Palin teen's pregnancy refocuses '08 race

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By Adrienne T. Washington

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Being a teen mother is no laughing matter. Being the brunt of "baby bombshell" and "Juno" jokes is no fun, either.

Like the mother of Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. Barack Obama, I became pregnant with my first child at 18 years of age and was a married mother a year later. I know of what I speak.

When faced with that untimely situation, neither of us had any "decision" to make about carrying our pregnancies to term. Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion, was not the law of the land in the late '60s.

So I noted with some confusion how Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, now vice-presidential running mate of Sen. John McCain, asked for privacy for her family when the 44-year-old political novice knowingly chose to put her husband and five children in the public spotlight.

This is a "teachable moment" about family values not to be missed by any parent.

Even more puzzling is how Mrs. Palin chose to use the term "decision" in her statement explaining the weekend revelation that her 17-year-old unmarried daughter is pregnant and has chosen to give birth and marry.

What decision? What choice? Isn't Mrs. Palin a staunch opponent of abortion, even in cases of rape and incest?

Don't she and Mr. McCain hanker to overturn Roe v. Wade, taking medical life-altering decisions from women - including her daughters - as if it was still the late '60s?

Clearly, Mr. McCain selected Mrs. Palin as his running mate to set a blaze under the Republican Party's smoldering right-wing base, primarily for her ultraconservative stance on social issues, especially abortion.