The sudden pregnancy of Bristol Palin is a touchy issue that the media has their paws all over. When John McCain announced that Sarah Palin was his running mate late last week, a firestorm of Internet activity erupted as “skeletons” came crawling out of Palin’s closet. But the biggest bombshell—that 17-year-old Bristol is pregnant—has opened up a much larger debate about whether the families of political candidates are always off-limits.
I feel really bad for Bristol Palin. At 17-years-old she’s having to deal with a very adult situation—pregnancy, marriage, and the responsibility of being a first time parent. And she’s having to do it with very bright studio lights shining on her—some are critical of her and her parents, while others are cheering on her decision to keep her baby and marry the father sooner than she might have otherwise. I cannot imagine how she’s doing it and with such serenity. While I feel badly that Bristol has to deal with these new pressures while the media discusses her every move, I do think the media has every right to do so, but only to a point. I don’t think Sarah Palin’s parenting should be questioned and I don’t think Bristol’s pre-marital sexual behavior should be judged, by anyone. But I do think the contrast between Sarah Palin’s personal life and her political ideologies is wide open for discussion, no matter what side of the fence you sit on.