Bristol Palin: Father Can See Son Anytime

(AP)  The 18-year-old daughter of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the former Republican vice presidential candidate, disputes a report that she makes it nearly impossible for her ex-fiance to visit their infant son as much as he'd like, a family spokeswoman said Thursday.

Bristol Palin and 19-year-old Levi Johnston recently broke off their engagement. The couple had a baby, named Tripp, in December.

"Levi sees the baby whenever he wants, the family sees the baby whenever they want," Palin family spokeswoman Meghan Stapleton said. "Bristol is not preventing anybody from seeing Tripp at any point in time."

Stapleton was referring to a Star magazine report this week that quoted Levi's sister, Mercede, as saying Levi tries to visit his son every day but Bristol "makes it nearly impossible."

The sister also was quoted as saying the baby is not allowed at the family's Wasilla home because Bristol "doesn't want him around `white trash."'

A phone message left by The Associated Press at the Johnstons' home was not immediately returned.

Bristol Palin was devastated about the report, according to Stapleton.

Levi Johnston told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the breakup was mutual. He declined to elaborate but said the Star report was riddled with inaccuracies.

Stapleton also slammed the story for implying Bristol is a high school dropout. The teen is a senior at Wasilla High School and plans to graduate in May, Stapleton said.

She speculated money was involved in the tabloid interview with Mercede Johnston.

"The fact that it is a tabloid and a soft interview, there could be an incentive to say things," Stapleton said. "We have seen a lot of that, especially on the tabloid side. We don't even know if (Johnston) said that."

Martin Gould, senior executive editor of the New York-based magazine, declined to say if Mercede Johnston was paid to speak to the Star. But he said the report was accurate.

"We spoke to Mercede and she told us that, so we stand by our story," Gould said.

Sarah Palin, in one of the presidential campaign's most explosive moments, revealed Bristol's pregnancy three days after being named Sen. John McCain's running mate. Palin said in December that her daughter and Johnston "are committed to accomplish what millions of other young parents have accomplished, to provide a loving and secure environment for their child."

The Star story says the couple broke up before an interview that aired on Fox News last month, when Bristol Palin said her fiance saw the baby every day and described him as a "hands-on" dad.

Stapleton said she has "no idea" when the couple parted ways.

[koikoi2-2009]

now the news is in the middle of a high school spat....

[GG0967]

Well first issue is that the 2 were never married Bristol as the mother is the sole parent until the Court confirms that the child is in fact Levi's via a paternity test AND there is a custody and child support order in place and the simple fact is Bristol is the ONLY parent.

Is Levi paying CS at this time? Who knows but what you do know is that Bristol had this child under her parents insurance and since she is still living at home Sarah and Todd are footing the bill for this additional child under their roof.

Granted some say he was working BUT when he was working he was not supporting Tripp. No child support instead from what I have heard and read he thinks that if Bristol marries he will be off the hook for CS. SO SORRY Levi it does not work that way. IF you are man enough to talk about your lost job and how you had moved yourself in to the Palin's home to disrespect their graciousness to all you to stay - and then go on Global television and talk about having sex with their daughter than MAN up pay CS and go to court to get visitation.

[sugar6168]

I think this young man has every right to have partial custody of his child. why does she think she has more rights then he does.

[ladypirate2]

Dragonwagon5: Baby TRIG is not a **** and baby Trip is not a verb! They are babies and they are just as good as yours or anyone else's children! Just because Trig was born with downs syndrome does not mean that he should be called a **** and baby Trip can't help the circumstances that he was born into either and doesn't deserve to be called a "verb" or any other name except the name that his parents gave him at his birth which is Trip Easton Mitchell Johnston!

[ladypirate2]

thgdriver: I still say that if Levi is wise he won't try it! In fact if he has a brain in his head he won't try it! Legal or not if he tries to take that baby he might not live to get out the door! Besides if he tries to get custody of that baby the Palins are going to fight him with every legal tool and court order at their disposal and they have much deeper money pockets than he does! They can hire many more attorneys. They will spend their last dime fighting for their daughter to keep custody of her baby! And just as I told tuckerndfw, if Levi tries to cause them trouble and tries to take the baby, Sarah will just get on the phone and make a few calls to her friends in the Alaskan judicial or court system and maybe call a few people in the republican party and that will be the end of Levi's attempt at getting custody! You and I both know that he doesn't stand a chance! Sarah has too many political connections and associates in the Alaskan court system and she won't fail to call on them in this case!

Also exactly what do you think a nineteen year old boy is going to do with a 3 month old baby who is very likely breastfeeding and is still in diapers? As I have said before, babies require round the clock care, 24hrs a day 7 days a week. That means you can't just go out with your firends anytime you want to and Levi wouldn't be able to go hunting or skiing whenever he wanted to. He would have to stay home with the baby or hire a babysitter. I don't think Levi is prepared to do that! And as I have said before, since he is a man he is not equipped for breastfeeding! Besides I don't think he is financially able to raise a baby by himself either! He would have to provide home for him and since he lives with his parents, that would be another problem!

No, that baby is much better off left exactly where he is, with his mother!

[erasmus111]

I pity the child being born into that family.

[888irish]

Someone needs to get a life. This is an old story.

I hope you aren't going to do what you said you were going to do, tucker. :(

[ladypirate2]

tuckerndfw: There is somehing else that I don't think you've considered. If Bristol is like most young mothers these days, she is breastfeeding! Since Levi is a man he is not equipped for that! Also there is the diaper situation. There is not a man alive that likes to change nasty loaded diapers! They might change the wet ones but they draw the line at changing the loaded ones! That's when most men give the baby to their mother! Also a baby has to be cared for 24hrs a day 7 days a week. I don't think Levi is prepared to do that. He would also have to provide a home for the baby and one day that baby will be ready for college. Do you really think Levi will be able to send him to college? I don't! The Palins can afford to send him to any college that he chooses! No, all things considered, that baby is better off left exactly where he is! WITH HIS MOTHER!

[ladypirate2]

tuckerndfw: Levi will be much better off if he calmly and respectfully sits down and tries to work out a compromise visiting arrangement with Bristol because getting mad and throwing his weight around and issueing orders won't get him anywhere. The only thing that might get him is a black eye! Calmly talking things out always works much better!

[ladypirate2]

tuckerndfw: You misunderstood me! I did not say that the Palins are murderers! In fact I think they are decent people and I am a conservative Christian republican and I voted for McCain/Palin! But people do desperate things when they are defending their children and a mother especially will fight to the death for her child! I don't blame them and I would do the same thing if someone came in my home and tried to take one of my children or grandchildren, even if that someone is their father! If Levi goes in their home and starts throwing his weight around and demanding that they give him his child and disrespecting them in their own homeand tries to take that baby by force, someone will likely be killed or, at the very least, hurt and it will likely be Levi! I don't think any jury will convict them either because people have a right to defend their home and their children!