Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, gave birth to her fifth child, Trig, earlier this year. Or did she? There is speculation that Trig is not Sarah’s son, but instead is the son of Sarah’s daughter Bristol.
According to Paul Tosone on iReport:
1. Bristol Palin left school for an extended period of time, due to mononucleosis according to her family for the last 4-5 months of Trig’s pregnancy. Some classmates claimed later that they had seen Bristol Palin pregnant.
2. Sarah Palin did not reveal to anyone outside her family that she was pregnant until 8 months into her pregnancy. Even then, she showed no signs of pregnancy. Alaskan news outlets commented on this, but did not go further. There are pictures of her at Super Tuesday (just a month before the baby was born) at <http://www.adn.com/politics/story/339576.html>.
Here is the picture in question:
Sarah Palin during Super Tuesday (on right)
This does not look to me like the picture of a seven month pregnant woman.
3. There are supposed photos showing Bristol Palin having gained weight, possibly significantly so in the abdomen.
4. Sarah Palin went into labor in Dallas just before she was due to deliver a keynote address at the Republican Governors’ Energy Conference, and flew to Seattle, then Alaska while still in labor.
http://www.newsminer.com/news/2008/apr/22/palins-flight-labor-falls-under-scrutiny/
Supposedly, she was in labor during the 8 hour flight, and the crew and attendants did not know.
(Quote from the Article Above):
“”Governor Palin was extremely pleasant to flight attendants and her
stage of pregnancy was not apparent by observation as she didn’t show
any signs of distress,” Boren said.”This is extremely risky behavior, and you are advised by doctors, traditionally, not to fly once you are past 7 months pregnant. If airlines are made aware, sometimes they will prevent you from flying. Sarah Palin did not inform the flight.
Indeed I would be surprised if an airline would let her fly in the late stages of prgnancy, let alone while in labour. If Trig is indeed Sarah’s child (which must be the most likely possiblity in the absence of evidence to the contrary) then her behaviour was foolhardy and bizarre.
5. Sarah has had four children before, and a prolonged labor that lasted a flight from Dallas to Alaska is extremely unlikely, as labor times usually decrease with the number of births.
Here’s a picture of the Palin family the Anchorage Daily News, taken six weeks before Trig’s birth on March 9th:
Palin Family taken 6 weeks before Trig's birth
Bristol is on the right of this picture, with Sarah next to her. Of the two, which one looks more like she’s pregnant?
One factor in favour of Sarah being Trig’s mother is that Trig has Downs Syndrome, a medical condition that is much more common in infants with an older mother. Another factor is that the Republican Party would no doubt have checked her background before offering her the VP position.
One final comment: in Britain, all births have to be registered, and it is illegal to put false information on a birth certificate. Is this also the case in America?
UPDATE: This story is also being covered at:
BlueBloggin — which says it matters because “Sarah Palin is pro-life” and a “proponent of abstinence only education”.
Daily Kos — which accuses the Alaska Governor’s website of removing pictures of Sarah taken while she was pregnant.
James Lee has a blog — who says that whether Trig is or isn’t Sarah’s, it reflects badly on her either way.
Reveries of a Solitary Walker — who is sure the baby isn’t Sarah’s.
Will in the World isn’t sure the rumours are true, and isn’t convinvced they matter either.
Jesurgislac makes a point about Downs Syndrome:
Downs syndrome babies may be in need of immediate medical attention at birth if they are to survive. Most urgently, an echocardiogram needs to be performed — DS babies can have congenital heart disease. A complete blood count needs to be done as soon as possible — a DS fetus may have leukemia. (There are other tests, but none quite so urgent.) A DS baby needs to be born in hospital if at all possible, and one with the best possible pediatrics department.
It was perhaps unwise of Governor Palin to fly to Texas, eight months pregnant, but it was downright maniacally irresponsible of her to decide to fly back when she knew she was in labour. And I cannot believe that the physician she says she spoke to in Texas would have okayed her flying back, while in early labour, when if she gave birth to Trig on the plane, there was a small but not miniscule chance that Trig would never have left the plane alive – and certainly, it would have been safer to stay in Texas, check into a hospital there, and give birth.
