Sarah, Bristol, and Trig Palin: Conspiracy Theory A Go-Go!

You've all seen the conspiracy theory surrounding republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin's new baby, right? The nutshell version is that it isn't Sarah Palin's baby, it's her daughter Bristol's; here's the DailyKos diary where I first read about it.

I love this theory. Not in a "oh my god, it must be true" way, but in a "wow, there's an awful lot of circumstantial 'evidence' that feeds into liberal wish fulfillment in a fascinating way" way.

(I should clarify, however, that I don't believe it. If true it would be a cover-up of pretty massive proportions that implicated Palin, her doctor, her entire family, and potentially the McCain campaign. No matter how desperate the McCain people are, there's no way he picks Palin and hopes that something like this doesn't somehow come out. That's way too far on the wrong side of the risk-reward spectrum.)

Still, it's a great crackpot theory. Unfortunately, any possibility that it was true appears to have disappeared with the announcement that Bristol Palin is currently five months pregnant; that timing puts conception before the birth of Trig.

But why let the facts (or should I say "facts") get in the way of a perfectly good conspiracy theory? I laid out the whole theory to my Mom over the weekend, showing her the pictures of a supposedly seven-month pregnant Sarah Palin, the family pictures (my mom: "Sarah's not pregnant, but that girl is!"), etc., and then the story broke yesterday about Bristol's pregnancy. My mom's response? "Well, all they have to do now is announce that Bristol has lost that baby. If that happens, you'll know something was up."

If that were to happen, it would send the crackpot wing of the Democratic Party into a frenzy never before seen. It would be incredible.

Of course, it's not going to happen, and hopefully within a few days we can (as Daryl said to me last night) move past this and focus on the fact that she's completely unqualified to be Vice President.