Palin pregnancy rumors drive Internet traffic over holiday
Posted September 1st, 2008 by RonShimshock
Two stories have seemed to dominate the US news over the long holiday weekend. On television, radio, and cable, the news is all about "Gustav", the strong hurricane bearing down on New Orleans and the Louisiana coast. On the Internet and in the blogosphere, the name of the weekend is "Palin", as in the presumptive Republican Vice Presidential nominee, Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska.
Most of you may think the Internet interest in Gov. Palin has been focused on learning about her background and beliefs. While many on Friday were interested in the basics of Sarah Palin, Saturday and Sunday have turned a laser-hot focus on Sarah Palin's pregnancy of her 5th child, Trig, born several months ago.
Google Trends: Searches of "Bristol Palin" on August 31
Google Trends: Searches of "Sarah Palin Pregnancy Scandal" on August 31
Rumors have been swirling on blogs about the authenticity of Governor Palin's pregnancy, as many have speculated that it was not Governor Palin who was pregnant, but in reality her 16-year-old daughter, Bristol. Commenters noted a string of rumored (or in some cases somewhat verifiable) events, such as:
- A lack of much weight gain by Governor Palin;
- Her water breaking and/or leaking amniotic fluid (depending on which source read) at an event in Dallas, a month-and-a-half before her due date;
- Gov. Palin taking an 8-hour flight from Dallas to Anchorage, going into labor on the plane, but with little notice by the flight staff;
- Arriving in Anchorage and driving to her hometown hospital in Wasilla rather than visiting the hospital right in the city;
- Gov. Palin's daughter, Bristol, being out of school for five months with mononucleosis;
- Discussions of such rumors among some Alaskans and Alaska blogs for the last several months.
Of course, there are also those on the other side of the issue, most often women who have actually been pregnant, who will readily note:
- Many women do not gain significant weight early in their pregnancy, or may not gain a noticeable amount at all;
- Instances of women over the age of 40 having a child with Down syndrome is high;
- Just because a woman may be near the point of delivery doesn't mean it may not be hours before she's actually ready to give birth;
- While Gov. Palin's calmness on her plane ride may be unusual to some, not all women are the same, especially those who have previously had four children.
So why are people in such a tizzy about this issue in the first place? Many feel Sarah Palin has brought this scrunity on herself by focusing attention on her newborn son. From her first speech in Ohio on Friday, the message has been about family, pro-life, and pro-Christian values. The question for many on the left (and the right) has become, "if she was covering for her daughter, what does it say about the image she has projected?" or, "what does it offer about what she and her husband have taught their children?". Others have noted even if the child is hers, it shows poor judgment to have had a child at an older age with the risks involved, while also serving the people of Alaska as its governor.
Most all of this is conjecture and wild speculation. However it also seems to be a story that has "legs", or at least bloggers on the Internet who will not let it fade away. While Saturday and Sunday focused on the possibility of the child actually being Bristol's and not Gov. Palin's, Monday has turned into speculation that both Sarah and Bristol Palin were/are pregnant.
Andrew Sullivan on The Atlantic has opined about a ring seen on Bristol Palin's wedding finger, an Alaskan blog called Celtic Diva's Blue Oasis has said the rumor for several months has been that "Trig is very much Todd and Sarah's child while Bristol Palin is actually pregnant NOW".
A web commenter by the name of "Sue Williams" has created a new stir with a number of comments on the Alaska Mudflats blog. Supposedly she is friends with those who are close to the Palin family. As well, multiple Alaska blogs have received tips and comments alleging that Bristol Palin has been pregnant since spring:
During this period is when Bristol, Sarah’s sixteen year old daughter, turns up pregnant. So, it’s kind of interesting to note that the Republican Vice Presidential Nominee and her sixteen year old junior in high school unwed daughter were carrying babies at the same time. Once Bristol’s condition became more obvious this summer, she was whisked out of sight and hasn’t been seen in public until yesterday in Ohio. This is why Trig’s blanket was strung across her entire abdomen and torso, but, when she walked down the stairs from the stage, in a profile shot, it was very clear to see she is well into her third trimester of her pregnancy.
It has come out in the past couple of days that she and her high school boyfriend had a quickie wedding and that she is home schooling her senior year.
The Anchorage Daily News has known about this for months - and haven’t touched the story. But I can’t imagine the national press or the Democratic Party will be as willing to turn a blind eye.
Now photos from Friday's rally are starting to make the rounds, supposedly showing that Bristol is currently pregnant:
On top of all of this, there are additional rumors that a handful of McCain staff members have descended on Alaska to further investigate about Gov. Palin. I sure would have thought McCain had vetted Governor Palin to the furthest degree necessary to satisfy his requirements, but maybe it's not the case.
At the end of the day, even if Bristol Palin is pregnant, what is the fall out? Does it matter? Or would Republicans praise Governor Palin for convincing her daughter to keep the child?
And in the larger picture, what does this type of news story say about the blogosphere? Is this the future of news broadcasting? There often seems to be a "convict first, ask questions later" mentality. When stories are disproved, bloggers either (a) alter the original story to include a new plotline or (b) ignore that they were wrong, and avoid issuing a retraction of the initial post.
It is certainly a more "democratic" approach to news, where the public decides which stories are most important to them and should garner attention. However in many cases it can lead to many ideas which are laced with innuendo, rumor and hearsay.
I'd really like to hear what people have to think about it. Write your comments below. 
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As I'm sure many of you have seen, it was announced by McCain's staff that Gov. Palin's daughter Bristol is 5 months pregnant.
According to the staffers, Senator McCain was also aware of the pregnancy in advance of selecting Sarah Palin as his running mate. He noted it had no direct bearing on his decision to select Palin as his presumptive VP nominee, given that it was a family matter.
Also Dr. James C. Dobson of Focus on the Family issued the following statement:
"Being a Christian does not mean you're perfect. Nor does it mean your children are perfect. But it does mean there is forgiveness and restoration when we confess our imperfections to the Lord. I've been the beneficiary of that forgiveness and restoration in my own life countless times, as I'm sure the Palins have.
"The media are already trying to spin this as evidence Gov. Palin is a 'hypocrite,' but all it really means is that she and her family are human. They are in my prayers and those of millions of Americans."
I think for many voters, the question is not asking for perfection, but rather can Gov. Palin effectively manage a newborn with Down syndrome, a daughter with a child on the way, and the rigors of running for national office. I think the first two would be a challenge for any mother or father, let alone one who wants to become Vice President.
Former presidential candidate Fred Thompson spent the day in St. Paul having lunch with reporters from Newsweek. Here is a quote from the blog (emphasis mine):
First, I have to say very slick of Sen. Thompson to position this as a "man vs. woman / husband vs. wife" debate. He makes it seem as though anyone who would question Palin's priorities would also question her right as a woman to pursue her career and care for her children.
In the end, it's up to the Palins to decide what works for their family and within the framework of the relationship with their children. However, let me ask this one simple question of Fred Thompson and all his like-minded compatriots: since when is it acceptable for either parent to shirk out of their parental responsibilities? Having a newborn with Down syndrome and a daughter who's pregnant is a significant responsibility for any parent, whether man or woman. How one pursues their career and care for their children applies equally to a husband or wife. I certainly wish the Palin's the best whatever their choices may be.