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Stunning Palin disclosures steal thunder

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Bad decision | 12:14 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
McCain has made a very troubling appointment and it's not an auspicious start to a presidency.

I wish the Palins well but I think she should resign as quickly as possible to make this problem go away.
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She's the mother | 12:16 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
So, Sarah Palin is the mother of her fifth child. That's good to know. That means she risked the life of a Down's syndrome baby by flying back and forth to Texas in what she thought was the last month of her pregnancy. She's 44, with an at-risk pregnancy, and decided to fly home with leaking amniotic fluid.
At least her judgment is no worse than McCain's.
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Brian | 1:05 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
It would seem that the investigative reporting wing of the media, freshly awakened after an eighteen month snooze as they studiously ignored the socialist background and leanings of Senator Obama now rejoice at the prospect of fresh Republican meat to feed upon.
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FSimmons | 1:23 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
The ink is still wet on her signature as McCain's VP pick and already the headlines scream of "Stunning Palin Disclosures". McCain's judgmental skills unfortunately become suspect in light of the baggage she brings. In his exuberance to bring a woman on the ticket he either failed to vet her properly or ignored the reports. Like it or not many voters will equate her daughters pregnancy with lax parenting and moral guidance in spite of Obama's call to keep children "off limits". They will wonder if the governor has and will successfully balance family and political life and how she can handle the challenges of a special needs infant with the stress and long hours she's signed up for.
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Thomas B Smith | 1:28 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
Palin is killing not only McCain but also the republican party. McCain is an idiot anyway so in a way its a good thing. So far, most of the things we are learning about Palin are not good things and thus McCains gamble on picking an unknown is back firing big time. For them to try and say "that many families have these problems" is a cop out and its not taking the responsibility for their mistakes. Problems like teen sex and getting pregnant, drunk driving et all. Now Palin has a lawyer to fight the other problems....what a bad choice for VP McCain!
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Anonymous | 2:18 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
The media will probably eventually also highlight the fact that Sarah Palin has made political enemies even within her own party in the alaska State legislature (e.g. Senate President Lyda Green). Also to eventually come out is how close and privy her husband Todd has been in the decisions, meetings, and correspondence of the governor's office (e.g being cc'd on confidential government e-mail), especially those involving the Alaska oil and gas industry.
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DRB | 2:21 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
Brian, give up your AM radio paranoia, please. Maybe there was nothing to report!

Obama's response was classy. He looks better all the time.

Just imagine if this had been one of Obama's daughters. The right-wing, family values crowd would have crucified them.
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Geomancy | 2:35 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
With a pregnant teen and a newborn with Down's Syndrome, it sounds like Mom is needed elsewhere. How can she campaign across the country, take the intense policy crash-course she so desperately needs, and be there for her family?

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Grandfather | 2:52 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
This is so strange-
Democrats telling me about pre-natal care and the correct age of a birth mother?
I thought partial birth abortion was the extent of their knowledge concerning pre-natal care?
Reminds me of the fox telling us the hen house is safe under his watchful GAZE.
Sheeeesh.
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Anonymous | 3:03 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
These types of things happen in homes throughout the entire country including in Utah. What is admirable to me is that the parents are supportive and are expressing unconditional love for their child at a very difficult time in her life. I saw first hand parents in the church who almost disowned their children who were pregnant and unmarried. Please don't point fingers at this family. They are showing unconditional love and support.
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Evangelical lead | 4:09 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
The Mormon Republicans curse Obama for attending Rev Wrights church because of Wright's 'damning of America' but embrace a woman who sits in the pews of a church which on a regular basis condemns Mormons to hell - always has and no doubt always will. Go figure!

Instead of the rush to jump on the bandwagon with McCain and Palin Mormons would do well to take a deep breath and a long look before following the 'evangelical' lead this time.
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Dave | 4:20 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
Four out of the five posts so far are completely overeacting. I decided not to vote for McCain a long time ago and I don't like Obama either. However, these Palin details were being intentionally disclosed so they wouldn't get twisted into lies. I personally really don't see what is the big deal. It sounds like these are all issues the Palin's have already dealt with internally. Look into past presidents and you'll see real judgement problems. Clinton was/is a rapist for crying out loud. Bush (43) put together one of the most dishonest manipulative cabinets since Harding. Each of those guys was a worse choice than Palin (except Powell). And Reagan probably wasn't medically fit to be president most of his last term and that is one of those things that really should have been "vetted" or made known to the voters at the time. Anyway, this seems to be a matter of "spin" and too many of you seem to be bitter of have an agenda.
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David | 4:36 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
Children make their own personal choice no matter how good the parents. Obama came from a young mother and he managed to turn out just fine. As for his mother, she managed a PhD. Would it really have been better for Palin's daughter to have quietly aborted the fetus so that this gossip would never have made the newspaper? The answer seems a resounding yes, but oddly from Conservative Christians. No wonder I don't accept your religion...the pews are filled with hypocrites.
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Larry | 4:44 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
Have mercy on them all. I hope you are never judged as harshly as you are judging others. It would be wise for all who intend to comment on this story that you reflect upon John 8:7 where the Lord invited those who were without sin to be the first to cast a stone. This has nothing to do with McCain's judgement or Palin's fitness as a candidate. It is in fact life and they are doing what is right.
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Let's not forget | 4:47 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
Before everyone throws the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak, let's not forget that every family has it's blemishes, regardless of political party. Al Gore's son Albert Jr., was arrested twice for driving under the influence- of marijuana- and reckless driving in those incidents at over 110 mph. Yet somehow nobody implied that Albert Jr.'s poor judgment disqualified his father from holding publilc office as the VP. Bill Clinton's brother had legal woes, and Jummy Carter had a chronically drunk embarassment for a brother. Yet these men were elected President. To those who would throw out Palin because her daughter made a mistake and is doing the honorable thinkg in choosing to raise the baby, I hope you never have teen children, because he who casts the first stones...
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Wake Up People | 4:51 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
Unless your perfect why jump on someone elses problems. We all have some sort of problem or more in our lives. The only perfect person whom walked the earth was crucified going on 2000 years ago. I also believed he called people like us hipocrits. At least the one thing that I can agree with Mr. Obama on is leave Govornor Palin's family alone and keep them off limits. That is the way it should be. The campaign is about the canidates, not the families.
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Anonymous | 5:15 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
Why would evangelicals be upset about a teen pregnancy? Teen pregnancy is very common in religulous circles.
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Where's your compassion? | 5:26 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
Will all the perfect families please rise! Oh heavens; you mean other than those who have posted here, there aren't any perfect families?

First of all folks, don't let these "life experiences" that happen to a lot of good people, taint your judgement - don't play into the media. Secondly, don't you think 20 years is long enough that we should forgive and forget her husband's DUI? And thirdly, why is a pregnant daughter an automatic license for condemnation of her parents?
Regarding the termination of a state employee, let it play out. She's a bright enough woman, that I rather doubt there was a personal motivation.

Even though Obama stated that families and "especially children" are off-limits, you watch, as unimportant as these issues are to her qualifications and selection, the liberals and the media won't let it rest.

Palin has more experience than Obama and he wants to be President. So be careful where you take this democrats. You won't be able to use the race card to push um back once it all starts.

Palin has over a 90% approval rating in Alaska. You won't find that anywhere else.
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Bobby Jones | 5:44 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
The fact that mom being governor letting her 24 yo soon to be son in law off the hook for statutory rape should disqualify her. She should have known who her underage daughter was dating. And if she knew, she was complicit with her baby getting pregnant.

The drunk driving incident with her hubby was two decades ago. Seems like he has grown up a bit IF that is the best the mud slingers can find.
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to Bad Decision | 5:55 a.m. Sept. 2, 2008
I totally agree with your posting. I was shocked when McCain picked Palin over Mitt Romney or any of a dozen other more qualified Republicans (Condaleza Rice, for example).

Sarah Palin wasn't vetted, that's clear. I just don't believe McCain's savvy Washington pros would have chosen to bring this scandal into the campaign. It makes McCain look ridiculous.

I was going to vote for McCain because I am mostly conservative in my views, but now I think McCain is nuts and can't be trusted to make wise and conservative decisions.
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