Monday, November 10, 2008

What I'm Up To...

Hi to everyone... thanks for continuing to read and comment over the weekend. I was out of town and thought I would have Internet access, but it turned out I did not. It was a much needed break.

This website and blog are moving into a sort of secondary phase. As Morgan said in her last post, the urgency of this issue has diminished somewhat. However, it's still very clear that there are many (no doubt including Gov. Palin herself) who see a future for her on the national stage. Just this morning on the A.M. news program I was watching, the confident prediction was made that Gov. Palin will be the next Senator from Alaska. As I understand it, she cannot appoint herself to Senator Stephens seat, but she can "make an arrangment" with her Lieutenant Governor, then resign as Govenor, then be appointed by the new Govenor. This is all perfectly legit... it's happened before in other states, and she's perfectly within her rights to do this. (Correction: Apparently, according to this article, Gov. Palin cannot appoint herself - or resign and have her successor appoint her. There must be a special election.)

This website and blog has never been about trashing a person with whom I disagree with politically. I disagreed with numerous others who had been on McCain's short list; however, had any of them been selected I would not have done a website or blog about them! I think one of the things that frustrated me about this from the beginning is that, because I am a mom (full time for many years, stay at home, La Leche League, etc.) this is important to me. Really important. I was always very surprised that people would put being dishonest about a birth in a different category than, say, lying about having a law degree. To me, the character issues and credibility questions would be identical. And for this reason, I do intend to keep working on questions that have been raised. I think when I started this, I felt that within a few days I would run across something that would prove the issue either way. After two months I have not seen a definitive answer. And it just defies logic that it's not out there.

One thing that occurred as my website and blog became more popular (particularly in the two weeks prior to the election) is that I began to be flooded with (and I am not exaggerating here) hundreds of tips and suggestions. Links to articles in obscure Alaska publications that *might* show some previously unknown connections that *might* be helpful. I never could work on this full time - though some days it felt like it! - and many of those tips have still not been even looked at. I also feel very bad that some I was never even able to acknowledge! But I will be working back through email now, and trying to check out literally everything I was sent.

Frankly, much will depend right now on the pregnancy of an eighteen year old young woman in Wasilla Alaska. If Bristol Palin has a baby sometime before Christmas, while I will still have my quetions and doubts about what exactly happened, with the lost of by far the most plausible alternative mother, the issue may become unprovable. On the other hand, if Bristol does not deliver on schedule, I think this issue will return - nationally - to the forefront with a vehemence that will astonish people.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

The McCain people who are trashing Palin may soon leak info about Trig's birth, if they have any. -B.

Anonymous said...

As I understand it, after the Alaskan Governor in 2002 appointed his daughter to fill a Senate seat, the public passed an initiative to require instead that an election be held and that any appointment be only temporary. Though the 2004 law was written to comport with US Constitutional requirements for appointment or election, someone may challege it. And Stevens may still lose. -B.

Handle that Scandal! said...

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/55562.html


this is a new interview with sarah palin. i think that it's interesting
that when they ask her about rumors and slander in the campaign the first thing that she mentions TRIG! WOW!

Silvergirl said...

I'm praying for the recount to show that Stevens really lost this election. I wish I could go to AK and help them count.

Sarah has gotten too much attention in the media, both good and bad. I don't want to see her smiling mug on television any more than I have to.

I think she is pretty ambitious, and will stop at nothing to get back to DC in one way or another.

annie said...

You know, now that this is over and I look at the entire episode, along with the way Sarah Palin has behaved in so many situations, I think she might be bi-polar and that would account, easily, for how she can believe, still, that she can get away with the things she has done. It is classic, right down to appearing in a towel to a business meeting in her hotel room.

Anonymous said...

Here's an interview with Sarah Palin. She discusses the question of whether she's Trig's mother at 2:55 to 3:40. (Start a little sooner if you want to hear the question.)

She seems to claim that she proved to the press long ago that she's Trig's birth mother by releasing her medical records, but was frustrated by press delays in reporting this proof.

What a whopper! She just makes it up. Incredible.

See http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/55562.html

- jwc

Anonymous said...

If Bristol has the baby in December or even early January, I think the theory is pretty much tanked. Sarah Palin is just a very careless mother when she is pregnant. She is pro life in her views but does not bother to take measures that most of us would when pregnant. That she was carrying a special needs child and knew it makes her decisions, particularly galling. But I think that is all it is. A woman who thinks more of her job as politician than the health and welfare of her children, even a very vulnerable new born.

She may have leaked that morning, and then it stopped. May well have been urine. She decided when there was no more leakage to try to make it home. Like many women I know who are adamant about a home birth, she wanted that baby born where she was the most comfortable which was in Wasilla. I think she wanted to minimize the attention while she gathered her own feelings about having a special needs child.

Also it is possible that she lied about knowing she that Trig had DS before he was born. It may well have been a surprise for her, and she thought she was facing a routine done it before childbirth. Trig was early; she was taking a chance, but she is the sort that would. Her political position is very important to her.

Anonymous said...

Here is the actual quote from http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/55562.html

Q. There's been an enormous amount of information about you that Alaskans have been exposed to the past couple of months -- and lots of it very critical. What are Alaskans supposed to make of all this?

A. Regarding information regarding my record, that is now out there, much of it that was based on misinformation was a very, very frustrating thing to have to go through when the record was never corrected. And we would try to correct the record and too many in the media chose not to make those corrections. !

Q. What misinformation are you talking about?

A. Some of the goofy things like who was Trig's mom. Well, I'm Trig's mom (raises her hand) and do you want to see my medical records to prove that? ...


Well, instead of whining about the media and how they have misinterpreted poor Sara, Palin had the opportunity in that moment to prove that she is the biological mother of Trig- show us the DNA report- bring Baldwin-Johnson out to your house to stand before the camera and say "Sara is the biological mother- I stake my medical profession on it"

Palin in no way says she is the BIOLOGICAL mother in the article. She only says she is Trig's mom which could be through adoption.

Palin is obsessed with the media being wrong about her. She has an excuse or justification for all reports that center on her lying behavior.

-Ivy

Anonymous said...

So we know something now that we didn't know for sure before because it didn't come from her mouth. She is well aware of this story and that it continues to propagate, and that the primary reason to release the medical 'records' was to try to dispel that rumor.

This is classic guilty-defendent behavior. Notice that her defense of the assertion changes. First, she must be Trig's mother because Bristol isn't. Then she must be Trig's mother because she released the medical records that prove it (but don't). Yet she still tries to argue that such assertions are mean-spirited and that the MSM -- which said nothing about it at all -- didn't correct the record, clear her, in effect, based on less than substantial evidence.

I have a couple of very simple questions for her, none particularly intrusive, since she brought it up:

1) Where did you have the amnio done and will you please produce the records of that procedure?
2) Where did Bristol and Willow go to school from January through April of 2008 and will you authorize release of those records?
3) Why did you risk your health, and the life/health of your unborn child, and endanger all of the passengers on your flights from Dallas to Texas, just so you could give birth to Trig in Alaska? Don't you think that was kind of reckless? Why didn't you at least consult a doctor in Dallas before you dashed home 12+ hours to Alaska?

Now THOSE would be questions that would clear this up for good which, so far as I know, nobody but us "lunatics" sharing and spreading misinformation have asked her.

We all know who is really spreading what, and it isn't us and it's worse that misinformation. Her story is a load of crap.

I do think that she had at least partly noble reasons for claiming the child as her own. Now it's just about trying to salvage her own reputation and future, since the cat is clearly out of the bag as -- Sarah, are you reading this? -- we are not going to drop it and we have more savvy and will than you have to keep it a secret. So you might as well come clean. The American people are much more forgiving than you think.

Dangerous

Anonymous said...

For your convenience, here is the complete quote that I referenced above, where it sounds like Sarah Palin is claiming that she did release her medical records proving her pregnancy a long time ago but it's the media's fault for not reporting it.

This segment is not part of the written interview transcript, you have to listen to the video itself to hear this.

"Q: Governor, there's been enormous amount of information about you that Alaskans were exposed to in the past couple of months, a lot of it was pretty critical, a lot of it wasn't countered. What should Alaskans think about that?

"SP: ...my life has always been an open book...we've never had anything to hide...

"But regarding information, regarding my record that is now out there, much of it that was based on misinformation, was a very very frustrating thing to have to go through when the record was never corrected. And we would try to correct the record, and too many in the media chose not to make those corrrections or clarifications and then I felt too often that we were a bit defenseless in so many things that were reported wrongly that could have so easily been corrected, just based on facts and...

"Q: What kind of things are you talking about?

"SP: Oh, like, oh, some of the goofy things, like who was Trig's mom. You know, 'Well I'm Trig's mom and do you want to see my medical records to prove that?' And days would go by before mainstream media would even try to correct that, that 'Yeah, okay, it's proven that she actually is Trig's mom.'"

See Alaska Daily News and KTUU interview at http://community.adn.com/adn/node/134247 (at 2:10 - 3:40).

She's so right that this could easily be cleared up with some facts! And it's pretty striking that, in response to an open question about unrebutted negative information, she's the one who brings up Trig first thing.

- jwc

Anonymous said...

It looks like it was known before his birth that Trig Palin had Down's.

His birth was announced on the Alaska Panhandle group on Google groups. Somehow, the poster knew as it is mentioned in the last line.

http://groups.google.com/group/alaska-panhandle/browse_thread/thread/bdea304108a0bb6b

The birth weight still bothers me. Trig was 6 lbs. 2 oz. at birth, but has been stated to be a month premature. No way he's premature. That's a normal birth weight for any kid, much less one with Down's.

Johnkel24 said...

Aren't birth certificates public record? Why doesn't some intrepid reporter under the sunshine law or some freedom of information effort apply to the county records office for Trig's birth certificate? Even if a father isn't listed on the certificate, the biological mother has to be.
If the Palin family wanted to end any speculation about Trig's parentage, they could have easily produced such a document.

I'm thinking that Gov. Palin is not quite as bright as some might consider her. I'm betting she thought she could pull this whole charade off without anyone pushing for hard documentation. Remember she had never dealt with the national media prior the Republican nomination. I'm sure she never calculated in the tenacity of the nation media last winter when she cooked up this scheme.

Granted if Bristol gives birth on schedule in December or early January, then timing will eliminate all thought of a scheme or conspiracy on the Governor's part due to the overlapping of the calendars of Bristol's current pregnancy and Trig's birth. However, if we're sitting here waiting on Bristol to give birth in late January or February, oh yeah, there's going to be some fun. I'm guessing the Palin family is not the only entity counting Bristol's months. Some intrepid, investigative reporter will go for the scoop and try to find Trig's birth certificate. It may not earn him or her a Pulitzer, but I bet an expose with that kind of sensational revelation will earn a few kudos in the news community.

Anonymous said...

If Sara adopted Trig, I believe her name would be on the birth certificate.

Anyone know about this?

-Ivy

Anonymous said...

Even if Bristol does give birth in December or early January, isn't it possible that could be the result of having the labor induced early just to fit their timeline and eliminate the idea of Bristol birthing Trig? I wouldn't put anything past the Palins...

-Elise

Anonymous said...

I believe the laws vary by state, but Alaska birth certificates are not public record. From Alaska Division of Public Health

* A person may obtain only his or her own birth certificate, except for parents who may obtain their own child's certificate.
* ALL REQUESTS MUST INCLUDE A COPY OF GOVERNMENT-ISSUED PICTURE ID OF THE APPLICANT. For example, if you are requesting your child's certificate, include your own ID since you are the applicant. Enlarge the copy and lighten it as much as possible to ensure it is clear and readable when sent to the Bureau.
* A signature under the copied ID is also required.
* Use the full first, full middle, and full last name as it appears on the certificate.
* For births which occurred outside of Alaska, requests must be sent directly to the appropriate state. Addresses for vital record offices outside of Alaska can be obtained at: www.cdc.gov.

Anonymous said...

annie said...
You know, now that this is over and I look at the entire episode, along with the way Sarah Palin has behaved in so many situations, I think she might be bi-polar and that would account, easily, for how she can believe, still, that she can get away with the things she has done. It is classic, right down to appearing in a towel to a business meeting in her hotel room.

---------

To Annie:

Sarah Palin is NOT bi-polar -- i've got one of the worst cases of bi-polar, ultra rapid cycle bi-polar and i guarantee you, that bi-polar does not make you do the things she has done and said

having said that, she clearly has some mental problems, ranging probably from ADHD/ADD as well as sociopathic tendencies

both her and todd are extremely controlling and she exhibits mainly sociopathic symptoms.

PalinBaby Question said...

As one of your early fans (and fellow website creator - http://www.palinbabyquestion.com), I, like you, continue to puzzle over all of this!

There are simply so many loose threads, unanswered questions, and just bizarre situations, that I shake my head at least three times a day about this whole thing!

At this point, in my mind, the two main items in favor of Sarah's being the mother are (1) no one has come forward with clear substantial evidence that Bristol is the mother (you would think that someone would have cracked by now), and (2) Bristol's claimed December due date.

The intereting thing about both of these is that they are subject to change, so we will have to see.

I expect that I will keep that www.palinbabyquestion.com website up through any birth by Bristol, and, like you, make some assessments at that point.

It has been great watching as you so carefully worked your way through this mass of material, and thank you so much for all your very hard work!

PBQ

Postergirl said...

Audrey, I'm so happy you're keeping this blog going. It will be very interesting to see what happens in December. Or January. The birth weight of Bristol's baby will be telling too won't it? Meaning, if it's induced so she gives birth early, the weight may be considerably low. But then again, I have friends who've had full term babies who weighed just over 6 lbs. so....
Anyway, keep up the good work!

Anonymous said...

To Silver Salmon:
An infant who weighs 6 pounds 2 ounces could easily be "one month" premature, meaning he was born at 36 weeks gestation. While 40 weeks is considered to be the end point of gestation, 37-40 weeks is the time frame for a "term" baby. If he was born at 36 weeks, he could be called "one month premature" as he was 4 weeks prior to his due date, but he would also be one week away from being term.

Sorry, I think the whole story is fishy, too, but I had to make a comment about this because I'm a NICU nurse ;)

Anonymous said...

One more comment:

I kind of hope that Trig is Bristol's son. While it is deceitful for Palin to create this pretense, it is something that a loving, but misguided, mother could do to "protect" her daughter, and then adopt the child. Not a great idea (but a decent enough plot line for a soap).

The other scenario is that a woman who may or may not know she is carrying a special needs child takes exorbitant risks with that child to fulfill her own peculiar needs. If you know you have a special needs child, you typically take extra precautions. The fact that she maintains she is pro-life, yet takes so many risks with her unborn child, makes me wonder what the real story is. It is more plausible that she is rushing to get back to a daughter that is delivering than that she is trying to get back to a small-town hospital with limited facilities.

That level of recklessness, along with her over the top behavior, makes me wonder what sort of mental condition she might have. There are two extreme stories here: a faked pregnancy and a rushed transport to a rural hospital. Neither scenario makes sense to a sane person.

Anonymous said...

An interesting post-election interview moment --

The first question, of course, was about that possible 2012 run.

"Plans for 2012 are to enroll Trig in kindergarten and see where the kids are at that time in their lives. They're going to come first and we'll see what happens then," Mrs. Palin said.

Notice: Trig is not one of "the kids."

Anonymous said...

Thanks for that link guys! I watched it a couple times, and here are my thoughts. It's my 1st time posting, I've been a lurker. Please forgive the length, some of this is just what's been bouncing around my brain for quite awhile. I also am sick and can't sleep b/c of my throat, so might as well get it out of my head, right? Forgive any spelling/grammar issues, I'm on cold meds LOL=0)

About inconsistencies/pieces of evidence just from this interview w/ADN:

1. Palin said there wasn't really misinformation about her "personally" b/c they'd been in the public eye for so long, but that the media disseminated misrepresentations of her "record." Then, for her first example of a misrepresentation of her "record", she referred to "goofy things," like the debate about whether she is Trig's mom. She also added that she did not try to ban books, which is an actual "record" dispute. Trig's parentage is about *personal* information, not politics, so why not say they misrepresented both her personal life and political choices??? Weird, but it could just be her convoluted thought process.

2. She said the rumors could have been so easily corrected (True! If she had shown a birth certificate, shown medical records, pictures at the birth, pix of a non-preggers Bristol at the time, etc). But her way of clearing it is that journalists need to do a little digging for the facts on their own!? They actually did, but no one to my knowledge who did search found definitive evidence she is Trig's mom. No one would have to dig if she gave simple evidence, why make it hard to disprove rumors you find hurtful to your family? I'd want to clear it up straight away.

3. She said she offered to show medical records to correct this and "days went by" and the media didn't want the medical records, and didn't make the corrections. We know this is untrue. She hedged on the medical records issue every chance she got, and media outlets were asking HER for the records, not necessarily even to get proof regarding Trig but just that she was healthy enough to hold the 2nd highest office in the land! Ultimately all we only got a very brief & unsatisfactory 1 page letter from her doctor the *day before* the elections, that didn't prove anything! And wouldn't 'cha know it, the media *did* disseminate the information very quickly once it was given to them. We know it's untrue that she was trying to provide info and journalists weren't listening!

4. It is also untrue that these accusations remained in the main media as she claimed, apologies were made, stories deleted (ex: Daily Kos's post was taken down.) She said it felt like they were "defenseless," when really the media cowered when they announced Bristol's perfectly timed 5 month pregnancy and backpedaled. Only brave bloggers like Audrey have kept the discussion going, looking for the hard evidence that has still not arrived. I believe in personal privacy, but when you strive to be VP of the USA you're giving up some of that right to privacy. If their lives have been an open book as she says since she became Wasilla's mayor, then what's a birth certificate, or a few hospital photos, or a even a single sentence from Mat Su hospital that Trig Palin was born to Sarah Palin on April 18, 2008? Simple right? A little invasive but better than the rumor that your child is not your own, IMHO.

5.She raised her hand and said "Well I'm Trig's mom," intimating that the media should have immediately corrected reports, as if her saying that somehow proved anything? Her statement regarding Bristol's pregnancy (and how far along she was) was taken as fact though all we have is her word in the face of some pretty compelling evidence to the contrary. She says it's easy to disprove with evidence, but then wants journalists and us to just take her word for it? *befuddled*

6. I also find it interesting that she stumbles over her words regarding Trig, where she did not through the rest of the interview (in my recollection.) She may have taken a few seconds to come up with the correct word at times(it was painful to watch her search for the word that was on the tip of my tongue LOL), but she did not stutter except for when she was proclaiming that she's Trig's mom. Telling!

7. Last but not least, did you see Piper carrying Trig up the stairs in their home????? I think my almost 7 yr old is very mature, but she is still a child herself, still growing and often clumsy because kids are! I would never hand over an infant, esp. not a Down's baby w/weak neck muscles, to a 7yr old unless they were sitting down and holding them properly and supporting baby's head!!!

8. OK, really last thing, I promise. It was adorable that Piper was taking drink orders, but she had her notepad and seemed to know what she was doing. I suspect that the Palin kids have essentially had to fend for themselves in many ways, and the older ones have helped to raise the younger ones. Bristol has likely cared for her younger siblings, and it may have made her grow up a little too soon. At SNL, on Bristol's birthday, Sarah offered that Bristol could babysit Tina Fey's daughter. Tina politely declined, but WOW what a birthday present that would have been! =0( At a young age I was the parent in my relationship with my mentally ill mom, and I grew up too quickly, and had a baby of my own a week after I turned 20.

Granted, older children helping to raise younger ones was common practice in earlier generations and still is in some countries and even within the US. It seems IMHO to be related to cultural or religious beliefs often, like the Duggar family w/18 kids who believe God gives you as many children as he wants you to have. The older children really have raised some of the younger ones in the Duggar family b/c mom always had a new baby to attend to. In the Palin's case maybe it's part of that Alaskan grit and determination, as it teaches self-sufficiency... but that's pure conjecture on my part.

I'm not saying having older kids help with younger ones is wrong! I do feel it is wrong to run on a "family values" platform, where you emphasize you are a strong woman, who can govern and simultaneously be an awesome mother to her 5 kids. If as much childrearing as it seems to be is placed on her daughters, I don't think she is being genuine. Trig is almost always in Willow or Bristol's arms, not in Sarah or Todd's.

The reason this bugs me so much is that Palin has the luxury of holding her child in interviews and on stage or at work, when so many women don't have the option of bringing their baby with them. She does b/c it's a popular part of her "hockey-mom" persona, and people seemed to think more highly of her holding him b/c it reminds them of her determination to give this little special-needs child life. So why doesn't she hold him more, and in a more loving manner??? When she holds him on stage, it almost seems like he is a prop to her, more than a needy helpless infant. I'm perplexed, completely stumped!

She went back to work the Monday after giving birth. I'd really like to know if she brought Trig with her or if he stayed with Todd or Bristol. Others have remarked that it would be odd for the hospital to release a Down's syndrome baby who was jaundiced?! My 2nd child(I'm now happily married) had a meconium birth and got an infection and was in the hospital for 5 days. My insurance/hospital would only let me stay for 2 days, but I was so distraught over leaving my baby and the thought of losing her that they let us hop empty room to room, one night we slept in a delivery room. They even let me stay next to her baby bed in the ICU for about 20 hrs of the day, way past visiting hours. They said her heart rate and breathing were more normal when I was next to her and talking and singing, which is true for all infants and their mommies.

I felt so bad for the numerous newborns around us with jaundice who were under little lights and had to be kept in the ICU for days, without mommy. Some mommies would come in to breastfeed, but the babies had to stay in the ICU. So why was a jaundiced Down's Syndrome baby allowed home so soon? And then why didn't she take a few days off to care for him, start the bonding process, let him hear her voice, smell his mommy, nurse... And she has claimed to nurse..if he was sick and at home, she wasn't nursing. If he was in fact with her at work and maybe nursing, he couldn't have been very jaundiced... There are just so many confusing parts to this story that don't add up. When did she go to OBGYN appts, b/c her aides apparently never saw any in her schedule they made...? Trig's birth story is like a "Lost" storyline that you can never quite figure out.

You know, even in poor Third World countries when they can, mommies strap their babies to their backs to keep them with them. I'm thinking of rural China in particular(but in so many countries) women who swaddle infants and toddlers and strap them to their backs as they work in the fields. That's true grit, a real "working woman!" It just feels like Palin takes the credit for being a great "hockey-mom" who made a courageous choice to give birth to and keep a baby with Down's Syndrome (whether she actually did birth him or not), but she doesn't seem to want her infant with her, or at least has her daughters share in the responsibilities? A mom who wants to get ahead in her career/job (or financially cannot afford to stay home) and also wants have a child, it's understandable that the baby would be watched by family or a childcare provider. But I think almost all women, if given the chance, would stay home for awhile to care for their newborn. I question whether she truly bonded to him if she was able to walk away that quickly, though I believe Bristol is the mother.

But to have 5 children while both spouses work and with Sarah having such a demanding career and so much ambition, it seems to me to be a little selfish and unfair to the children. Some sources have said that Todd has been the real "mother" of the house, that he quit his job two years ago to be a housedad when his wife became governor. Other sources say he is still employed as an oil-field operator for BP and owns a commercial fishing business. In addition, we know from the Wooten investigation that Todd spent a lot of time pursuing his sporting endeavors, and spent a lot of time calling as many people as possible about getting his ex-brother-in-law fired. That's a lot to do if that's true, in addition to caring for the kids. Todd also doesn't seem to be such a touchy feely guy, and has barely been seen holding Trig while the Palin girls have cuddled him night after night. Some guys are like that, but with mommy so busy kids need cuddles from dad too.

With that many kids to juggle there's less of mom to spare in the time she has free. So who really is taking care of them if both mom and dad are so busy? It's sad to say, but the best way to keep your kids away from drugs and alcohol, and from having babies, is to really know what's going on in their lives, and to be a part of it. Sarah became governor in 2006, and Bristol either became pregnant (with Trig)the following year(2007), or in 2008 with their current baby due in December. It seems her daughter needed her. And I cannot fathom leaving a Down's Syndrome baby, or any special needs child, esp. one with jaundice, days after his birth? I think I would do so only if his real mother was home to hold him, nurse him, and rock him to sleep...

I myself became pregnant in my 1st year at UC Berkeley, and was abandoned by my ex-boyfriend b/c of it (though ultimately that proved to be a good thing). I had my son my 2nd year. I gave birth on the 29th of Dec. and attended classes the first day of the new semester in mid January, with a full course load and *with* my baby. He was either in my arms or sleeping in the stroller parked right next to me. He slept a lot, and when he was hungry I breastfeed in class (discreetly of course), and if he was too disruptive I'd leave the class for the hallway and someone would take notes for me for what I missed. I was a member, then Treasurer, then President of the Student Parent Association at Berkeley, and our mission was twofold: 1)to educate professors and other students that women can be both students and mothers, and that it is pro-women to make Berkley/all colleges parent-friendly, and 2)to form a network of support for student parents. One of our biggest achievements was getting baby-diaper changing units installed in several bathrooms on campus, when before there were none. The head of the University's Student Parent Center told all the newbies each year with laughter about how at the Center I would breastfeed my son with one hand and type my reports with the other. I'm not saying this to toot my own horn at all or to say it is easy(it's not!), but to highlight two things. First, that I had a strong drive to complete my education, but I also wasn't willing to leave my new baby. Second, though I wasn't so young as Bristol, young mothers can be very good and loving moms, and should not be coerced into either abortion or adoption just because they are young or it's embarrassing to the parents. You can have a child and be successful, as long as you have the time, energy, and love. When your family grows from 1 to 2, 3, 4, supposedly 5 children, one a special-needs infant, and you don't slow down at all, I question whether that is fair to the children you brought into this world. I understand that not all women feel like I do, or have the luxury of bringing their babies with them. Palin though sets herself up for questions, when she claims two roles, both career woman and supermom, and her behavior and what she says doesn't line up. Even in this interview, when she's being interviewed at *their* home there's no reason why she couldn't have held Trig, or even laid down a blankie and baby toys out next to her, rather than have Piper dragging poor Trig upstairs. Curiously, like other people here have remarked upon, when Palin does carry Trig she holds him like a sack of potatoes. Contrast that with the loving care Bristol shows toward her baby "brother," how gentle and sweet she is with him, how she looks at him with love in her eyes. I'm not saying Palin doesn't love her (grand)child but there is a strong, fierce bond between mom and infant which really seems lacking between Trig and Palin. This is especially sad given his special needs. I wonder, has any photographer captured a moment on film like Bristol's, where Palin is gazing into Trig's eyes with adoration like that?

I truly believe (and hope) that Bristol is Trig's mother, and that someday (soon) she will be able to claim him as her own and raise the child she bore. If she is his mother, I cannot fathom how heartbreaking this must be for her. My ex-boyfriend tried to force me to have an abortion, my mother tried all she could to make me give him up for adoption b/c she thought I was too young to be a good mother. But when I thought of handing my baby, my precious little life away to someone else I wanted to vomit. I cannot even fathom the emotions someone would feel, living with your own baby as a sister rather than mother.

The saddest part is that I highly doubt if Palin did claim a baby that was not her's(given all the info Audrey and her readers have given), that she did it to protect her daughter, but rather to protect her political career. She was being tossed around as a possible VP pick much earlier than we realized, about the same time Bristol stopped attending the Anchorage school and her mother announced she was pregnant. Perhaps the prospect of being next in line for the Presidency caused a Christian woman to deceive her constituents, her family, and the world, and in so doing hurt her daughter immensely. I hope that if Trig is truly Palin's son that she will be able to slow down, spend time with him, and hopefully become more affectionate and gentle with him and truly bond. If Trig is her grandson, I hope Bristol can claim her baby as her own. It's clear from the photos of them together, that if Trig is her's he would get an immeasurable amount of love from this young woman.

I think given what I went through as a young mom, that is why the question of "Who does Trig belong to?" affects me so deeply. It has nothing to do with politics. The story has seemed very fishy from the start, and it becomes less believable the more I hear. I truly hope for the best for Trig and Bristol & the other Palin kiddos, and hope Todd and Sarah do right by them.
{end of dissertation} LOL

PS Many comments were posted while I was typing, to the above posters, my grandma, mother, ex-boyfriend were bipolar, and my 2 children have early-onset bipolar disorder. BP does not make you think you can get away with things unless you're manic, but usually bad behavior/breaking laws/lying and believing you're above the law, thinking you'll always outsmart them, those are features that could be Narcissistic Personality Disorder or Sociopathy, which are personality disorders and are not considered mental illness. All politicians have to have some narcissitic traits in order to want to be a politician & think you can do it. Palin, however, said she didn't blink when offered the VP spot on the ticket, and said yes without any thought she might not be qualified. When someone's ego is that big that they don't even consider they might not be up for this, that's a problem. Barack Obama "blinked" John McCain "blinked" Joe Biden "blinked," ie thought about their abilities, the challenge and awesome responsibility of the job, the affect it would have on their families...Palin just went for it without blinking and that says something about her character.

OK, really going to bed now, my throat is killing me, it's almost like I talked so much my voice wore out LOL. Thanks Audrey for all your hard work, please keep it up so we can get answers, and ultimately if Trig is Bristol's and the truth comes out, maybe she'll get to raise her baby boy.

Angelle said...

Two comments:

"If Sara adopted Trig, I believe her name would be on the birth certificate."

There would be two birth certificates, an orginal birth certificate naming the real parents and an amended birth certificate with the adoptive parent's names. Levi as well as Bristol would have to have signed away parental rights.

"I'm thinking that Gov. Palin is not quite as bright as some might consider her."

Yup, you betcha she ain't so bright.

Anonymous said...

I am now fully convinced Sarah Palin is a narcissistic pathological liar and it is an illness. She really believes everything that she says! And because she is so convinced of herself, she must make everyone else believe everything she says .. it is her need to do that. And people want to believe her. I have known a pathological liar and they are not bad people, just ill. And it is hard to finally realize the person is just a liar. Anyway, she must be stopped not only for the country’s own good but for her own. Somebody must expose her so she can get some help. This need of hers to keep going on interviews and answering the same questions over and over again is proof that she must convince the public of her lies. Please somebody help HER by telling the truth!

Appalled

Anonymous said...

Lol Ellie, what a long well thought out post.

Quote from Joe Bog
The first question, of course, was about that possible 2012 run.

"Plans for 2012 are to enroll Trig in kindergarten and see where the kids are at that time in their lives. They're going to come first and we'll see what happens then," Mrs. Palin said.

Notice: Trig is not one of "the kids."


You think she would have said we'll see where the other kids are at that time. Reading between the lines it seems Sarah has dropped a clanger there!

Dipsydoodlenoodle

Anonymous said...

"This need of hers to keep going on interviews and answering the same questions over and over again is proof that she must convince the public of her lies. Please somebody help HER by telling the truth!"

Yes, exactly!! She has gotten by for so long with her constant lies that she really can't stop herself from continuing this behavior - someone else must reveal the truth for ALL to see!!

Anonymous said...

"... having said that, she clearly has some mental problems, ranging probably from ADHD/ADD as well as sociopathic tendencies."

I believe she is a sociopath and has gone to the Bush/Cheney school of pathological liars who can lie with a straight face or even a smile on their face.

The interviews yesterday and today with Greta Van Sustren and Matt Lauer, respectively, are further proof that she is lying. She denies everything that has been said about her actions during the campaign. C'mon, Sarah, it just isn't going to wash. This is all about damage control and rehabilitating her image for political purposes. I believe she is NOT a "role model" for motherhood and has a long way to go to be a warm, loving, nurturing mother!

Anonymous said...

During the campaign I wondered about Piper and Willow being out on the stump and missing school. This morning an excerpt from the Matt Lauer interview confirmed that they did miss school and didn't have any home schooling or tutoring going on. Piper admitted that she missed alot of school time and was having a hard time catching up. Sarah immediately covered that up by saying that the experience they had traveling around the United States was more than anything she would have learned in school. Doesn't that sound a bit selfish and ignorant, etc.? There should have been a tutor and some school books taken along on those "educational" stump trips if you were parents who truly value education. I have deep doubts about the parenting skills and abilities of Todd and Sarah, especially when you hear the stories about Track and Bristol living wild lives of teen-age drugs, alcohol and sex!

Anonymous said...

I doubt Sarah is bipolar but I wouldn't be surprised if she has narcissistic personality disorder:

DSM Criteria

A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:[1]

1. has a grandiose sense of self-importance
2. is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
3. believes that he or she is "special" and unique
4. requires excessive admiration
5. has a sense of entitlement
6. is interpersonally exploitative
7. lacks empathy
8. is often envious of others or believes others are envious of him or her
9. shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes

Anonymous said...

"Two comments:

"If Sara adopted Trig, I believe her name would be on the birth certificate."

There would be two birth certificates, an orginal birth certificate naming the real parents and an amended birth certificate with the adoptive parent's names. Levi as well as Bristol would have to have signed away parental rights."

If Bristol is Trig's mother, I HIGHLY doubt that a formal adoption was done. First, even though most states seal adoption records, they would have needed a lawyer for the paperwork, a judge would have been involved, and it would have left a paper trail. Any birth certificate naming Sarah and Todd as the parents of Trig would have "AMENDED" stamped on it by the state, which would be a dead giveaway that something wasn't quite right.

Just based on what we know so far about Sarah Palin, my guess is that IF Bristol is the baby's mother, then either that is reflected on the birth certificate OR Sarah and the good doctor in Palmer had Sarah and Todd sign and fill out the original birth certificate as if they were the parents. I can't see them going to the trouble of legally adopting.

As to the comments regarding prematurity and birthweight, I was induced for medical reasons at 37 weeks into my first pregnancy. My daughter was born weighing 7 pounds, 15 ounces. That was 3 weeks before my due date, and yes, my due date was accurate - we'd been seeing a fertility specialist. So a six pound baby at birth could have been right on time or a few weeks early. The birth weight alone doesn't really tell us much.

Silvergirl said...

Sarah spent all that money on clothing, and nothing on tutoring for the kids who traveled with her? Why should we be surprised?

I don't like this woman, and I do hope she doesn't fool most of the people out there. Maybe though, I should be happy there was such a bad choice for the Pubs, that the Dems won this time.