Levi drops out of school, working as an electrician. Letterman had to agree

[MiniMe]

to many conditions for McCain to come on, so expect a subdued interview with not much confrontation.

This was from the subway this morning, just found links to the text.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/13/AR2008101300359.html

Not surprisingly, Johnston was a little shocked when he learned about Bristol's pregnancy, but he says he quickly embraced the prospects of fatherhood. The baby is due Dec. 18. Johnston has dropped out of high school to take a job on the North Slope oil fields as an apprentice electrician.

There's no word on how his future mother-in-law feels about Johnston's decision to drop out of high school. Last year, she made a point of trying to turn around the high dropout rate in their hometown.

"I'd remind the kids that no matter where they are in life _ (maybe) in circumstances that probably aren't ideal _ that there is no circumstance that they're in that is insurmountable or would necessitate them just giving up," Palin said.

My comment, so nice that he feels like he had to drop out of high school.

Can't find the article on McCain and Letterman, it was just a little blurb about Letterman having to agree to pre-conditions for McCain's appearance.

[YDogg]

1. "Johnston was a little shocked when he learned about Bristol's pregnancy." You're doing it wrong.

[Sal Minella]

20. Am reminded of Garrison Keillor's Catholic Priest's annual homily to the young of Lake Wobegon

on this matter:
"If you didn't want to go to Minneapolis, then why did you get on the train?"

[YDogg]

65. LOL

[Ian David]

2. If I were Letterman, I'd walk off the stage as McCain entered. n/t

[MiniMe]

3. Yeah, I'm a little disapointed in Letterman

McCain wants to suck up to him now, but insists on pre-conditions.

[wtmusic]

4. I fully expect Dave to put McCain's feet to the fire

in any way he contractually can. He's not easily cowed by this kind of thing.

[TheWraith]

9. And who says Letterman's going to abide by the conditions?

He's been really offended by McCain's behavior, so it wouldn't surprise me if he let loose once McCain was up there on stage with him.

[Ian David]

11. I just don't want people throwing Dave under the bus if he's too easy on McCrazy. n/t

[n2doc]

24. I think he should do an interview with Katie Couric!

And have that showing on the monitors when McOld shows up!

[Ian David]

25. That would be funny... McCain walks on stage to find a video monitor of KKKatie interviewing Dave!

Perfect!

[RadiationTherapy]

5. Won't he and Bristol qualify for food stamps, welfare and state insurance

once they are married?

I hope they get some assistance and finish school.

[beam me up scottie]

6. The field of rocket science is in mourning.

"I'd remind the kids that no matter where they are in life _ (maybe) in circumstances that probably aren't ideal _ that there is no circumstance that they're in that is insurmountable or would necessitate them just giving up," Palin said.

:wtf:
Who the hell talks like that?

Besides Lil Boots, that is.

Johnston hinted he's expecting a boy, but he declined to discuss baby names.

I'm sure Moose Slaughterer Barbie will help them out. Please don't let them have a little girl.

"I'm looking forward to having him," he said. "I'm going to take him hunting and fishing. He'll be everywhere with me."

It's not a puppy, you ass, it's a baby. Get a Labrador Retriever.

Johnston, a Wasilla heartthrob, said he wanted to set the record straight.

Hearthrob? I thought there were a lot of men in Alaska?

[SidDithers]

7. What, you don't think a fuckin' redneck, high-school dropout...

is a prize catch? What's wrong with your standards, bmus?

:rofl:

Sid

[beam me up scottie]

13. It's not the redneckiness or education level, Sid, you make me seem shallow.

It's the man-boobs and beer gut he'll have before he turns 21.

:spank:

[liberal renegade]

10. He should have ignored the throbbing

occuring somewhere else other than his heart.

[beam me up scottie]

15. His future mother-in-law can teach him how to ignore almost anything.

Even thousands of booing hockey fans.

[TahitiNut]

22. Baby names? I suggest Spiro ... in 'honor' of the VP somewhat less corrupt than Palin.

:puke:

Spiro Palin ... perfect.

[beam me up scottie]

23. Spiro "I've been cleared of any wrongdoing" Palin!

:rofl:

[TwilightGardener]

8. WTF is wrong with these parents, that this kid can't finish high school?

Srsly, all the money that the Palins make, they can't support these kids until they graduate? What kind of future is that?

[beam me up scottie]

18. I'm guessing he'll do anything to get away from that family.

If the oil fields thing doesn't work out, he can always be a longshoreman.

[NashVegas]

19. They *Don't Know*

Look. Palin is a lower/middle class girl who made very good and like a lot of people from the lower end of the rung, she and her family don't know what they don't know about the inner workings of upper society. They *don't know* that if that baby daddy governor's son-in-law gets his ass into college, there will be plenty of job offers from well-heeled lobbyists and other country club recruiters standing by when he gets the sheepskin.

[Contrary1]

27. "sheepskin" ?

That's something else future 1st dude-in-law could have used a few months back.

[Citizen Jane]

28. LMAO

Dirty minds think alike...

[NashVegas]

34. Ouch

[LisaL]

58. Levi likes to hunt, dontcha know?

I am not sure that Palin knowing or not knowing has anything to do with Levi's not getting into college, or not finishing high school.
Despite any potential opportunities of getting into college, it's Levi who would have to actually show up for school and do his homework.

[MgtPA]

12. McLame won't even meet with Letterman without pre-conditions...

...coward

[NNN0LHI]

14. apprentice electrician? WTF?

No high school dropout could become an apprentice anything at the Ford/UAW apprenticeship program I went through. I had a high school diploma and still could not pass the math section on the first test I took and failed. I had to get a tutor to get my math right before I was able to pass the test. Couldn't even take the test without a diploma or GED.

All the high school dropouts worked production and that was as far as they ever went.

Don

[guitar man]

21. family connections

I guess if you're well connected enough, those barriers just sort of melt away.

[Fumesucker]

29. They say "apprentice electrician"... What they really mean is:

"Electrician's helper".

I honestly doubt that the North Slope jobs are actually union.

My brother never graduated HS, has a GED and he is better at mental arithmetic than anyone else I know, he routinely estimates big jobs from blueprints for his own company and does not use a calculator.

[NNN0LHI]

46. Ask your brother to explain Inverse Trigonometric Functions to you some time

Let me know what he says.

That was one of the questions on the apprenticeship test.

Don

[Fumesucker]

47. You had to make a perfect score to pass?

It's unusual for someone to get everything right on most fairly comprehensive tests.

I get the impression you think anyone without a diploma is either stupid, ignorant or both.

If you do think that, you are wrong.

[PVnRT]

41. I was wondering that as well...

You certainly don't need a college degree or anything, but there can be some daunting math involved with modern electrical systems, and if he plans on doing anything involving automated controls, PLC, etc., I'm curious as to how anyone would hire him without a HS diploma.

[conscious evolution]

49. Its actually pretty easy math.

Most field electricians rarely have to do serious number crunching.Most calculations made in the field only use basic arithmetic and simple algebra.Most heavy number crunching is either done by engineers or are easily looked up in the NEC or other trade manuals and publications.

Even Ohms Law is seldom used in the field.I only use one of the four basic equations on a regular basis.I can't even remember when I last used the other three.

[Fireweed247]

56. He obviously has connections, it isn't that easy to get a job on the pipeline

And you just helped it sink in....oh shit- he's going to be working on an oil pipeline! :scared:

[The Gunslinger]

63. He's getting a hookup due to his connections with Palin

I wonder how many more qualified people should be in his job. But thats how the governor uses her power.

[Lex]

16. I'll be surprised if this "pre-condition" thing with Letterman doesn't backfire.

Dave doesn't like pre-conditions, and for him to agree to them means he has something up his sleeve, imho.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

17. On The View today, it was commented that Levi thought Obama seemed like a nice guy!

Palin must be very happy that Levi isn't a registered voter!

[beam me up scottie]

26. "Heartthrob"?

Johnston is an avid hunter. He's dark haired, tall and muscular, sports a bit of stubble and drives a red Chevy Silverado truck. He'd be the perfect cover for Field & Stream.

He's bagged bears, sheep, elk, and caribou. Some of the antlers are scattered about his yard. Last July on a caribou hunt he lost a "promise" ring that Palin had given him. He said he decided to tattoo her name on the finger and not bother with more rings because he'd just lose them anyway.

Johnston said he wasn't forced to campaign with Palin's mother. Bristol Palin invited him and Johnston jumped at the chance. It was a whirlwind experience for Johnston, who was seated with the Palins at the Republican National Convention.

"At first, I was nervous," he said. "Then I was like, 'Whatever.'"

Hold me back, sistas!

:rofl:

[Toasterlad]

54. Hey, I Like 'Em Stupid.

Say what you want about the boy, he's pretty hot. As is his future bro-in-law, the inexplicably named Track.

[beam me up scottie]

57. Ew, he's as cold as a Sockeye Salmon in February.

High school jock types are usually lousy in bed.

Fortunately for them, high school girls don't know any better.

[Toasterlad]

61. Without Getting Graphic, He'd Suit My Purposes Just Fine.

:evilgrin:

[beam me up scottie]

62. LOL!

Judging from the article, he'd suit the WaPo reporter's purposes just fine, too! :D

[earth mom]

30. I hope Letterman breaks every promise that he made to McCain-turnabout is fair play after all.

:evilgrin:

[Pastiche423]

45. Letterman's guest last night, Sarah Silverman

suggested strongly that McCon be his second guest for the evening. Dave simply smiled.

[shadowknows69]

31. Is Barack or Joe going to get on Letterman or SNL for that matter

Before the election? The networks seem to be going out of their way to get McCain/Palin in everyone's livingroom at the latest possible date. I know this shouldn't worry me much but it does.

[MiniMe]

33. Biden is on Leno the same night

[shadowknows69]

35. That may be to our advantage with Leno's slightly older crowd hopefully

I just hope Letterman doesn't go all milquetoast on us

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

32. An electrician without a basic education?

Excellent choice.

:evilgrin:

[notaboutus]

36. He quit in winter of 2008, before the pregnancy

This is a lie, Levi quit school this past winter after the hockey season ended. It is sorry or scary you can decide which one. That the MSM in the United States of America would not tell Americans the truth about Palin and her family values.
www.nytimes.com/2008/09/12/us/12hockeymom.html

[MiniMe]

37. Link seems to be broken

[notaboutus]

38. Don't know why checked before I posted

you can search by article title "A Way of Life for Alaskans on Ice Skates" printed 90/11/08. I'm not that computer savvy.

[notaboutus]

40. fixed link, had a typo

[MiniMe]

43. Works now, thanks

:hi:

[LisaL]

60. Track Palin had problems with his shoulder, so he enlisted in the

army instead of playing hockey? I dunno, doesn't army have physical requirements and tests one needs to pass before enlist?

[torbird]

39. So he's working for Todd Palin?

Todd, after all, is in management up on the North Slope for BP.

To review:

--the Palins believe in abstinence...for everyone but the Palins and the people the Palins are sleeping with.

--the Palins want all the kids to stay in school...unless you're doing a Palin, in which case, dropping out is cool.

--the Palins absolutely, positively NEVER do anything unethical or nepotistic, or abuse their positions to help/hurt acquaintances...except for this bonehead who impregnated their daughter and "then, was like, whatever."

That's clear.

[beam me up scottie]

44. He'd better hope Bristol sticks with him.

If not, he'll no doubt suffer the same fate as Wooten.

[lolly]

52. That's What I was thinking

After reading about what his new dad-in-law to be did to Wooton, I'm surprised Levi didn't high-tail it out of Alaska on the next train.

When they get divorced--and you know the odds are they will--what do you think Daddy Todd will do to him?

[beam me up scottie]

55. I think that's why he has that deer-in-the-headlights look on his face all the time.

He may be stupid, but he's not THAT stupid.

I feel bad for both of those kids, can you imagine what is was like telling her parents the news?

Mrs. Abstinence-Only Governor Palin?

[sad sally]

64. Todd's job seems to be one of those "no shows" like on the Sopranos

'cause I don't recall that he's been at work for the last 6 weeks.

[RainDog]

42. The Palins made more than a million dollars last year

You would think they could support the couple until THEY BOTH got their high school diplomas. They could have tutors come in and get both of them through their geds, at the least.

If, god forbid, she should ever win the oval office, Palin would never be "the education president."

[Crowman1979]

48. I'm busting my ass to get an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology.....

....and this mutherf***in son of a B**** has and electrician job already?!?!?!?! Maybe I should seduce and knock up a governors daughter. :sarcasm:

Wonder how many ordinances and state regulations she disregarded to have that f****n redneck land line of work.

[Fumesucker]

51. He's not an electrician and probably not an apprentice either...

Most likely he's a helper.. Another word for gofer.

It's silly to have a highly paid and trained electrician basically running back and forth with tools and supplies, you hire a grunt at about a third of the salary to do that kind of thing.

[annunakigohome]

50. You know what? It doesn't really faze me at all

I went back to college and got my BA and I am in my early 40s and I am looking for a job and may have to get something which didn't require me to go to effing university in the first place PLUS pay for my student loans. I read Levi's interview and the guy wants to work in the oil fields, it's lucrative (at least by today's workplace standards) and he has a child coming along. If he wants to, he can always go to night school or something. I just don't think it is the end of the world and with all the lazy baby daddies on this planet, it's nice to see a young man take the bull by the horns.

[librechik]

53. Why doesn't Levi enlist? He could finish high school and get a great education

in Iraq. So the recruiters all say.

[Rancid Crabtree]

59. I wonder if the paparazzi will hunt him with helicopters

...or maybe this is an opportunity to invest your dollar in all those companies that make cold weather gear...north! to Alaska! we'll go north, the rush is on!