Re: David Gregory's rediculous comment on Meet the Press this morning

[demo dutch]

" I think it's cool that she took a plane trip while in labor"

WHAT????????
Consider this David: IN MY VIEW this illustrates Palin's complete lack of judgement in a risky situation and that she is reckless!

The details of the birth of Gov Palin's child are ironic, as it leads one to question her decision making abilities as she is a heart beat away from the Presidency no to mention her pro-life principles. A reasonably intelligent person can determine that Palin was reckless with the life of her unborn child. (see full details at the Anchorage Daily News April 22 edition http://www.adn.com/626/story/382864.html

Palin made the decision to travel to Texas to a Governor's conference while 36 weeks pregnant, a time during which obstetricians would tell you it’s foolish to travel via plane. Air travel is a known risk for pregnancy complications, which is indeed what happened. Governor Palin, while on a self-promoting trip to deliver a speech, had premature rupture of fetal membranes: her water broke.

Call any local OB department and ask what to do if you think that your water has broken. You’ll be advised to seek an immediate hands-on examination by an obstetrician. The baby will be placed on a monitor to make sure it’s OK. Premature rupture of membranes can lead to life-threatening infection and premature delivery.

What did Sarah Palin do? She did NOT go to a local hospital and did NOT have her baby checked on a fetal monitor to make sure it was OK. She called her family practice doctor in Alaska for advice. What advice was given isn’t clear, but it’s clearly quoted that she "DID NOT ask for a medical OK to fly". Whether it was OK to fly should be the FIRST question anyone considering traveling by air should have, if they were at all interested in protecting the life of the unborn. Regardless, she decided to give her speech at the conference without having any evaluation other than the long-distance advice of a family practitioner. Her speech was more important to her than making any effort to make sure her unborn disable potentially premature child was OK. Then, she decided to fly back to Alaska, an 11-hour trip. In addition, she FAILED to inform flight personnel that her water had broken. Even though Alaska airlines doe not have a policy regarding travel by pregnant women, the airline would not have allowed her to board had they known that the membrane had ruptured

Airlines are unequipped to handle most emergencies at 30,000 feet, particularly the kind Palin put her unborn child at markedly increased risk for. These emergencies include birthing a premature infant or uncontrolled maternal bleeding. This was her FIFTH pregnancy and delivery can happen rapidly and unexpectedly. The baby or Palin could easily have died.

In the ADN article Palin downplays her decision to fly, implying traveling was reasonable as she wasn't in labor. If so, then why was she immediately hospitalized after returning to Alaska? Why was there an induced delivery of a 36-week infant by 6:30 am soon after her return? Again, ask any OB doctor. Induced delivery of a premature infant ALWAYS indicates a problem. The two most likely would be fetal infection, (a likely event given her failure to seek meaningful medical attention for her baby) or fetal distress by monitor.

and I quote from the ADN article
Sacramento, Calif., obstetrician who is active in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said when a pregnant woman's water breaks, she should go right to the hospital because of the risk of infection. That's true even if the amniotic fluid simply leaks out, said Dr. Laurie Gregg. "To us, leaking and broken, we are talking the same thing. We are talking doctor-speak," Gregg said. Some airlines have policies against pregnant women onboard during the last four weeks of pregnancy, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises against flying after 36 weeks.

Ask your OB doctor if the risks Palin took with the life of her unborn child are risks they would have advised for ANY reason. Then ask yourself whether in this case Palin showed sound decision making during a risky sitation not to mention wheter this was truly pro-life, or only pro-Palin.

---
The more I hear about Palin the more disturbed the facts are becoming. Reckless, self serving, not too bright and overtones of a white trash mentality (sorry, but that's my opinion) Brilliant move McCain!! just what we need in the WH while the country is in dire straits, 2 wars ... need I gow on!!

BTW I emailed Meet the Press immediately!

[C_U_L8R]

1. Cool? More like lamebrained

What was she thinking?

[marylanddem]

2. She most likely wasn't in labor.

But her daughter was.

[GoesTo11]

52. She had to rush back for the delivery

The timeline here is consistent with: Got a call that her daughter went into labor. Said "I've got to get back home, but can finish my speech" does the speech, flies home then the baby is already born so they have to say they induced labor on the governor. But 2 days later she's back at work!

[TwilightGardener]

3. Actually, I'm glad they're talking about it, because most mothers don't think it's "cool".

[ClarkUSA]

4. David Gregory hasn't been the same since he boogied with Karl Rove at the Press Dinner

He's a not-so-subtle cheerleader for McCain. Sticks it to Obama/Biden every chance
he gets while he defends McCain/Palin.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

46. He called Bush "smart," and then I knew that he's a part of the M$M cabal!

[PearliePoo2]

5. Oh yeah.....it's so cool

Gregory, you are a clueless jerk.
Did you send this to him? You should!

[Tesla]

10. I turned the TV off the minute he said it

He lost all respect I had left for him.
He is a shrill....

[demo dutch]

14. Yes I emailed Meet the Press with this view point

[PearliePoo2]

25. Good on ya

Wonder if you'll get a nice personal 'form letter' back?
Hopefully MSNBC will read it and reflect. I'll send one off too.

[bulloney]

27. It's only appropriate he looks like Howdy Doody. He's been a RW puppet for months.

[redqueen]

33. Months? Try years. Do you remember his dancing with Rove?

[rurallib]

6. The whole flying back to Alaska story stinks to me

Something just don't fit right here, unless she is that stupid and out of touch.

[Kahuna]

7. I'm sure he would approve of his own wife doing that....NOT!

:puke:

[AllieB]

8. It shows a lack of judgement. Most doctors ground you at the end of 7 months.

She was an idiot to fly, especially with a high-risk pregnancy. We should be harping on the judgement of the ticket, not just McCain.

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. Does David Gregory have kids?

I think the "Preggo-gate" story is bullshit, but the "labor on a plane" bit is certainly the most bizarre and not-at-all-cool part of it.

[rurallib]

11. Maybe her health care wouldn't cover her in Texas?

McCain plan = YOYO - your on your own.

[Patsy Stone]

12. Wasn't that stunning?

And Andrea agreed with him, IIRC.

David, you're an ass. It's so.not.cool.

[Bread and Circus]

13. Thank you, thank you

[vanderBeth]

15. Gawd, why don't don't you just marry her, David.

He's an idiot.
:puke:

[global1]

16. Here's Another Theory.......

I'm not sure if it is possible - but I believe you can know before birth whether your child will be born with Down's Syndrome. Some women might make a decision to abort the baby rather than let it live a life of Down's.

Being pro-life - she couldn't get an abortion. BUT - What if the decision to fly back was made because she wanted to put the baby's life in jeopardy?

I know that this sounds really, really bad - but it is another possible explanation of her bad judgment for not just checking into a Texas hospital and flying all the way back to Alaska.

[demo dutch]

18. She had the tests done & knew according to Anchorage Daily news

[mile18blister]

38. I had the same thought.

I'm relieved to know I'm not the only one who thinks it would have been very convenient for her if the baby didn't survive. She would have gotten a lot of sympathy for losing a child.

[eShirl]

50. she may have rationalized she was "putting it in God's hands"

[remember2000forever]

17. As A Former Flight Attendant.....

VIPs get away with disregarding regulations that normal "Folk" don't.

VIPs always get special attention from the Flight Attendants. She would have been in First Class and made comfortable.

There's an Alaskan Flight Attendant "out there" that knows the real skinny on this story. They would have been briefed, or noticed abnormal behavior of a Pax.

What I don't understand.....

The Flight Attendants would not have wanted this potential "Emergency" on their Aircraft. It would have to have been over-rided by Management, or somehow they were clueless?

Unlikely!

[demo dutch]

19. Alaska air does not have a policy in place and leaves it up to the mother and doc to

decide. Airlines are not required to adopt the IAATC policy regarding pregnant women. She hardly showed in fact kept her pregnancy hidden until her 7th month. I believe the ADN article that she decided not to tell the gate agents.

Quote
Some airlines have policies against pregnant women onboard during the last four weeks of pregnancy, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises against flying after 36 weeks.

This was going to be Palin's last flight anyway, her doctor said.

Alaska Airlines has no such rule and leaves the decision to the woman and her doctor, said spokeswoman Caroline Boren. Palin was very pleasant to the gate agents and flight attendants, as always, Boren said.

"The stage of her pregnancy was not apparent by observation. She did not show any signs of distress," Boren said.

Palin never got big with this pregnancy. She said she didn't try to hide it but didn't feel a need to alert the airline, either.
--

Had they known I think they would have denied her boarding

[Quixote1818]

20. Isn't it against Airline rules for someone to fly while in labor?

Wouldn't the Airlines prevented her from boarding if they knew?

[demo dutch]

22. See my post #17

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6846096&mesg_id=6846310

[City Lights]

21. Still living up to Bush's pet name for you, eh Stretch?

:eyes:

Fool on the Hill is more fitting.

[Ilsa]

23. I agree with your content, but I bet the story

is half bogus. It is true that she shouldn't have been travelling so late in her pregnancy, and I wonder if the trip to Texas set off the premature labor. My suspicion, after reading the post of an Alaskan DUer, is that the story is mostly hyperbole. But I would take issue with her flying to Texas so late in term.

[demo dutch]

24. Hyperbole or not, the fact is water breaks you take care of yourself and go to the hospital

especially under the circumstances of this particular pregnancy, low weight and disabled! plus your decision may put the Airline in a precarious situation. I say it's pretty reckless!

[Ilsa]

31. Agreed, if it happened anything like this, what she did

was very risky. I don't have faith in someone who would gamble that much with her own baby's health, much less that of strangers. She is too high risk as a person and as nominee.

[mentalsolstice]

37. Birth announcement said Trig weighed 6 lbs 2oz.

Is that considered low-weight? I don't know much about birth weights, but I was 6lbs. 7 oz and born full-term. From what I understand, from friends who have experienced it, DS births can be complicated and you don't want to risk further impairments to the baby (cord around the neck, breach birth, lack of oxygen, etc.).

She's a stupid stupid woman. If she doesn't care about her own baby's life, is she going to give a shit about ours?

[Thrill]

26. He doesn't even try to be objective anymore

[proud2BlibKansan]

28. David Gregory - still a dipshit

[knitter4democracy]

29. Exactly! Thank you!

I've been trying to post similar stuff yesterday and today. If she really was preggers and he really was her baby, she and her baby could've died with that damn stunt. That is not the kind of thinking we need in the VP slot!

[LibDemAlways]

30. Proof that a GOP shill will put forth any nonsense, go along

with any scenario just to advance the cause. Only in this case David Gregory probably opened a can of worms in the minds of viewers who hadn't heard the story, particularly women, especially mothers who've been through childbirth who paused for a moment and thought, "Did he just say she flew while in labor? WTF?"

That was good for the Dems.

[tbyg52]

32. Does she have three jobs as well? nt

[Coexist]

34. my letter to them:

Did I really just hear David Gregory say that he thought it was “kind of cool” that Sarah Palin got on an airplane while she was in labor with her 5th child, 4 weeks before her due date? Last time I flew, there was not a neonatal unit on board to care for a premature, special needs infant, in the rare case a thoughtless Governor choose to put her unborn child at risk like that. No obstetrician, no forceps, no surgical instruments should an emergency C-section be required.

As a mom of three, the nearest hospital of good repute would have been my destination, not a multi-hour flight. The cruel and unfair burden she would have placed on the crew of that flight shows an irresponsibility of enormous proportions. Can you please have him address this absurd comment on his show? It was not cool; it showed poor judgment, and tells us something very important about Sarah Palin.

[Jade Fox]

35. That comment's gonna come around and bite him in the ass....

because it's a stupid and irresponsible thing to say.

[mentalsolstice]

36. DG should know better, his wife had twins

He should know about high-risk pregnancies, I wonder if he would have liked it if she had taken an 11 hour plane trip in her 8th month?

[eleny]

39. Rachel's show can't come soon enough for me

Her star needs to rise like a rocket with these knuckleheads at the microphone.

A couple of hours of sanity on the tv is all I ask! :hi:

[WinkyDink]

40. Winner of "Most Bizarre Use of 'COOL' EVER Award."

Trying WAAAAAY too hard to make Palin into "Maverick, Pt. 2."

[Coexist]

41. I agree.

[MadrasT]

42. My jaw literally dropped open when I heard him say "cool".

Kick for the evening crew. We knew he was an asshat, but this is over the top even for him.

:kick:

[medicswife]

43. Boy, really cool. I'm sure that the airplane bathrooms are really sanitary.

You can't tell me that a 36 week pregnant woman didn't have to use the airline bathroom on that long ass flight. And with her bag of membranes ruptured? That's just begging for infection. What a crock of shit this is. She's a fucking liar. Unbelievable.

[seabeyond]

44. i wanted to send them an email but it was trying to make me open a hot mail acct and i

dont want to.

anyone have email the show this morning

[HughMoran]

45. She's an idiot

How dare she do something so irresponsible.

Oh, my - what would the conservatives say?

hypocrisy 101

[Pacifist Patriot]

47. The description of her membrane rupture and labor stink to high heavens to this mother of three.

She's either a) lying her ass off about the details of the delivery, b) lying her ass off about being pregnant, c) utterly incompetent as a fifth time mom. Whatever the case, her integrity as a human being is certainly called into question.

[CoffeeCat]

48. I don't get this at all...

Everything I've ever heard about pregnancy and flying--is that doctors discourage flying
as your due date draws near.

I know every pregnancy is different, but I was specifically told by my ob that I could fly,
but they didn't recommend it during the last month of pregnancy. Who wants to go into
labor on a plane?

I cannot even fathom a doctor specifically telling their patient to get on a plane--after their
water broke. Water breaking can mean that you have hours until delivery. For someone women,
it can mean minutes!

I just do not buy this. I don't know what is going on. I have generally avoided the "baby"
threads.

However, I really have a hard time believing that any doctor would tell a woman who just had
her water break--to hop on a plane--especially when that flight would be a few hours.

[smoogatz]

49. Gregory's an idiot, and so is Palin.

If that's evidence of her judgment in a crisis, I think I'll stick w/ Obama/Biden.

[boomboom]

51. especially after Michelle's beautiful story

of how nervous Obama was just driving them home from the hospital. Most doctors won't even let a pregnant woman travel in their last trimester, right?

[elias7]

53. Perhaps the recklessness stemmed from an unconscious desire for late term abortion

How could someone be so reckless as to put the baby's and her own life in danger. Precipitous deliveries happen very regularly to multiparous women. Hedr physician would have told her to go immediately to the nearest hospital and most definitely, not to fly...

[marshall]

54. So....her child died somewhere in Texas and she switched it with Bristol's?

I think I saw that storyline on Bold and the Beautiful a few years ago.