Fact Check: Palin Seems to Misrepresent Timeline on Daughter's Pregnancy

By: Steve Chaggaris
Topics: Republicans

(AP/Harper)

On page 214 of her memoir "Going Rogue," Sarah Palin writes the following in regard to when the McCain campaign knew about her daughter Bristol's pregnancy:

"I was impressed with these guys. They were thorough. For example, they already knew that Bristol was pregnant, a development that I thought only loved ones were privy to at the time."

Yet Palin should have known the campaign was aware of the pregnancy by that point: She told the campaign's vice presidential vetters as much, in writing, far before she was chosen to be John McCain's running mate.

Palin and the other vice presidential short-listers were asked to fill out a written questionnaire during the vetting the process, according to a "senior official close to the vetting process" who talked to reporters on September 2nd, 2008.

Palin revealed Bristol's pregnancy on this written questionnaire, adding that she wanted to discuss the pregnancy orally with the campaign, according to the campaign official.

A written report, which included info about the pregnancy, was presented to campaign manager Rick Davis as well as McCain before the campaign flew Palin down for the meeting she describes on Page 214.

More Coverage of Sarah Palin's Book:

Palin Contradicts Her Own Version Of Events With Oprah
Exclusive: Palin Accounts Disputed by McCain Aides
Democrats Give Mixed Reactions to Sarah Palin Buzz
Sarah Palin: I Was "Annoyed" by Katie Couric's Newspaper Question
Bob Schieffer on Palin: No Future in Politics
Palin Book Roils Former McCain Aides
Palin "Vindictiveness" in Her New Book?
Sarah Palin's Book: The Fact Check
Palin Publicity Blitz Full Speed Ahead

Steve Chaggaris is CBS News' Political Director. You can read more of his posts in Hotsheet here.

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by tyrone888 April 9, 2010 4:00 AM EDT: hmm.. so i guess only rich famous teens have the luxury of having sex without pausing? .
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what if you're in a semi-famous family and only upper middle class? that's what i wanna know.

is she really saying that it's okay for her to have her baby, but you poor nobody's shouldn't?

crazy chicks, these Palins; Reply to this comment


by steviek2000 November 19, 2009 4:25 PM EST: "Seems to misrepresent" is not the same as "does misrepresent". You have 2 people telling 2 different stories.

The McCain campaign is hardly going to admit that they knew about the pregnancy. That would be admitting digging for dirt which would look real bad.

That is why the report uses the word "Seems". Well is "Seems" to me that "Seems" is a matter of opinion and "Seems" to be a smear.

Thanks CBS !; Reply to this comment


by whataweekwevehad November 18, 2009 2:24 PM EST: Stop talking about the Bristol and Levi issues, and start talking about Palin's work as a politician. Please interview her about her political ideas and stop the tabloid stuff. Thanks.; Reply to this comment


by NowBeWithThat November 18, 2009 1:45 PM EST: "Palin seems to misrepresent timeline on daughter's pregnancy"
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AP hired eleven 'fact checkers' to go through Palin's book and this is what they came up with so far?

Since when is putting a timeline on pregnancy a science? Even obstetricians can't be certain.; Reply to this comment

by questionyou November 17, 2009 12:00 PM EST

"Fact-checking" by AP - who stole a bootlegged copy of the book (good ethics at practice here,eh!?) There is a huge difference in "fact-checking" and expressing a different political interpretation of anything she says/does. And I don't swallow ANY of CBS's so called fact-checking...they always have been in the tank for Obama's motley crew plus CBS use fools like Letterman to rake in money - everybody knows that they need the viewers! As far as the Newsweek cover - why all the attention to a jogging outfit when pictures were taken of Obama in swimtrunks and the Insane Stream Media drooled over his pecs? Some pundit for MSNBC asked if she was posing as a candidate or a cheerleader - back at you,bud, - was Obama posing as a president-elect or as a beach bum/wannabe stripper? Let's give the same respect/disrespect to both sides of the aisle. For instance, to the blogger who asked "Have you met one honest Republican lately?" - I ask you "Have you met one taxcheating, communist (remember he was on video saying that Republicans are a**holes - what a dignified response...NOT), broken campaign promising liar of a Democrat lately?" YES in Washington DC!!

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by gramto8 November 17, 2009 4:45 PM EST: by questionyou November 17, 2009 12:00 PM EST
"Fact-checking" by AP - who stole a bootlegged copy of the book
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Why would they have to steal 'a bootlegged copy of the book' when the book is available for purchase? Your asinine makes no sense at all.


by windrider160 November 18, 2009 5:24 AM EST: An important difference on her complaint about the Newsweek cover: she posed for that photo shoot, knowing the pictures could turn up almost anywhere; Obama did NOT pose for the swimtrunks pic, that was basically a paparazzi shot.

And what is it with you stuck-in-the-50s people still calling all Democrats "communists". It wasn't true then, it's not true now, and it won't be true tomorrow. Democrats are Democrats; Republicans are Republicans; Communists are Communists (and communists are NOT Marxists or Socialists, those are different economic systems...if you're going to continually insult people, at least know what the hell you're talking about because you clearly wouldn't know a real communist if one bit you on the backside.


by Northwestmichael November 17, 2009 10:53 AM EST: http://www.nosarahpalin2012.com LOL; Reply to this comment

by Unclemercer November 17, 2009 7:08 AM EST

Who cares what Sarah says? She looks so pretty saying it. She is a superstar.

Reply to this comment


by voxpopulus November 17, 2009 7:45 PM EST: Need glasses much?


by Omni-Present101 November 17, 2009 3:41 AM EST: For a Person that Claims to hate the Main Stream Media...

Sarah Palin Loves to Run to the "Main Stream Media" Moreso than the Republican..

"Main Stream Media & Radio Programing"

I.E. Fox News and Republican Radio..Huh

Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters

Talk about Hypocrisy and Contradictory

She Runs to the Main Stream "Gotcha Media"

Remember Palin Running to Matt Laurer during the Dave Letterman Quip on her Daughter ..Hmm

Palin Simply Manipulates the Simple Minded and Contradicts Herself in So Many Ways.

She Loves the Attention and Playing the Victim Game.
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She'll be Rejected in 2012 and Go Rogue and become a Cheap and More Laughable Version Of Ross Perot, to Spite, Huckabee, Romney and Pawlenty.
__________________; Reply to this comment

by truthfairy1 November 16, 2009 10:42 PM EST

On Oprah, Palin said she instantly accepted McCain's telephone invitation to be VP candidate.

And here's Palin answering Sean Hannity's Sept 2008 question about her decision to accept the vice-presidency:

"It was a time of asking the girls to vote on it, anyway. And they voted unanimously, yes. Didn't bother asking my son because, you know, he's going to be off doing his thing anyway, so he wouldn't be so impacted by, at least, the campaign period here. So ask the girls what they thought and they're like, absolutely. Let's do this, mom."

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by Omni-Present101 November 17, 2009 3:36 AM EST: A 1/2 Term Governor, Sarah Palin [Quitter]

Money Hungry, Bright Lights, Big Stars in her Eyes, Big City Attention Seeker...

1/2 Term Governor [Quitter] Not a Full Term Governor ..

Note: Oprah Winfrey Took it So Easy on this Hollow, Floating, Bubble.

It was a Sad Sight, to See.

Hopefully, Barbara Walters takes Off the Gloves ?

On Second Thought, She Won't
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CBS should be talking about Condoleeza Rice and Lisa Murkowski for President and Vice President of the USA, they Both have National and International Experience and Keenly Astute on Law.

Yet CBS and the Mass Media Machine, Lowers itself to Concentrating on this Hollow, Floating Bubble.

A Bubble is Beautiful to look at, but Very Easy to Burst, such is the Case of Sarah Palin.

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by truthfairy1 November 16, 2009 10:28 PM EST: "Palin, along with other finalists, completed a lengthy questionnaire that probed many personal issues....McCain officials said that questionnaire and the personal interview revealed three new facts previously unknown to the team: Palin's daughter's pregnancy, the arrest of her husband two decades ago for driving while intoxicated, and a fine Palin paid for fishing without proper identification."
By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 3, 2008; Reply to this comment