(CNN) - Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin and husband Todd are talking directly about their 17-year-old daughter's pregnancy.
In a joint statement released by the McCain campaign, the Palins say their daughter will keep the baby and marry the father.
Full statement from Sarah and Todd Palin:
"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."
From CNN Politics
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Interesting. I congratulate the new family on the coming of their first child. I find it interesting that VP-Nom Palin said that Bristol made a decision and that they are proud of it. I was under the impression that Palin was pro-life and did not support the pro-choice movement. But the statement she put out seems to indicate that Bristol had a decision. I feel like a pro-life family would not have given her a "decision." On top of this ... Is she rushing into marriage? What is best for the child... a shotgun wedding that will end in divorce (Palin holding the shotgun) or is this a relationship that will work?
I urge Bristol to be open minded and not rush into anything. Good luck to all parties involved!
Can you say 'Hot Mess'? Pop some corn, sit back and enjoy because I have a suspicion that this Palin is going to provide us more drama than a soap opera!!!
Dear Sara Palin, I do not wish to interfer in your private lives, however – I dont feel like you are a good canidate to be one heart beat away from being president, since your kind of family values is sorely lacking ! You should immediately resign, since you didnt know what was going on in your own family, and control your own daughter, how in the world could America trust you to know whats going on in the world, and handle way more serious problems ? This IS disgraceful ! you are NOT a good role model for Americas young daughters ! Please resign !!!
I presume that Mrs. Palin taught her daughter an abstinence only sex ed program, being the social conservative that she is.
How's that working for you Sarah?
Another abstinence only success story.
Just when I thought that McCain could not sink anymore. This just guaranteed Obama's victory.
what happened to family values?"
No one asked me to be Vice-President. But if they had, I would have said, thanks but no thanks. I'm a working woman with two small children (4 year old twins) and I couldn't possibly have spent two months on the road 24/7. I'm a professional with strong and (I think) valuable thoughts on our nation but I'm also a mom and I put the welfare of my children first. I don't know how Palin, with a small infant with Down's Syndrome and a teenager about to give birth can just glibly decide to be on the road for the next two months. I think it shows a decidedly selfish and ambitious streak that I find thoroughly unattractive. It has shown itself in her laughing on radio programs at unconconscionable used on fellow female lawmakers. She is not a step forward for woman & I certainly don't want her in a position to make decisions that will affect the future of my children.
Wow, and McCain is the one who brought the whole Britney comparison into the race in the first place. Right back atcha, McCan't!
Who cares ! That's Mrs. Palin's daughter's business.
Young people make mistakes, do they not?
Janice Jones
Sacramento, CA
You daughter should have respected her body like it is her temple.
Must Be Hard Having A Mother That Does Not Believe In Any Kind Or Birth Control! This Is What Happens When You Teach Abstinece Only!
So Sarah Palin and McCain chose to ruin this young woman's life by forcing her in the spotlight?
This will probably force Palin to withdraw from the race. Will McCain pick Lieberman after all?
I hope that the media does respect the privacy of these families – this can happen in any family, even political ones. I admire Bristol for taking responsibility and choosing to have the baby, especially knowing she will likely face the scrutiny of the public.
so much for Christian values. She got knocked up.
How does this put the rumor that the child with DS is the daughter' s also. She, VP nominee Palin, must address the question. We are not looking for a diversion. We are looking for an answer. What we need is for Palin to state that this pregnancy is the "first and only" pregnancy for her daughter! We are not judging the teenager if she chooses to have premarital sex, against her evangelical religious tenets, we want to know if this is her "first and only" pregnancy.
So, does this mean that Sarah Palin supports the fact that her daughter had a CHOICE in the matter? So, is she pro choice now? Help me out here.
First troopergate, now babygate? Wow, I guess we liberals don't have an exclusive on hypocrisy.
"Family Planning."
To much information and a little to late.
So actually the Hurricane hit McCain's campaign...
Palin has failed her duty as a mother. I knew it! You have five kids and you're a working mom, who is educating your kids? TV?
A couple of years ago, I read this funny cartoon in the newspaper. This working mom was asking her 1-year-old baby son, "who loves you?" and the baby looked at her and said "TeleBision". Basically, she was never there for the baby.
What a heart-breaking disappointment!
Every day there's another OOPS!!! Maybe the McCain camp is trying to get all of Palin's negatives out early so that we'll forget about them by Nov. 4.
The one former VP candidate nobody has mentioned is Tom Eagleton.
What about school?
An education?
Yea right she is proud to be an unwed, another statistic, teenage mom. I am sure she had NO choice but to keep the baby, and marry at 17.