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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Bristol Palin pregnant -- right now

Posted: Monday, September 01, 2008 11:58 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:

From NBC's Mark Murray
Reuters: "The 17-year-old daughter of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is pregnant, Palin said Monday in an announcement intended to knock down rumors by liberal bloggers that Palin faked her own pregnancy to cover up for her child.
   
Bristol Palin, one of Alaska Gov. Palin's five children with her husband, Todd, is about five months pregnant and is going to keep the child and marry the father, the Palins said in a statement released by the campaign of Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

Bristol Palin made the decision on her own to keep the baby, McCain aides said. 'We have been blessed with five wonderful children who we love with all our heart and mean everything to us,' the Palins' statement said. 'Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support,' the Palins said."

*** UPDATE *** Here's a statement the McCain camp released from Todd and Sarah Palin, which is identical to the quote in the Reuters story: "We have been blessed with five wonderful children who we love with all our heart and mean everything to us. Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support."

"Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family. We ask the media to respect our daughter and Levi's privacy as has always been the tradition of children of candidates."

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Comments

I'm sure the conservative values spin will be that she's getting married so it's all ok.  I agree with John Catkil....maybe we should be teaching more about birth control so young girls don't have to grow up faster than their parents ever planned.  So far, totally and completely unimpressed with this VP choice.
This is a joke right? This is who these crazy republicans want second in command of the United States. John McCain just showed that he does not put "country first" - if he did he would have chosen someone more qualified.
Barack's daughters wouldn't have to deal with any of this, and be "punished by an unwanted pregnancy", as he put it.  Think Palin's kid wouldn't opt to chop it up and suck it out if not for the politics of it all??
This is crazy...she is going to drop out soon I am sure and McCain is going to pick someone else.  <She was only for the hype>
I feel it is not the time to make harsh remarks concerning Bristol; however this is not the moral values American should want on display.  Governor Palin, and her husband should return to Alaska, and finish raising their family.
Giddy with anticipation! Can't wait to see how this all plays out in the next few weeks...
I wonder if Bristol even had a choice of whether to keep her fertilized egg or abort it.  Bet she didn't. Wonder how she feels about losing her youth. Great job there Mrs. Palin. Prevention begins with talking to your child. Maybe if Mrs. Palin was not so busy playing politics and hunting polar bears she could have gotten responsibility across to her kid.
What a joke!  
Americans should be completely insulted by the McCain selection. Either John McCain did not vet this pick, or decided that teen pregnancy is a non-issue. I suspect they seen such as an opportunity to re-enforce the 'RIGHT TO LIFE' banner. Now that's what I would call 'SPIN'!
Further proof that Sen. McCain didn't bother vetting Gov. Palin - she was a distraction and she's going to blow up in Sen. McCain's face.  Let the spinning begin!

Maybe so, but it still doesn't negate the rumors about the current baby being her daughters also.  I know people who have had kids less than a year apart.
So Sarah Palin and her husband are going to be taking care of her own children and shepherding her 17 year old daughter through marriage and a new baby.  That baby would be born about the time the new administration takes office.  Just where are the Palins' priorities, anyway?
Very Sad. Loos like Mrs. Palin needs to put her family first at this time. Seems Mrs. Palin needs to go back home and 1) take care of her own newborn with Downs Syndrome and 2) be a mother to her 17 year old pregnant daughter. I am a single working mother and sometimes you hvae to put your family first and job second!
There is an old African-Am. saying: "God don't like ugly."  First the storm now the baby.  So much for Mc Same's vetting process.


Obama/Biden '08
WTF?????? Holy Shinike. Is this for real?
As a Republican I have to say that I am disappointed in the VP choice. I find it interesting that she went back to work just 3 days after the birth of her baby who has speacial needs and now her 17 year old is pregnant? I think McCain did himself and the Republican party a disservice. If he wanted to attempt to get the womans vote by chosing a woman VP there are much more qualified women he could have chosen. He certainly will not be getting my vote.
Gov Palin is a VOCAL proponent of abstinence only education!
This is unbelievable; and a disaster of a pick; remember all the right wing talk radio offense taken by the spears pregnancy and the movie juno which glorified unmarried teen pregnancy. 'they plan on getting married?' I wnat to here rush and hannity defend this one.
Our "republican family values" is what kept that baby alive.  If you liberal hippies had your way, that baby would be dead by now.
SO WHAT!!  This 17-year-old is not running for office.  This is a family matter and has NOTHING to do with national politics.  It has NO BEARING on whether her mother will be a good VP or President.  This is the media nitpicking and has everything to do with media gleefully airing anything that will reflect badly on ANYONE in the news.  Get back to what's important to the United States of America and leave these private matters private!!!
ROFL. You have got to be kidding me. Some great values you've taught your daughter there Sarah! She is about ready to be a mother, as you are to be V.P.

Obama/Biden 08 -- How can you not vote for them?
The more I read of these uncivil, mean, trash comments toward Gov. Palin and her family and values, the more I am appalled at the kind of people who claim to want the best for our country and support Obama.  What you really want is someone who will give you whatever you want at the expense of the taxpayer and with the result of more big government.  
Wow!  It is absolutely amazing how well abstinence-only sex education works with kids today!  Keep it up conservatives...maybe we can increase the number of teens with sexually transmitted diseases as well!

Such a wonderful example of the values that Conservative Republicans promote.

God help our nation if McCain and Palin are elected.
Well, with mom busy having babies herself, and with her "experienced" political career, I'd say this lady is ready on day-one!
This should give ole McCooCoo a big bump (in about 4 months)

Country First -- or Politics First? Palin sounds like my neighbor next door (we don't allow her to leave the community)

Go Obama/Biden '08/12
ooooh boy, this keeps getting better and better everyday!  Thank you John McCain, for making the most dunderheaded vp pick since Dan Quayle!  These conservatives and their values....tsk, tsk.  As a evangelical Christian and a liberal democrat, I can only stand by and shake my head in disbelief.  As for me and my family, we will vote Obama/Biden.
Sounds like Bristol is a fertal as her Mom....pregnant twice in one year.
Well, isn't this interesting?  So, everyone who has said that obviously Palin is able to handle a big job in government along with raising 5 kids has to wonder.  John McCain knew this and still asked Palin to be his Vice President?  Not a good step at al.  Sure, we shouldn't judge, however we have too much going on in the U.S. and abroad right now to have the distraction of our Vice President's 17 year old daughter having a baby.  So, having Palin is going to be a "reach-out" to evangelicals?  Do you know, that Kansas is supposed to have the highest amount of teenage pregnancies in the nation, and they vote down sex education in school.  Something is obviously not working in the fundamental community if there are so many teenage pregnancies amongst them.  
Bristol Palin, Sarah Palin's 17 year old is five (5) months pregnant.  I guess the Palins are great role models for America, right?  If Palin is such a great mother, where was she when Bristol needed some parental supervision? Don't tell me she just found this out.  Is this more pandering to the pro-life folk?
And this is Bristol Palin's SECOND baby!
I bet the dad-to-be is feeling the NRA endorsed gun in his back right now. I wonder when this girl decided to get married? I feel sorry for her that her parents knew her circumstance and are putting her through all of this.
Liberals are so hypocritical.  I'm happy to see that they are standing by their daughter and not ashamed to admit what's going on.  Liberal or conservative if you're honest you know that no matter what values you teach your kids, they all make their own decisions and mistakes at some point in time.
I guess Sarah's "absintence only" plan didn't work out too well.  
Also, why would this woman push her 17 year old daughter on to the national stage at such a fragile time?  Yep, that's some real fine family values.

I guess they figured if Cheney could side-step the repl. hypocracy of having a lesbian daughter, then Palin could navigate an unwed, teenage daughter.
This whole McCain VP fiasco is taking on the appearance of a soap opera.  Palin is not experience and obviously was never vetted.  McCain's lack of judgement on such an important decision is appalling!
I understand that Obama has a step brother and a step sister living on a dollar a day in Africa. he hasn't helped them one bit, yet knows of their situation. If he won't help his blood relatives don't expect much help as citizens once he is elected.
Hi Steve, from Chicago, when was the minute,hour or day YOU became perfect....a very sad comment till you look in the mirror.

HG Phx.
Leave Britney, err, Bristol Alone!

No seriously. Sarah Palin had a shotgun wedding and now her daughter will too. Family values at their finest. This is what happens with abstinence only education or being against contraception.
Great parenting! Seems to me that the party of family values could use some lessons in supervising children.  Palin was an incrediblly irresponsible choice and McCain's judgment must surely be questioned by voters.  The far right is so prone to attack the moral values of others but when it comes to their own, that's a different stoury...
She made the decision to have sex but not the one to get pregnant. This was not planned and it shows the lies and the cover ups that both Mccain and Palin share. "Family Values-he back slides on his first wife, Palin's young daughter is with child and not even of legal age to smoke or drink or drive"  I guess Alaskan family values are different from ours here on the main land.
Everyone fails and falls short.  We should not, nor cannot, condemn anyone for a mistake or fault they made.  We must extend the same kind of love and forgiveness that the Palin family is extending to their child.
It is good to know that you all that judge are sinless and able to judge others.  It is her daughter and not her that is pregnant.  How many of you have aborted babies so that you could hide your sins.  You yourself will be judged for your own sins and for judging others.
John McCain is probably kicking himself right now. This story is getting weirder and weirder everyday. Once the hurricane dies down, this story is going to pick up and people aren't going to be happy about this.
Lets get some evidence first. Don't take anything the rebubs say they like to make things up.
Oh like none of your kids are having sex! Get real - At least they are honest and not hiding the facts.  This is the real life and they are helping, loving their children who are like the rest of us - GODS children - who make mistakes and should be forgiven not prosecuted by YOU all who I am sure are not free from sin.  I don't expect anyone but my GOD to be free of sin, not even the president.  You can be sure the other nominees are not either.  Give them a break and make sure ask forgiveness for judging others when that is not your job, just hope you are forgiven for it.
I wish Bristol was my daughter.  We would have been talking about safe sex, birth control, college, condoms, choosing to see the world, exploring your own brilliant potential instead of pacifiers, pac-n-plays, pampers and potty training.  
Live in a glass house and you're bound to be stoned.
Really don't care. But after bringing it up, you can tell me how long Obama was at the Muslim school
This is a joke right??? Come on! Are you kidding me!! John McCain just sealed the deal!!! ENOUGH!!!


What a disaster - is this the model family for conservatives?  A minor, unmarried kid getting knokced up at the age of 17.

McCain screwed up, big time.  
Unmarried sixteen-year-old daughter pregnant.  Everyone's lauding Palin's abilities as a MOTHER to her five kids and for her "family values" - maybe if she spent more time with her family, instead of saying that her older kids were great babysitters, Bristol would have a chance to grow up before she starts her own family.
it still doesn't explain her 3 days of leaking amniotic fluid and putting her unborn child in danger.The whole thing sounds hokey. She is a wreck waiting to happpen.  Obviously McCain was not thinking with his brain when he chose her. Nancy


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