Reporter Laura Novak's third installment of her interview with Professor Scharlott.

Courtesy of Laura Novak's blog:

LN: But you also said that the McCain camp felt the need to respond to the rumor that Mrs. Palin did not give birth to Trig Palin, even though none of the mainstream press in the Lower 48 picked up the story. The campaign did this by saying Bristol Palin was pregnant. You then write: “It seemed strange and needless. A birth certificate would have settled the matter, as would a statement from the hospital or from the doctor who delivered the child.” Had that happened, you and I would likely not be discussing this today. So, what’s your theory on why that didn’t happen?

BS: Why didn’t Sarah Palin offer documentary proof she’s the mother? There would seem to be two possible answers, and they are not mutually exclusive: 1) she’s not the birth mother; and 2) she’s mentally unbalanced.

In a story with so many bizarre twists and turns, THIS one has always really bothered me.

Here was Sarah's chance to grab the brass ring, from what we know about Palin one would think she would do ANYTHING to make the McCain campaign think she was a team player. In other words that she was an asset, NOT a potential time bomb just waiting to explode and embarrass them in front of the American voters.

My working theory is that the McCain campaign had NO idea that Palin pulled off this pregnancy hoax when they tapped her for the VP slot.  So either they found out about it later and helped cover for her, the possibility of which would make this scandal the biggest political story since Watergate, or she simply did not cooperate when they asked for documentation, and for some reason they did not feel comfortable pursuing it.

The latter theory might mean she told them she was unable to produce it, and then gave them some crazy story as to why, or she flatly refused and essentially rolled the dice that they would be too uncomfortable with the idea of pursuing such a personal line of questioning that they would drop it, and simply promote the revelation of her daughter's pregnancy as all the evidence necessary to put the matter to rest.

Personally I have a hard time not believing that some McCain staff members either knew, or had strong suspicions, that Palin was pulling a fast one on the American people.

I have heard rumors that there were McCain staff members who knew, as well as that there are also a number of RNC people who have no doubt Palin faked the pregnancy. Sadly those are still only in the rumor category.

My guess is if Palin DOES decide to run that we will quickly learn if these are just rumors, or if they are important pieces of information carefully protected just for that eventuality.