Bess Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 (edited) It was a very awkward interview. I was suprised that she was not a better speaker considering her mother's knack at speaking. Does anyone know how old Bristol is? I thought she was around 19? She seemed much younger and not very mature (in my opinion), and not very well educated (sorry). I was surprised she could not think of the word "ideal" when it seemed she was trying to think of something to describe her view on abstinence. Instead she said that abstinence should be "the main thing" after trying to find the right word. She says she wants to be an advocate to prevent teenage pregnancy. Um, not if she doesn't gain better communication skills. Maybe it was all nerves related though. Hope so. Here is a link...I believe you can click to see the video: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,495244,00.html Edited February 18, 2009 by Bess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 She was 17 when she got pregnant, I think. So I'm guessing she's 18, at the most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 No, I didn't see it. I would like to comment that some of my children are very different than I am. I am sometimes shocked at how few of my genes passed down. :) Also, I am a pretty good communicator and write very well (I'm a quick conversationalist here on the boards), but even around a few people at a baby shower I suddenly panic and forget things and blank out on my word choices. As soon as I leave, I remember what it was I could not remember then. It's a horrible thing to have happen to you. I didn't see the interview, though, so I cannot comment on everything -- this one thing just stood out to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in NH Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I'm pretty sure that she is just 18. I don't think speaking skills are passed down from one generation to the next.;) However, at 18, I don't know how well I would have done on a national interview. We have cuurent politicians who cannot say even one sentence without say "um" at least once or twice. And these people are considered educated and very intelligent.. I only saw a snipet of the interview, but i would put my money on nerves and inexperience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 From a quick Google search, it looks like she just turned 18. Communication skills require practice to be refined. I didn't see the interview, but if she keeps giving interviews or speaking she will improve. It seems like I heard on the news she arranged the interview herself, telling her parents the day before (I was cooking dinner with loud children, so I'm not 100% sure that's what I heard). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I shudder to think how I would have done at 18 on national television discussing the fact that I was an unwed mother and everything that goes along with that plus the fact that my mother was the vice-presidential running mate in the last election. My dh says I'm never at a loss for words, but that moment might have found me mute. Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I hate it that she is in the public eye. She has enough to deal with. I guess she's trying to make the best of it :(. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret in GA Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I just watched it. The most striking thing to me is her canned answers "It's so rewarding" , etc. I will cut her some slack on the "umm"s and lack of intelligent answers given that she has a newborn. Most of us can agree that will make you just plain dumb. But, the canned answers are annoying. Margaret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I don't think teenagers without polished public speaking skills is remarkable. Unless she has spent her life in the public eye - which she really hasn't until recently - there would be absolutely no reason for her to interview well. I do have to chuckle at her aspiration, though. Is she planning to become the poster child for what not to do? That's a mighty sharp sword to throw herself on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 Ok, I only watched the first of the 3 videos, but she did strike me as a very young and immature girl. I think if she'd told her mom sooner about the interview, she could have gotten some coaching on how to sound better, maybe leave the word "like" out, not shift her eyes so much (it makes her look deceptive, imo), etc. She kept saying, "It's not glamorous" and "It's so much easier to wait." I think maybe she thought things would be more glamorous and easier than what they are. And, I'm guessing she was nervous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I watched it. I think she did ok. I'm sure she was nervous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I just watched it on Youtube. She said "yeah" "like" and "stuff" about 300 times each, but that seems pretty typical of a teenager, though not my preference. But I thought the substance of what she said was very mature and composed. She couldn't answer the question about how to really prevent teen pregnancy. She said everyone should practice abstinence and wait, but then she said that's not realistic. I think if she wants to be a campaigner to prevent teen pregnancy, she needs to get a solid idea of how to go about doing that. If she's not willing to say that contraception availability and education would help and also not willing to say that teens can and should wait, I'm not sure what she's going to say on these campaigns. Nonetheless, I thought she seemed like a reasonably poised young lady. I think her mother often struggled to find the right words to say things and was not eloquent by any stretch - especially in interviews as opposed to prepared speeches. I'm sure that's true of most people, and I think Bristol did as good a job as most girls her age could ever hope to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fivetails Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I just watched it - and sitting here, staring at my screen, I could practically "feel" the nervousness coming off her. Know what I mean? I was interviewed on television once, when I was 17 - it was part of a telethon for an organization that works with runaways - and although I was excited about it and had been looking forward to it, when it actually happened....when I found myself sitting on the "stage", with the (bright & hot) lights (you don't really see the weird lighting when you watch something on tv) and everything...oh man. Nerve city. I had lots of things that I'd planned to say - and completely forgot most of them. :tongue_smilie: Give the kid a break - she's not exactly a professional speaker...she's an 18 year old girl who was prolly shaking from the ears down and trying not to swallow her tongue. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 Nerves and inexperience. Lack of coaching, and an uncomfortable topic. It was a disaster waiting to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey in TX Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 She's young, inexperienced, and naive. I give her a lot of credit for trying to face the public and urge her fellow teens to abstain (even if it's "not realistic"). It would interesting to know why she opted to do an interview. After all, it wasn't for political reasons as her parents were informed the day before. She had arranged it herself. Kid definitely has spunk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 Nerves and inexperience. Lack of coaching, and an uncomfortable topic. It was a disaster waiting to happen. :iagree: Not everyone is cut out for the ubiquitous 15 minutes of fame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I haven't watched the interview but I'm going to assume that it was good old fashioned stage fright. She was having to discuss something personal in public at only 18, no pressure there ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougarmom4 Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I watched it and agree that she was probably just nervous. I watched it because I wanted to see how she responded and what kind of a statement she was going to make--basically I wanted to know what she would say to other teens in high school. And although I agree that you have to make the best of what happens and didn't want her to call her baby a 'mistake,' I was also waiting to hear her say--"Dude, this is so hard. And if I had it to do it over again, I wouldn't have s*x until I was older. Be careful--don't do what I did." That's what *I* wanted to hear, so I was a little disappointed. Of course, I know--she's a cute girl, she's got a sweet baby, she's got a great family who is helping her, it's not the end of the world, good can come out of it. But somehow I still wanted the message to come across as--don't do what I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 All I want to know is, what is Gretta's obsession with the Palin Family? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 Do you get paid for these interviews? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I only watched the first part, but to me she seems to be an awfully sweet girl in an impossibly difficult position. And who wouldn't be nervous facing Greta Van Susteren? Bristol Palin didn't make the decision to become a "public figure", this was thrust upon her by circumstances (at least partially) beyond her control. And the initial media onslaught she faced must have been more than a little bit "traumatizing". I think this poor girl deserves a little grace. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura R (FL) Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 Ditto the grace... You know message I liked... It's OK for the whole family to step in and help when the unexpected arises. The unwed teenager doesn't have to be punished and sent off on her own to make it or break it. I thought it was lovely to hear of grandparents and great-grandparents and aunts available to help out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly IN Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I haven't watched the videos. I would have bombed on a tv interview at the age of 18 to 25. I would do fine right now but not then. Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I believe she was very nervous. She made her point, abstinence is ideal, but not realistic (with a giggle) we know what the caught up in the moment feeling, she was embarrassed She repeated that you should wait 10 years, get a education, a job, (before having a baby) She went to ps she new about birth control, their is not a kid in the US that doesn't have a basic understanding. The point is don't put yourself in a position to get "caught up in the moment" when I see young kids with pregnancy, lets be honest, a lot of us were just lucky we didn't end up teen moms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawn of ns Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 when I see young kids with pregnancy, lets be honest, a lot of us were just lucky we didn't end up teen moms Luck had nothing to do with it in my case. I collected comic books and played role playing games. There was never even a chance I might get pregnant. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 (edited) I'm pretty sure that she is just 18. I don't think speaking skills are passed down from one generation to the next.;) However, at 18, I don't know how well I would have done on a national interview. We have cuurent politicians who cannot say even one sentence without say "um" at least once or twice. And these people are considered educated and very intelligent..I only saw a snipet of the interview, but i would put my money on nerves and inexperience. Well said. I am certainly not ready to judge Bristol. Imagine what it's like to go from a virtually unknown person to a media sensation. I can't begin to fathom what it was like for her to sort out her own feelings concerning the pregnancy, let alone having to do it with the world watching, and the world not being particularly kind about it. I don't think it's odd that she is not a public speaker like her mom, she seems much more reserved and quiet. Add to that no sleep, nerves etc. Plus, Greta Van Susteran is the worst interviewer, ever! I would have a hard time answering some of thse questions coherently!;) Edited February 19, 2009 by Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Ditto the grace... You know message I liked... It's OK for the whole family to step in and help when the unexpected arises. The unwed teenager doesn't have to be punished and sent off on her own to make it or break it. I thought it was lovely to hear of grandparents and great-grandparents and aunts available to help out. I liked that, too. It spoke volumes to me about what the family is like behind the scenes. It only solidified my Sarah Palin love.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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