Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
What RNC? Palin Grandbaby News Dominates Media
By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 2, 2008
Modified Sep 2, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 2, 2008
Modified Sep 2, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The Republican party may be trying to make the best of their Gustav-affected convention, but the news that vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter is pregnant has thrown a lot of attention onto things other than why John McCain should be president.
The NY Times says that the disclosure of Bristol Palin's pregnancy is "one of several revelations that called into question how well John McCain had screened her" (the others being her Troopergate incident, her husband's DWI decades ago, and her membership in Alaska's independence party). Some feel that the pregnancy will resonate with Americans who have had to deal with similar situations, while others question Palin's opposition to "programs that teach teenagers anything about contraception."
The McCain camp suggested the announcement was made because of liberal blog's gossiping--and even that Barack Obama's campaign was behind it. Obama said:
I’ve heard some of the news on this, and so let me be as clear as possible. I have said before and I will repeat again: I think people’s families are off limits. And people’s children are especially off limits. This shouldn’t be part of our politics. It has no relevance to Governor Palin’s performance as a governor or her potential performance as a vice president. And so I would strongly urge people to back off of these kinds of stories.
You know, my mother had me when she was 18. And so how family deals with issues and, you know, teenage children, that shouldn’t be the topic of our politics. And I hope that anybody who’s supporting me understands that’s off limits.
As for Bristol Palin, the father was revealed to be Levi Johnston, an 18-year-old ice hockey player at her high school. The Daily News describes the pregnancy as an "open secret," and his coach said, "He was a good kid to be around, with lots of friends. He was well-liked." The media flocked to Johnston's MySpace page (which was taken down), where he called himself a "f-----' redneck" and someone who doesn't want to have kids. The Daily Intel thinks Johnston is "sex on skates," a hot "baby daddy," and "basically the quintessential example of that guy who you are constantly worried is going to impregnate your daughter (and occasionally does)."
Tagged
abstinence
barack obama
Bristol Palin
john mccain
Levi Johnston
premarital sex
sarah palin
VP vetting
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Early Addition: There's a new hot duck, this time in Queens
Because a mandarin duck has been frolicking in Flushing, here are your early links: RHONY star racked up a lot of parking tickets, 57 best Italian restaurants in New Jersey, Judi Dench said the "Cats" movie was bad and more.
By
James Ramsay
Published Oct 20, 2026 at 9:40 a.m. ET
NYPD hate crime unit investigates smashed windows, ‘Pal Action’ graffiti at UES Capital One
The bank previously faced protests over a $90 million loan to an Israeli drone company.
By
Ryan Kost
News
NYPD hate crime unit investigates smashed windows, ‘Pal Action’ graffiti at UES Capital One
The bank previously faced protests over a $90 million loan to an Israeli drone company.
By
Ryan Kost
A reliably Republican part of NJ, until ICE came to town
By
Mike Hayes
NYC school integration debate exposes tensions between Black parents and Mamdani
By
Elizabeth Kim
Queens man charged with hate crime at Jewish-owned bagel shop displaying Israeli flags
By
Giulia Heyward
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .