Are we not allowed to talk about Palin baby rumor?

[YEM]

It's out there. True or not, who knows. But something about this woman is wacky.


http://www.mediatakeout.com/2008/26264-stunning_rumor_mccains_vp_choice_may_have_hid_daughters_pregnancy__claimed_the_baby_as_her_own_.html



August 30, 2008. The presidential campaign has just turned into a soap opera. MediaTakeOut.com is hearing rumors that John McCain’s VP pick, Sarah Palin , may have a scandal in her past. Word is coming from MTO readers in Alaska (yeah, we got readers in Alaska) and from a bunch of left-wing bloggers that McCain’s VP may have hid her daughter’s pregnancy. And that the child which she claims is hers, might actually be her daughter’s.

Here’s a report (excerpted from the popular blog The Moderate Vpoice):

oldest girl is rumored to have actually been the one who had the last baby, the one with Down’s Syndrome. She was taken out of school the last 4 or 5 months of her mother’s pregnancy.

On March 5th, 2008 Alaska’s Republican Governor, Sarah Palin, announced to the media that she was 7 months pregnant with her 5th child. She is currently 44.

Palin’s daughter Bristol is 16 and attends an Anchorage high school. Students who have attended class with her report that she has been out of school for months, claiming a prolonged case of mono.

Palin does not appear pregnant in any recent photographs. The announcement came as quite a shock to people who had worked closely with her, and have been quoted as saying that she did not appear pregnant whatsoever during the prior 7 months.


And there’s more – check out the photo above taken with Palin’s daughter having a bulge in her stomach. And the below pic shows the governor when she was supposedly 6 months pregnant.

And even more. Since these rumors have begun circulating, the Alaska Department of State has taken down ALL PHOTOS of the governor and her family from the state’s website.

Now y’all know that we’re not knocking the lady for trying to protect her daughter. But if you have that kind of scandal in your recent past, you really have no business running for vice president. If that’s what she wanted to do, she could have done like Janet and Rebe and just stayed out of the limelight for a minute…..

Anyway, even though the mainstream press is too chicken to report on this, MediaTakeOut.com has learned that The National Enquirer is all over this one. Expect the scandal to get bigger (if it is true) in coming weeks…

[stray cat]

1. The national enquirer is always wrong except when it is right.... ie Edwards

[grannie4peace]

3. the enquirer wrote the story?

[stray cat]

9. I think so or one with a similar reputation - why I didn't take it seriously at first.

[ColbertWatcher]

4. Who wants to bet the National Enquirer gets another anthrax letter in the mail? n/t

[Fumesucker]

122. That was the Sun actually, or at least the man who died was photo editor for them. n/t

[MannyGoldstein]

6. Actually, I Don't Think They've Been Wrong For Many Years

It's a nasty tabloid - but they appear to be careful to stick to facts.

[Texasgal]

85. Not to be picky...

but they were also right about Rush and his drugging....

[Heather MC]

102. And they called Jesse Jackson's secret kid

They have the money to find out!

[grannie4peace]

2. it's been done before:):):)

[zanne]

58. I think we've been watching too much "Desperate Housewives". nt

[Nikki Stone1]

5. THIS IS RUMOR MONGERING: DU loses ALL credibility when you do stuff like this

Dumb.

[PeaceNikki]

11. Agreed.

And this is the second GD post in which the Nikkis are closely aligned. ;)

[MattBaggins]

100. It's rumoring mongering

until proven true. Then it's called brilliant foresight.

Guess we will have to wait and see. I am leaning toward this being untrue but it is pretty fishy.

[Richardo]

103. I agree

She's unqualified for the office - THAT is the story.

[Toucano]

114. Credibility, schmedibility.

Rumors always get talked about.

[pampango]

7. "We're not allowed to talk about it"? I've seen numerous posts on it. n/t

[YEM]

10. This woman comes off as a wack job to me

[seabeyond]

37. but we keep being told to shut up. regardless of inconsistencies, and reasonable

questions on judgment, we are suppose to pretend those are not there and ignore it

otherwise we are fuckin rumormongering

kinda like all the lies we have found thru out repug adm, at one point those inconsistencies were just rumor, until they were truth

but really, on some theories here in hte board we are not to question

and you are right

many of us are saying fuck that shit and still asking the questions

[annabanana]

109. this place is lousy with concern trolls today... ignore them

[EFerrari]

8. I hate this sewage. There's plenty of legit stuff to use on this idiot.

Yes, she is a hypocrite from hell. She belongs to that fake feminist organization "Feminists for Life". But I will not get into the sewer where you or other DUers will be indistinguishable to me from freepers.

[YEM]

13. ?

[EFerrari]

15. So, you want to ruin that kid's life because her mother is an @sshole?

:shrug:

Can't we go after her on stuff that doesn't pull in civilians?

:shrug:

[offog]

26. Don't pull Palin's kids into the fight.

That's the kind of stuff the Repugs do. Anyhow, so what if Palin's teenage daughter got pregnant? These days it's not that big a deal. If it did happen, Palin should have been honest about it. This "scandal" could have got her a lot of sympathy.

[Quantess]

33. I completely agree.

To me, it's obvious that teenage Palin is the biological mother, and Sarah Palin took in the baby as her own. There really isn't anything wrong with that. Lying about it is the worst part.

It really would have been much better to just admit that her daughter got pregnant out of wedlock, opted not to abort, and now the baby is being raised by his grandparents.

[MattBaggins]

101. Nothing wrong about it in moral sense

of taking care of a child. That is to be applauded but lying about it is not.

What does the birth certificate say? Is there anything wrong with falsifying legal documents?
How were the insurance claims handled? Is there anything wrong with insurance fraud?

[notadmblnd]

67. you're absolutely right. It certainly could have gotten her a lot of sympathy

and compassion. And for most of us it isn't a big deal for a young girl to get pregnant these days. However, if you're worried about your image with the religious community and how it would reflect on you morally to have one of your children come up pregnant. Well then, I guess you'd have a reason to be ashamed and hide it.

[dchill]

106. Not to be negative, BUT...

it seems to me that it was Palin who pulled her kids onto the stage with her. I don't really care who got pregnant, but if Palin "decided" to have a baby at the age of 44, she should have known that the risk of Downs (and other serious complications) is much higher. And if she's already got four kids and is the Governor of a state, it's fairly irresponsible to either the kids OR the job to have another.

It ALL goes to judgment.

[annabanana]

111. And when anti-choicers laud Palin for her selfless decision to

keep her "special needs" baby and carry it to term. (like one did on MSNBC this evening).. and THEY make political hay on this kid's head?

[seabeyond]

39. another example of poor parenting and shifting blame. the PARENT pulled

the kid into this shit by knowingly having a secret to hide and put them on the national radar

it is not me, or any blogger or those in alaska that have been questioning it. it is 100% the PARENT that fucked up and shame on her and her selfishness to take the position opening daughter up to this crap

what kind of parent would do that?

a bad one

[EFerrari]

42. It is you, too, if you participate. n/t

[seabeyond]

48. no it is not. there are inconsistencies and non truths presented. i am asking about them

i did not make a decision to create a lie. but bigger, i did not make the decision to put myself in public eye where all would be seen

i cannot be responsible when i was not a decision maker in these two choices

[EFerrari]

49. If you are a consumer of this cr@p, yes. It is you as well. n/t

[seabeyond]

52. you are refusing to see the wrong here. all the lies of the bush adm

we were told not to question, how dare you quest....

but we have a right to say, this makes no sense. make sense of it. that is what we MUST do as citizens.

cause it is perswonal, one of two things, what kind of woman gets on a plane when water breaks
what kind of person put self in limelight when a secret about daughter is hidden

both these are HUGE in character. especially what she preaches

mccains jokes about chelsey adn rape, calling wife a cunt adn tramp, and be buffalo chip gal topless or something. personal. but tells me a HELL OF A LOT about the man.

[EFerrari]

55. That's disgusting. You have no mandate to prosecute a family decision.

Go after her public life, if you have the courage.

[seabeyond]

63. i can handle all the issues at the same time. i am not the one prosecuting the family decision

this is a fucking discussion board. the info is out in the public and it will be addressed. my issue is

why the hell does she create a lie then put self in public eye for lie to be exposed. i am not going to expose her lie. but it is obvious to me that it is going to be, one way or another

i have the right to ask why a parent would be so selfish to do this

i had the same issue about edwards

i didnt give a shit he was having an affair. i did give a shit that he made the choice knowing he would be exposed and hurting the party and his family

it says something about the character of the people

they have the arrogance and audacity that they make choices that hurt people yet think they can get away with it

that is the WHOLE issue of the bush adm for the last 8 years. continually they think they can do whatever and they will get away with it

to me, this is as important as the other issue

not to you

[Quantess]

45. Ironically, Governor Palin probably thought she was doing her daughter a favor,

by taking credit for her daughter's pregnancy.

[seabeyond]

50. yes. and if she had been honest, daughter got preg, are anti abortion, we will raise as a family

NO ONE on du would challenge. they would be left alone. instead she creates a lie with a story of holes and people ask.... are you saying water broke, did a meeting and flew home? amazed. knowing it is just wrong

the woman creates a lie, then make sure you dont put yourself out there to publically humiliate your daughter

[Liberal Gramma]

62. No, she was protecting her own reputation

If that is what happened, that says it all about what is important: the appearance of virtue, rather than honesty and virtue itself. If you were a pregnant teen-ager, how would you want your parents to respond? By hiding the pregnancy and lying about the who is the mother, thus increasing your sense of shame? Or by standing by a child who made a mistake and helping her to make the best of it?

[norepubsin08]

46. Sure do

the Reublicans have no problem doing it if garners votes...that's why they win!

[EFerrari]

57. No, that's not why they "win". They "win" because they own the media

and because they have made election theft into a fine art.

[adamuu]

68. it was not my decision

and not my place to question

This is like lava, people. stay away.

[seabeyond]

89. we can stay away from it, but it is going to come out. no one is asking obama or biden

to attack the woman on this or any other dem to attack the woman on this.

talking about it on a discussion board is not getting into the mix. the journalist and enquirer will do the exposing.

not the dems

[DesertFlower]

17. holy shit. nt

[mitchum]

21. The one on the right will be light in August...er....April

[wuushew]

41. additonal data

June 2007




December 2006

[Heather MC]

104. Never mind these are new pics

She just looks like a girl with baby fat, so if we are wrong about this
how insulting.

Although a definitive answer would be nice

[rebel with a cause]

108. You cannot tell anything by this photo or the other.

Palin has on long loose shirts and could have a tummy that you can't see. Also, not all women get as big as a house when they are pregnant the way I did. I have known some that barely showed at nine months.

Also, I don't see the scandal in this except that she lied about it and she would have done that to protect her daughter. It is those 1950 principles that she lives by. This was done all the time back then. Not worth my even thinking about.

[NiteOwll]

119. Isn't that photo from 2006?

"Sarah Palin at home with her family in Wasilla, Alaska in 2006. From left is Piper, 5, husband Todd, Willow, 12, and at right is Bristol, 16. Not pictured is Palin's son Track, 17. Trig Palin was born in 2008."

http://www.adn.com/photos/v-gallery/story/509850.html?/1521/gallery/509852-a509987-t3.html

[KharmaTrain]

34. I Have A Different Concern...

And isn't "concern" the buzzword of the year? Seems like the corporate media just loves to "concern"...

I agree that this is pure rumor and even if true is a family matter that we need to stay away with...let others run with it. I strongly advise the candidates not to attack Palin at all...keep focused on Commander Huff'nPuff...he's the one we need to beat.

That said, as a parent and with a handicapped sibbling who I'm now responsible for, I know how time consuming raising a child with a mental disability is...and the fact this lady didn't bother to take time away from her job for a decent maternity leave to care for this special child (especially if she's "Pro-Life") and now wants to drag this child into the fishbowl of a national campaign and into the public eye says volumes to me of how she is putting career over family. Had this been our child, and we were in a similar circumstance, my wife would have "resigned" to care for her child fulltime...not hand it off to someone else.

Cheers...

:hi:

[EFerrari]

40. She's obviously scum.

There is a big blowback potential here and even besides that, do we want to go after this baby's mom or do we want to go after the power abusing politician?

:hi:

[KharmaTrain]

43. We Know What We Want...

But this is chum for the media circus...and low hanging fruit.

I agree she's a complete hypocrite whose trying to ride on Hillary's lifelong work and wants to replace that glass ceiling with a plexiglass one.

To get the abuse, we need to get the abusers out of power first...then not let them go hiding. I really liked Senator Leahy's line last week that "no matter what, I'll be chairman of the Judiciary after 1/20/09" I get a feeling he's just waiting to pounce...free of the threats of blanket pardons.

:toast:

[EFerrari]

51. Can you imagine anyone comparing her to Hillary Clinton?

That's just insane. lol

[KharmaTrain]

54. Just Turn On The TeeVee

The GOOP has its usual suspects out there doing the up is down, black is white game...and the corpoate whores are doing the happy dance.

The fact that she's even getting credibility while no one is questioning the judgment of McCain is the big untold story...but thank goodness for the "tubes"...at least we have this outlet to get information and the truth.

[EFerrari]

56. I had enough on WJ this morning -- although, there were some pissed Republicans

calling in.

It doesn't get more surreal than this person being chosen by McWar, does it?

lol

The next weeks are going to be comedy gold. :)

[KharmaTrain]

60. Thank Goodness For The Daily Show

WJ is getting real bad lately...not that they were any bed of roses. That Ben Stein clone today made me turn it off as well...but then sometimes it's important to listen to these asshats to see what the talking points are and to find ways to counter them.

I've completely written off Chicken Noodle Nuze after the hatchet job they did at the DNC...missing all the best speeches...Dennis, Al Gore, John Kerry, Bill Richardson...and my new hero Barney Smith!!! All they could do was play with the Clenis...it's like a heroin addiction to them.

I'm kinda looking forward to a disaster in St. Paul...I checked today and Ron Paul has sold almost 10,000 tix to his convention...and the corporate media has ignored him and his followers at their own peril. We could see quite a show if these people decide to take to the streets like they did in New Hampshire.

Get the popcorn...or the sedatives. But feel good we're on the right side and i hope people here get pissed and off their asses to make sure this election isn't close enough for Rove to steal.

[KoKo]

72. Her CHOICE was to do what she wanted and not be criticized for her choice...but..

But, the way she treats that baby after it is born is another issue. And dragging that little 4 month old with disabilities into a Stadium so she could satisfy her own ambitions was something that maybe makes us wonder what the definition of "motherhood and nurturing" is all about.

Could she be suspected of child abuse for dragging that newborn in front of glaring lights and music in front of thousands of people who carry viruses and bacteria that a "newborn" doesn't have the immunity to deal with yet?

What kind of person does this? Father or Mother ....who would do this? They could have hired a nurse and had the baby stay at a hotel and everyone would have understood because he was so young she didn't want to expose him to the lights, noise and crowds. But, no...she has the little guy dragged all around the stage and then out into the crowds. I think there are many "working mothers" who would be shocked by that and it shows terrible judgment. And, how many pediatricians would recommend what she did as proper exposure for a four month old and especially one with impaired health.

[KharmaTrain]

80. I'm Saying The Same Thing...

Hi Koko!! Glad to see you...

For a woman who claims to be "pro-life", what mother puts a career ahead of her child and family? Especially one who has a serious disability. She didn't even take maternity leave from what I could see...had it been me, and this had been my child, I would have resigned and dedicated myself fulltime to the child's care and comfort. Something is awfully screwed up here.

Last night I saw a pic of Commander Huff'nPuff, VicoCindy along with Palin and her oily hubby holding the baby...no other kids in the pic...I think it was for people magazine. It make me :puke:

Shameful that she's trying to ride the coat tails of a true fighter for woman's right and equality, Hillary, and stands against everything Hillary worked over 30 years for. Shamefull...as is the corporate media for spewing her "compelling story" as if this "fresh face" is a true alternative. I sure hope woman are seeing this for what it is and this selection will have some massive blowback. I also hope Hillary comes out and blasts this poser whose trying to steal her legacy.

:toast:

On Edit: Here's The People Pic...



A little exploitation anyone???

[KoKo]

115. "seeing it for what it is........."

oh that we could wish for folks to wake up to this stuff they throw at us.

thanks...gotcha.. :hi:

[notadmblnd]

84. I made that point yesterday, but post was deleted

That if it is her child; that it was entirely irresponsible for her to accept the slot on the ticket with a special needs child. Since she chose to bring this child into the world, she owes it more than handing it off to other people to raise. These anti choice people are for life up until the child is actually born, after that, to hell with them I guess.:shrug:

[KharmaTrain]

87. George Carlin Once Said

It's a matter of timing...

Here's where one needs to be careful in threading this needle. I don't care about who the child's mother is or how or who helped concieve it...it's none of my business, but the rubber hits the road for me when Palin is portrayed as being a "hockey mom" and a paragon of virtue...especially by a corproate media just eating what the Rove spin meachine feeds them.

I found this pic...



The cover for this week's people rag...they're already exploiting this poor child. Shameless!!!

[notadmblnd]

94. That baby is 3 months old?

[KharmaTrain]

96. Is There A Birth Certificate?

Sheesh...this sounds freeperish :rofl:

[notadmblnd]

140. the picture has been changed

[Not Me]

95. "...let others run with it."

I agree. It may or may not be true. If it has legs, the media won't be able to leave it alone. Probably not something for DUers to push. There are too many other substantive issues to press her on.

[KoKo]

116. what "others" are going to run with this? "Free Republic" ...the "Weekly Standard or Murdoch's

other Empire papers? It's up to us ...or it dies on the vine. There aren't "investigative reporters" out there, anymore...they've been bought off or bought out...and are on the streets begging for jobs that aren't there.

WHO will INVESIGATE? :shrug:

[seabeyond]

125. you have people all over looking into it. alaska has been questioning it for months

probably if vp hadnt come up alaska would have left it alone. i understan ne (edward story) is on it. but it is hush hush

[seabeyond]

123. where are du'ers going to "push" it to. people are acting like du is the media

or in charge of obama campaign. geeZ. get a grip. we are a discussion board. that is it. not more. du doesnt "push" it anywhere. we discuss

[notadmblnd]

47. Taking the high road, leads to nowhere

haven't the Dems figured that out yet? Sometimes you just have to get down in the mud with the pig to wrestle it back into it's pen. Time and time again we've been on the offensive, defending false accusations from the other side. People are actually doing/have done prison time as a result. Governor Seigleman is only one that comes to my mind. People asking questions whether or not this woman actuality gave birth is a valid question based on the fact that she didn't announce her pregnancy or look pregnant at 7 months. By claiming this child as her own, if that indeed is not the case, means that the woman is committing fraud against the state of Alaska and her insurance company. That would make her criminal. If the conversation is distasteful to some, they do have the option of ignoring it.

[EFerrari]

53. No. Respecting the privacy of this family can't hurt the Dems

And, good god, there's plenty to chose from on the rest of the menu.

[notadmblnd]

61. If she wants privacy, she needs to withdrawl from the race

She isn't running for city council or the mayor ship of a small town. This is the VP slot. McCain is an old man who has been plagued by cancer. There's probably better than a 50% chance he'll die in office if he were to win/steal the election. Her being female does not give her any special privileges to privacy. If she wants to run with the big dogs, she should be able to pull her own sled. If she's as tough as everyone says she is, she'll survive the privacy invasion.

[EFerrari]

65. You know, you can justify anything. That doesn't make any course

the best one or the right one.

[MattBaggins]

105. As a big if; this rumor is true

Since this whole idea is just a great big if.

If She is the using the child to score political points and to make an "I didn't abort like an evil Demonrat would have" arrow; is it justifiable to call a time out and ask her to explain some things?

[Alexander]

12. This could backfire if Democrats talk about it on national TV.

We don't know if it's true or not.

If the real story comes out, and by chance it's not what we think, it could make us look really bad.

Let's stick to what we know. Palin is corrupt and unqualified. We don't need to get in the gutter.

[Adsos Letter]

24. Excellent advice...our fight should be on the policy level.

the potential for blowback with this kind of speculation is high.

[adamuu]

71. exactly. n/t

[DesertRat]

14. Check out this post

An interesting opinion by an Alaskan
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6833004&mesg_id=6833004

[gatorboy]

16. Sure you might be able to hide the pregnancy, but not the delivery.

Did she have the baby at home? In a hospital? Certainly the birth made the papers.

[LiberalEsto]

25. Prolly delivered by a moose

with a polar bear assisting

[LisaL]

90. She flew from TX back to Alaska after she leaked amniotic fluid.

Or so the story goes.

[alcibiades_mystery]

18. You're allowed, just as anyone is allowed to say the topic is bone-stupid

We're not allowed to call you stupid for discussing it, but we're allowed to say the topic itself is stupid and worthless.

[DesertFlower]

19. if it's true the repubs will

say "she's a good mother -- just trying to protect her teenage daughter".

[ColbertWatcher]

36. And we can say, "If she really wants to protect her daughter, she wouldn't be GOP" n/t

[adamuu]

74. yup. that's why this is a non-starter. what if its not what we think it is?

it may not be what we think it is... if we push it, she'll have an opportunity to explain why she lied.. she might even come out of this looking good. Lies are not always bad. Lies to protect your family can be justified, in the public eye.

[panader0]

20. If this rumor is true------she and mccane are toast

[last_texas_dem]

22. You're allowed to

but you must brace yourself for some heavy-duty on-line scolding. :scared:

[willing dwarf]

23. Vulnerable to potential blackmail

Such a secret would make her quite vulnerable to blackmail And that's what would be the real liablity.

I really don't care what people do in their personal life, so long as they don't go condemning people who make the same choice that they're trying to keep secret. I hope I would do the same thing if my daughter became pregnamt. I know I'd welcome another baby -- but at the same time,is she really so filled with shame or fear for her daughter or the baby feeling shame that she needs to lie? It's the shame that is problem, not the baby!

[readmoreoften]

27. Her daughter is most likely not 6 months pregnant in that picture. She just isn't skinny.

If she was pregnant, the family would have her in a slimming outfit with one of the other kid's heads hiding her stomach. Also, it just looks like a little pot belly, not a hard, round pregnant belly to me. Some people don't show much until the 7th month, though. Palin is wearing bagging clothes in both pictures and she's very thin.

I don't think it's a good idea to rumor-monger about it. Let the tabloids pursue it; if they have hard evidence, they'll rush it to press. They don't need our help.

Because of its not true, it will garner sympathy for her and her kids. It'll make us look catty--remarking on the weight of a candidates 16 year old daughter who isn't bone thin.

[K8-EEE]

29. I agree -- I used to feel so bad when they were bagging on Chelsea Clinton

(include John McCain in that little club)

I can only imagine being a teenager and having all these people going LOOK AT HER STOMACH! That is really mean.

[LisaL]

88. The mother doesn't look pregnant at all to me.

I agree, if the daughter were preggo, why put her up front with a revealing outfit that outlines her stomach (which is not flat, that's for sure?).
But what about the mother? If she is carrying the baby, she sure is not showing it.

[applegrove]

28. It is crass to spread unsubstantiated rumours. We are better than that.

[Dreamer Tatum]

32. Well, you and I are, at least nt

[notadmblnd]

30. Several posts were deleted from this thread yesterday

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3879039

they were mostly comments about women having children at that age.

[NobleCynic]

31. Being a 40+ mother IS the major risk factor for Downs Syndrome

Discuss if you must, but there are better things, and more dignified things to hit Palin on.

[LonelyLRLiberal]

44. Which makes it more credible that Sarah is the baby's mother.

Let the National Enquirer dig. Until something other than speculation is available, I agree we should lay off this topic for the daughter's sake. Even if she did have a baby, and her parents covered it up, she is still a child and did nothing to bring this scrutiny on her idiot mother.

[notadmblnd]

64. having a baby at a very young age is filled with risks too.

[LonelyLRLiberal]

76. including Down's?

[notadmblnd]

78. Certainly.

Description:
Down’s syndrome is one of the most common causes of mental retardation. It is due to trisomy of chromosome 21. Its main features are mental retardation and associated characteristic facies and habitus.
The affected person is usually of short stature, 145-160 cm for adults. Birth weight usually 10-20 % below normal. Sloping forehead, small ear canals, grey or very light yellow spots as periphery or iris (Brushfield’s spots), short broad hand with a single palmar crease (simian crease), a flat nose or absent bridge, low-set ears, and generally dwarfed physique.

Mental retardation (100 %) becomes evident to parent at end of first year of life. The intelligence quotient in adults is most often below 50. Usually, child is happy, affable, and affectionate; walking; speech, and toilet training delayed until 2 to 3 years of age. Delayed puberty, early menopause.

Some patients (ca 2,4 %) show mosaicism - a mixture of normal and trisomic cell lines - and in them the IQ can be in the 70s and the physical abnormalities may not be so marked.

Patients who survive into the fourth and fifth decades develop the pathological changes of Alzheimer’s disease of the brain.

The only known etiological factor is high birth age. Women at high risk of giving birth to a child with Down syndrome are those over 40; those who have had a previous child with the syndrome; and those who themselves have Down syndrome (pregnancy is rare in this condition).

The occurrence of Down syndrome per 1000 living births is approximately 0,5 for a woman under 25 years of age, 0,7 under the age of 30, 5 under 35 years, 25 under 40 years, and 34,6 for mothers over the age of 45. Still, against popular belief, most children with Down’s syndrome are born to young mothers: 51 % to mothers under 30, 72 % to women under 35.
http://www.whonamedit.com/synd.cfm/322.html

[LonelyLRLiberal]

79. Thanks for the education! eom

[NobleCynic]

124. Wrong statistical interpretation for this case

If you consider the mother and the daughter as the only possible carriers of the child, it is roughly 20 times more likely it is Sarah Palin who carried the child.

Yes, most Down's Syndrome children are born to young mothers, but only because most mothers are young.

Causation and correlation, keep 'em straight.

[seabeyond]

81. 80% of down babies are from women under 35. they are also having the vast majority of babies

after 35 the risks escalate hugely. they are also having a significantly less amount of the babies

[Nikki Stone1]

35. WHy don't look at the REAL scandals, like this one:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3882806

[EFerrari]

59. Exactly. Maybe these posters want the mother to go on the cable shows

and talk about how Democrats attacked her Downs baby? That would be great for Democrats.

[KoKo]

75. I haven't seen anyone attacking her baby....its the treatment of the baby that's so offensive

to many of us. Dragging him around with the lights, noise and crowds. Why do that? Everyone would have understood if she had a nurse or family member stay with the little guy. It was shocking to see that, frankly. It wasn't a healthy situation for a four month old... But, that was her choice.

[EFerrari]

77. If they go after the pregnancy, do you really think it won't be reframed

as an attack on the baby?

This is a no-winner.

Why not go after her public record? It's horrible enough.

[KoKo]

112. It's NOT about that Baby...that precious little soul thrown into Palin's Ambitions...it's about

getting the TRUTH OUT! There are females in Prison...because of circumstances where they had babies that they had to "cover up" and the "Cable News" vilifies these women...they make them seem like candidates for Salem Witch Trials.

A clueless young female get's pregnant...and delivers on the night of her "Senior Prom" into the toilet of the High School Gym...she doesn't know what it's all about...and she flushes the baby down. She's on Cable news...and in prison for Murder...

Other stories about young girls pregnant by family members and they don't know until the birth and they deliver somewhere...they kill the baby or they leave it in "harms way."

We refuse to understand that NOT ALL YOUNG GIRLS are "up to speed on how babies are made" and what happens given the lack of education and the EIGHT YEARS OF BUSH...where FUNDIES encouraged young girls not to be EDUCATED.

We are back to "Blame the Female"...but when it's someone like Palin who just might have covered for her daughter who had an encounter where she got pregnant and Palin "covered for her" ...but then USED HER to promote her RW AGENDA to get her to the TOP of Repug Party...it's really something that needs to be exposed. I feel bad for her daughter who might be so innocent in this...but there have been many "innocents" who have gotten caught up in the deeds of their parents because of AMBITION and SEARCH FOR POWER.

Example: Elizabeth Edwards..her 25 year old daughter and those two little ones who gave up most of their childhood years to be "On the Road" to promote their DAD...

What are those little kids supposed to do ...? They will eventually hear about what their Dad did from classmates and others. And the older Daughter Kate...has got to feel like Chelsea Clinton when she heard about her Dad and Monica and Cigars.

These are REAL PEOPLE who do TERRIBLE THINGS TO THEIR KIDS while all the time promoting "Family Values" and such.

Just saying. I'm thinking the Palin "Rumors" have some truth to them. I never believed John Edwards would do what he did to his family...but I never trusted him when he refused to listen to the North Carolina Peace Protestors in his State... I didn't like him for the way he treated us...but, believe me, the worst I thought of him was never what he finally ended up doing to hurt his family...and that we Dems shut down the initial "National Enquirer" reports was an example of Dems being so "hunkered in the bunker" we can sometimes refuse to see the transgressions of our own folks.

Of course the Repugs are much worse at supporting TRUE CRIMINALS, WAR MONGERERS and MURDERERS and giving them a PASS...but should we try to mimic them? :shrug:

[KoKo]

118. I don't see it that way...they might try to spin it that way...but that innocent little baby isn't

being attacked by Dems for it's disabilities ...its about his Mother's Decisions. If it's Palin's baby and she abused him this way...taking him through loud music (we all know the decible level in these stadiums can hurt even our "teen, adult ears" and the Crowds with germs as she paraded him around in her oldest daughters arms (have you seen the video of this from the networks...unbelievable) and that she would do this when she could have left that baby in proper care at what I'm sure was a very "upscale hotel" filled with Secret Service and Plush...makes her seem like the kind of mother who would sacrifice anything to fulfill HER OWN AMBITION and her HUBBIES ...and to hell with the kids.

MSNBC did a panorama snip of Palin's speech showing her oldest daughter with that little newborn in her lap...and she looked very "put out...sort of toying with the baby's hands...but bored...and not very involved." Contrast that with Biden's Family and the treatment of their "younger siblings" by fellow siblings and see what I mean. The video that MSNBC (hardly a lefty outlet, except for Olbermann)showed was just an incredible view of a daughter who was bored with her mother...stuck with a baby she didn't seem to know what to do with and ..totally not involved. It was sad.

Whether the daughter is involved in some "coverup" or not...there's something VERY STRANGE about the Palin Family Values "Show on the Road." It's causing some of us to wonder....because the photo ops don't match up with the earlier reporting...and we need to DIGG, DIGG, DIGG. Not to hurt the daughter or that little guy...but to be aware if there is "child abuse" there in that family.

Long time DU Poster "SoCalDem" has alot of links and pics that do lead one to question if that baby is really Palins. And while no one wants to hurt her daughter...doesn't what one does when one "chooses" to become a "public figure" running for the highest offices in America become open to questioning?

That's all I'm saying...my 2 cents...

Peace!

[stillcool]

38. It's a side-show..

just like our media.

[adamuu]

66. i don't see the point, and it's a non-starter

You can talk about it, but I advise against it.

First of all, its a non-starter. Suppose the story is true, meaning that she hid her daughter's pregnancy and is raising her grandchild as her own. This is not inconsistent with her stated pro-life values. What exactly do you plan to attack her about, with this? If the story is true, the best outcome you can hope for is that she has to admit a lie... a lie that in her view protected her career and her family. I'm not about to gamble that people who already appreciate her whack-o views of society would suddenly be turned off by this. They might even appreciate it. Furthermore, she'd get an opportunity to explain herself, and make us look bad for digging into her personal and family decisions.

Secondly, what is the point? She already look bad. Its not like we need personal dirt on her to show that McCain made a desperate choice, putting his campaign ahead of country. The fact that no one has heard of her before now speaks for itself. Let's just stick with that. Going into her personal life is a big risk that we don't need to take. This story, in particular, is risky since some voters might be sensitive to the story, should she have a chance to tell the whole story, why she lied, etc. That is, assuming it is even true.

[Historic NY]

69. the crime is she is deceiving the people of Alaska and now.....

the American people because of her fundamental stands. I don't think many people care that her daughter had an out of wedlock baby. The child is accepted and being cared for. She has portrayed herself or allowed herself to be portrayed as this great anti-abortionist creationist. Its her deceit and cunning that will eventually bring her down. It shows she is willing to use herself, her daughter, her position , her religion , her fellow alaskans to suffer others as fools.

[LiberalHeart]

70. About being sick with mono for months...

I missed several months of my last year of high school because of mono and then was still so sick the following fall, I had to drop out of college for a while. I did NOT have a baby.

[geek_sabre]

98. but your mom did, right?

:sarcasm:

This really needs to be left alone.

[Contrary1]

73. OK. Let's look at both possibilities

If Sarah is the baby's mother, the backlash will be fuel of TV ads. Are we against women having children at her age? Don't we think a woman can hold down a job and raise a family. If we are pro-choice, why are we singling out Palin for hers? It will cost us, in my opinion.

If, on the other hand, it is the daughter's baby, I believe it will end up costing us even more. The family will be held up as a fine example of "taking care of their own". There was no abortion, even after learning that the child had Down's Syndrome. It won't matter in the least to the Repubs that they lied, because they were protecting their daughter. And, it's not on their dime, at least openly.

That last point is really what matters the most to them. Take care of your own...don't bother me. And, if you can't afford to have a baby, it's your own fault. Never mind that there will not be adequate medical care, or haven't finished high school, or don't have a family that gives a damn...don't bother me.

It's lose-lose.

[adamuu]

82. The trap: Palin's personal life is lose-lose for us.

There is no where to go, with this. We lose either way. That's the trap, I think. Perhaps it was the reason McCain chose her.

There are safer lines of attack, aren't there? One's that don't put Palin's family decisions under scrutiny?
The McCain campaign calls her a "tough executive who has demonstrated" readiness to be president.
- Being a mayor of a town of 8000, leaving it deeply in debt, hardly counts as executive experience.
- She doesn't know what McCain's Iraq policy is.
- She doesn't know what VP even does.

This should be very easy. It's so easy I almost feel guilty about it... I feel bad that McCain has put this woman in this position. But, not for long. It wasn't my decision. McCain did this. And he's made a horrible, selfish decision.

Whatever the reason, McCain clearly chose this person for purely political reasons. Experience and readiness to lead obviously played no part, despite the critical fact that she will be a heartbeat away from the presidency. McCain is willing to put his campaign ahead of our country. Does he honestly believe that of all Republicans in this country, next to McCain himself, this person is the best choice to be president? Really? Make McCain tell us, specifically, why he chose her. There is NO WAY he can be honest about this choice. The reasons he provides will be flimsy, and dishonest.

Make him defend this choice, and respond to whatever lies he puts forth. This seems like a more productive course.

[Nikki Stone1]

83. Everyone should read your post whrab

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3885714&mesg_id=3885714

[seabeyond]

91. du isn't outing anyone. our dems arent outing anyone. the media will or will not

but i suspect it will become a story. i would also suggest our dems stay out of it but i suspect they dont need to listen to me. i think they are clever enough to have already arrived at this decision

[MattBaggins]

110. Not quite right

The child is most likely Sarah's and would look bad if people start seriously rumor milling this so I agree on that one; but if this were true she would not survive it. Some deep woods fundies might see this elusive "taking care of ones own" that you speak of but the rational majority of the country would be appalled. People would be laughing at the water cooler joking that they thought this only happened on episodes of Little house on the Prairie. The second group of people she is supposed to appeal too would wonder what century she was living in.

Not likely to prove to be true but if it were she would suddenly find she "needed to spend time with her family".

[lynnertic]

127. but it's the lying. That's the problem. n/t

[LisaL]

86. I really hope NE is all over this.

NE sure uncovered a lot about Edwards alleged love child and his mistress.
I say, dig in.
Since this woman is actually a VP candidate, whatever NE uncovers will be a lot more relevant than Edwards alleged love child.

[Divine Discontent]

92. I know it gets LONELY in Alaska, but come on.....

this really makes me think she's lying with the pics from the link, and the facts about when her daughter was pulled from school, and Palin announced she was 7 months pregnant, out of the blue! With the child having Downs, it makes me wonder who the father is...

So HOW LONG before the GOP drops her???? 24 hours? If they were smart, they'd drop the whole damn ticket!


MORE AT www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable

[goodcitizen]

93. Don't go there

Minor children are off limits. Think of your own.

[Wednesdays]

97. Unless big money or a serious crime is involved, this is a non-issue

In fact, it's ho-hum to me. Let the Enquirer pursue it if they wish, but we'll get far more mileage out of the other stuff bandied about regarding Fail-in already out there.

[geek_sabre]

99. looks preggers here:

[seabeyond]

107. one thread on gdp MAKES UP a story.... just makes it up and all the people

bothered with these threads and gossip jump on the made up story,.... literally made up and say ya that is what must have happened. the threads talking about the facts known is rumormongering. but a thread that dismisses any real issue with the woman and makes her kinda cute in her love of the state du'ers and say oh oh oh that MUST be what happened.

amazes me

[struggle4progress]

113. Only a shithead picks on a 16 year-old girl in order to attack the girl's mother

[KoKo]

117. If the Mother LIES and wants to be Vice President or in a horrible event, President...

shouldn't folks ask this? It's ALWAYS ASKED OF DEMS...shouldn't it be asked of REPUBLICANS? :shrug:

[struggle4progress]

120. D'ya remember bein 16 KoKo? I do. I knew a lot of shitheaded adults back then: petty tyrants whose

frustrations (about their inability to control the world) became nasty little attacks on the less powerful people around them -- and that was usually kids

Leave the kid alone. Take a deep breath. McCain and Palin are the ones we need to go after today

[KoKo]

121. I understand what you say...but that was years ago...in another time...given what

we've taken for the past 20 years with these criminals sniffing under every Dem Pant and Skirt and making up lies, and passing them around to Controlled by Repug Media.

I do understand what you say...but I remember "coat hanger abortions" and "girls going away for a time to visit a relative in some part of the country." Palin shouldn't be touting "family values if she's concealing a pregnancy by her daughter and trying to run for "President of US" because that's what the Veep IS...the back up in case the worst happens to the Pres....

Can you not understand that if this is true...we need to know. We all tried to cover up the stuff about John Edwards back in February...and in the end...the truth came out. Do you want to find this out after an election when she is the "Second in Command" and something happens to McCain (God Forbid) but we don't need this right now when the Titanic is already leaking.... :-(

[seabeyond]

126. it isnt du doing anything. the girl isnt here reading. it is the mom that is the shithead

for being so selfserving, knowingly putting self in limelight to be disected. if a parent creates a lie then dont then say investigate me.... and get daughter exposed.

it wont be du that outs this lady or her daughter. it will be media. and it will be on the parents shoulder that allowed this to happen to her daughter

[SoCalDem]

128. and their complicity in concocting a cockamamie story

to "protect" her.. when all her peers at her old school already "know" the real scoop..

Bristol was secreted away to her Gramma & Grampa's place is Wasilla...teensy little town where everyone is willing to participate in the sham..

Mono lasts about a month or two..except in very rare cases, and then a hospital stay is indicated.

an entry in a blog from someone whose kid went to school with her indicated that her friends were NOT ALLOWED to visit her..Mono is not all THAT contagious.. it;'s not the plague :rofl:

Posted by: Blutarsky | August 30, 2008 05:21 PM

I have a friend who's working in Alaska and who's daughter went to school with Bristol Palin this very past year. And yes Bristol was out of school the last 4 to 5 months of the school year. No one knew why but word is that she was seriously ill with mono. No one can support these rumors, however the only odd thing about the entire thing was not NO ONE was allowed to see Bristol for those few months she was out of school. Friends weren't even allowed to go to her house to see how she was doing.
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/08/palin_smear_of_the_year_baby_n.html

[seabeyond]

129. "real mom". this is how they describe this woman. real mom. dont anyway say a damn thing

about her being a mom. like why she boarded a plane when her water broke. every female that had a baby might question that real mom theory that THEY are using to promote her. keep it hush now....





Pollster John Zogby: "Palin is not to be underestimated. Her real strength is that she is authentic, a real mom, an outdoors person, a small town mayor (hey, she has dealt with a small town city council - that alone could be preparation for staring down Vladimir Putin, right?). She is also a reformer."

[SoCalDem]

131. Hear that clack-clack-clack??

Putin's knees knocking together in fear, no doubt :rofl:

[seabeyond]

136. i mean.... delusional n/t

[seabeyond]

130. the story is out there. it will come out. n/t

[Lars39]

132. Ya know...we've been thinking one or the other was pregnant,

but what if both were pregnant at the same time? The daughter sure as heck looks preggers, and the mom does too in that one photo.

[SoCalDem]

133. Sarah has been pregnant 4 times, and would easily remember

what she was expected to look like..shapewise.. Alaska..the land of bulky clothing, and some careful "layering" handles it quite nicely for a little while and then the miracle of "at-home-exercise" makes it all go away :)

her life has always been about illusion... beauty pageants, tv, politics..

[Lars39]

134. That would be the easier scenario.

I still don't understand why they didn't attempt to camouflage the daughter's condition better, at least for the photos.

[SoCalDem]

135. Because no one cared..until Mom stepped onto the world stage

Lots of local rumors whiz around all the time.. everywhere, but don't amount to much..and if the people involved, just stonewall, it eventually dies down...

People probably laugh at the loopy "story" and wonder why the hospital did not include the governor's baby in their "births" section, but since most people have a work-connection to state government, they probably dare not make too much of a stink...

[Lars39]

137. Work-connection to state government and kinfolk.

Place probably operates more like a little town in ways of the grapevine and not always knowing who is kin to who. :D

[seabeyond]

138. once she says she is preg then she starts looking like it

really i would like to get the one when she is saying it and then one where she looks it and it is like the next week

i dont know

i dont care

one or the other

she is preg and went on plane when water broke,
or her selfishness is outing her daughter

[gemlake]

139. Mediatakeout is the equivalent of Perezhilton

They are NOT trustworthy. This is a non-story.