of Hillary? Just because her daughter is "grown" doesn't mean she stops being a mom. But when you take the oath of office, you also are leading the country and when the phone rings in the middle of the night... She will do what any president/parent would do.

  So her teen-age daughter got knocked up? She came to her mother instead of going to some back alley for an abortion. Why is this more of an issue than other candidates (and those that were in office) extra-marital affairs?

  People make mistakes and there are consequences. Her daughter needs to live with the choices she made and the consequences that resulted from them. And she should hope to have the support of her family. The fact that Palin is supporting her daughter despite the microscope says heaps to me. Really shows her family values.

  If the consequence of her daughter getting pregnant means Palin misses out on a chance to be vice-president, well, that's just something they have to live with.

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  Posted by Murial N Tue Sep 2, 2008 4:02pm PDT

  I am very happy that the system that decides who is good enought to run for President/Vice President has finally allowed a black man and a woman, both who were considered to be in the underclass. But, though, I am black and a woman, I will not vote for Mr. Obama just because he is black and I will not vote for Mrs. Palin just because she is a woman. Character and what direction they will attempt to move this country in will, definitely, shape my decision.

  Mrs. Palin did not get her daughter pregnant. She was not responsible for her daughter's decision and she should not be held accountable for it. As a mother, I can appreciate the fact that she is not turning her back on her daughter. Though, I would not place my daughter in the lime-light.

  Someone mentioned the teen pregnancy rate, as though someone is against eens getting pregnant. I find that very interesting when the government has instituted laws that makes it as easy to have sex as going to the McDonald's and getting a .99 cent burger. Any teenager can go to a clinic and get any prophylactic of their choice without ever letting their parents know, or having a responsible person with them. Now, someone is saying, "That is a good thing. They will have protected sex." I find that laughable!!!! A child is not going to make a responsible decision in the heat or passion and say, "Wait just a minute while I get my condum", or remember to take a birth control pill every day. I know a young girl, right now, who is pregnant with her second baby and her first isn't 2 years of age. She is not married and tears come to my eyes when I see her, or think of her and those like her. She has no parenting skills and no desire to learn any. She does not work and has no desire to do so. What does she teach her child and what will she teach the one she is going to have? A resounding, 'NOTHING!!!!' Mrs. Palins grandchild will have a chance, but there are so many who do not because the mother's, unfortunately, have not been taught and they have nothing to give to their children. It is not because they have no abilities. It is because they have no aspirations. I am not condeming these young ladies. I am not saying that I am better than they are. I was raped at a young age, became pregnant and kept my child. My mother put me out because she was ashamed of me. Thank God, I had friends and other family who loved me and supported me. I, also, had been taught many things by my mother. She taught me how to take care of a home, how to cook, clean, sew and I watched her take care of my sisters and brothers and by watching, I learned. But most of these girls are not as fortunate as I was.

  The government has, also, passed laws that forbid parents to discipline their children and will prosecute parents for doing so. How can a government talk about the rise of teen pregnancy when it has paved smooth roadways to make the teen pregnancies possible? Glamorizing teen pregnancy? There is no need. While the war in Iraq, terrorist, oil prices, loss of homes and the financial woes of this nation are flooding the newspapers and captivating the minds of people, I have a news flash for you. We need not be concerned about the enemy from the outside, but the enemy from within and that enemy does not carry a bomb, have weapons of mass destruction, or will ever threaten to blow up any national monument. THAT ENEMY IS THE ENEMY OF INDIFFERENCE AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE IMMORALITY IN THIS COUNTRY!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  Posted by AJN Tue Sep 2, 2008 8:28pm PDT

  Finally, we can bring up the issue of abstinance only education... obviously it's not working! How about we focus the millions of dollars we are spending on it on something that will actually work!

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  Posted by madscienceknitter Tue Sep 2, 2008 8:30pm PDT

  isn't the proof in the pudding already. They were so busy with politics they forgot to keep an eye on what their 17 year old daughter was doing.

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  Posted by Cursed Romantic Tue Sep 2, 2008 8:45pm PDT

  I won't blame abstinenance only programs for teens getting pregnant. I do however blame the parents that are just too "scandalized" by the thought of their kids and sex in the same sentence. I'm not saying, the parents should just let their kids run buck wild. But more parents obviously need to give their kids the facts, be involved in their lives more, and encourage their children to use their brains and not just give into peer pressure. Because I'm quite sure teen pregnancy can be greatly reduced if more parents weren't so scared of being upfront with their kids. Heck I'm 21, and I'm still a virgin, my mom was always honest about stuff, sometimes overly honest. But from day one she told me to use my head for more than a hat rack and I have been doing so since then. More kids need the same approach and their parents in their lives.

  As for Palin, I haven't a clue what to say. As I seen maybe a joke ad or whatever on Access Hollywood with her in a bikini on that looked like the american flag and holding a shot gun. Talking about she is going to get the hockey player that got her daughter pregnant to marry the girl in one way or the other. There will likely be more controversy over that. As she supposedly wanted them to get married before the RNC. But clearly that didn't happen. And it was reported the boy had on his myspace page that her daughter "got around" alot and he definitely wasn't going to be the father. So yea that definitely tells all there for sure.

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  Posted by Wed Sep 3, 2008 6:13am PDT

  You know this lady is for real and for us 100% I am a democrate but the way I see it she IS our best bet THEY have my vote all the way!

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