Palin-Letterman Privacy Pox

Letterman's a comedian. Palin is an idiot. The fake outrage over a weak joke shows worse form for her than the joke does for him. As a fan of George Carlin (RIP), Lenny Bruce (ditto) and others, I can handle a bit of bite in comedy, and would hate to see comics held to the kind of PC banality that would banish everything but wordplay and puns.

Palin uses her children as political pawns. She's thrown every single one of them under the Palin campaigning bus. SHE is the one that introduced the word rape, loud and clear, over and over. She can't stop saying the word. She knows full well Dave's stupid joke was in no way referring to rape. He was making a bad joke about promiscuity.

Palin is calculating and utterly cunning. She chose to use the word rape and she chose to put her 14 year old daughter and now her entire family through a media circus. And she won't stop. She will continue this false outrage as long as the media allows it. Those children are in a terrible situation and it is entirely the doing of their own mother. Instead of protecting them from the glare of the media she is putting them right up front and center and shouting, "Bring it On!" My heart breaks for them.

"Queen of Low-Rent Resentment"

Is Obama enlisting a female figurehead now to support his and the Congressional Dems' more ambitious efforts in the future? The name would fit, then.

Letterman was out of line with the joke but doesn't deserve to be fired. Yes the left has successfully used false outrage in the past but that doesn't make it right.

Letterman was over the line. I guess everyone would be okay if someone, in the name of comedy of course, suggested putting Baby Letterman's name on Craig's List for a visit from the rapist? What? That's not funny?
The main issue is that Conservatives are tired of the constant hypocrisy the lefty liberals blatantly display. Period.

I'm not a fan, particulary of Sarah Palin but I am however a fan of fareness. How can anyone not see that there has been an incredible double standard applied to Sarah Palin. This list of media and blogger inequities is pretty long. How do you compare the Imus event to the Letterman event? Some in the media have said that Palin shouldn’t trapes her daughters out. Well, I think in this case what she did was take her daughter to a baseball game. I’m not defending Palin’s reactions and the course of action she took after this incident. What I am critical of is the medias response to this. Honestly, if the shoe had been on the other foot, ie. had President Obama’s daughters or wife been made fun in a similar way the media would have been hysterical. I have wonder why the media has been so hard on this women. She lost with McCain months ago, yet there is a hysterical reaction anytime she opens her mouth. There are outrageous comments made on the left and right. Sadly the so called “main stream media” is sounding disturbingly bias when dealing with Palin. I wonder if the media has passed the point of no return regarding fare coverage. Can they tone down the vicious retoric? Would they?

Trying to fan the flames here won't work, QueenZel. It's a pretty moderate crowd. Letterman combined a promiscuous and hypocritical pregnant teenage abstinence advocate with a baseball sex symbol and made a bad joke. No one said anything about rape except Palin. And no one said anything about the non-pregnant, presumably non promiscuous 14 year old. Your weak attempt at argument fails flatly.

Scuse me MSG. The right made even cruder jokes about Chelsea Clinton, to no criticism from the right. And the crude jokes weren't made by comedians whose profession is often off color humor. It was from sitting Senator McCain, who went on to become the party's presidential candidate. No one's nominating Letterman to lead the Dem party, you know. Talk about a double standard.

Compare Letterman with Imus.

When Imus made a joke in bad taste he was crucified. The liberals were lined up waiting to get their shots in on him, even though he is just a liberal as they are. One big difference though between Imus’ situation and Letterman – Imus made his mistake on the spot – it was not planned.

Letterman’s “joke” was the product of two dozen of the highest paid comedy writers in the country. Before any joke is written into the monolog, every word, every nuance, every pause is run by NBC lawyers. If there is anything remotely controversial in the script, it is forwarded to NBC’s top executives to make the final decision for inclusion or not.

Letterman claims he made his remark about 18 year old Bristol Palin. Clearly, it was about 14 year old Willow who accompanied her mother to the ball park that day. It is inconceivable that the writers, producers, lawyers and executives who all read and approved the monologue all failed to check the multitude of news accounts of the Palin’s visit and who was there.

Why is it that if a liberal is the one being defended, the deductive reasoning of every other liberal in the country is lost?

Who wants to place their reputation as being intellectually honest on the line today and say that Letterman’s use of a 14 year old in his joke was a mistake?

Thats sort of my point. Fareness is skewed today. Put Republicans and Democrats on the sideline for a moment. Just scrutinize the medias reaction.

Palin's daughter is the PERFECT person to advocate for abstinence. Simply because she, as a young, inexperienced human being made a mistake doesn't mean that she can't advocate. She OF ALL PEOPLE knows what it's like to be a TEEN mother. EXAMPLE: It's like alcohol & drug rehab counselors having been addicts themselves ... they are able to approach those contending with the problem from a perspective which those who've never been addicted simply can't. So, what YOU are saying is that if someone has been a drug addict, they can NOT work as a counselor to help others overcome addiction because that'd be "hypocritical." I consider that poor logic.
And, I'd guess that you do not have children. Otherwise you'd realize that SOMETIMES they do things they've been told not to do - especially when they are no longer under a parent's full time, protective care.
And, by the way, "rape" IS implied by Letterman's insinuation, the CHILD w/ Palin was only 14. He did not apologize, he acted like an adolescent himself and hemhawed around offering nothing but a made-up quip hoping it'd be enough of a dupe to get him out of hot water.

I don't like either Letterman or Palin.

Letterman, in his heyday, was dropping watermelons off of buildings and running over things with a steamroller. His comment was stupid. But he's a comedian, no one is looking at Letterman to provide any leadership on any issue. I have to wonder at anyone calling him a liberal, though - if you actually search the FEC database, you'll find his only donation has gone to Al Franken, a comedy writer with whom he has a long relationship. Perhaps he is. Who cares? His job is to make people laugh and to introduce actual celebrities who want to promote something.

Palin, on the other hand, is supposed to be a leader. She is a Governor and former Vice-President candidate. She is merely showing that she is not ready for the national limelight. When comments were made about Chelsea Clinton (such as when she was negatively compared to Al Gore's underage daughters on SNL), no one talked about the commenters being rapists. No one even asked for an apology.

Palin, however, couldn't even admit to Matt Lauer what she meant when she said she had to keep her daughter away from Letterman. That, more than anything, marks her "defense" of her daughter as a cynical play for the limelight and one that she, furthermore, knows is far beyond the pale of good taste.

My mom taught me that two wrongs don't make a right. Sarah Palin is proving that every time she opens her mouth.

"going so far as to willfully distort Letterman’s admittedly bad joke about her 18-year-old daughter into one about a 14-year-old."

How is it that it is so obvious to you that he was talking about the 18 yo when only the 14 yo was present at the event mentioned?

GD said "No one said anything about rape except Palin. And no one said anything about the non-pregnant, presumably non promiscuous 14 year old."

So we should believe he was joking about the ballplayer knocking up the daughter that wasn't there? For the record several people have equated knocking up a 14 yo with rape but you're right it may be more equatable with child molestation, but either way it seems pretty wrong to me.

GD said " The right made even cruder jokes about Chelsea Clinton, to no criticism from the right."

I assume you refer to McCains joke? It was wrong and tasteless but not broadcast on national network TV. In fact it was so tasteless that the press didn't want to even print it, I feel, because the hurt of the joke would be worse than bump for the Clintons. (Remember this was when McCain was the liberals darling) I also don't see how that joke is cruder than a ball player knocking up Palins 14 yo. Is it not possible to condemn both? It's like with children "He started it!" All I have to say is grow up.

uh, queenzel, bristol was in a supportive family that believed in and taught abstinence, yet she became pregnant, destroying the very idea that abstinence only approach works. And in fact, statistics abundantly prove that. Areas of abstinence-only sex education have not only the highest teen pregnancy rates, but abortion rates.

no sale on the 14 yo being the target of the joke. Cmon, she didn't get pregnant. She wasn't foolin around. It isn't funny if there's no context. nice try

Folks, can we at least agree that going after politician's children is an understood line, a gentlemen's truce, if you will? The Palin clan has been portrayed as a traveling Jerry Springer show ever since she was introduced to the nation. Good grief, can't we just leave them alone? All this does is keep her in the spotlight that much longer. She lost; can't we find someone else to make jokes about?

To express distaste over an offensive remark is doing something "wrong?"
I don't think your "mom" would be too pleased or proud over your schadenfreude. And, IMO, you're employing a tactic liberals excel at - twisting the truth and blaming the victim. I think Sarah Palin has for quite some time now, taken the high road and tried to ignore most of the lefts' attempts to vilify her, but with Letterman's inexcusable "joke," about her CHILD, decided she'd had enough. Understandably.
By the way, Sarah Palin didn't make the joke about Chelsea Clinton, how is it that you are linking THAT with her abilities to handle the national limelight?
Matt Lauer seemed to be suffering from displaced anger and no one considers him a serious journalist. At this point, I think Sarah Palin has the right to handle the downright mean-spiritedness of the entire leftist liberal cadre in whatever manner she sees fit. And, I would keep MY daughter away too, from ANY middle-aged man who made JOKES about grown men "knocking up" minor girls. I think the acceptance of jokes of that nature, the ones that cross the line (Wanda Sykes' kidney joke, Joy Behar's daily load of total, pure, unadulterated crap, etc.) is a direct reason that our society is becoming ever more crass, crude, DIScourteous and UNcivil. There ARE lines that should NOT be crossed and those people who do cross them and those who think it's funny or cool or sophisticated, are the vectors of this pathomania.

GD said" It isn't funny if there's no context."

Where's the context when the girl you think the jokes about isn't there?

Green Dreams:
"uh."

GD - I too think it is overblown, but how in the world can you but Letterman's BS "apology" and excuse the joke was about Bristol. Bristol didn't even make the trip to New York, and only Willow was at the game. So that 'it wasn't about Willow' just doesn't cut it, and you know that.

Second point. Even IF Bristol was in New York, how does that make that 'joke' OK? Only by being completely partisan is the answer of course.

Do I need to repeat my Obama daughter's 'joke' again to get the point across about how far out of bounds this was?

QueenZel -

First, I never said that Palin shouldn't have expressed her feelings on the matter. I said that she went beyond that to using the affair to score political points.

Second, you don't know my mother, so you really shouldn't talk about her. For all you know, I'm the very image of moderation compared to her.

Third, please list one single instance of me "twisting the truth." If you can't do so; then please admit that you have no idea what you are talking about like a normal adult.

Fourth, Sarah Palin couldn't find the high road with a map, a compass, and the entire Alaska National Guard helping her.

Fifth, it isn't about her defending her daughter - it's about going beyond simple defense to hit every GOP culture war talking point she could fit into a single statement.

Sixth, no one - not me, not anyone else - ever claimed that Sarah Palin ever mentioned Chelsea Clinton. I clearly mentioned an incident on SNL (Saturday Night Live, in case you don't understand) where Chelsea Clinton was compared unfavorably to Al Gore's daughters - at a time when all of the women in question were underage.

Seventh, it is a direct comparison to a very similar situation. A character on SNL said that he'd rather be caught between the Gore's daughters than to be caught with Chelsea Clinton. But neither the Clintons nor the Gores issued a statement saying that the writers of SNL or the characters who made the statement should be kept away from children. In fact, nothing was said publicly of it at all. Direct comparisons of similar situations are fair game.

Eighth, Sarah Palin chose to be interviewed by Matt Lauer. She is enough of a celebrity that she can pick and chose who gets to sit down and chat with her. The problem was not the host. The problem was that she was asked, point blank, what her statement meant and she was too cowardly to say what she meant.

Ninth, what you do with your daughter is immaterial to the discussion. You are free to set rules with her as you like. As long as you aren't issuing statements that give the impression your daughter is in danger of being raped by someone, then it just doesn't pertain to the issue.

Finally, comedians are always pushing the envelope. No, it doesn't make it right. I find a great deal of comedy to be in poor taste - so I don't go to comedy clubs and I don't buy their paraphenalia, either. The last I checked, the Constitution still guarantees the rights of free speech - for both Letterman and Palin. That right comes with a balancing responsibility for what one says. I haven't seen anyone try to relieve Letterman of the responsiblity of being a turd. Yet everyone on the right seems bent on excusing Palin for using her daughter for political oppotunism.

Please make sure you read - and comprehend - what I've said before you misstate my positions in a rote reply that you've made up for someone else's talking points.

this is a foolish nonissue. A comedian made a joke in poor taste. May you all hyperventilate about it for years. Who cares?

GD - then I assume we will see no more posts from you on anything Rush says in the future, to avoid hyperventilating yourself.

haha, AR, I don't hyperventilate about Rush, though I have noted the oddity of actual GOP legislators kowtowing to him. I've said many times that I like it, and hope he and his ilk continue to represent conservatives in the minds of voters.

When Imus made a joke in bad taste he was crucified.

It wasn't the first time Imus made comments like he did. In the Imus case, it wasn't a joke as much as a statement made only to shock, with no humor behind it.

The left and some right will continue to berate and blast Palin because they fear her. IF they thought she was just some white trailor trash that had no chance to run and win a major election, they would not even discuss, make jokes or mention her name. They are frightened that she speaks for millions of americans who are fed up with idiot liberals and RINO's who adore media attention. Churchills quote about "the best arguement against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average (obama) voter" never fit more appropriately then the last election.

Imus made the mistake of making a nasty comment directed at black girls, instead of a nasty comment directed at a white girl.

GD said "this is a foolish nonissue"

Then why not say that from the start instead of using the story to bash Palin and the 18 yo "promiscuous and hypocritical pregnant teenage abstinence advocate" (why not call Bristol a whore while you are at it). You then indicated that the right did it to Chelsea Clinton, that even though it was only the 14 yo daughter there, that Letterman must of been referring to the previously knocked up 18 yo because ? (otherwise it wouldn't of been funny?). None of which indicates a nonissue. You don't need to explain, justify, or excuse a nonissue.

One of the Clinton jokes camer from the mouth of John McCain.
http://crooksandliars.com/2008/02/09/john-mccai...
Comedians do it as a trade. I wonder how many bad jokes the Clinton's endured from Letterman?
Here is some:
http://www.mustsharejokes.com/page/Hillary+Clin...
http://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/22/arts/televisi...

Yeh shocker and by the way I referenced the comment before:

"I assume you refer to McCains joke? It was wrong and tasteless but not broadcast on national network TV. In fact it was so tasteless that the press didn't want to even print it, I feel, because the hurt of the joke would be worse than bump for the Clintons. (Remember this was when McCain was the liberals darling) I also don't see how that joke is cruder than a ball player knocking up Palins 14 yo. Is it not possible to condemn both? It's like with children "He started it!" All I have to say is grow up."

And since this is about minor children I couldn't care less what Letterman has said about any politian Clinton or otherwise. If it's wrong it doesn't matter who started it. Grow up.

Gov. Palin announced over the weekend that her 17-year-old unmarried daughter is five months pregnant. And you thought John Edwards was in trouble before! Now he has really done it. -- "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," 9/2/08

So where was Palin's outrage screaming statutory rape about Leno back in September?

So she has to run it by you when she should be offended? Maybe it was because it was about her 17 yo who was newsworthy (because of her preg) and was taking an active role in her campaign and it happened during the campaign. While the other was about her 14 yo who was just going to a ballgame with her mom long after the campaign ended. It could be many reasons. So? If you think children are ok targets the
i refer you to AustinRoths comments on the previous thread on this topic. If you think it's ok to verbally attack the minor children of politicians then there is no reason for this to bother you. If no then you think it's ok to attack a 14 yo girl because you dislike/disagree with her mother the politician and you are vile hypocritical piece of crap. Since I see you trying to excuse the comment I assume you see something wrong with it or you wouldn't of bothered to excuse it. If it is wrong there is no excuse, if not it doesn't need one. So pick one sparkles.





Age of concent in Alaska is 16 so it wouldn't be statutory rape.

EEllis,

The point is if you find one comedian offensive for saying your underage daughter is knocked up by an adult celebrity, shouldn't you be outraged when another comic said the same thing back in September? I would think so. So why the selective outrage?

The point is I don't care. I think minor children should be off limits. So I don't care when someone said anything or who reacted how. By the way Sparkles no other comic has said anything about Willow. Who cares why she got pissed. If she has a reason to be pissed ever then it's up to her when she is pissed. Hell maybe she just had a bad week. So? Does any of your BS address if minor children of politicians are free targets, you know, the topic of the post?