As political blogs and Web sites across the country continued buzzing about the pregnancy of a vice-presidential candidate's daughter, a local congressman defended the discovery as a campaign issue and local mothers showed support for the candidate.

Rep. Barney Frank is among the first Democrats to publicly say that the pregnancy of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's unwed teenage daughter should be fair game for campaign discussion.

"They're the ones that made an issue of her family," Frank, D-Mass., said Tuesday in a telephone interview with the Associated Press.

Bristol Palin's pregnancy was announced by John McCain's campaign last weekend in an effort, they said, to put an end to rumors that Bristol, 17, is actually the mother of Sarah Palin's 4-month-old son, Trig, who was born with Down syndrome. The campaign said Bristol plans to marry the father of the child, which is due at the end of December.

Republicans stressed Palin's conservative family values in announcing her selection as McCain's running mate on Friday. Frank says the recent disclosure about her daughter blunts conservative claims that liberalism harms family life.

"Apparently she's a great favorite with the conservative social movement," Frank said. "They have said that it's liberalism and liberals who have undermined families - same-sex marriage has been a problem, they don't want gay people to adopt ... This helps undercut those arguments." In the Attleboro area, however, local mothers were quick to rally behind Palin, saying she cannot be held responsible for all the decisions her family makes.

"No matter how good of a parent you are, your kids are going to make their own choices," said Carolyn Coletti, of Attleboro, who has grown children.

Coletti, who is not supporting either presidential candidate, said she can see a double standard in the way people are reacting to pregnancy, saying the pregnant child of a male candidate might not elicit such strong criticism.

"People feel that the mother has more control (over their children) and know more of what's going on than dads do," she said.

Sue Young, an Attleboro mother of 7- and 9-year-old boys, said she doesn't think the controversy will affect Palin's ability to help the Republican ticket, unless voters feel she isn't paying enough attention to her family.

"If she neglects her family, or more of these stories come out, she could have a bad rapport with people," said Young, a McCain supporter. "People may think, 'If you can't run your family, how can you run your government?'"

Both women said the revelations will not affect their voting decision in November.

"The vice president has become such a figurehead, anyway," Coletti said. "If it was the president, who has so much responsibility, it would be totally different."

Democratic candidate Barack Obama's campaign has avoided making any comment on issues related to Palin's family, specifically anything focused on her daughter's out-of-wedlock pregnancy.

"I think people's families are off limits and people's children are especially off limits," Obama said Monday.

Obama's sentiments were echoed by Norton resident Roberta Kennedy.

"I don't think it's anybody's business and I don't think it should be in the press."

Questions about her daughter's pregnancy are likely to follow Palin, however, as she and McCain formally accept their party's nominations this week in St. Paul, Minn., and as the two continue to campaign for the country's top two offices.

Associated Press wire reports contributed to this story.

MATT KAKLEY can be reached at 508-236-0333 or at mkakley@thesunchronicle.com.