Sep 1, 2008 6:15 pm US/Central
Delegates React To Palin Baby News
ST. PAUL (WCCO) ―
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Bristol Palin, 17, and her sister Willow Palin, 14, carrying their baby brother Trig, get of the Straight Talk Express campaign bus at the airport in St Louis. (File)
Robyn Beck/Getty Images
Several delegates at the Republican National Convention said Monday they were surprised to hear that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter is pregnant.
The John McCain campaign said they knew about Bristol Palin's pregnancy before the governor was selected as McCain's running mate.
The Palin family said they support Bristol Palin, who plans to marry the father of her baby.
Delegates in St. Paul said they support the Palin family and said the pregnancy may help voters identify with Gov. Palin.
"I think that it shows that she's a human being," Minnesota House Minority Leader Marty Seifert said.
Michael Brodkorb writes the influential blog Minnesota Democrats Exposed. "It would once again connect that she's a real mother, that they're a real family that faces real problems that families across the country are facing," he said. "I think a lot of families can really connect to this story."
Other delegates praised Bristol Palin's decision to have the child.
"I'm sure she is pro-life and I think that's evidenced by her Down syndrome child and I'm sure this will all be just old news in a few days," said Kentucky delegate Gail Russell."
Delegates said if Democrats try to make it an issue, it will backfire.
"If they want to indict her as being a bad mother, what they're doing is they're basically calling millions of American families that have dealt with the same situation bad parents," said Ron Carey, the Minnesota Republican Party Chair. "So, I think they're on very dangerous ground."
The delegates are saying they hope this story fades in a few days and they are concerned about how the Palin family will handle the intense scrutiny. Delegates are privately saying they hope this is it for surprises about Gov. Palin. Delegates admit they seem to really like her, but don't know much about her.
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