Sarah Palin Reacts to Bristol and Levi's Engagement

USMagazine, Wednesday, July 14, 2010, 5:16am (PDT)

Sarah and Todd Palin are speaking out on Bristol and Levi Johnston's surprise engagement, as exclusively reported in the new issue of Us Weekly. "Bristol at 19 is now a young adult. We obviously want what's best for our children," they said in a statement read on the "Today" show Wednesday morning. "Bristol believes in redemption and forgiveness to a degree most of us struggle to put in practice in our daily lives."

Bristol tells Us that she has kept her parents in the dark since becoming engaged to Johnston, 20, two weeks ago."It is intimidating and scary just to think about what her reaction is going to be. Hopefully she will jump on board," she told Us.

Sarah has made no secret of her icy feelings for Levi. He provoked her fury last fall when he claimed that she had called her infant son Trig (who has Down syndrome) "retarded." She fired back, telling reporters that anyone who posed for Playgirl would "say and do anything for even more attention." Later, during an interview with Oprah Winfrey, she dubbed him "Ricky Hollywood" and called his "aspiring porn" career "heartbreaking."

Earlier this month, Johnston issued a public apology to the Palins for saying "not completely true" things about them in the past.

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