Bristol's baby

Matthew Hoy
By Matthew Hoy on September 1, 2008

The two big news stories today are Hurricane Gustav and the revelation that Gov. Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, is pregnant. Bristol will be keeping the baby and marrying the father, known only as Levi.

The first story matters. The second does not.

The news was announced today in response to the loony left Internet rumors that Trig Palin was Sarah Palin's grandson -- not her son. The news that Bristol is pregnant throws the wacko timeline right out the window -- she couldn't have both given birth to Trig and be 5 months pregnant now.

The media reaction to this story is predictable and further evidence that they just don't get the religious right.

Bristol was unmarried and having sex -- the religous right surely wants her burned at the stake!

Politico's Jonathan Martin:

Social conservatives, who are extraordinarly enthused by the selection of Palin, won't be happy about the news. But their unease will likely be mitigated by the word that the teenager will give birth and marry the father.

Would social conservatives prefer that Bristol and her boyfriend were married? Yes.

But, despite the way we're portrayed by the media, we aren't Puritans stuck in the 16th century. Unmarried women with kids aren't shunned by evangelical churches. We don't hide unmarried pregnant girls in convents. I'm reminded of an old episode of "Veronica Mars" where the unmarried daughter of a preacher got pregnant. Veronica was a little shocked at the preacher's response to the news -- joy at the news of a grandchild.

We live in an imperfect, fallen world. There isn't a single Christian who doesn't know someone -- or lots of someones -- who've been in similar situations.

None of this makes Sarah Palin a hypocrite. None of this is evidence she's a bad mother.

It's evidence the Palins are human.

The only lasting political impact Bristol's pregnancy will have is this: It will be a little difficult to portray John McCain and Sarah Palin as out of touch with ordinary Americans.

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