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PALIN ADMITS HER 17-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER IS PREGNANT

The unwed 17-year-old daughter of Republican vice-presidential hopeful Sarah Palin is pregnant – a revelation the Alaska governor made public today to refute rumors spread by liberal bloggers that she had faked her own pregnancy to cover up for her daughter’s earlier one.

Bristol Palin Photos

“Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned,” the Palin family said in a written statement.

Statement From Palin Family on Pregnancy

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“As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support.”

Palin and her husband, Todd, said their daughter plans to marry the child’s father – who sources said is Levi Johnston – and that both “are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family.”

Johnston, 17, who is entering his senior year at Wasilla HS, plays on the school hockey team and was once teammates on a youth squad with Palin’s older brother, Track, 19, who is now in the Army.

Despite suffering a cracked bone in his shin last season, Johnston scored 24 goals in 24 games.

“We don’t want to talk about this,” said a woman who answered the phone at the Johnston home.

On his MySpace page, Johnston boasts, “I’m a f – – -in’ redneck” who likes to snowboard and ride dirt bikes.

“But I live to play hockey. I like to go camping and hang out with the boys, do some fishing, shoot some s- – – and just f – – -in’ chillin’ I guess.”

“Ya f – – – with me I’ll kick [your] ass,” he added.

He also claims to be “in a relationship,” but states, “I don’t want kids.”

Campaign officials said McCain knew of the pregnancy when he picked Palin last week as his running mate.

Bloggers had infuriated the McCain campaign over the weekend after airing rumors that Palin’s 4-month-old son was actually her daughter’s baby.

McCain campaign officials said Bristol’s pregnancy was made public in order to counter what one aide called “mudslinging” that has circulated on blogs like Daily Kos.

According to postings on Daily Kos, Sarah Palin allegedly faked a pregnancy and pretended to give birth in April to Trig, who has Down syndrome.

The McCain campaign said Bristol Palin is five months pregnant and that Trig was born on April 18, making the rumor’s timing impossible.

Palin would be due just a few weeks before Inauguration Day in January.

In a posting on Sunday, Daily Kos said, “Sarah needs to honestly answer for her lies – promptly.”

Palin’s governor-office spokesman Bill McAllister denied the rumors, while McCain adviser Mark Salter said the campaign announced the daughter’s pregnancy to rebut them.

“Sen. McCain’s view is this is a private family matter. As parents, [Sarah and Todd Palin] love their daughter unconditionally and are going to support their daughter,” said McCain campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt.

During a brief news conference today, Democrat Barack Obama said his campaign would not make the pregnancy an issue.

Appearing at a Labor Day event in Monroe, Mich., Obama said, “My mother had me when she was 18. And how family deals with issues and teenage children, that shouldn’t be the topic of our politics.”

Additional reporting by Geoff Earle in Monroe, Mich., and Carl Campanile in Philadelphia

s.goldsmith@nypost.com