John McCain’s vice presidential running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin, said today that her 17-year old daughter Bristol is pregnant.

The 17-year-old daughter of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is pregnant, Palin said on Monday in an announcement intended to knock down rumors by liberal bloggers that Palin faked her own pregnancy to cover up for her child.

Bristol Palin, one of Alaska Gov. Palin’s five children with her husband, Todd, is about five months pregnant and is going to keep the child and marry the father, the Palins said in a statement released by the campaign of Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

Bristol Palin made the decision on her own to keep the baby, McCain aides said.

“We have been blessed with five wonderful children who we love with all our heart and mean everything to us,” the Palins’ statement said.

“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. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support,” the Palins said.

The outrageous lies and smears by the left wing blogs about Gov. Palin and her daughter are outrageous and disgusting. I am glad however, that the Gov. decided to go ahead and announce her daughter’s pregnancy and get it out there so we can all move on.

I think her daughter’s pregnancy just reinforces the fact that Gov. Palin is a regular American with a regular American family. Millions of families all across this country regardless socioeconomic status are forced to deal with teenage pregnancies, and that includes daughters of vice presidential candidates.

The appropriate thing to do now is give Bristol Palin her privacy.