In 1933, Agatha Christie published a short story entitled "Witness for the Prosecution." In this story, briefly, a husband who is accused of murdering an old woman whom he had befriended (and who had made him her beneficiary) is exonerated by evidence obtained from the man's wife. The wife, claiming to hate her husband, had been a witness for the prosecution, but the defense attorney was provided with evidence that proved the wife to be a liar. The evidence, of the wife's scandalous affair, only peripherally touched on the husband. When she was confronted in court, she confessed that she had lied. It is only later that the defense attorney comes to understand that he has been duped, and the evidence was false. The wife explains: Information that "proved" her husband's innocence, given willingly by a loving wife, would have counted for nothing. The same evidence, wrested from her by force, got him acquitted.
While there are obviously many differences between this story and what we have seen happen in Alaska over the past five days, there are some striking similarities.
Last night, the Governor's press office released the following statement: December 31, 2008, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin has welcomed her first grandchild, Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston, born to Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston on December 27.
(Follow the link to see the rest of the statement.)
Consider this scenario. On Sunday morning, December 28th, the Governor's office releases the following statement: "Yesterday, December 27th, the Governor's daughter welcomed her baby, Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston. We won't tell you where he was born, or who his doctor is. We won't tell you where Bristol is. We also will not release any pictures. Have a nice day."
Something tells me that would have gone over like a lead balloon. But... this is exactly what we have. Release my faux statement and the press would be screaming. But release essentially the same thing, after days of coy denial and yesterday's bizarre digression into discussing Levi and Bristol's educational status, and no one really notices that there is no verification at all. Wrest the information that the baby has been born from them reluctantly and the public will believe what they would never have accepted if it had been offered willingly.
Bristol Palin's pregnancy was not a private family matter. It was announced on September 1, 2008 by the McCain campaign with - I assume - the agreement of her parents for one reason: to "prove" that she could not be Trig Palin's mother and, by extension, "prove" that Sarah Palin was. For this reason, the birth is not a private family matter. The American people are owed concrete verification that it actually occurred, through either a joint press statement from the attending doctor or midwife accompanied by an administrator at the birth facility, or a birth certificate, and a current photograph of a non-pregnant Bristol with a newborn. No one is asking for explicit birth videos or photographs of Bristol struggling to breastfeed.
But to refuse to provide a single item of verification that this event occurred, and then hide behind the sanctimonious reasoning that it's private, is nonsense and Sarah Palin needs to be called on it.
Oh, and back to Witness for the Prosecution? At the very end of the story, the defense attorney, having discovered the wife's duplicity, protests his hurt to her: How could she have so little faith in him? He was sure he could have won the acquittal of an innocent man. She quickly makes clear her real motivation: She could not depend on that because ... she knew he was guilty.
No Time for Tuckerman
-
Time. It is precious, they say. It flies, they say. And former Republican
Party Chair, former Dunleavy Chief of Staff, and now former University of
Alaska ...
1 year ago
77 comments:
Remember the debate? Sarah's style is deflection. If you can't answer a question answer another one.
sandra in oregon
wow!
talk about a master deceiver at work.
great analysis, audrey.
makes perfect sense.
FACT:
Sarah Palin is a PROVEN and DEMONSTRABLE liar.
Sarah Palin is a PROVEN and DEMONSTRABLE hypocrite.
Therefore, question EVERYTHING Palin says and does. EVERYTHING.
It is as simple as that.
I was noticing the dates on the newly released emails from Gov. Palin's office at Andrew Halcro's blog. These were dated Sat. April 12th. I wonder if other emails will show that Palin was emailing away on April 18th while she was supposedly giving birth to Trig. Won't that be something???
Audrey, that is a great post!
Loved your imaginary Bill McAllister press release!
"Have a nice day" :-)
We also know that Bill is reading this...but we are still waiting for his emails.
But maybe he simply has no time for us. He surely must be busy with preparing another kafkaesque press release.
("Kafkaesque can be described as a bizarre sequence of events, with an evil presence just beyond the senses, that has no apparent reason for being")
Patrick
Palin's statement raises more questions.
1. How did Levi get an apprenticeship that requires a high school diploma? Did he receive special treatment because his future mother-in-law is the governor of Alaska?
2. Was 18 year old Bristol a full time student for a least half of the year to qualify for health coverage under the Governor's Medical Plan? (assuming the Medical Plan is like most plans)
I am thinking that Bristol is with her Grandparent's and they are not going to lie. Sarah was panicing about the baby not coming on "time" and sent the email to the Aunt from her father's email account thus creating the beginning of the story for People Magazine to pick up on. That's why the grandfather who spoke so freely before is referring everything to the governor's office. He is not really getting involved but still protecting Bristol.
It is so laughable--farcical, really--to read of Palin's indignation at her child and her child's "fiance" (what are they waiting for, by the way?) being called "highschool dropouts." I'd like to ask some follow-up questions, governor: Why wasn't Bristol in highschool or taking classes at home last spring? Or summer? What about last Fall? How much school did she drop, er, miss? The highschool dropout tag, by the way, has been around since McCain and the RNC's famous "statement". There are worse things, you know, that puritanical zealots call unwed mothers and babies (we're somewhat lacking in terms for men/fathers).
Of course, we all have a lot more questions, like why in the hell are they so free and easy about public records in Alaska? Can anybody say a baby was born anytime, to anyone?
Just wonderin', in the interests of transparency.--Mary g.
Happy New Year and I hear your frustration. I wait for the day when something from this woman and her family is normal and doesn't amaze me. A serious thought: I agree with those who say this absurd statement and her calls to the various media about their schooling has something to do with medical insurance for BP and the apprentice guidelines for LJ. She's either got word that someone is investigating or something else is on the burner. The focus on their HS careers is beyond bizarre at this point. Of all the things for her to be humiliated over, this doesn't even make the top ten. Now, my silly thought: isn't it a bit weird that both mother and daughter like boys' names that begin Tr...Or maybe not. How much more likely it is that BP likes boys' names that begin with Tr. I mean what are the chances of both women going with similar names? Meantime, stick with what we know: no proof of Trig's birthdate and those BOOBS at the RNC. The proof is right there. Thanks for your great writing, Audrey. L.A. in S.F.
"The American people are owed concrete verification that it actually occurred, through either a joint press statement from the attending doctor or midwife accompanied by an administrator at the birth facility, or a birth certificate, and a current photograph of a non-pregnant Bristol with a newborn."
Audrey, will all due respect - for whatever reasons better or worse that this became an issue during the campaign, SP isn't running for VP anymore. They all lost, and they all went home (aside from the folly of the governor's convention w few weeks ago). Why does Bristol, or Bristol's doctor, or Bristol's boyfriend/fiance, or Bristol's baby for that matter, owe anything to anyone? Maybe Sarah would love to go out to a gaggle of photographers and mug for the cameras with her grandson that she's over the moon about, and Bristol won't let Gramma put her mitts on her baby. Ever think of that? Maybe Bristol is the one trying to keep together the shreds of her own privacy and that of her baby, which she's perfectly entitled to do. It would probably be the first smart thing Bristol has done so far.
S in Chgo
Well, certainly, going out of their way to put out a press release that that uses intentional language designed to provoke anger, and to directly assert a confrontational and condesending attitude, would have rightly caused a lousy reaction from the press and the public.
Oh yeah, Sarah Palin surely reads blogs! :-)
An extremely interesting document came to light recently: Through an open records act request, which was pursued in court by Andrée McLeod, several emails of Sarah Palin which were suppressed before had to be released.
Andrew Halcro, a competitor of Sarah Palin in the race for Alaska governor in 2006 has published one of these emails in his blog - and the content is very interesting indeed!
Sarah Palin (using her yahoo email address for state business, which was hacked a few months later), discusses with her "confidants" the content of a BLOG, and how to respond to it...and all of that in a pretty premature language.
You have to read it for yourself to believe it (PDF for download):
http://www.andrewhalcro.com/files/Palin%20on%20leggies,%20budget,%20email%20spam,%20etc.pdf
The original blogpost of Andrew Halcro is here:
http://www.andrewhalcro.com/government_emails_why_so_secret
If you are interested to know more about Andrew Halcro...well, he is actually a compassionate person with a conscience:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxoM2szS8H0
If you would like to know about the story of the open records act request, please read here:
http://www.motherjones.com/mojoblog/archives/2008/09/9620_sarah_palin_secret_email.html
Patrick
It might be helpful to keep in mind that birth certificates don't always contain truthful information.
My own birth certificate contains the following false information:
* says parents were married at time of my birth.
* gives as father's name a person who doesn't exist.
I was given a last name that is different from that of my biological father and different from my mother's last name.
My last name was listed as the same as the last name of the non-existent person whose name was listed as being my natural father.
Oh yeah, Sarah Palin surely reads blogs!
An extremely interesting document came to light recently: Through an open records act request, which was pursued in court by Andrée McLeod, several emails of Sarah Palin which were suppressed had to be released.
Andrew Halcro, a competitor of Sarah Palin in the race for Alaska governor in 2006 has published one of these emails in his blog - and the content is very interesting indeed!
Sarah Palin (using her yahoo email address for state business, which was hacked a few months later), discusses with her "confidants" the content of a BLOG, and how to respond to it...
You have to read it for yourself to believe it (PDF for download):
http://www.andrewhalcro.com/files/Palin%20on%20leggies,%20budget,%20email%20spam,%20etc.pdf
The original blogpost of Andrew Halcro is here:
http://www.andrewhalcro.com/government_emails_why_so_secret
If you are interested to know more about Andrew Halcro...well, he is actually a compassionate person with a conscience:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxoM2szS8H0
If you would like to know about the story of the open records act request, please read here:
http://www.motherjones.com/mojoblog/archives/2008/09/9620_sarah_palin_secret_email.html
Patrick
Are you serious???-"The American people are owed concrete verification that it actually occurred, through either a joint press statement from the attending doctor or midwife accompanied by an administrator at the birth facility, or a birth certificate, and a current photograph of a non-pregnant Bristol with a newborn."
To say this is not a private family family matter because it was brought up during an election? The election is over, her family is none of our business. I think you're digging for an excuse to make it your business.
-"We won't tell you where he was born, or who is doctor is. We won't tell you where Bristol is. We also will not release any pictures."
None of this is anyone's business!!! There is no reason in the world that they should be forced to give us any of these details, and I surely don't feel that as an American I am entitled to learn any of it.
I applaud your clear thinking and ability to pull away the curtain of obfuscation and show everyone exactly what the substance is. Thanks as always for your ability to see this hoax for what it is, and to pull back the curtain so we can see how we're being duped.
I was delighted to discover the blogg "the immoral majority"
I think Alaskans who share our feelings regarding SP might be able to fill in the missing pieces to the puzzle.
Although the election is over and SP lost, it is certainly apparent she has continuing aspirations for national political office.
It certainly would simplify everything to just produce two legitimate birth certificates to resolve the issue of biological parents and time/place of birth.
There's only one reason to stonewall a situation, and that is for damage control.
I don't know if you see new comments on old posts but here it is and perhaps I'll post it to the new area as well. For what it's worth, I was perusing the october post on the blog regarding Bristol playing basketball in Juneau. There is only one public high school in Juneau, Juneau-Douglas, and their colors are red and black. It would have been winter of 06/07 so there is really no bearing here regarding her possible pregnancy w/Trig, but she is not listed on the roster for that season: (link to roster below)
http://www.maxpreps.com/alaska/basketball/juneau-douglas-(juneau,-ak)-(juneau)/roster.aspx?schoolid=ab46aeae-81f3-4fbc-82ea-32d0b0ae99d7&ssid=2a5eca03-0fe9-41f7-9533-e5f5f41444a3&urpath=,local,team
There is no roster listed for 07/08, or 08/09, but she is not listed the year that she is shown in uniform and allegedly played ball for Juneau. Who knows, just another strange thing surrounding documentation of the whereabouts of any of this family...you'd think they were in witness protection or something being as how hard it is to pin them down or get photo or print evidence of their activities or whereabouts!
Posting again regarding the Juneau-Douglas basketball roster; Bristol is wearing #21 in the photo but the roster listing for that number is Kayla Harrison, not Bristol Palin. Once again, means nothing regarding this investigation, but why do the facts never add up? I'm working to register my AOL account, for the meantime, sorry for posting anonymous.
ag Wasilla Alaska
to anon at 4:43: are You serious when you say that none of this is anyone's business? This woman campaigned for our vote, seeking the second highest office in this country! If she would now just go away and never seek higher office again, we in the lower 48 could agree it would be none of our business. What do you think the chances are that she will never seek a higher position than Gov. of Alaska? This woman is totally unaware of her own abysmal ignorance, driven by her sociopathic need for power and control, and in over her head as gov, nevermind higher office. Oh and BTW, the citizens of Alaska deserve the truth about this woman.
Keep up the good work. There are professional people handling this "problem" for Sarah Palin. She is a valued commodity at this time for a floundering GOP. As much as these same forces would love to have Palin all shiny and clean, there may be an ejection plan as a contingency.
Many of the deceptions used by Palin involve perception by the teeming millions. The American people have been lied to by much bigger fish than SP, but I see similarities in the process. If Palin's pregnancy issue unravels much more, she will have to be jettisoned. I say this because the people that are helping her lie were also involved in election fraud, assassinations of people including some in the US congress and a much bigger farce, 9-11. Connecting the dots is something for them to fear.
After reading so much about this SP person it finally dawns on me...where the troubles began.
I dont really care about all this inside family hoo-ey.
I dont think many people who blog here care about any of it.
What happened from the start with this SP person is...she did not look, appear or present as pregnant.
Her bearing, the way she carried herself, how she presented herself...was not pregnant.
All the rest of this is a direct result of her attempt to convince---others---that SHE was preg.
Something that, as a woman, I could clearly see she was not.
When she appeared live on KTLA on March 3, 08 she was clearly NOT preg, nor did either of the anchors one a woman say or ask or mention any preg while she sat right in front of them with the camera rolling.
KTLA always puts the guest in a much higher chair at the desk, where you can SEE them.
But her appearance on KTLA was just days before she announced being preg.
From ADN:
Secret's out: Palin pregnant (03/06/08)
She in no way presented as a preg woman.
THAT is how and why all this sleuthing began.
Short of the Wild Ride Home Soap Story she would just have been an odd pick for Mcc to make.
SP herself...SHE, is the one who set this entire bruha in motion with the Wild Ride Story(WRS).
Somewhere in this SP determined the 'spring delivery' could adversely affect her chances for the VP slot.
Unwed daughter having sex.
She decided to make it seem like her baby.
In March, or April, if she had simply....said my daughter got preg she would not be dealing with any of this.
Nor would any of us.
SP did this to herself.
With all due respect, S in Chgo (1/1/09 4:00 PM)...and to Anon @ 4:43 PM too...
It doesn't matter that SP isn't running for VP anymore.
She has political ambitions, and most people already realize that her first stepping stone -- if she manages to avoid being impeached before then -- is to try for the AK US senate seat vs. Lisa Murkowski. If she wins that, she'll try to worm her way back into the good graces of the RNC in the 2 years she has before the 2012 election.
If I weren't so interested in hoping she doesn't HAVE a political career beyond her current one, I'd love to see what kind of Senator she is. My bet is that she'll closely resemble that whacko from Minnesota, the all-too-often-interviewed Rep. Michele Bachmann (wow, what a piece of work THAT woman is!).
Anon. at 3:01
There is no disputing them facts.
Luv it!
Annon said: Anonymous said...
"The American people are owed concrete verification that it actually occurred, through either a joint press statement from the attending doctor or midwife accompanied by an administrator at the birth facility, or a birth certificate, and a current photograph of a non-pregnant Bristol with a newborn."
Audrey, will all due respect - for whatever reasons better or worse that this became an issue during the campaign, SP isn't running for VP anymore. They all lost, and they all went home...'
NO THAT IS NOT TRUE! SP has made it know she will run for 2012! All the Palinbots are gearing up for it. This as well As Troopergate, were ongoing during the campaign and need to be cleared up. John McCain didn't vet Sarah so we must. When she through Bristol under the Straight talk express with the pregnacy annoucement...and parading poor Trgg around like a sack of potatos, all this "lets not talk about the family went out the window..." Obama choose not to "go there" and I respect him for that, but that doesn't mean the citizens or Alaska or the rest of the USA need to not "go there" Truth is Truth and Truth is not forthcoming from Sarah Palin. Lies, deception are all one hears from her.
The truth needs to be out there, MSM was shut down by McCains goons when they swept Alaska clean, and threatened (I'm guessing, they way everyone, including the national enquirer, Shut up)
Truth needs to be told. This is Sarah's 2nd grandchild.
Anon. at 3:01
There is no disputing them facts.
Luv it!
I find it very odd that the Palins didn't have their ducks in a row with photo rights and fees all sewn up, well before the baby would be born. The point raised on a previous thread about state ethics laws preventing even the children from taking such fees is very interesting. But doesn't Palin already have a book deal? Plenty of other elected officials do write and sell books while in office. So I'd like to learn more about this.
Nonetheless, it is definitely bizarre if nothing has been set up and so little information has been shared. Are they allowing a freelancer to take photos right now and then sell them to the highest bidder? Palin's crazy message to People, the remarks from their editorial staff, and the apparent complete lack of information to even the Alaskan paper reveals terrible PR management.
We aren't surprised. But knowing that Palin and her minions are aware of this site and others, you'd think they'd take much more care to be "transparent." They sure can't cry about continued speculation, when the story has unraveled the way it has.
Yes, the election is over. Yes, Sarah Palin and John McCain lost. Future political ambitions aside, let's not forget - this woman is a GOVERNOR. She is a sitting Governor, running a state. If she lied, cheated, stole or otherwise abused the power of her office, the American people deserve to know. Period. That she is no longer a VP candidate is immaterial.
To KaJo and Anon @ 6:53:
Political ambitions notwithstanding, a lot can happen between now and 2012. Like I said, I hope President Obama and his team will do such a good job putting our country back on the right track that no Republican, SP or otherwise, will stand a chance. Yes, this election was still a little too close for comfort (frankly I can't believe SP has any fans, she's such a friggin' idiot), but I paraphrase something I heard Richard Belzer say earlier today on MSNBC - 2008 was the year the country became smarter.
As for the Senate seat, well...the Senate wouldn't just be about her. Let's just hope (and vote!)the Democrats stay in the majority, razor-thin that it is. I still doubt that baby-gate would be enough to sink her politically, but I also believe that eventually her rotten karma will catch up with her.
S in Chgo
I appreciate that Audrey is passionate in exposing what she believes is a brazen and politically-calculated fraud upon the public. But this expectation of public-owed entitlement for the details of Bristol's newborn just seems like "inside the bubble" thinking, in which a person's own personal emotional investment in a conspiracy-based belief can inflate its actual relative importance.
This is Bristol's child, and though Bristol may have signed up for a certain amount of public scrutiny as part of her support for her mother, the immediate and certified details of her pregnancy and her delivery should not be included. She was not the one running for public office. Her pregnancy only came up when it did because of the internet gossip that was building up about Trig being Bristol's child. And the fact that it came up during the early hyper-sensitive days of a presidential campaign.
There is simply no way a person can make a compelling argument to those outside the conspiracy circle, that the general public is "owed" an intensive press conference, with detailed documentation and in-person confirmation of the events of a newborn's birth to an 18-year old girl, whose only crime is to be related to a failed VP candidate.
I think one of the strangest aspects to the whole Bristol pregnancy (I or II) story is Levi Johnston. Most of us met the young man through the comments from his MySpace page that were shared the day we were all trying to figure out who this "teen father" was. You recall the redneck and more comments. Didn't he even say he didn't want kids? Now that stuff was up there AFTER Trig was born, so that would be most unfortunate if he is Trig's father. Yet apparently even at that time locals knew Bristol was pregnant (with #1 or 2).
Within days they scrub Levi up and parade him at the Republican Convention and maybe another rally (can't remember). Then he is shipped off and I don't believe he was seen again, was he?
If my 17 year old daughter became pregnant and I was insisting that the couple get married, why would I immediately separate the couple? Even if I was on a 2 month campaign trail. Wouldn't I want my daughter and the baby's father to bond and share the pregnancy experience and prepare and strengthen for a sound marriage?
Even if you were wanting to show the young man that he had to learn to bust butt to earn a living and be responsible, it doesn't make sense for this kind of separation. And there is no evidence so far that he was even present for the birth.
A very sad situation in my mind. And I am not even going into his mother's problems. Though I can imagine Palin new Johnston was being investigated and perhaps that is why Levi was shipped off. But it does not help two teenagers prepare for being a family.
But, by golly, don't call them high school dropouts. After all I've learned about Palin's apparent lack of respect for consistent educational experiences for herself and her children, I find that ironic.
Anon and Chicago S:
Bristol's pregnancy doesn't matter? Sarah's fake preggers doesn't matter?
This woman was running for a political position, one heartbeat away from the Presidency of USA. She wants to control my uterus, my daughter's uterus, but it is ok for her daughter to choose? She runs on abstinence and ignorance on women's issues.
You bet this is an issue for the American people to resolve. This isn't Brittany Spears or Paris Hilton. This was one heart beat away from the President of the United States.
This should be all our jobs as citizens, to reclaim our honor as a nation and dispose of such vermin in our public offices.
As Audrey has pointed out, you don't get it both ways. In September she wants to shove her family's pregnancy down our throats and now, it's off limits. Uh, uh.
To the Palin staff and family that read this blog on how to respond next, guess what - you can't lie fast enough. God Bless if you tried to adopt or help each other out, but don't lie to me, the voter, the citizen and a female that wants my rights to my body.
Thank you,
L in Chicago
"Witness for the Prosecution" is also one hell of a great movie: Hitchcock, Marlena Dietrich. Like "Rebecca," it's one of the great examples of a plot you think you have figured out,only to have it flip on you -- and it does this SO many times.
The scene that jumps out at me upon mention of the title is Charles Laughton asking the witness " . . . are you not in fact a chronic and habitual LIAR????" Only make that last word 72 points -- i.e., Laughton shouts it so that even at home, in your jammies and bunnie slippers, your hair stands straight up. Look here, at 4:45. So fine. You can see the whole thing for free here too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y62qJ4ip_YY&feature=channel
Just like now. With this little problem we have here.
--Amy the first
And by 'hyper-sensitive early days of the presidential campaign' I mean the time period around the convention.
Craig - I agree we aren't owed a complete report about Bristol's baby and it is a private family event. I even expected them to keep it quiet for a few days. But the manner in which it has unfolded just seems consistent with all the other craziness that is Sarah Palin, who is NOT, I remind you, a publicity shy person and who has not, up until this point, made much effort to shield her children from public scrutiny. So why the clam up and confusion now?
Sarah is so unethical, and dishonest that One might think there is no way---, But then, (also too)we have to rmember, BUSH WAS ELECTED -TWICE!
So we fight on. In honor of our children and our country.
As a side note to DeKay @6:43,
Shame on you. Don't you know there are truths we must not utter "assassinations of people including some in the US congress and a much bigger farce, 9-11."
Child, when will you learn, there are things we dare not question:
like -What makes an idiot who crashed five planes, and left his disfigured wife and family for a drug addict, a hero?
I do love your bravery, and I might even classify YOU as a hero.
Just be careful. Im thinking we can become more inquisitive after January 20th. Hope so.
To neighbor L in Chicago:
I didn't say Bristol's pregnancy didn't matter, or that SP's pregnancy (or not) didn't matter. If you were paying attention, I said Bristol has a right to her privacy for herself and her baby, no matter what SP has said or done.
And damn right Bristol has a right to choose, like you have a right to choose and your daughter has a right to choose and I have a right to choose any any other woman has a right to choose. Just because SP says otherwise doesn't make it so.
To Craig: amen, brother.
S in Chgo
One more thing, Chicago L - last time I checked, children weren't held responsible for the sins of their parents anymore.
S in Chgo
"There is simply no way a person can make a compelling argument to those outside the conspiracy circle, that the general public is "owed" an intensive press conference, with detailed documentation and in-person confirmation of the events of a newborn's birth to an 18-year old girl, whose only crime is to be related to a failed VP candidate."
I agree with Craig here. We, the public are not 'owed'any of this.
However, this young woman is something of a public figure by virtue of her mother's fame/infamy and her own appearance/pregnancy announcement on the campaign trail.
For a pregnancy that was highly publicized and politicized, the secrecy which has surrounded it's later stages, and the birth of Tripp is perplexing.
Maybe everything is above board and this is just the crazy Palin way of doing things.
But one would think that a state Governor, and prospective 2012 presidential candidate would have her advisers craft a simple, straightforward announcement, with the DOB, weight, name and a wish that the couple have some privacy to adjust to their new parenthood. This coupled with one or two photos of either the mom and baby or even Grandmom and baby, or mom leaving the hospital - something along those lines- would satisfy most people. She employed a PR firm in the past, so why not now. It's strange that this is being handled in such an ad hoc fashion.
The other thing I just cannot fathom is the way it seems like the members of the Palin family can just vanish from view for periods of time. Especially now that they are relatively 'famous'. I don't begrudge Bristol her privacy at all. But an information vacuum and absence of sightings makes fertile ground for rumors.
And finally - I think alot of people who disagree with SP's views, in particular her anti-choice (let's call it what it really is)" stance, are particularly disturbed to think that she may have perpetuated fraud relating this kind of pregnancy issue (choosing to carry a DS fetus to term etc)
If only the Republican National Committee, John McCain, Sarah and Todd Palin and their crew had seen fit to shelter Bristol and Levi!
But no. Bristol was paraded around to rallies around the country sooo many many times after the convention, and even onstage at the conclusion of the VP debate with Biden in October! To those who say that Bristol is a "private citizen now," after she was photographed backstage at SNL (and offered to babysit for Tina Fey!), campaigned with Meghan McCain (check out those blog entries of hers!), mingling with the Bidens onstage in October...You can't have it both ways.
It's the GOP's fault (and her parents) that Bristol became a celebrity in her own right--not ours. People Mag. is trying to buy the Tripp Johnston baby photos because Sarah Palin and the RNC made Bristol so famous! Way to go, RNC PR flacks!
I wish we could all agree with me:
Just because SP or People mag or ANYONE made Bristol and the children fair game -- that doesn't mean the rest of us have to stoop that low as well. Let's leave them out of it. It's the right thing to do.
SP: Liar or not? That's all I want to know -- and only about SP. Not about her accomplices. Not the MD, not the support staff, not the coerced family members (because they are/were minors).
And the importance of this is just huge -- I do think that a clearly established label of "liar re fake pregnancy" would knock our lady out.
Has no one else had this scary thought:
--SP (or someone just like her) was forced upon McCain by the GOP.
--SP might have been the best of the bunch.
--The vetting of SP is not the story. The forcing of a far-right VP upon McCain is the story.
--The stories listed above will have a hard time getting born because the mighty arm of the right wing is suppressing them. Sounds like voodoo, but remember how hard it was for the two Watergate reporters to get the beginnings of their story started? Every paper has an ed-in-chief, ditto an owner, ditto advertisers. In the case of the WashPost, Ben Bradlee took a big chance on his outrageous (at the time) reporters, and he asked permission of Katherine Graham, who (we are so very lucky) was a principled and courageous woman. When she gave permission and the stories started, John Mitchell, upon reviewing a draft story, screamed that Ms Graham would get her tit caught in a wringer if she published the story. Mitchell, as we now know, was as guilty as any of them. Here's a recent recap of that story:
http://www.slate.com/id/2171741/pagenum/all/
(Love the "gold jewelry" ending!)
My point in bringing this up is: I'm sure this story we are working on here has had no legs because so many ed-in-chiefs or owners have said "No." No need to explain; just "no."
And if this thought is correct, and if the economy hadn't melted, and if the election had been as close as the Gore/Bush election, or if McCain had won outright -- how long do you think McCain would have remained alive? Does Hitler/Mussolini come to mind? SP is a fast learner; her lack of educational background would make her easy to lead by the nose -- so long as the glory was there.
Isn't this the scariest thing you ever thought about?
Geez, I used to be a nonpolitical, sane person. I thought the US economy would never fail. I thought there were dignified, noble politicians -- we used to call them "our betters." I thought the people running the SEC were smart and able.
Good thing the internet came along, and Audrey came along.
--Amy the first.
"Then he is shipped off and I don't believe he was seen again, was he?"
Levi spoke to the press in October. Looked forward to hunting with his son. Seemed like a nice enough person, not like the Facebook entry. He said he wanted McCain/Palin to win but he thought Obama seemed like a good guy. He had already won brownie points with me for the kiss to Trig's forehead at the convention. I always figured he quit school at the end of the hockey season his senior year, and that he lacked more than a semester's worth of credits to graduate. But maybe child support for Trig had something to do with it. It also seems like his mom is small potatos in the drug business, just selling some of her own pain pills. Not good, but I think she was targeted by someone. -B.
Re Craig, give me a break about Bristol and her "privacy." If it is true that she or her mommy are busy auctioning off photos of Trapp or Tripp or whatever his name is to celebrity magazines, then Bristol is officially a Celeb-U-Tramp like the Spears sisters (apparently Jamie Lynn is her role model), and will justifiably be treated as such.
Re Patrick, you are right that Sarah's emails at the link you posted are a hoot. Working your "butt off" seems to be her favorite expression. "A change in tactic must occur or special session and next year will just be another repeat of us working our butts off and only being able to take the tiniest of baby steps toward reform." Good 'ole Sarah is working her butt off as gov while Bristol and Levi have spent 4 days working their butts off as parents.
Patrick is right, check it out. Very funny, very ungrammatical and apparently Sarah didn't learn to spell at the five or six colleges she attended. No wonder she is fighting so hard to suppress all the emails sent from her personal account.
She could have been the hockey mom with her finger on the bomb. NUKE-U-LEAR BOMBS! As long as she has aspirations of national power, we'll be here to make sure that doesnt happen if at all possible.
5:07pm "I was delighted to discover the blogg "the immoral majority""
I can't seem to find it in a Google search - could you please post a link? Thanks!
""to anon at 4:43: are You serious when you say that none of this is anyone's business? This woman campaigned for our vote, seeking the second highest office in this country! If she would now just go away and never seek higher office again, we in the lower 48 could agree it would be none of our business."
Very serious, and I surely hope she doesn't go away.There are many who would love the chance to vote for her again.The small number of busybodies on this blog are a vast difference to the huge numbers of her supporters, so I'm sure we'll get our chance.
Anita, the blog you are looking for is http://theimmoralminority.blogspot.com/
I've said it before, but will repeat it. Audrey has two excellent pictures showing SP was not pregnant. We have all see the three amigos pictures which calls McAllister press secretary in April when he wasn't appointed until July.
In my opinion the caption under the three amigos pictures proves the point.
Does anyone remember the Julia Roberts' film Erin Bogdonovich? (I may have spelled the last name incorrectly.) Audrey is the new Erin. (She brought a small town to its feet and a huge corporation to its knees.
Plot:
An unemployed single mother becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city's water supply.)
Craig,
I fully agree with you that Bristol does not owe "us" or the general public anything. However, if she as a loving daughter could make life a lot easier for Mom, put parts of the controversy to rest and bolster Mom's political career by providing "an intensive press conference, with detailed documentation and in-person confirmation" or some semblance thereof, why wouldn't she do so? The Palin clan is supposed to be this wonderfully supportive network, right? I would think that under the circumstances, her/their need/desire for privacy would be a very low priority.
Please forgive my sexism here, but I think that you see things differently from Audrey, et al, largely because you don't understand how normal women (i.e., mothers, daughters, grandmothers, sisters, etc.) think, feel, and most importantly behave. I use the word "normal" reluctantly, as I know there really isn't any such thing. Does anyone have a great word that is antithetical to the farcical, kafkaesque way that Palin does things?
Craig, I hope you continue to read, think and challenge. The blog needs you.
"last time I checked, children weren't held responsible for the sins of their parents anymore."
But when the child is an adult, and is fully cooperating with the sinning parent? What then?
I have followed this blog for several months now and while I too have doubts that Sarah is not Trig's mother, I do not understand why the hang up over the information released about the birth.
When celebrities have babies generally the announcement doesn't include what hospital the baby was born in or who the doctor was.
Your argue that Sarah Palin owes an answer to those questions because she announced the pregnancy to the public in hopes of convincing those of us who doubt that Trig is not Bristol's baby. Why do you assume that was the motive? Couldn't she simply have announced to the public that her daughter was pregnant to avoid it coming up later in the election? You don't think that people would have eventually caught on that Bristol was pregnant? Obviously, it was a smart idea to announce it before it was shown that they were trying to conceal her pregnancy from the voters.
Anyways, I think you have a really good argument here when you stick to the facts. I tend to think discussions on this blog go south when people start assuming or making wild speculations and "theories."
tullyxred@aol.com said...
"I fully agree with you that Bristol does not owe "us" or the general public anything. However, if she as a loving daughter could make life a lot easier for Mom, put parts of the controversy to rest and bolster Mom's political career by providing "an intensive press conference, with detailed documentation and in-person confirmation" or some semblance thereof, why wouldn't she do so?"
Why should she? It seems like her mother really hasn't had her best interests at heart and I'm pretty sure Bristol sees that. Why should she have to expose her privacy any more for her mother?
I agree that Sarah Palin needs to brought down, but I don't think dragging Bristol through the dirt is the right way to do it. Sure there is a lot of secrecy around her pregnancy, but that generally happens with a lot of high profile pregancies. I personally do not think Bristol "owes" ANYTHING to the general public just because she was paraded around during the election.
I suspect many on this site wouldn't believe any type of statement regarding Bristol's birth- even ones that supplied the information you are all seeking. I suspect even some would then demand to see the birth video before they really let it go.
I DO NOT think Audrey should stop her quest for the truth when it comes to the birth of Trig, because Sarah is mostly likely lying and we do deserve to know that truth. Bristol may be an easy means of finding that truth, but I really don't think she owes us that easy route.
To Anon @ 9:16 AM 1/2/09
Let me answer that. You know those dexterity puzzles that require you to slip-slide squares in a frame, up, down, sideways right or left, until you get a whole picture, minus one frame?
This "Sarah Palin is not the mother of Trig Palin" puzzle is like that, and "the hangup over the information released about the birth" of Tripp Palin is part of the whole picture.
The actuality of whether Tripp was born last weekend, or whether Bristol is still carrying him as-yet-unborn, or whether she's even pregnant or ever was this past 8+ months -- those questions have a direct bearing on the previous birth of Trig Palin -- when that actually occurred, and to whom.
We keep moving around those pieces of the picture, and we keep getting closer and closer to the whole picture.
To Amy the first, re: your comments 1/1/09 9:10 PM:
Yeah, I've thought of exactly that, everything you said...I used to be a nonpolitical sane person as recently as 6 months ago.
I'm still sane, but... :)
That's what keeps me coming back here. Audrey and the rest of us are just scratching the surface of what could have become another Rove-inspired stolen election like both 2000 and 2004, were it not for the activism of a whole new generation of voters and volunteers this past election cycle.
Ivyfree: "But when the child is an adult, and is fully cooperating with the sinning parent? What then?"
a) 18 may make you legally an adult, but I contend she's still a teenager. Teenagers don't always make the best decisions or have a completely mature thought process.
b) what proof do you have that Bristol is 'fully cooperating' with anyone for any purpose, political or otherwise? Don't you think she might have other things on her mind right now? Like, I don't know...living her own life, possibly finishing high school, maybe recovering from just having had a baby...?
S in Chgo
S in Chgo wrote "what proof do you have that Bristol is 'fully cooperating' with anyone for any purpose, political or otherwise? Don't you think she might have other things on her mind right now? Like, I don't know...living her own life, possibly finishing high school, maybe recovering from just having had a baby...?"
I guess when we read Bristol's story in PEOPLE or whoever finally wins the tabloid photo bidding war, we'll know what Bristol has been up to, because there will definitely be a news story published with it! Who knows, maybe it will be in US Weekly! And we'll know that Bristol has approved it, right, because otherwise they wouldn't have the photos!
By Kyra:
I haven't posted before, but wanted to comment that I appreciate the thoroughness of your research Audrey. I'm not sure where I fall in all of this - meaning how far what we the people are owed - except that I am confident that SP wasn't pregnant last year, and she wouldn't know the truth if it fell on her.
I do believe that with so many in the RNC still enamored of SP, that we must continue to (attempt) to hold her accountable. I was appalled at the numerous occasions of SP's lies that were not questioned in the "liberal" media or in most of the other media. I believe it is the bloggers that will be the true source of our information in the future as the mainstream media seems content to print/report the press releases handed out by various entities.
As for SP, I am trained to diagnose various mental health disorders. Although it is malpractice to diagnose someone without an actual in-person assessment and without a variety of factors assessed, I have to say that there is a kind of person who is so self-referential that they truly do not see others around them as people. She believes that if we are not people, then she isn't really seeing us and isn't really thinking about what she is saying. She just says what is expedient for the moment. Yesterday is over, tomorrow hasn't happened yet, the world exists only as it relates to her and she isn't lying per se, so can't understand why anyone would question anything she says or does. I believe that like some pathological liars, the truth is whatever she says it is. It's a matter of how she conceptualizes her world.
I hope I'm wrong, because of how close she got to being VP, and because she is Governor. but I also believe (as do many experts)that Bush has some major personality disorders so it's not totally out of the question.
kyra
to Anon @ 12:58:
Yep, we sure will. That will be solid proof of what Bristol's intentions are. But until that happens, I think we should reserve judgment as far as she and Tripp are concerned.
S in Chgo
"a) 18 may make you legally an adult, but I contend she's still a teenager."
Yes, she is, but nonetheless she is legally an adult. If she was committing crimes she would be prosecutable. Do you think an 18 year old should not be prosecuted for burglary? After all, 18 year olds don't necessarily make the best decisions.
"b) what proof do you have that Bristol is 'fully cooperating' with anyone for any purpose, political or otherwise? "
I must have missed it when she called the ADN to tell them about how that wasn't her statement posted on the governor's website, about how her situation wasn't ideal. /sarcasm.
Seriously, if she did not agree with her mother's agenda she could easily end her involvement with a single phone call to People magazine. Or the Anchorage Daily News. Until I see any evidence that she's unwilling to cooperate, I'll believe that she's cooperating with her mother. And I'm sorry about the snark, but I don't want to edit it after I've typed in the verification word.
Ok, Ivyfree, let's take it from the top.
First of all, Bristol didn't commit a crime. She had underage sex, got pregnant out of wedlock, and had a baby. Smart? Not particularly. Morally wrong? Maybe maybe not, depending on your definition. Legally wrong? Not even remotely. An 18 y/o who knowingly commits a crime deserves to face publicly defined consequences. An 18 y/o who does something of questionable personal judgment certainly has to face the consequences, but it does not need to be in a public forum.
Bristol did not announce her pregnancy to the country for questionable political motives; her mother did that. To refute what someone else said on one of these threads, she is not another Britney. She has not made a spectacle of herself or her pregnancy. In fact, under the circumstances she has done a remarkable job of keeping herself out of the public eye.
It amazes me that some people can take parts the governor's office's statement and say they won't believe it without proof, but other parts are ok, like that Bristol supposedly gave a quote. Who says she really did? Is it not just as likely that SP was talking for her, just like she did when she outed the poor girl and made her the most infamous pregnant teen in recent history?
We have a little concept in this country called innocent until proven guilty, you may have heard of it. Even the guiltiest people get to enjoy it's benefits. Until that girl comes out of her house and holds a press conference, gives a print interview, or allows some pictures to be published, I'm not going to believe that she's said anything to anyone. Personally, I think she's got better things to do. But until that day comes, Bristol isn't accountable to the public at large.
So, let's say it once more with feeling...
Bristol. Palin. Doesn't. Owe. Anybody. Anything. Except. To. Her. Baby.
S in Chgo
There never was a pregnancy, thus no baby. Just like no true birth certificate on Obama. They don't really exist, just political games to direct our energy into that which is meaningless.
We are losing our way here, I am afraid. I believe that Audrey and Co. have done something wonderful. They have helped show, beyond a doubt, that SP did not birth Trig.
We do not have to wait for the MSM to say so. We know the truth. All of the women on this blog who have given birth have been able to see and understand this. This is our truth. We know and can sense liars in our midst-- We are not waiting for the MSM to deliver this truth.
However, all of this accusatory and judgemental discussion of SP's children, especially Bristol is unwarranted, unhealthy and does not enlighten us in any way. Time will tell whether BP gave birth a few days ago, will give birth in a few weeks or was not pregnant at all when SP told the press that she was 5 months pregnant in early September. All the rest of this is akin to the kind of hurtful stuff that angry, narrow minded folks focus on-- precisely what we just rejected in the last election- So perhaps we can open our hearts and separate the issues more thoughtfully.
S in Chgo wrote "Bristol. Palin. Doesn't. Owe. Anybody. Anything. Except. To. Her. Baby."
Maybe. She. Owes. Her. Baby. The. Truth. About. His. Brother.
-- Anonymous at 7:20pm
"There never was a pregnancy, thus no baby. Just like no true birth certificate on Obama."
.....SIGH
--- Well, you got it half right ---
When will you people LET GO of this unsubstantiated fantasy that Obama wasn't born in Hawaii?
Read it for yourself on Snopes.com, please:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/birthcertificate.asp
Obama's birth certificate is certified, the Supreme Court threw out the case "investigating" this - and all you have to do is look and see that there's an actual 1961 birth announcement in the Hawaii newspaper the week after of his birth.
Which would mean - according to the conspiracy theorists - that Barack Obama's mother - with her Nostradamus-like intuitions - must've known in 1961 that her black son would run for president someday, and win. So she'd need to cover her tracks...right? RIGHT?
If you believe this, lemme go grab you a slice of cheese I just scraped off the moon.
Why would SP not be speaking much about this?
Because she is still really embarrassed and ashamed - and pissed off at Bristol for all this.
"Maybe. She. Owes. Her. Baby. The. Truth. About. His. Brother."
Which. Still. Doesn't. Mean. She. Owes. You. Anything.
To Anon @ 1/2 9:39 pm: Amen.
S in Chgo
anon said:We do not have to wait for the MSM to say so. We know the truth. All of the women on this blog who have given birth have been able to see and understand this.
Don't be so quick to think everyone is on board with you.I have given birth twice and nothing on this blog has made me think that Sarah is not Trigs mom.I still believe she is his birth mom.
Just for the record, I don't care what other people think Bristol owes anybody. Her mother put her in the public eye, and spoke for her in the birth announcement and in the silly "I can't imagine life without this baby, this is not an ideal situation" announcement. Yes, Sarah Palin is a liar- we know that. But Bristol is perfectly capable of announcing that her mother doesn't speak for her. It's Bristol's choice. Until she speaks up, I have to assume that she's fine with her mother speaking for her, whether or not her mother is lying. By staying silent and allowing her mother to speak for her, she's complicit in her mother's schemes.
You know, this whole thing just screams that SP is not Trig's mother. I didn't believe she was, but I thought it possible that Bristol wasn't the real mother. This obviously deliberate futzing up of the birth announcement is telling me that Bristol probably is Trig's real mother. Maybe Sarah said, "Okay, missy, we'll cover for the baby" with Trig, and then when she discovered a second pregnancy said "We're not adopting another one. You're marrying this non-dropout." Two out-of-wedlock births in a year may be a bit much for any abstinence-preaching Real Christian (tm) to accept, and certainly reflects badly on her parenting as well has her beliefs.
I don't belive Sarah is Trig's birth mother for two reasons - the Texas tall-tale of leaking fluids, long plane rides for an older Mom with her 5th child and premature. Also the fact that Trig, a supposedly 1 month premature, special needs baby was released from the hospital in a couple days. Doesn't add up.
However it does seem odd that so much effort was taken to perpetuate the hoax, including involving a respected medicaal professional. To me that says the facts are worse than the lie.
And I believe the reason people are covering for Sarah Palin (family, friends etc.) is because they care about the family and also care a great deal for whoever they are covering for whether it be Bristol, Willow, Track etc.
What doesn't add up is the fact that Sarah Palin knew there was extreme controversary surrounding Trig's birth and she did NOTHING to dispell the rumors, only contributed to them by throwing Bristol under the bus.
I also find Mercedes Johnson's pictures just plain weird. There is no way they make sense at all and the fact that Sarah Palin is in the pictures looking very happy (and very non-post partnum) doesn't make sense either.
What I do believe is that this is a very close-kint,protective, loving family who takes care of their own.
Most likely I think the truth is Trig is Bristol's baby, Sarah Palin covered for her because he was a special needs baby and financially was going to be a huge burden. I think Sarah Palin faked her pregnancy in the last month and didn't do a very good job of it.
Sarah Palin will never admit to the cover-up and somehow I doubt the parties involved with either because they care more about the innocents involved (Trig, birth-mom) than they do about the public's 'need to know'.
S in Chgo - I thought a few blogs back you stated that you were done with this website and were on your way to fighting your corrupt governor in IL. I see you are still around. What is it that's keeping you here since you have better things to do? You 'closet palinites' just kill me. :-)
Keep it coming. The naked truth is always chasing a well-dressed lie.
Think whatever you want, Ivyfree, you're entitled to your opinion just as those of us who think Bristol should be left alone until she chooses to speak on her own are entitled to ours. I don't know where you've gained this keen insight into Bristol's though process, but there could be any number of reasons why she hasn't spoken to the public. Like, she's not a public figure and she doesn't want to. Or, she's busy concentrating on her baby and going back to school. Or, she's completely overwhelmed by the situation and doesn't know what to do, and doesn't want to get picked apart by the public, the MSM, and her own parents. No one but those she chooses to confide in know what's going on in that girl's head, and just because her mother used up all her benefit-of-the-doubt currency doesn't mean she doesn't deserve to be cut some slack. I think preying on this poor girl at this point is just senseless bottom-feeding, and I'm more inclined to take a higher road until more facts come out on their own.
S in Chgo (who is officially done with this conversation)
Gee, Anon @ 1:46 who can't come up with an identity, I guess you've really put me in my place...closet palinite...ooooh, that really smarts. Sticks and stones, hon.
I believe what I said was I 'may' move on if this blog was sinking to the level of hounding a teenager. Audrey clarified her position on Bristol well enough to keep me interested in seeing what she has to say. As far as me sticking around commenting, until the mods start blocking me I think I have as much right as anyone else to express my opinion. So bugger off, why don'tcha.
S in Chgo
"I think preying on this poor girl at this point is just senseless bottom-feeding, and I'm more inclined to take a higher road until more facts come out on their own."
Speculating about the bizarre birth patterns in the Palin family isn't "preying" on anyone. Sarah is using her family as a means of promoting herself, and she hasn't given up on further political ambitions. So it's still a current issue. In the meantime, I don't think it affects Bristol in any way. Why would it?
I'm also not claiming any special particular insight into Bristol's thought processes. I'm just saying that until I hear something that indicates she disagrees with her mother, I think it's likely she agrees with her. She has, after all, been raised by her. It's entirely likely they hold similar values- you know, both getting knocked up out of wedlock and so forth.
I'm looking forward to seeing you take the higher road in further posts.
S in Chgo said: Gee, Anon @ 1:46 who can't come up with an identity, I guess you've really put me in my place...closet palinite...ooooh, that really smarts. Sticks and stones, hon.
S in Chgo - Got news for you, sweetie (since I am hon), we all are Anonymous. I don't know you and you don't know me. That makes us Anonymous. Having a made up name like 'S in Chgo' makes you no more known than anyone else.
Still thought you were leaving to take on more interesting topics. But like I say, still see that you are around.
Another detective analogy -
If Sarah were accused of murder and the most solid alibi she had so far was that Bristol was with her during the time the murder had occurred. And if she further claimed to be eating in a restaurant, in full view of a dated surveillance camera during the time when the murder must have taken place, that would be pretty solid.
But then the attorney for the defense tells the jury that even though there is just such a video, he chooses NOT to enter it into evidence, and merely puts a spokesperson for Bristol on the stand to claim that they were together in the restaurant that night...
Well, this is a bit convoluted, but to Craig and the others who are saying that Bristol deserves her privacy - I'd think it would definitely be in Bristol's best interest to exonerate herself, and put all of those rumors about Trig to rest!
Bristol's baby has not been born yet - it's not due for another two weeks. The People rag article is a red herring to "prove" that Trig is Sarah's baby, not Bristol's first. That's why we haven't seen pictures of the new baby and there is no report at the hospital of the birth.
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