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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- In a day of stunning disclosures, John McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, said Monday her 17-year-old unmarried daughter was five months pregnant, and it was revealed an attorney was hired to defend the governor in a probe into the firing of her public safety commissioner.

The revelations threatened to steal any remaining thunder from Day One of the Republican National Convention, which already was overshadowed by Hurricane Gustav -- and brought unwanted attention to the 44-year-old governor, a self-described "hockey mom" with little experience on the national stage. The GOP convention had already been scaled back because of the hurricane, and just three days after McCain named Palin as his vice presidential running mate.

Coming after the randomness of Gustav, the revelations added to the sense of unscriptedness hanging over the convention. "Life happens," said McCain adviser Steve Schmidt, talking about the pregnancy story. "An American family," added colleague Mark Salter.

In a brief respite from partisanship, Democratic rival Barack Obama weighed in: "I think people's families are off limits and people's children are especially off limits."

McCain aides said the announcement about the pregnancy of Palin's daughter, Bristol, was aimed at rebutting Internet rumors that Palin's own youngest son, born in April, was actually the daughter's The national convention, which a political party counts on to send its candidate surging into the fall campaign, already had been relegated to a distant second to the hurricane on TV, in newspapers and on Internet Web sites.

The pregnancy statement, attributed to Sarah and Todd Palin and released by the campaign, said that Bristol Palin would keep her baby and marry the child's father, identified only as a young man named Levi. The baby is due in late December.

"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. We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents," Sarah and Todd Palin said in their brief statement.

Palin had told McCain's team about the pregnancy during lengthy discussions about her background, aides said. At several points, McCain's team warned Palin that the scrutiny into her private life would be intense and there was nothing she could do to prepare for it.

What do you make of today's announcement?

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Corrina

Corrina_Sullivan's Blog

Palin's 17-year-old Daughter

Corrina_Sullivan

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