So Palin's kid is pregnant? Big deal. The economy still stinks...

[Tommy_Carcetti]

...we're still in Iraq, and we still have a whole host of energy issues and global warming to worry about.

Those are the things I care about, and the things we all should be caring about. We continue to talk about those things, we win. We let this get bogged down into a debate on hot button social issue BS distraction, and we lose.

[Breeze54]

1. Enough is enough on the teen.... but we also have to win this election

to start fixing all those things, so knocking out Palin seems to be the topic of the day.

[yewberry]

2. Agreed. Palin's positions are what I have a problem with.

I don't give a crap about who's pregnant; we have real issues to work on.

[torbird]

3. Uh...?

Do you mean her social conservative positions, including abstinence-only education and "traditional family values"? Any other positions she espouses will be direct from the McCain talking points. Palin can best be discredited by comparing her own, oft-quoted opinions on family planning and sexuality against the reality of her own family.

Politicians don't get privacy, guys. They asked for this. In the Republicans' case, they have dared the Democrats to point out their hypocrisy. If it makes you uncomfortable, then ignore these stories for a few days. But this kind of information goes to the judgment and believability issues that are central to picking a president.

This IS a story, and it's a legitimate story.

Anyway, what kind of aspiring politician doesn't discuss the importance of character and discretion with her children?

[magellan]

4. Thank you

Incredible that it needs to be explained to anyone here.

[Breeze54]

5. And all of DU is aware of that.... the info you posted should be posted on RW blogs.

Picture of Sarah and husband Todd Palin at their home in Wasilla, Alaska. Children are from left, Piper, now age 6, Willow, now 13, and Bristol, now 17. Not pictured is son Track, now 18 and an infantryman in the U.S. Army. Sarah is now 7 months pregnant with her fifth child.

----------

They both look pregnant to me.

[yewberry]

7. Disagree.

As useful an illustration as it is about the necessity for real sex ed and availability of birth control, this isn't going to win any points with the true believers and 28-percenters. To them, Palin just became a model for anti-choicers living their principles--they don't see this as a failure.

And no, politicians don't get privacy, but what about their teenaged daughters? Can you imagine for even a second that that girl had an opportunity to make an informed choice of her own in this situation?

Teen pregnancy is sad and it's a social problem that should be addressed intelligently and practically. I just don't think it should be used as a weapon to score political points.

[jennied]

6. Totally agree... but...

We can't let Palin get away with things, she needs to be exposed. We can't let John McCain win just because of her. This is why so many people are talking about it. We care about America, and we don't want it in John McCain's hands!