Sarah Palin's "baby" was delivered by Cathy Baldwin-Johnson.

[IndianaGreen]

From blog:

Here's an interesting bit: The linked article (http://www.adn.com/626/story/382864.html) states that the baby was delivered by Cathy Baldwin-Johnson.

Google her, and you'll find this page: http://www.allbusiness.com/north-america/united-states-alaska/103983-1.html …where she was named 2002 Family Physician of the year after the then mayor of Wasilla — you guessed it: Palin — (among others) sent a letter of recommendation.

Also, you might find this page: http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:e0U6tvTkFHwJ:gov.state.ak.us/archive.php%3Fid%3D368%26type%3D1+%22Cathy+Baldwin-Johnson%22+palin&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=us …which is a cache of a "no longer existing page" which says Governor Palen appointed Baldwin-Johnson in May of 2007 to Alaska Health Care Strategies Planning Council.

http://www.reddit.com/comments/6f3nq/coverup_alaska_gov_palin_r_announced_she_was/c03o1ma

Turns out that it was then-mayor Sarah Palin that nominated Dr. Balwin-Johnson for 2002 Family Physician of te Year:

The 48-year-old doctor was nominated by the Alaska Chapter of AAFP, which had presented her with the Alaska Family Physician of the Year award for 2001. Letters of recommendation came from a variety of people, including the mayor of Wasilla and a commissioner for the state of Alaska.

http://www.allbusiness.com/north-america/united-states-alaska/103983-1.html

Governor Palin appointed Baldwin-Johnson as a commissioner to Health Care Strategies Council:

Dr. Cathy Baldwin-Johnson of Wasilla is a private practice family physician and the 2002 National Family Physician of the Year from the American Academy of Family Physicians. In 1999, Baldwin-Johnson co-founded and is the volunteer medical director of The Children’s Place, and since 2005 has served as a consultant and trainer on child abuse issues. Baldwin-Johnson graduated from the University of Washington School of Medicine where she participated in the WWAMI Medical School program.

http://www.hss.state.ak.us/hspc/members.htm

[madaboutharry]

1. A crony.

n/t

[Buzz Clik]

2. Small time politicians and their small time scandals.

non starter.

[IndianaGreen]

3. That's how Spiro Agnew got started

Palin is just like Agnew, except she wields a Bible.

[Buzz Clik]

4. We're far better off focusing on McCain.

[IndianaGreen]

7. You go ahead and play clean with people that play dirty

just get the fuck out of the way and let the rest of us throw the kitchen sink to these fascist bastards.

[redqueen]

8. Or at least the Palin stuff that isn't in the M$M now, like this hometown rumor is.

Troopergate... debt... lying about being for the bridge to nowhere before she was against it... that kinda stuff.

[Midlodemocrat]

32. This DOES reflect on McCain. How can he be trusted

to run the country when the woman he has picked to be a heartbeat from the Presidency is a liar? After he met her one time?

Judgment obviously isn't his strong suit.

[roseBudd]

42. I agree but rumor mongering someone who would be so horrible for women

is justified in this case IMHO

[Neshanic]

5. Exactly.

[Buzz Clik]

6. And Nixon was elected to two terms despite his Agnew problem.

[Cha]

17. She's a hypocrit of the highest order..

and will be held accountable.

[highplainsdem]

9. So now you're smearing her doctor because Palin, years before she was elected governor, sent one of

what were almost certainly many letters of recommendation?

You know, Palin has said some nice things about Obama, too. Must be a conspiracy there as well. Maybe if you screw that tin foil hat on tighter you can find it.

[NashVegas]

11. I Know I Would Never IMAGINE Having My Baby Delivered By a Doctor I Highly Recommend to Others

How about you?

And we're not defending Palin - we're just saying how fucking colossally stupid it is to try to drive a major news story without verifiable facts.

[IndianaGreen]

12. There is no smear here! There is a cover-up as to the mother of the child

and the exploitation by Sarah Palin of her giving "birth." Palin has lied on several things already.

[highplainsdem]

18. It's a smear with no facts behind it. And btw, the fact the doctor is so highly regarded is another

reason to believe Palin's story rather than doubt it.

Or it would be any place but the crazy alternate universe some DUers seem to live in.

[Sanctified]

19. Look at this pic and tell me she was not pregnant.

http://fr.news.yahoo.com/ap/20080829/img/pot-mccain-veepstakes-palin-90aef0b6c220.html

[IndianaGreen]

26. Can't tell from that picture

is there another angle?

[Sanctified]

29. Her stomach is out further than her boobs in that pic.

Either she used to be fat and got lipo or she had a baby.

[IndianaGreen]

31. My stomach sticks out more than my boobs, and I ain't pregnant

She is wearing black outfit, hard to tell with jacket. Let's look at another angle.

[hexola]

33. Too dark to tell...I think her boobs are holding the scarf out past her belly

[starroute]

54. There are a whole bunch more from that meeting at Flickr

None of them seems any more definitive to me -- but maybe you can spot something.

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=palin+exxon

[Sanctified]

66. I think this one shows pretty clearly.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dakotafine/2301695610/

Either she is pregnant or she is hiding a ham under her shirt.

[IndianaGreen]

73. She is wearing black, and her coat is unbuttoned

And may I point out that the Alaska TV video on her "pregnancy" announcement that someone posted in DU doesn't show any stomach on Sarah at all.

[roseBudd]

44. I agree looks like Elaine when she was pregnant during Seinfeld, it's a style of dress

that gives it away.

[ruggerson]

10. lol

this is getting stupider and stupider.

[pecwae]

13. Just when you thought it couldn't

:dunce:

[Iris]

36. yeah. Now he's an alleged baby. I hate superficial quotation marks.

[woo me with science]

43. Probably in cahoots with the "suspicious baby" born April 13.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3889224&mesg_id=3889377

[spoony]

65. That's what you call a baby with shifty eyes

'cause you just know they're plotting some kind of coverup :P

[WeDidIt]

14. So let's find out what church SHE belongs to.

:shrug:

I just don't fucking ahve a clue.

[crazylikafox]

15. Is she an OB/GYN???

would be strange to not use an obstetrician for a high risk pregnancy.

[IndianaGreen]

16. Her family practice includes obstetrics

Along with running a busy family practice, which includes a high percentage of obstetrical patients, she helped to write 11 grants, 10 of which were funded for the start-up of The Children's Place."

http://www.allbusiness.com/north-america/united-states-alaska/103983-1.html

I think this entire story of Sarah being the mother is bogus. I also think that there ain't that many specialists in Alaska.

[Barack_America]

21. But was she qualified to deal with high-risk pregnancies?

Why wouldn't she have referred Sarah to the better-equipped Juneau hospital, knowing that Sarah would have to drive by it to get to her?

[CampDem]

37. I don't know if she was qualified for high risk pregnancies but

This doctor is very highly regarded family practice OB and is from Wasilla where Palin grew up. The doctor delivered at least one of her previous children. After Palin's flight landed in Anchorage she was told to go to Matsu regional hospital. This hospital is brand new, quite large, and state of the art and is located in Wasilla, which is a suburb of Anchorage.Juneau is nowhere near Anchorage, you can't even drive there and would have required another plane ride.

Here is the CEO message on the hospital:

snip-

In 2006, we realized a long-term community goal: to build a new and larger state-of-the-art hospital to provide quality care for the Mat-Su Borough and surrounding region. After years of planning and construction, Mat-Su Regional Medical Center opened its doors January 27, 2006.

It's difficult to describe the mixture of honor, pride and excitement this new hospital has created for our employees, physicians and board members. Between the state-of-the-art imaging modalities, the digitalization of many processes, the opening of a cardiac catheterization lab and the improved workspace, the Valley's medical providers are energized to provide the highest quality of care possible. Even the cafeteria is larger for our staff and community members, though the patients will be impressed with the new room service menu that allows them to select diet appropriate fare at any time of the day.

snip--

check out the hospital website for more
http://www.matsuregional.com/getpage.php?name=message&sub=About%20Us

[IndianaGreen]

38. Diagnosing a patient on the phone, as Baldwin-Johnson did, is downright unethical

and unprofessional.

[CampDem]

48. I don't believe that Palin was leaking fluid before she got to Wasilla and was induced

Palin came up with this embellishment to pander to a very diverse population here. I have worked at local hospitals up here for years. It is very, very common for doctors and nurses to speak with people over the phone and make recommendations. Telemedicine is widely done. Our state is friggin huge people, and many cities have no roads to them. Juneau, our state capitol for one. Anchorage (and Wasilla) are the center for medical emergencies and have the Alaska Native Medical Center, which provides health care for everyone in the Southcentral region, which is larger than many smaller states down south. People jump on planes and fly to Anchorage or Fairbanks all the time for medical care in conditions that would shock people. The only alternative is to build state of the art hospitals in every village in the state, which would bankrupt us. The result of this is a political and cultural climate where you grin and bear it. You brag about the plane ride and how fucked up it was. You brag about how tough you are and top your neighbor. Half the state's population up here are Native villages, some of which are not modern at all. Some natives believe that whites and those in big cities are wimpy and coddled by modern amenities. They do not have plumbing, much less high tech medical facilities.

[CampDem]

62. The doctor said she induced Palin upon her arrival

This contradicts Palin's account and should be pursued. However, half the state doesn't have access to a hospital and engage with providers over the phone in late pregnancy. Many places up here don't even have running water, and see modern technology as a luxury. The ethics of telemedicine is hotly debated and a sort of wedge issue here. Bush communities may not have roads and either fly, snowmachine, 4 wheel, or hike to larger communities to get medical attention. Even pregnant women do this and they wear it like a badge of honor. Their ancestors did not need high tech doctors and midwifery is huge up here. The only other option is to go to a big city to live during late pregnancy.

[avaistheone1]

59. Your mixing your words, Her doctor was a general practitioner, not qualified to deal with high-risk

pregnancies.

Her practitioner was practitioner, not a practitioner who is an OB.

[CampDem]

61. She is very reputable and has delivered thousands of babies

nt

[avaistheone1]

71. That doesn't make her a board certified OB-GYN skilled in high rish pregnancy

Shame on Sarah for risking the baby's life, and not getting to a specialist with "her" high risk pregnancy in a timely manner.

[avaistheone1]

24. I thank it is unusual given Palin was having a high risk pregnancy she did not go to an OB-GYN.

I think that is irresponsible on Palin's part, and doesn't speak especially well for the general practitioner doc as well.

That decision alone adds more fuel to fire that Palin's pregnancy story is bogus.

[IndianaGreen]

34. Baldwin-Johnson said she had to induce labor

I fully agree with your analysis that the pregnancy story is bogus. I am also troubled by Palin's messianic complex:

Palin said she and Todd feel blessed and chosen by God.

http://www.adn.com/626/story/382864.html

[avaistheone1]

52. That does not make her an OB-GYN.

If Palin was a caring mother she should have sought care for her high-risk pregnancy with an OB-GYN.

[IndianaGreen]

57. No, she is not an OB-GYN, and she would not be someone for a risky birth

but that's the official Palin story, which has more holes than a sieve.

UNLESS, a new theory I am formulating, Palin only uses physicians that share her own religious beliefs, and shuns the others.

[intheozone]

40. my thought exactly. And what self-respect family practice

MD would not refer such a case out to an OB/GYN. Most family practice Drs wouldn't want the malpractice liability that comes with such a pregnancy.
There is something seriously wrong with this whole story!

[Barack_America]

20. Weird. If you're delivering a high-risk infant prematurely...

Wouldn't you at least want that child to be delivered by an OB/GYN?

Wouldn't you at least want to get checked out by an OB/GYN in TX before flying for 8-12hrs.?

Wouldn't you go to the better equipped hospital in Juneau, rather than passing it by to go to a community hospital?


WTF is going on here? This story makes NO SENSE!!

[avaistheone1]

25. It would be the responsible common sense thing to do.

It doesn't make sense at all.

This adds alot more smoke to this story. imo

[Liberal Gramma]

41. Not if you are anti-abortion but don't really want to be saddled with a Downs Syndrome baby

You might take all kinds of risks in the hopes that the baby wouldn't make it.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

49. Common sense clouded by being super religious?

Many ultra-religious folks have that "God will take care of everything" mindset. As an example, a co-worker miscarried at the office. Twenty minutes later, she was at her desk working and didn't seem emotional in the least. A couple of us who stayed with her in the ladies' room throughout the miscarriage thought she should see her doctor or at least go home to give her body and spirit a rest. Her response was that it was "God's will" and that she'll soon get pregnant again. (The issue wasn't health insurance or vacation time--she was covered.)

Another example involves family members (through marriage) who waste food. I've never seen anything like it--kids piling food on their plates and throwing out what they don't eat. I was told that "God will provide more" and to not be concerned.

Perhaps Palin was thinking along the "God's plan" lines. Or, didn't First Dude make some crack about the baby being born in Texas? And if she's Assembly of God and subservient to "her man," staying in Texas wasn't an option...

WTF knows... it is rather perplexing. What baffles me is returning to work after 3 days. I've never had kids, but would like to hear from women who have and what they think of returning to work after 3 days.

[Barack_America]

58. Wow. Those are some chilling stories...

You have to wonder how that kind of mindset would affect one's ability to govern.

[mopinko]

22. see if there are any other docs in her town, then get back to me.

i would be surprised if the were more than one person who delivers babies in that town.
alaska is different people, really different.

[LeftyMom]

39. She flew into Anchorage and then drove to Wasalia.

The only NICU in the area is in Anchorage, normally a baby with possible heart defects (they're common in Down syndrome kids) would be delivered in a hospital with a NICU if at all possible.

[woo me with science]

23. "baby" in quotes?

You mean......It's NOT A REAL BABY?!!!!!!!!!!!!

:scared: :wow: :nuke:

[IndianaGreen]

27. It means she is not the biological mother, but the grandmother

Grandma Gate.

[neomonkey]

28. Damn it all

The more I hear about SP tucked away there in the northern Tundra and all her small-town shenanigans and the strange cast of characters, I can't help but think of Twin Peaks.

[JVS]

30. Good find!

[highplainsdem]

35. Yes, a "good find" because it makes this ridiculous smear look even sillier,

because of how reputable the physician is.

You'd have to be completely deluded --perhaps out of desperation to find some scandal that might all by itself destroy McCain/Palin's chances -- to think that Palin having given her doctor one of what had to be many recommendations for this award, years before she became governor, is evidence of some kind of sordid "cronyism" that would lead a doctor this good to get involved in a very foolish, unethical coverup.

There are a lot of valid arguments to be made against Palin being on the ticket. This foolish story that also smears a teenaged girl, and a very good doctor, is NOT one of them.

[Barack_America]

45. Who built her reputation?

And what was asked in return?

Right or wrong, that's the question the OP was posing.

[IndianaGreen]

50. Exactly, there seems to be a history of quids-pro-quo

involving Palin and her doctor.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

46. Get a life...Seriously

It was a town of fewer than 6,000 people. Just how many physicians do you think live there? The fact that a small-town mayor would nominate the small-town doctor for an award should be surprising to exactly not-one-single-person-with-a-functioning-brain.

For Chrissake, you people are becoming a caricature of Free Republic.

We have MORE THAN ENOUGH real issues to beat this woman with. We don't need to concoct imaginary ones.

[RagAss]

47. True...Like the time she shot herself to win the Purple Heart.

[MadrasT]

69. "For Chrissake, you people are becoming a caricature of Free Republic."

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: Good one! :toast:

[Thothmes]

70. If not Free Republic, at least supermarket tabloid.

[scarletwoman]

51. Cathy Baldwin-Johnson was my own doctor when I lived in Willow, Alaska.

She was a very nice doctor and I really liked her. There's nothing odd about her being named physician of the year. Alaska is a sparsely populated state, with a proportionately small pool of physicians.

This baby-gate crap has gotten TOTALLY out of hand.

sw

[IndianaGreen]

53. Her role in Palin's "pregnancy" is what is in question

and she did get appointed by Palin to HSPC.

[scarletwoman]

55. It's a bullshit question. Utter bullshit.

[AkFemDem]

56. All well and good except- it's Wasilla. How many family physicians are there?

If they name one as the physician of the year each yr, how many years do you think a doctor averages in between nominations?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

72. I grew up in a town about that size...

and we had one (count 'em -- ONE) doctor in town. No dentists at all.

Given that Alaska is notoriously underserved by physicians, I'm certain that she's the only doctor in town.

[Kablooie]

60. This in itself doesn't indicate any suspicious activity to me.

If she genuinely respected Baldwin-Johnson's abilities
I don't see the problem with using her as a personal
doctor, recommending her for an award and appointing
her to a government position.

If it was for some quality other than excellence in
medicine you have to show it. I don't see any evidence
of that yet.

[gatorboy]

63. In the library with the candle stick.

Dun Dun Duuuuuuuuun.

[AZBlue]

64. While I'm doubtful the baby is Palin's, I don't see how any of this proves anything.

Other than Palin thinks highly of this doctor.

[mudderfudder77]

67. Alaska

The entire state of Alaska has exactly one residency program, and thats for Family Practice physicians - I should know, my wife wanted to practice there (as an OB). It is entirely common for a Family Practice to physician to act as an OB or midwife, even in cases of Downs Syndrome. Up until our society went litigious crazy 30 years ago most small towns didn't have OB's, you were under the care of a Family Practice physician through your pregnancy. Alaska is different than every other state in the US because of its location. They have to beg, borrow, and steal doctors to get them up there - and in many small towns you take what you can get.

This whole thing is ridiculous. There is plenty for Democrats to use against Palin without having to concoct absolutely outrageous stories.



This is why I love the internet - everyone is a doctor.

[Oak2004]

68. This is a data point, but not a very significant one

I wonder how many people here have lived in small towns? In isolated areas? I don't quite live in one now (Burlington is a small city, but is hardly isolated), however I have lived in more isolated rural areas, and a lot of things which are not standard operating procedure in urban areas are common in rural areas with limited access to health care.

In fact, access to health care was a factor in my move to Burlington.