My thoughts on the Bristol Palin "issue": (Let it be known I am a Democrat and a huge Obama fan, for any who didn't know-- full disclosure and all)
I'm all for personal responsibility, but most people's personal responsibility doesn't involve their sex lives being dissected in national news media at the age of 17. I have no sympathy for Sarah, but I do feel badly for Bristol, especially because there are rumors that she wasn't even told her mother was being considered for the VP nomination until Sarah had already accepted.
I mean, put yourself in her shoes. Live in Alaska, your mother is the Governor, and you get trotted out at every boring political fundraiser ever. Besides show up and play the dutiful daughter at these events, what is there to do? Eat moose burgers, party, shoot stuff, date, and eventually have sex.
Then, goddamnit, you're pregnant, your stupid decisions came back to bite you in a big way, but you're trying to make the best of it, and doing okay. Then all of a sudden your mother drops this bomb on you that she's running for Vice President, so now, while dealing with an unplanned pregnancy and a fiance who's far from ready for marriage, you've also got to contend with flying all over the country, seeing yourself called a slut all over the internet, standing in front of huge crowds no matter how shitty you feel with morning sickness and how bad you think you look because you feel fat and insecure with your first pregnancy (presuming it IS your first...), and not only that, you're probably taking a lot of the responsibility for caring for a baby with Down's Syndrome, too, since mom is busy.
And then think about Levi. He's just a regular Joe, and suddenly he's the father of the vice presidential nominee's daughter's baby? All of a sudden he's shaking hands with John McCain, and traveling around the country with the parents of the girl he just knocked up. How terrifying is that?
Sarah Palin, I have no sympathy for. But while the Obama girls seem to be having a pretty good time and enjoying their brief appearances, Bristol and Levi have more important things to do than act as campaign props. They're about to be parents.
I'm all for personal responsibility, but most people's personal responsibility doesn't involve their sex lives being dissected in national news media at the age of 17. I have no sympathy for Sarah, but I do feel badly for Bristol, especially because there are rumors that she wasn't even told her mother was being considered for the VP nomination until Sarah had already accepted.
I mean, put yourself in her shoes. Live in Alaska, your mother is the Governor, and you get trotted out at every boring political fundraiser ever. Besides show up and play the dutiful daughter at these events, what is there to do? Eat moose burgers, party, shoot stuff, date, and eventually have sex.
Then, goddamnit, you're pregnant, your stupid decisions came back to bite you in a big way, but you're trying to make the best of it, and doing okay. Then all of a sudden your mother drops this bomb on you that she's running for Vice President, so now, while dealing with an unplanned pregnancy and a fiance who's far from ready for marriage, you've also got to contend with flying all over the country, seeing yourself called a slut all over the internet, standing in front of huge crowds no matter how shitty you feel with morning sickness and how bad you think you look because you feel fat and insecure with your first pregnancy (presuming it IS your first...), and not only that, you're probably taking a lot of the responsibility for caring for a baby with Down's Syndrome, too, since mom is busy.
And then think about Levi. He's just a regular Joe, and suddenly he's the father of the vice presidential nominee's daughter's baby? All of a sudden he's shaking hands with John McCain, and traveling around the country with the parents of the girl he just knocked up. How terrifying is that?
Sarah Palin, I have no sympathy for. But while the Obama girls seem to be having a pretty good time and enjoying their brief appearances, Bristol and Levi have more important things to do than act as campaign props. They're about to be parents.
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