Is he seeking revenge or defending his good name? To hear Levi tell it, he’s just clearing the air. Take a look at this clip from msnbc:

Wow, he’s got a ton to say about the personal finances of the Palin family and some eyebrow-raising opinions on whether the soon-to-be-former governor is qualified to run for president now that she’s “quit on Alaska.” He seems very happy and relaxed in the media spotlight, and not at all shy about lobbing accusations and innuendoes at the family that pulled him into the spotlight.

Plus, as we’ve seen, he’s perfectly willing to pose shirtless with his brand-new baby for magazines, and has been known to trash talk his former fiancee Bristol as well as the rest of the Palins. I think it’s safe to say this isn’t a shy guy.

To me, his media appearances seem highly unethical. On the one hand, I get where a fella should defend himself when a powerful family has it in for him. And theoretically, there’s nothing wrong with cashing in on one’s 15 minutes of fame, either. (Tacky, yes, but unethical…? Not quite.) But on the other, there’s a baby involved here (and a teenaged girl). To me, these innocent lives trump pretty much every other consideration. 

Much as Palin’s woes cause me perhaps more merriment than they should, I think it’s wrong for a family member (or almost family member) to go shooting his mouth off and airing dirty laundry the way Levi is doing, most especially when he and the Palins are and will always remain linked biologically by poor little Tripp. There’s a moral high road here, and Levi doesn’t appear to be on it.

But maybe this 19-year-old boy is simply proving to be better than his almost-mother-in-law at spinning the media to his advantage in an ongoing feud not of his own making. Maybe he’s just defending himself, and winning?