The crazy rumors can stop. Bristol Palin is pregnant and her Mom isn't hiding it.
Whether she likes it or not, whether you like it or not -- Bristol Palin and her unborn baby are going to be an issue in this campaign. She'll be discussed around water coolers and coffee tables and on blogs and in the mainstream media.
We'll discuss what Bristol means about a woman's right to choose or about baby killing or whatever your ideology dictates you call abortion.
We'll discuss what Bristol means about Sarah's Palin's choices as a working mother. We'll try to puzzle through whether criticizing her choice to work and suggesting she should have been more involved with her children is an anti feminist position.
We'll discuss what Bristol means given that Barack Obama was also conceived out of wedlock. We live in a world now where Bristol's child could grow up to be a Presidential nominee.
We'll discuss whether or not it's right to discuss Bristol at all.
But we'll still discuss her.
My advice to Bristol; it's not about you, really. None of the people talking about you -- including me -- know you at all. We know you're a real person but your name and likeness are now a symbol and a launching off point for strangers to discuss issues they feel passionately about. That's really weird but it's what happens.
Sorry. Best of luck.
Update: Some people are still holding onto the fake pregnancy rumor. Let's just do some math. Trig was on April 18, 2008 - about four months and a week ago. Bristol is said to be five months pregnant. Now, if you want to pretend that the five month date is a total lie then you'd also have to believe that the 17 year old had a Down's Syndrome baby then turned right around and got pregnant again presumably because the first premature birth was so freakin' awesome!