A fine line between tabloid trash and the truth. · Sep 1, 05:32 PM by Amberlee
For the record, two items. First, I am a Libertarian. Second, I’m voting for Obama. I think these two things should be disclosed before I go further.
As a woman I’m pleased that the Republican party has finally done what the Democrats found the intelligence and fortitude to do back in 1984 – acknowledge the equality of women in the political arena and nominate one for the second highest office in the land. However, I must say that I feel that McCain’s choice (a man used to think a lot of but don’t anymore) seems less motivated by finding an individual who is qualified to lead should he die while in office and more motivated by tokenism.
Rumors have flown since Mrs. Palin’s nomination regarding the parentage of her youngest son. It seems Mrs. Palin was a touch too active and not showing much during her last pregnancy. Some Internet sites have gone into detail with circumstantial evidence that Mrs. Palin’s oldest daughter might actually have been the child’s mother and that Mrs. Palin lied to the public regarding the issue to hide the issue.
Today, an announcement was made that Mrs. Palin’s daughter is currently five months pregnant prompting respectable news sources such as the APA to take note of these rumors and mention them. The Obama campaign has been asked to respond to the idea that they put the information out there or that they are attempting to run a smear campaign against Mrs. Palin and her family. Mr. Obama flatly denies any involvement, has stated that if he thought for one hot minute anyone on his team was involved in such a thing that they would be immediately fired, and said that family (but particularly children) should be “off limits.”
I’m not sure that’s true in this case. Here’s why.
This isn’t just about a seventeen-year-old girl getting pregnant (if you believe the rumors, for a second time). Mrs. Palin may have lied publicly and perpetrated fraud. If that child is not hers, and she attempted to pass it off as such to the public, what other kind of lies is she capable of telling? What other kinds of cover-ups?
Look, a young girl from a respectable family has sex (which we all do) and either doesn’t use birth control (which most of us have done) or the birth control failed. It happens. Many would call that “ruining her life.” It’s natural a family would want to protect their child. Hushing up a pregnancy when you are Joe and Jane Jones is one thing. And yes, it’s no one’s business but theirs. But when you are a Governor and you loudly proclaim you are pregnant instead of your child and then go through the motions of lying to the public and your staff about the issue, that’s another matter.
Bristol, regardless of the truth of the rumors, has a tough road. As a young woman I was faced with an unplanned pregnancy. The breakdown of the relationship between myself and the father caused a lot of stress. My mother was involved in her own life at the time as she had just remarried and she indicated to me that she was not going to assist me if I kept the child. My father was an irresponsible drunk who could be of no support. Had I not miscarried I might have had a very different life. I commend the fact that the Palins are willing to support their daughter and that they stand by their convictions as a family with regard to abortion. Personally, I couldn’t go through with one. While I think every woman should have the choice of abortion and control of their own body (much less easy access to effective birth control), I also feel that life begins at conception and my personal belief means I could not make the choice to terminate a pregnancy. The fact that young Bristol must have her sex life and youthful decision making processes (much less mistakes) drug through the muck is a sad thing. But I think the Palins also must address the rumors about Trig’s parentage. They must come out to the press with clear unassailable evidence of who Trig’s mother and father are and put this to bed. They need to do so they can stop the tabloid crap and both parties can move on to talking about important issues instead of sensationalism.
Seriously, this is a sad thing. I really feel for Bristol. The whole nation is nosing around in her personal life. Still, her mother is a public figure who may be a “heartbeat away” from the Presidency. Mr. McCain is over seventy. The office of the Presidency is a stress on men nearly thirty years younger than him. The idea that we might have a woman capable of some kind of crazy lies and cover-ups in the public eye as President should worry every individual in this country. We’ve just had eight years of deception, truth-twisting, lies, and incompetence out of the current administration. If we’re to get more of the same I think it should not be “off limits.”
