Palin’s daughter is pregnant; will keep the baby

The McCain camp has officially reported that Sarah Palin’s 17-year-old daughter is pregnant and will be keeping the baby.

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.

I’ve personally known several families within the last few years who have had their sons or daughters find themselves in an unplanned, out-of-wedlock pregnancy. It is heartbreaking for many parents, but really gives them the opportunity to practice their Christian values of love and patience that they believe in.

While it is sad that a 17-year-old is going to have to raise a child, no one should blame Gov. Palin for the pregnancy. In fact, we should look at the love and support her and her husband Todd are surrounding their daughter in and be reassured that it is those kinds of convictions we need in politics these days.

Bristol, we are all praying for you as you start on a difficult journey in your life. Everything happens for a reason – and God will use you and your pregnancy to do great things.

Update: Allahpundit at Hot Air points out that the nastier the left gets about this issue, the better it could be for the McCain camp.

The left, normally all for teen sex, will naturally use it as an excuse to call her daughter a whore in the guise of criticizing Palin herself for her position on abstinence-only education, which is why I’m thinking maybe McCain really did know about it: Per KP’s analysis, the nastier and more personal the left gets, the greater the risk of a backlash that benefits Palin.