Sarah Palin's daughter is pregnant, chooses life

The 17-year-old daughter of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is pregnant, Palin said on Monday -- the announcement made to repel mud-slinging and lies by liberal bloggers that "Palin faked her own pregnancy to cover up for her child."

Bristol Palin, one of Alaska Gov. Palin's five children with her husband, Todd, is about five months pregnant and is going to keep the child and marry the father, the Palins said in a statement released by the campaign of Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

Bristol Palin made the decision on her own to keep the baby, McCain aides said.

"We have been blessed with five wonderful children who we love with all our heart and mean everything to us," the Palins' statement said.

"Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support," the Palins said.

The Palins asked the news media to respect the young couple's privacy.

"Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family. We ask the media, respect our daughter and Levi's privacy as has always been the tradition of children of candidates," the statement concluded.

It is admittedly a sad situation -- howbeit not uncommon, even among Christian families. Nonetheless, admirable in the sense that the Palin daughter will not erase by abortion the consequence of her bad judgement and the Palins will stand beside her. Ben Domenech @ RedState.com on "Bristol Palin's Brave Choice":

Have no doubts about this: Bristol Palin is brave. Braver than any of the hideous bloggers, hiding in their anonymity, who throw muck at her mother and who will doubtlessly revile her decision. Braver than the foes of the right to life who would offer her a knife and a vacuum to end this minor inconvenience. Brave enough to know that it's not enough to talk about doing the right thing - it's doing that right thing when the moment calls for it the most.

We thank her for making this choice now - her child will thank her forever.

The revelation of Bristol Palin's pregnancy might come as a political liability -- or it might not. Two prominent leaders of Evangelical Christians have responded to the news:

• Dr. James C. Dobson of Focus on the Family:

  "In the 32-year history of Focus on the Family, we have offered prayer, counseling and resource assistance to tens of thousands of parents and children in the same situation the Palins are now facing. We have always encouraged the parents to love and support their children and always advised the girls to see their pregnancies through, even though there will of course be challenges along the way. That is what the Palins are doing, and they should be commended once again for not just talking about their pro-life and pro-family values, but living them out even in the midst of trying circumstances....

• The Southern Baptist Convention has conveyed a similar statement of support: "This is the pro-life choice. The fact that people will criticize her for this shows the astounding extent to which the secular critics of the pro-life movement just don't get it."

My hunch is that -- despite the unfortunate circumstances -- most conservative voters will respond along these lines, conveying their support and solidarity with the Palins and their daughter for witnessing to the sanctity of life in the most trying of circumstances.

To his credit, Senator Obama attempted to put a leash on liberal rumor-mongerers:

"Let me be a clear as possible: I have said before and I will repeat again, I think people's families are off limits," Obama said, "and people's children are especially off limits.

"This shouldn't be part of our politics," he continued, "It has no relevance to Gov. Palin's performance as governor, or her potential performance as a vice president.

Finally, Southern Appeal's Francis Beckwith notes There is a certain irony in all this:

Ann Dunham (b. Nov. 29, 1942) was 18 when she gave birth to Barack Obama II on August 4, 1961. Thus, it is likely that Ann was pregnant at 17 with a child sired by a 24 year-old Kenyan exchange student.

Life presents us with certain hardships, some of which are the consequences of our actions. These are the times at which the exercise of virtue becomes the most difficult as well as the most rewarding. Thankfully, there are still many Ann Dunhams and Bristol Palins residing in our communities. We have much to learn from them.