Bristol Palin goes on the record: Teen pregnancy 'not ideal'
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/01/02/art.levi.gi.jpg caption="Johnston and Palin have plans to marry."]
(CNN) - Bristol Palin, the teenage daughter of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, is going on the record about the recent birth of her son, Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston.
In a statement dated Wednesday but posted on the Alaska governor's Web site Friday, Bristol says the pregnancy was "not ideal," but is thankful to have a family who supported her.
“Teenagers need to prevent pregnancy to begin with – this isn’t ideal. But I’m fortunate to have a supportive family which is dealing with this together," Bristol Palin said in the statement. "Tripp is so perfectly precious; we love him with all our hearts. I can’t imagine life without him now.”
In the same statement, Gov. Palin said she at first greeted the news of her daughter's pregnancy with "fear and a bit of despair."
"Isn’t it just like God to turn those circumstances into such an amazing, joyful blessing when you ask Him to help you through?" she said in the statement.
“The road ahead for this young couple will not be easy, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Bristol and Levi are committed to accomplish what millions of other young parents have accomplished, to provide a loving and secure environment for their child," added Palin, the former Republican vice presidential nominee.
Earlier: Bristol and Levi 'Working Their Butts Off,' says Palin
Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston was born Saturday and is the son of Levi Johnston, a former high school hockey standout currently studying to be an electrician. Johnston and Palin reportedly plan to get married this summer.
A spokesperson for the Alaska governor told CNN Johnston is currently working to earn his GED while Palin is set to begin her final high school semester.
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Teens getting pregnant from unprotected sex is not as deadly as contacting aids and parents need to teach children the facts. Bristol is lucky she didn't contact aids.
Wow... You think?
I don't wish this situation on anyone (especially being a young mother myself 16 years ago). However, her circumstances are MUCH better than most in her situation, so I won't lose any sleep wondering how they're going to make ends meet and who's going to look after little Tripp.
I hope teenagers recognize this as what could happen to them (probably under worse circumstances) and abstain from or practice safe sex!!!
God Bless them both!
"A spokesperson for the Alaska governor told CNN Johnston is currently working to earn his GED while Palin is set to begin her final high school semester."
Sounds right along track with the whole Palin running. What a marvelous future they have ahead of them.. with such a great role model as a mother to help her through the whole ordeal.
God is a God of second chances!
Hey,black America! At least they know who the father is!!
I think is interesting, if not somewhat humourous, when someone proclaims others to be "ignorant and hateful" in one sentence, and then goes on to call people "idiots" in the next. It seems a little hateful to me to be called an idiot. Whether you have a point or not, Kitty, is totally discredited when you contradict even your own attitude towards others.
It seems to me that Bristol going on the record about how teenage pregnancy is not a good alternative is, in some surreptitious way, painting Sarah as a domineering, and god fearing mother.
Makes you wonder out of whose and what kind of womb these people came from. And they think they are good intelligent people who have never done anything wrong. And I repeat you hateful vengeful people are poor excuses for humans. Stop the hate. Stop being judgemental. It is sickening and disgusting. what have the Palins done to any of you????????
God has a divine way of taking the messes and mistakes we make in our lives, and turning them into miracles and master-pieces if we give Him a chance. Behind every dark cloud there is a silver lining. We are all broken vessels in someway or another, but He is the master of healing and mending that or those of us who have been broken!!!!!!! And, He forgives us our sins/faults/mistakes, when we ask Him to. Yes....even YOURS my friend!!! Keep hoping, keep believing that the Best is yet to come! Love ya!
IN INDIA ONE MP HAS 15 CHILDREN &HIS WIFE GIVE BIRTH TO THEM SINCE SHE WAS 21.THIS IS NORMAL TO HEAR FOR PEOPLE IN INDIA
CNN, PLEASE THIS KIND OF NEWS SHOULD BE IN THE TABLOID. UNLESS YOU ARE BECOMING A TABLOID THEN CONTINUE IT. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!
Are they that ignorant not use birth control? PWT is not only in rural life in the lower 48...Palin and her family are Saturday night Live bait for years to come.
To Guess:
What the hell are you talking about? I have a mother, father, sisters and brothers who all fall in age categories from 30 to 82, I would be the last person to bash anyone's age. Life is beautiful at every age. I am astounded by your out of this world comments.
You, like Mike, Syracuse NY, need to go back to your planet, and learn more about this great country and its people, before you go on another tangent of ignorance and simpleton-osity. With all your getting; please get some understanding. Really.
every person has different life, story. This teen pregnancy situation is private, should not be judged, criticized. Teens need help, support. For some people is hard to give out child, or have abortion, for others it is easy. Each of us thinks differently, what is important is to tolerate and respect the other person needs, views, feelings.
The prognosis for a teen mother and her child is far worse than for a mother in her 20s or 30s. A child of a teenage mother has an increased likelihood of suffering from abuse, medical problems, juvenile delinquency, poverty, drug addiction, and so forth. From a public policy point of view, teenage pregnancy should not be encouraged. Many of the posters here seem to think this is a wonderful and blessed thing. Obviously, with wealthy and famous parents, this particular child will probably do well, and I am happy about that fact. But to encourage this behavior and to say it is fantastic is simply ridiculous.
What's amazing to me is that an insignificant story about two young
insignificant teenagers can garner over four hundred posts while stories about much more important issues get a handful at best.
Republicans and their supporters keep saying Obama is the Messiah. Since they claim to know God better than democrats, maybe they know something we don't. He's a great man, but Messiah? I don't think so!
This family is nothing more than a political joke, Palin only says what she thinks we all want to here, Please go away.
Ed January 3rd, 2009 10:48 am ET
My sister had a baby out of wedlock. Sad that there is no room for us in the Democratic pary.
________________________________
Ed, get a grip, man! It is NOT the teen pregnancy that people are protesting! It is Sarah Palins holier-than-thou religious hypocracy! Anyone is welcome into the Democratic Party! But we truly abhor those who come in wanting to legislate their morality when they are NOT practicing what the Preach. That old republican standard.... one thing for us and quite another for everyone else.
Funny, in their God comdemns children out of wedlock... unless it is their Teen, then it is A BLESSing.... come on Repubs... get over it!
You lost... we don't care or want your fanatical religious belief systems! You are the ones so quick to cast the first stones, because of course... you are SAVED... the rest of us need your guidance to live our lives..... Hypocrits indeed! Spare me from the Religious Right and their sanctimonius holier than thou religious nonsense! My soul is NOT lost, thank you very much! I suggest you check yours in the mirror! 🙁
Children are a gift from God. for all those conservative evangelicals who would rather promote sex outside marrige by saying that at least she did not abort, please look at your hearts....God says fornication is wrong period,. SO speak the truth and stop sugar coating a behavior that the bible condemns.
Stop re-gurgitating – this idiot gossip priviledges! So what – teens have babies all the time. It was SP who let her values, and morals down, so what. McCain picked her as a gimmick and she is no more than a complete side show. Keep the Headlines CNN about SP. She will not be POTUS. Period. With that 'golly gee awe shucks' persona and all this self promoting crap – she can’t stay out of the limelight and you guys keep it going for her! Please Stop it already. Ya Betcha!
Sounds a good gig to me, Bristol. You get pregnant and drop out of school, the taxpayers pick up the tab.
I have been reading these comments and I can't understand why Sarah Palin is still in the news, she seems to be a very self serving person.
I feel sorry for her daughter as she seems to have been thrown into a situation not of her choosing. She is being used for her mother's political ambitions.
I realize that this is none of my business as it's you in the States who will have to deal with this women, but, I hope you can see through her shallowness and self serving phyilosophy .
Happy New Year America.
I wish Bristol, Tripp and Levi Johnston all the best and hope that the press does not continue to intrude on their lives. While I never would have voted (or vote in the future) for Sarah Palin for VP or President she and her husband get an A+ in my book for being fully supportive of their daughter and future son in law.
My wife and I are pro-choice, however, if any of our 4 daughters had an unplanned pregnancy we would have backed any decision they made. Preferably that would have meant having and keeping the child. Pro-choice does not mean by default pro-abortion.
What is wrong with you judgemental people?? I hope your children never make mistakes! For that matter, I hope you can keep believing that you've never made a mistake as a parent either. That would be one big ugly bubble bursting!
This is why "Abstinence Only" programs and teachings should not be encouraged. It's better to arm our children with knowledge to protect themselves. I hope that the family makes it through the many obstacles ahead of them, and that other families can use this story to educate their children on how to protect themselves, in realistic ways, rather than "just don't do it."