Stanek wkend Q: Was pro-life congressman right or wrong to out pregnant teen daughter?
What a tough situation. Be sure to vote your thoughts in the poll at the bottom of this post.
From nola.com, July 3:
The Bill Cassidy Senate campaign announced Thursday that the candidate’s unmarried 17-year-old daughter is pregnant as she prepares for her senior year at a Baton Rouge high school.
Cassidy [is] a Republican congressman from Baton Rouge…. The baby is expected later this summer.
Much like Sarah Palin, who announced that her own unmarried 17-year-old daughter was expecting just before she addressed the Republican National Convention as John McCain’s surprise 2008 vice presidential selection, the Cassidy campaign chose to pre-emptively disclose the information about their daughter’s pregnancy.
The Cassidy campaign provided this statement:
“Earlier this year, Laura and I learned we will become grandparents this summer. Our children have been the greatest blessing of our lives and we welcome our grandchild as a joyous addition to our family. Our daughter now faces a more challenging future than her peers. She has our unconditional love and support.”
The Cassidy campaign didn’t provide additional information.
Palin, the former Alaska governor received mostly praise for the disclosure about her daughter, both from conservative Christian advocacy groups like the Family Research Council and Democrats. Some abortion opponents praised the daughter for not terminating her pregnancy.
It’s likely the information would have come out eventually because of Palin’s high-profile, though ultimately unsuccessful campaign, to be the first woman vice president.
It’s not as certain that word about the Cassidy daughter’s pregnancy would have been disclosed without Thursday’s announcement. But by disclosing the information, the Cassidy campaign can avoid somebody perhaps using social media to reveal the news in a gossipy way.
Both Bill Cassidy and his wife, Laura, are physicians….
Do you agree with how this father (pictured above) handled his daughter’s pregnancy news, given his high profile? Or should he just have remained mum for as long as possible, until word was leaked by another source?
On a personal note, I’d like to congratulate the Cassidy family on their new addition and their brave daughter. Cassidy’s campaign website states he “works to promote the culture of life and protect the unborn.” He and his family are showing they walk the walk.
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
If his daughter was okay with the announcement, then why would it be wrong for a candidate to announce joyous personal news?
Political opponents do not respect the personal lives of politicians and their families. Given that reality, a politician-father needs to make the best decision for his family.
Politically, a pro-life candidate should not be afraid to disclose that his family has chosen life in the midst of a difficult situation that many families face.
The abortion fans already try to make women feel ashamed of being pregnant. I think his open-hearted attitude is good for young pregnant women to hear about.
I think he made the right choice to get the story out himself. I am glad that his daughter chose LIFE (at 17 she could have snuck off to PP). May God bless this precious baby to be healthy and happy. His daughter will indeed have many challenges ahead of her but she and her baby can live with her choice. The Bible says “I have set before you blessings and curses, life or death, choose LIFE that both you and your seed may live”.
He definitely made the right decision. Keeping this secret forever was never really an option because the media surely would have found out eventually. It’s better to get news out on your own terms.
I think the statement is a perfect reminder that an unexpected pregnancy is not the end of the world: not for the parents or the grandparents. Proud of him and the words he chose.
Congratulations to the parents and grandparents!
Life is a good thing!
“Earlier this year, Laura and I learned we will become grandparents this summer.”
I have just one minor correction to makes> You already are grandparents.
Congratulations to this family! So happy to hear that they are supporting their daughter and their grandchild. That’s what we all need in life when things happen that we didn’t quite plan for – the support, help, and unconditional love of those closest to us.
My nephew was born when my sister-in-law was 17. We are all very glad he is here today, all grown up, and are proud of the young, soon-to-be married man he has become.
Best wishes to all of them.
Yes, the announcement was the right thing to do. God bless that whole family!
Shout it from the rooftops I say …
God is giving us a new person to love!
New life should always be celebrated with joy!
I’m glad the family is showing that teenage unwed pregnancy is not something to be hidden or stigmatized. Those who felt that way long ago would send the girl away to have her baby, put it up for adoption, and return “as if” nothing had happened. Today the solution for the same kind of socially-self-conscious people is to send the girl for a quick abortion and then go on “as if” nothing had happened. A painful outcome for the young woman in either case, but in the second case much more so in the long run.
These parents are offering their support for their daughter before the whole world, and it’s to be commended. They are disarming the critics, which is the best defense possible.
The sad reality is that it is political that a candidate’s minor child is pregnant outside marriage… and it will be treated politically… and anyone is wise to acknowledge and respond accordingly. But I think it would be cool to figure a way to downplay the political-ness. If she were married they wouldn’t make a statement quite in this way. I would have said: loudly announce it to friends and family… let word travel, as it will. When the press asks, respond with the same sentiment of embrace and support expressed here. People are gonna talk no matter the source or tone of the announcement.
*make.
Has anyone seen the liberal reaction. They are snidely gleeful. It’s disgusting. Now if she had chosen to abort, defying her pro-life father, she’d be their absolute hero. Not that they are pro-abortion or anything.
As long as Bill Cassidy isn’t the father, then it will all eventually blow over.