Gov. Sarah Palin told The Today Show this morning that she continues to be offended by David Letterman’s joke “about the statutory rape of my 14 year-old daughter.” Interviewed by Matt Lauer, Palin referred to Letterman as a “so-called comedian” and said his humor “erodes a young girl’s self esteem.”
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Meanwhile, last night on the Late Show, Letterman made one joke in his opening monologue about the ongoing controversy, saying, “I think everything’s fine now: She called and offered to take me hunting.”
Palin’s remark to The Today Show suggests she still doesn’t get the idea that Letterman’s self-admittedly “cheap” joke — that during a Yankees game, “her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez” — had nothing to do with rape, nor was she buying Letterman’s premise that he wasn’t referring to 14-year-old Willow but to 18-year-old Bristol. Lauer cited a remark from Palin’s spokesperson: “It would be wise to keep Willow away from David Letterman.” “Are you suggesting David Letterman can’t be trusted around a 14-year-old?” Lauer asked. “Take it the way you want to take it,” said Palin. “It’s from the heart.” Lauer then asked, “But is that [comment] also not in bad taste?” “No, it’s not,” said Palin.
What do you think? Has this controversy gone on long enough, or will it continue?
For more on the Letterman-Palin controversy:
David Letterman vs. Sarah Palin: ‘This could be my last show’
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Sarah Palin is a joke. This entire situation illustrates just how stupid she is. If she would have just made a statement in the beginning saying that she was offended, she would have come out as the one in the right. Now she’s brought it to a level where she is the bad guy. Implying that Letterman is a rapist is going a bit far. I can’t believe people want her in any kind of office let alone the highest office in the land. At this point I think the public sympathy is shifting towards Letterman now and she has handled the situation just terribly
Palin is trying to keep her name in the news anyway she can. I didn’t know she had a 14 year-old daughter until she started talking about her. A-rod and Spitzer were the butt of the jokes more than Bristol was.
I think Sarah handled herself just fine. Her comment about Keeping Letterman away from her daughter was exactly what any parent should say in the same position. His comments were way out of line and totally disrespectful.
She’s riding this for all its worth. This is about raising money and playing the “victim” to the “liberal media’s” “bully” at this point. Its her schtick, and she works it to death. It will help her build a base, but it does make her look like a moron to a huge chunk of people, so lets see how she plays it in the long run.
I’d nearly forgotten how willing this woman is to peddle her children for media attention. Shameful.
palin is so full of bullshit. She built a campaign, just like those republicans making a huge issue out of nothing. Weapons of mass distruction……Clintons indiscrection….IF palin wants to blame the eroding of the youth morality, she needs to look at her own house and her own pregnant unwed daughter.
Sarah Palin is a joke?? Trying to keep hereself in the news?? Give me a break. A tasteless joke was made about her daughter…..again….by a member of the mainstream media…again…and Gov. Palin protests. The real question is why is the media doing so much to bash all things Palin while giving all things Biden a free pass??? Google Ashley Biden. Never heard of her? Our VP’s daughter has been busted for pot possesion, and was/is a party girl of Paris Hilton stature. Sayeth the media, “Oh, no. We couldn’t go there. We have an agenda to bash REPUBLICANS. Willow Palin and Bristol Palin are our targets.”
Letterman, and I love him, was out of line on this one. Not funny and his follow up was callous.
This situation mirrors the Presidential campaign. The more Palin talks, the dumber she looks.
Letterman’s joke was a bit over the line, and he should apologize, but Palin is milking it for far more than it’s worth. This story just doesn’t have the legs to run as far as she wants it to. But when you’re running for president you’ll do or say almost anything to keep your name in the news.
I am so sick of this publicity hound that is Sarah Palin. Yes it was a tastelss joke. But for the last frakkin’ time it was about your hypocritically abstinence promoting daughter Bristol, not your cute as a bug daughter Willow. I don’t think most of America realized you ahd another daughter until you brought her into this mess. SHut up and go home to Alaska and secede already!!!
I think that any intelligent person would know that Sarah Palin is not one of them. We should only let her speak to neighbourhood newspapers at this point. Dave’s joke was a joke and clearly it was addressed to the older daughter, his follow-up apology the next day was more than adequate, and she needs to stop talking.
this is like the “lipstick on a pig” moment during the campaign… everyone with a brain knows the original context of the line, but leave it to Palin to take it to the nth degree. Sure, she is ginning up her “base”, but it’s not changing any minds that already weren’t in the tank for her anyway. Letterman is an icon and his 30 years of credibility make her rape insinuations ridiculous to any thinking person.
What a media whore.
Milking? I believe Matt brought up the Letterman issue. If Letterman would have made a similar comment about my daughter I would have reacted a bit stronger than Sarah Palin.
This story gives me a headache. Sarah Palin is no better than Paris Hilton or Speidi. Maybe Dave’s comment was crossing a line (I personally don’t think so, but I can see how others would), but either way this is yesterday’s news and Palin won’t let it go just so she can stay in the spotlight. It’s lame.
John and Max, you are both hypocrites. If these jokes were aimed at Chairman Maobabma’s family you’d be calling for the guy’s head. Letterman in nothing more than a liberal hack. How about applying the so called “Fairness Doctrine” to Letterman and company.
Oh, I forgot that when lefties engage in offensive behavior its called humor, but when conservatives do it its called intolerant and racist.
Its never appropriate to target a child in this manner. Period.
Palin for President!!!
That’s awfully a very low thing that Letterman did suggesting the knock up of a fourteen year old girl. Very poor taste. Since he can dish it out, I guess he won’t mind others putting his family, his out son, born out of in the same butt of jokes publicly.
The jokes are in poor taste. No one will forget about this.
He’ll understand the anger he has evoked one day because eventually, what goes around, comes around. One day, he’ll overhear others making bad comments about his family and he’ll understand. He’ll be at a yankees game and someone will yell some nasty comments about his family. It is unfortunate but it will happen. People can be awful, just like he is.
I was raised Republican. I voted for Reagan. I voted for Bush. I voted for W. But Sarah Palin is an embarrassment to the Republican Party and the entire nation. I can’t take her attitude seriously when it’s backed by the intelligence, reasoning, and logic of a toddler. We’d all be better off if McCain had left her in obscurity.
Letterman an “icon”?
Get real “lane”. Letterman has been a 2nd or 3rd place nobody in the late night game for years.
Second to anyone else who gets a show. Im glad i get to see Conan spank him around the ratings for the next 25 years.
Palin, yeah… a little goofy. The comment was in bad taste, but thats what late night guys do.
Especially one like letterman who has nothing else.
Palin, your fifteen minutes are up.
Willow Palin will probably be pregnant by 16 anyway, since mommy teaches abstinance only.
There is NO way Palin is “milkin attention” that is a bullsh*t, ignorant statement. she was simply sticking up for her daughters and her family. Shes not like the other politicians out there, shes not going to bite her tongue when it comes to her family, and thats how it should be! Letterman totally crossed the line with a tasteless and disgusting joke. Regardless of which daughter he was referring to, it was wrong and should not have been said. Greetings from Alaska b*tches. We know how to handle a situation.
I hate this comparison to the Obama’s. Sarah Palin has put her children at the forefront more times than she should have to garner publicity. How many magazine covers has Bristol been on the cover of because of her pregnancy? And then Sarah Palin has the audacity to preach about abstinence only programs. The Obamas keep their daughters pretty private. So far, there have been no scandals with the two pre-teens. While I don’t necessarily agree with attacking anyone’s children, maybe Sarah should learn to keep her family life private. She’s only the governor of Alaska after all.
Get over it already Sarah! It was a joke! You are milking this for all it is worth to keep yourself in the spotlight!
MILF
Why do all these so called comedians feel its fair game to pick on these young teenage girls. Like Miley and Willow. It’s disgusting. Why was Imus the only one fired?? i don’t get it. Someone please explain.
One may not like how Palin delivers her opinions but she is absolutely correct and voices the concerns of many women and men! Palin has no doubt been demonized well and I applaud her for standing up to the media bashing which is very biased and against her. Letterman is a swine and ought to be fired. She hit all points in this interview. She goes a bit far on the rape argument but actually who cares whether her daughter was 14 or 18, the comments do imply a violation and even if ARod was equally dissed a man’s role as the aggressor is okay by society standards and if he did complain he would look like a sissy!
Reading some of the remarks on here makes me sick at my stomach – it is obvious that Mrs Palin is gunning for blood. She wants the head of David Letterman on the wall next to her Moose. She will not rest until David is censored and all of America agrees with her or is silenced. Her strategy to claim American for her own is to divide it – divide and conquer. She is a scary individual and should be avoided at all costs. And we all know, had it not been David, it would have been someone else. She is not in the least concerned about the virtue of any of her children. And most of America realizes this.