Cathy Baldwin-Johnson
Questions have been raised about Palin's family practice doctor, Cathy Baldwin-Johnson. As I obtain more information and additional links I will be adding them here. Dr. Baldwin-Johnson is a central figure in this entire story, yet has been almost completely silent and out of the public eye. For example, she "declined to comment" for the Dallas Morning News published on September 8th, which contains MORE birth related information than Sarah Palin has ever offered before.
Numerous claims have been made of websites being changed, having her name removed, etc. Certainly, the physician who allegedly delivered Trig Palin would be in a unique position to shed light on some of the controversies and inconsistencies surrounding his birth. As far as I can determine she's never been willing to comment publicly on the birth in any way, even after the rumors spread massively that Sarah Palin was NOT Trig's mother, between August 30 and September 1.
What is known about this physician?
Here's a picture from The Providence Matanuska Health Care Center website.
This affiliation is critical. The Providence Matanuska Health Care Center is a full service family practice center which is affiliated with the Providence Alaska Health Care Center in Anchorage. This hospital is the site of Alaska's ONLY Level III NICU.
Comment: It has been suggested that Sarah Palin's wild trek from Texas to Wasilla, to deliver at the Mat-Su Regional Center, was motivated by her desire to have at her birth her long-time physician and, perhaps friend, Cathy Baldwin-Johnson. But Baldwin Johnson, as a family practice physician at an affiliated clinic with Providence should have had privileges at Providence, in Anchorage, which is six miles from the airport where Gov. Palin landed and has far better facilities for a higher risk delivery. (Which, to summarize yet again: 44 year old woman, in preterm labor with a known Down's baby.) No explanation has ever been offered for Gov. Palin's almost frantic desire to reach... not Alaska... not her familiar doctor... but Mat-Su Regional Hosptial specifically.
Here's the Mat-Su staff listing on September 20, 2008. It does not list her.
Comment: (September 20, 2008) As far as I can determine, Dr. Cathy Baldwin Johnson has never made any public comment on the birth after very intial news reports in April of 2008. And, if one reads the published reports carefully, it will be noted that she never actually states that she was a) at the birth or b) that Sarah Palin is the mother. For example, on April 22, she states rather disingenuously that she did not think it was unreasonable for Sarah Palin to fly back to Alaska. Well, if Sarah Palin was not pregnant, it would be perfectly reasonable for her to fly back.
Attended East High School in Anchorage, AK
Undergraduate: Arizona State University in Tempe
Medical School and Three Year Family Practice Residency: University of Washington in Seattle
Two Years in Practice in Anchorage: (1983-1985)
Opened a family practice in Wasilla, AK - 1985
Page from the official State of Alaska website listing her appointment to the Alaska Health Care Strategies Council by Sarah Palin in 2007. Another article discussing the Council.
Page from the website allbusiness.com citing an article in Alaska Business Monthly from 2002 reporting on Baldwin-Johnson's winning a prestigious national award, Family Physician of the Year. She received recommendations from , among other people, the "mayor of Wasilla."
Physician comment from my email (September 21, 2008) Most Americans won't realize it but this whole idea that her doctor gave her the go-ahead is the biggest hole in this story. Any physician who would not immediately tell a woman whose aminitoic sac was leaking at 35-36 weeks pregnant with a Down's Syndrome baby to go immediately to the hospital should lose his/her medical license. Wait nearly 24 hours to reach a hospital? Travel 12 hours, including on two flights? It never happened.