I think the opportunity to win over women in the middle is by addressing the pregnancy issue head on. Sarah should relate how she and Todd, like many other parents, would have preferred if Bristol had waited to have a child until she were married and better equipped to handle the responsibility of raising a child. They love and support their daughter and are looking forward to having a grandchild. They will help Bristol and the baby. This, I believe, would strike a chord with many in middle America.
Middle America wants to know how she thinks the oil problem will be solved, since that is something she knows about.
It’s not a matter of “how she handles it”. It’s a matter of interviewing for a job.