Gail Collins wrote an excellent op-ed on the New York Times about Bristol Palin as a teen ambassador for the Candie's Foundation.
Neil Cole is the head of Candie's and sees no problem in promoting their sexy products through ads showing highly sexualized young people while promoting sexual abstinence at the same time, via the Candie's Foundation.
“Just because you’re wearing high-heeled sexy shoes doesn’t mean you should have a baby,” said Neil Cole.
A couple of years ago, under fire from critics who accused him of dressing high schoolers like tarts, he established the Candie’s Foundation, which fights teen pregnancy. And there he was on Wednesday introducing the foundation’s new teen ambassador, Bristol Palin.
...when it comes to combating teen pregnancy, the Palin family has done enough damage already. What worse message could you send to teenage girls than the one they delivered at the Republican convention: if your handsome but somewhat thuglike boyfriend gets you with child, he will clean up nicely, propose marriage, and show up at an important family event wearing a suit and holding your hand. At which point you will get a standing ovation.
Sarah Palin has said in the past that she opposes “explicit” sex education, which kind of sounds like ... sex education. And while encouraging kids to wait is obviously fine, the evidence is pretty clear that abstinence education is worse than useless.
The full article is worth reading, don't miss it.
The Candie's Foundation have a very mixed agenda, to say the least. In October 2008 they advertised one of their public service annoucements using a poster with images of Bristol and Levi next to Jamie Lynn Spears. Today Bristol is their ambassador for abstinence while Jamie's sister Britney takes care of the sexy clothes and shoes.The marriage between an opportunistic business and a blatantly ambitious politician result in many confused children...
NYT op-ed
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39 comments:
As the shock is wearing off, I'm not surprised, Bristol is following in her mother's footsteps and whoring herself out to the highest bidder...I think this has been planned for quite awhile though, b/c megstapletongne has been saying for a couple of months, "Bristols going to school and advocating abstinence"
I think the average teen is going to be saying WTF? or LTAO @ this.
“Just because you’re wearing high-heeled sexy shoes doesn’t mean you should have a baby,” said Neil Cole This guy...is creepy, and when I see his name/him I just think of little Piper in her high heel shoes! He makes my skin crawl. I wouldn't be surprised if some scandal pops up around him or this Bristol thing.
I also think he's cashing in on the name here, and I wonder how much Bristol got paid?
I can't think of anything more ridiculous than for someone for whom "abstinence" failed not one, but TWICE, taking her latest drugged infant on TV and advising other teens to stick to abstinence "because it's the only thing that's 100% effective." Yeah, it's effective IF you stick to it. We have a long line of unwed impregnated Heath women showing how realistic that is.
Oh yeah. Bristol Palin as a "abstinence advocate" outta sell some shoes (NOT)....Bad deal for Candies.
This brilliant Palin move has caused the NY Times to join Team Levi!
That's good news for Rex, Tank and the Johnstons.
Bad deal for the Palins.
One of these days, folks will get it: associating with the Palins is just "bad business."
I don't know why the Palin's thought this was a good idea. Even Dylan Ratigan, formerly of CNBC commented on Olbermann last night that this whole thing just reeked of hypocrisy.
Again Sarah uses her daughter, grandson, and husband to further her own agenda...it is sad that she keeps pushing them out on the national stage just for the media to reiterate the obvious.
Regina,
I want to thank you for allowing people to speak their mind on your blog. My comments are constantly blocked by PD's gatekeeper. I complained once and was told, if you don't like it too bad...I call the shots. It's a drag to have well crafted comments without anger, vulgarity, or verboten topics tossed aside, doesn't feel very democratic.
Thank you for letting us speak our mind!
I feel no sympathy for Bristol Palin. She has had the ability to say no, even at 16, but she chose not to. She continues to go along with the dog and pony show, she's an adult, and this time she is getting paid. She should be held accountable for what she says. I'm guessing Willow has been saying no for quite some time, which is why she is not getting hauled out into public to stand up for her farce of a family!
I don't believe the Palins feel any guilt when they are flitting about the country on hard earned Alaskans' tax dollars. Do you suppose they donated any of those hundreds of Tripp gifts to needy charities? How do we know they haven't, because this group would have announced it to the press. I can not wait for the truth about these folks. It could not happen to a more deserving group of grifters!
Thanks again for you wonderful blog,
penny
my wv is: "motered" = moterated
It sure seems like the Palins are in a race for The Worst Parents in America Award.
STFU already and just let your kids go to school!
We will all know soon enough how much Bristol was paid. As a member of the Govenor's household her income is required to be included on the Governor's financial disclosure forms.
Regina - I know there is a way to pull the complete tax audit of any Foundation. That would show income and what percentage of donations they use for Administrative costs and salaries vs. "charity".
It would be interesting to check into the Candies Foundation and see what their actual % of "good works" turns out to be.
I am on a Foundation Board and less than 10% of our donations go to "Administrative" while 90% goes to programs. That is the mark of a good Foundation.
I think Bristol is totally lost which is sad - but as someone said above, I cannot stand to see the drugged babies! They are disgusting and the idea that SP sends her daughter out to whore for money just says once again what type of low life skank she actually is.
Yes, Bristol is now officially a paid whore for a cause that she could not practice herself. Isn't a good salesman suppose to believe in the product they are selling?
Sarah may see the house of cards falling apart and is using Bristol to grab as much money as possible before it crashes.
Which daughter gets pregnant next?
penny @ 16:52
I, too, had the same problem with the same site. I commented that the date of the picture of Bristol in the green top had to be in 2007. That was the reason for the blog reiterating the picture was taken in 2006. I felt as if I was being slapped on the wrist. Well, look at the faces or maturity of the kids in all pictures. (I emailed the moderator a picture of Bristol taken less than 5 weeks before the convention which showed Bristol about 20+ pounds less than she was at the convention. How could that be? Padded. I think it is quite possible labor was induced early for Palin's timeline.) When all the pictures are placed side by side, Bristol gained weight twice, two pregnancies. The interview yesterday showed Bristol's normal, slender frame, like her father.
penny's right, regina, you have a wonderful blog and you have done a tremendous job exposing the Palin lies. Thanks!!
I am another one who is having problems with having posts published on the above mentioned site... Even though I generally post non-controversial stuff there!
Anyway - two comments: I don't remember where I read the account today that someone saw Tripp in a before-the-show clip on TV, and the baby was lively and active, and then that commenter saw him later on *on* the show (on TV), and also thought the kid was totally drugged - the poster was 'creeped out' by what he/she saw (I have no TV, so I can only see clips on the Net)
Second comment: The below article has a picture of all the Palins around Christmas time in 2007. Guess which one of the women is/looks preggo? (Thanks to an ano poster on Gryphens' site)
http://www.box.net/shared/sbx0z6eo66
LOL! My wv is 'mogulma'...
Does the Candies Foundation ONLY promote abstinence, or does it also promote safe sex? I've never heard this explained.
Not to pile on, but I, too, migrated here after being rejected from a certain site.
I won't list my credentials, but let's just say I have a few, and it's too bad I wasn't able to contribute over there.
However, what a blessing it turned out to be, as I LOVE this blog. Regina covers EVERYTHING so well. This blog satisfies my intellectual thirst for knowledge, and all human interest perspectives, too.
Plus, the comments are smart and savvy!
Thank you, Regina (et al).
In defense of Candies, the sexy-looking models help them sell their products. I'm from the east and you would just not believe how some of these 13 year-olds dress! I do question if the girls are as "slutty" as their attire might otherwise suggest. If you follow this line of thinking, there could be a very cynical reason why Candies wants Bristol on the payroll. It makes it easier for these girls to get their moms to buy Candies' products, because wearing these clothes doesn't necessarily mean the girls would be acting promiscuouslyly.
To FedUp!!! I'm also wondering about the baby who wins the contest for most-sound-sleeping-baby-ever. Let's just assume that Bristol was going to act in a professional manner to advocate for her cause. She was unprepared, even answering "I don't know" to reasonable questions. At the abstinence conference itself, she is not photographed with the baby. She did not hold the baby in her lap when she participated in the panel discussion. So I really have to wonder why they dragged Todd and Tripp out there to the TV interview couch. Wouldn't you think that someone acting in a professional capacity would want to talk about the issues without the lifeless babe in her lap? Todd just stuck his foot in his mouth with his "this mistake here made more than a year ago" huh??? Only the Palins seem to think that dragging the sleeping baby around gives them family values credentials when, in fact, it does just the opposite. It shows that they are willing to use their kids as props without any regard to their health, education and well being. They can answer that the public wants to see Todd and Tripp-- well, that's what People Magazine is for-- do another staged photo op. But if Bristol wants to pretend that she is a responsible spokesperson, it doesn't look good to show up with the blessing that you are denying other kids. Todd and Tripp should have been in the "Green Room" backstage. They could cut to a shot of them while asking, "So, how are Grandpa and Grandson doing?" I would have suggested a more business-like outfit than jeans and a T-shirt. Nitpicking? Sure, but we all know that she's no spokesperson. And, I don't see how this helps Sarah Palin's future political ambitions at all. Maybe they are angling for a TV Reality Show; they have the cast for it!
I know some are "off" PD but there is a new post with another non-pregnant photo of Palin* taken a few days before the birth.
*I never use the name Sarah because she WANTS to be Sarah, one-name famous like Cher, or Charro. So I always call her Palin.
Check out the announcement picture they use that Bristol was pregnant...
http://www.usmagazine.com/photos/shocking-teen-pregnancies?slideshow_id=451&o=0
As far as I remember, over at PD, they said it was 'definitively' taken in 2006.
HMMMMMM.....
It's too bad that Bristol didn't have anything of consequence to say.
She's fine, the baby's fine, he's the love of her life, he's awesome, she wouldn't ever call what she did a mistake... but gosh, she sure looks like she only gets 2 hours of sleep a night (NOT) and all that hard labor makin' bottles and changin' diapers hasn't damaged her nails any...
This is clearly all Sarah, trying to excuse the pregnancy and the wedding that didn't happen and her own failure as a parent. How awful for Bristol that as a 17 (or was it 16 the first time) year old she finds herself pregnant? And it's all her fault, also, too!?
@FEDUP, I hardly think US Magazine can be taken as an "official announcement" and definitely wouldn't read anything into the choice of pictures. Someone put out a press release, and US started googling for recent pictures. They cropped down the photo and slapped the news on top. That photo of Bristol was one of the very few that were out there in the first few days of the campaign.
IMHO
All of the Palin biographies published so far appear to be aimed at the true-believer market, but Lorenzo Benet's Trailblazer went as far as disclosing that sister Molly (ex-wife of the trooper that Tahhhhd and GINO tried so hard to fire) is, along with Bristol, a primary caregiver for SP's kids.
"Trailblazer," which Gryphen wearily plowed through, makes a fleeting mention of a "Wasilla girl" hired as a "nanny." No name, of course.
Nanny X and Auntie already give BP a lot more help than any single mom gets (even Jamie Lyn Spears looks more frazzled than BP), and more of a hand that what's available to a lot of the married moms, for that matter. The D.C.-based blog wonkette.com posted a delightly snarky response to Bristol's television appearance: To paraphrase, oh yeah, like Bristol is TOTALLY going to promote teen pregnancy... I mean, absti-whatever.
OK I found it - I have the 2007 and 2006 Candies Foundation Tax Returns....
who wants them?
Candies Foundation I900 Tax Returns showing Neil Cole's Salary ($500K plus) and others.
http://dynamodata.fdncenter.org/990s/990search/esearch.php
Are there any pictures of Bristol's kids where they are fussy, crying or moving around like most babies in loud or crowded situations? I think there is something very unusual about that. I think of Sarah carrying Trig out to all those rallies and he looks so zoned out. Unbelieveable.
Is it just me or do all of you have an issue with 13 year old girls dressing like that. I bet those ads attract a lot of pedophiles. There is sometimg really strange about this organization! Why is Candies even interested in this issue? It is weird for a show company that uses child models dressed like this to be advocating abstinence?? Why??Are they faux Christians?
Also Bristol is a pretty girl and I am someone who does have empathy for her because she is a product of her upbringing. That being saud , she is a horrible spokesperson! Besides the obvious hypocrisy, she is a bad speaker who didn't say much. I am surprised she east better prepared by someone.
Oh and why does the baby look like a zombie?! Something seems really wrong. In that bright studio with all the lights and noise?? Very very unusual baby behavior.
Also I have worked professionally with Downs kids/babies. Carrying Trig around all that stimulation was very bad for him.!!!!! I am referring to during the election!
basheert awesome tax returns!
midnightcajun, basheert and those that think the babies out cold look has even a remote possibility of medication, what can they do?
If the child has a medical condition and is prescribed something for TV appearances, they need to say something.
The tapes that are already available aren't enough to have the babies safety checked out? How to go about that?
I'd feel better if there was something I could do to at least feel someone was checking on this. The TV studios and all will have more video and witnesses to what happened around the babies.
Are there any public videos of Tripp looking like the healthy baby they claim he is? If he has allergies, would a doctor recommend benadryl at 4 months?
Bristol is an Ambassador and role model for teen mothers. I'd think they would want the child to look normal or if he is not, they need to say what his afflictions are. Their public needs to know what is happening here. Do mothers want young girls to see the sweet mother and best behaved baby as a role model? Would you tell your child to listen to Bristol because she learned from her mistake and see what an angelic baby she has now? The Candie hypocrisy is bad enough. If Bristol and Candie don't care, the media that promotes this has some splainin' to do, too.
Media won't want to touch this although it looks obvious enough for the comment out cold from an interviewer.
FEDUP!!! I have no doubt you are right about the twitch their nose, or pull a face - even in the deepest of their sleeps! In the future if you were to do an interview with Bristol and Tripp and thought there was the the slightest possibility the baby could be medicated, wouldn't you want to know the whole story? What would Matt Lauer have done if the baby looked physically abused on a previous TV show and again on his? That is how he should respond to this. He won't get serious about Tripp, but I hope enough people let him know he needs to rethink what happened. I don't steal from Republicans often, but he is either for Tripp or against him.
I feel sick and I don't want to watch the world ignore that poor baby too out cold to twitch. Everyone in media should be required to watch the video time and again.
Watch it in slow motion and tell us how it looks to you media!
Totally O/T:
For some reason, I went to check out the old campaign photos on Megan McCains blog.
Is it just me or did she remove most of the Palin pics? Somehow, I thought I had seen tons and tons of them there before
You can check any Foundation Tax Returns. I am going to print them and see what percentage of their donations go to projects and what portion go to Admin. That is the key in Foundations.
The Salary of $500K is WAY WAY up there for a legitimate 501(c)3
Basheert: Wasn't there a stink about the top boss of the Red Cross also - I believe it turned out that she gets over $600,000/year!
The C4Pers were probably right in saying NBC's Matt Lauer wasn't totally in Bristol or Todd Palin's "camp" when he interviewed them, but I thought it was pretty significant that practically the first thing he mentioned to Bristol was that her baby was "out cold".
Being a father himself, I'll bet he thought that was pretty unusual, considering the lights, noise, heat, etc. of the studio.
To add to what MrsTarquinBiscuitbarrel said about Bristol's aunt Molly and the Wasilla nanny, Bristol has SIXTEEN cousins of various ages. I'll bet at least 4 or 5 help out, and then, there's Piper and (the evidently reluctant, according to the Esquire article) Willow.
As for some of you who feel you've been restricted in your comments over at PD, I've had several posts disappear, too, and I have been notified exactly why.
It's not too much to ask folks like me -- and you -- to adhere to their comment restrictions there; there's a lot we commenters don't know, and I wouldn't want to speculate on something that puts the blog owner at risk, or "outs" her. Both situations have already happened to two other bloggers.
(my WV is "mandati = mandate?)
If Megan McCain pulled the photos, no worries I hung on to all the good ones.
I am not saying I won't visit PD, nor am I saying that I posted anything inappropriate, which is why it is so frustrating. I don't bother asking why she doesn't post, one, "If you don't like it..." was enough for me. The moderator won't even apologize when she makes a mistake. That just rubs me the wrong way.
penny
basheert--the salary you are referring to is the salary from the related organization (Iconix/Candies the company) NOT from the foundation. This is stated at the top of the page that contains the salaries.
What I thought was an interesting choice of words was the "Primary Exempt Purpose" of the foundation, which is "To educate America's youth about the devastating consequences of teen pregnancy."
I'm not sure how Bristol is educating youth about the "Devastating" consequences of teen pregnancy. As mentioned above, she has all the comforts of free room and board, national fame, etc.
FEDUP...great picture, and confrims: my thinking matches yours. My first time seeing that one...
Is there any hope for out cold exhausted baby?
And may I just add: How would you like to be a child whose mother went campaigning for abstinence after your birth? Wouldn't you feel kind of, um, like a Mistake???
Poor kid, there's no hope for him at all.
There are some very interesting articles in today’s Huffington Post:
Obama Eliminates Abstinence-Only Funding In Budget
Meghan McCain: Bristol Palin Shows The GOP Doesn't Understand Sex
Bristol Palin Can See Unicorns From Her House
Amusing picture given the date and the pose… maybe SP should be the one wearing the “bullseye” sweater.
(Target handout photo) Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin greets the Target dog, Bullseye, at the start of the 36th annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage on Saturday, March 1, 2008.
http://www.adn.com/photos/sarah-palin/v-gallery/story/564167.html?/1521/gallery/564168-a564295-t3.html
Here are some of the Megan McCain photos:
http://tinyurl.com/ovyd4n
A picture is worth a thousand words...
Penny,
I tried the link but it's asking me for a Yahoo ID...
Reg
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