Note to self: No more election-year pregnancies.
Especially when so much political talk is now turning to PREGNANCY! I’m way, way too hormonal to deal with this crap.
Because I feel obligated to say something:
1) The Palin’s-son-is-really-her-grandchild rumors were just STUPID. I’m glad that little DailyKos fit was, apparently, short-lived. It blows my mind that the same folks who come down on the media for portraying women as only beautiful if they’re young and thin were accusing a fit, mature woman of faking a pregnancy because she didn’t get fat, and her teenage daughter of looking pregnant because she wasn’t built like Kate Moss.
What kind of message is being sent to every 15-year-old girl with an average build who looks at this picture and realizes that’s all it takes, size-wise, to make thousands upon thousands of people think you’re pregnant?
Furthermore, as somebody with a summer wardrobe I’d wager is a little less layered and probably more revealing than Sarah Palin’s winter-in-Alaska gubernatorial wardrobe, I’m still – at five months pregnant – having to inform people I’m pregnant, because it’s just not obvious. If I put on a sweatshirt, it’s flat-out not visible. If you can’t comprehend that women carry pregnancies differently, you really ought to just keep your mouth shut, especially if you’re inclined to accuse somebody of faking their gestation. I’m having a pretty easy pregnancy, and I tell you whut – if, after all this, somebody suggests I didn’t really go through it… They’re probably getting punched in the mouth.
2) In more news from the “I don’t know anything about pregnancy or birth but I’m going to run my mouth anyway” crowd, the Trig-is-a-secret-grandbaby rumors gave way to many developing the opinion Sarah Palin is an irresponsible, reckless danger to her children because she flew from Texas to Alaska “after her water broke.”
NEWS FLASH: Despite what you may have seen in the movies, rupture of amniotic membranes does not always occur with a floor-flooding gush followed by immediate active labor. Some women leak amniotic fluid for months. Treatment for preterm premature rupture of membranes can vary from immediate induction or c-section to medication and bed rest to “stay hydrated and wait for labor to start on its own.”
In Sarah Palin’s case, it appears she developed a slow amniotic fluid leak with sparse, non-productive contractions. She consulted her doctor and informed her of her plans to proceed with a prepared speech. Then she consulted with her doctor before flying. She consulted with her doctor again during her layover in Seattle. Upon arrival in Alaska, she proceeded to the hospital, where her medical team decided the best course of action would be to proceed with an induction (since she wasn’t in spontaneous active labor), and her son Trig was delivered some hours later.
Her doctor did not think it unreasonable for her to fly (see link above). A big to-do is being made over the fact she didn’t have her doctor’s express permission to fly. I’ve gotta level with you – I care about myself and I care about my unborn baby, but the idea of getting permission from a caregiver to do just about anything doesn’t go real far with me. Obviously I take information and advice into consideration, as Sarah Palin also did, but seeing as neither of us are the child nor property of the medical establishment, we don’t need their permission to do jack squat. Furthermore, Alaska Airlines does not have a policy against late-pregnancy travelers. Palin was under no obligation to inform the flight staff of her “condition” – and in her shoes, assuming no sudden change or progression, I wouldn’t have either. (Alarming the flight staff over a relative non-issue would probably have only resulted in an even longer delay in her ability to meet with her medical providers.)
Sarah Palin went through four pregnancies and four births before Trig. She, with the advice of her doctor, determined she was not experiencing an emergency and the best thing she could do would be to wrap up her business and return home. Looks like they made the right call. Even if you don’t like Sarah Palin, do you honestly think she would have forgone immediate medical care if there were indications she or the baby were in danger? The woman doesn’t exactly have a record of criminal child endangerment or near-death experiences, and I can’t find anything that would point to some sort of stupid or malicious or reckless behavior here other than vitriolic left-wing accusations.
3) Regarding Bristol’s present pregnancy… meh. I can certainly see the point that it calls into question Palin’s advocacy of abstinence-only education. That said, I don’t think Palin or anybody else claims abstinence-only education is foolproof, any more than the use of birth control is. Teenagers are going to do stupid things, and plenty of teenagers equipped with knowledge of and access to birth control end up pregnant, too. You don’t often hear sex ed advocates suggesting because the pill failed (which happens) we ought to scrap their whole education plan – so I think it’s a little unreasonable to expect folks on the other side of the debate to change their mind just because it hits home.
Anyway, I do think there’s a valid policy argument to be had, but I think that’s a separate issue from the private family issue going on here.
4) In perhaps the most bizarre commentary I’ve seen yet, questions are flying about whether Sarah Palin should have even accepted the nomination with a young special-needs son and a pregnant teenage daughter to consider. How dare she move her family across the country as her daughter becomes an adult, gets married, and has a child? How dare she put on shoes and get out of that kitchen?
Barack Obama has two young daughters. I realize a six-year-old isn’t quite the same as a five-month-old with Down’s Syndrome, but I haven’t heard so much as a whisper about whether it’s appropriate for the father of young children to become President. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever heard the “young children” argument brought up for any male candidate or elected official, ever. Yet, those who claim to be the most progressive and most ardent supporters of equality and women’s rights are those simultaneously suggesting Sarah Palin cannot successfully be both a good parent and a good Vice President.
I’m not much of a feminist, but I admit – this kind of thing sends me into a tizzy. Sarah Palin returned to work three days after having Trig. She also breastfed Trig, apparently bringing him to work with her. Neither her duties as governor nor her family seems to have suffered as a result. In fact, the Palins seem to genuinely love and support one another, and I think between his mother, an involved father, and two older siblings at home, Trig will be just fine.
As for Bristol? Perhaps, as the Palins said, she’s growing up sooner than they would have hoped… but such is life. She’s made some adult choices and will now be living in an adult world. I hope the father/future husband is a good, supportive guy. I think her parents, siblings and extended family will continue to support her as best they all can. The situation seems to be completely under control – and nothing Sarah Palin should sacrifice her campaign for.
So, in sum: Unless you believe an amniotic fluid leak should result in a trip to the ER, followed by an emergency birth or medicated, monitored bedrest for weeks or months – and, better yet, have personal experience with a pregnancy under such circumstances… Unless you think one or both parents should end their careers to care full-time for a special needs child – and would do so yourself or expect it of your spouse… Unless you think one or both parents should scrap travel/relocation plans to live full-time near a budding adult who is becoming a parent himself/herself (and getting married) – and would do so yourself or expect it of your spouse… Unless you think these standards apply equally to male and female parents – and would uphold that in your own life…
Just. Shut. Up.
I dunno. I still find it very odd that Palin showed alot during her other pregnancies (and even touted it). There’s a picture somewhere on the web of her when she was pregnant with another of her children and she was quite big. Then all of a sudden with Trig she doesn’t show at all? That just doesn’t add up to me. If a woman shows for one pregnancy she’s going to show for every pregnancy.
And the flying incident…She was what? 8 months pregnant at the time. Very odd that a doctor gave the ok for her to fly in the late trimester. Things still don’t add up on this.
If a woman shows for one pregnancy she’s going to show for every pregnancy.
This is exactly the kind of stupid, know-it-all comment I have zero tolerance for right now.
What you said there, anon, is flat-out factually incorrect. Depending on the health of the mother, weight gain, size and position of the baby, and a MILLION other factors, pregnancies can look very different. (Trig had the lowest birthweight of all of her children, FYI.)
Furthermore, here. Unless that blogger was in on the big scam back in April, there you have an eyewitness account that SP was indeed pregnant. Satisfied?
Don’t bring the conspiracy theories over here… especially when you apparently realize they’re ridiculous enough to not even give a pseudonym.
As usual, the Libtards don’t get it. They are gleefully saying, ‘See, abstinence don’t work.’ What they are failing to understand is that being responsible isn’t even 360 degree morality, but a sphere that deals with all angles. We r human, and we make mistakes. Some kids will have sex before marriage. I grew up in an ultra hard core religious environment, and even we still had the occasional member go off the reservation. The key thing in this case is that instead of compounding the mistake with more mistakes, like abortion or what not, the young lady took responsibility for her mistake and is going to get married for the good of the child. Because, being moral doesn’t mean always being right (unless ur me) but rather it means doing the right thing even when you’ve already done the wrong thing, and paying the price for what you did.
And Sarah is right here, her daughter made a mistake, and now she is being responsible. I continue to respect … Bristol? even now, though I am known for taking a harsh view on unwed mothers, because she will “man-up” and do the right thing by her child. I do this because as we all have, I have made mistakes in my life and will make more, but the common denominator is that I will always man up when I do.
(Something I said in a letter but seems appropriate here too.)
Okay, here’s my take:
If Sarah Palin wants to fly across the country to give birth to her one-month-premature Downs baby in Alaska, that’s her business. If Sarah Palin can’t properly abstinence-educate her own 17 year old daughter, that’s slightly troubling but won’t affect her ability to cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate. If Sarah Palin doesn’t believe in evolution, she’s no worse than half the other Republicans. If Sarah Palin interferes with the Alaska state troopers to get someone fired for wronging her family, that’s business as usual. If Sarah Palin is a former Alaska secessionist, that’s actually pretty cool.
But, putting these things *all together* shows that McCain totally dropped the ball on the whole “vetting the candidate” process. Look at the mess we already got into because we had a President who wasn’t a good enough judge of character and hired people he liked instead of thoroughly evaluating the people he hired.
By all the mouth-dribbling inanity and preposterous statements they seem really keen to show what a low-digit IQ and goon-squad mentality looks like.
so the giant rat/hamster/squirrel race that is the run in to your presidency starts again.
whoa, that wording was unintendedly awesome.
your presidency.
that’d be a good day lol.
anyways, it’s gonna be interestin watchin you go over the finer points on this one when ye aren’t a fan of either candidate, unlike last time.
right, i reckon the duration of our friendship is fast reaching the point were i can no longer ask innocent/ignorant questions about subjects that would be common knowledge over on that side of the pond, but indulge me for a little whiles longer.
right, yeah, anyways, is there gonna be more than these two jokers on your voting ballots……no, wait, that nader feller runs everytime or somesuch, doesn’t he. its just the 2 biggies are the only folk with enough money behind em to make average joe and jane aware of their presence on said ballot.
so, more than 2?
even then, mr carlin still got it right.
more coffee choices indeed.
I think Nader’s at it again this year. The Libertarians are putting up Bob Barr.
Oh, here you go – the rest of the circus.
It’s funny that we haven’t heard anything about Nadir, but I suppose the excuse has been the obama/clinton warz. I haven’t heard much about Barr, so I wonder who is suppose to be the presses’ designated “third-party” candidate/election spoiler this time around?
Troll begs the question – what *subjects* is or are “common knowledge” over the pond? Can’t be any knowledge of national defense – we’ve been doing that job for them for so long they can’t do it for themselves. Protecting their oil interests? Same thing, no matter how hard the French and Germans supply Syria and other unfriendly countries with machines and materials.
Russia??? Bwahahahahaha! Too bad Carlin’s dead, he always had a few choice words for self-inflated ignorants.
Now now, be nice – Fucker is a dear old friend from Ireland, and seeing as they had “President Default” for a while there (maybe still do, he’ll have to clue me in), he commiserates more with our clusterfuck of a system than he makes fun. :)
yep.
the default remains.
till 2011.
poxy 7 year terms.
My apologies. I have great admiration for the Irish rejection of the the EU pseudo-constitution!