Sarah Palin blasts David Letterman

Posted: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:19 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Sarah Palin

From MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband Todd have just put out scathing statements directed at comedian David Letterman.

In the late-night host's, "Top 10," he joked about Palin's visit to watch the Yankees and said Palin's daughter got "knocked up" by Alex Rodriguez.

Video: David Letterman takes a shot at the governor of Alaska, who got a chance to respond later in the week as a guest on John Ziegler's radio show. MSNBC's Contessa Brewer talks to Ziegler about the feud in a contentious interview.

The governor's spokeswoman, Meg Stapleton, sent these two statements, the first from Todd: "Any 'jokes' about raping my 14-year-old are despicable. Alaskans know it and I believe the rest of the world knows it, too."

The next was from the governor: "Concerning Letterman's comments about my young daughter (and I doubt he'd ever dare make such comments about anyone else's daughter): 'Laughter incited by sexually-perverted comments made by a 62-year-old male celebrity aimed at a 14-year-old girl is not only disgusting, but it reminds us some Hollywood/NY entertainers have a long way to go in understanding what the rest of America understands -- that acceptance of inappropriate sexual comments about an underage girl, who could be anyone's daughter, contributes to the atrociously high rate of sexual exploitation of minors by older men who use and abuse others.'"

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The next was from the governor: "Concerning Letterman's comments about my young daughter (and I doubt he'd ever dare make such comments about anyone else's daughter): 'Laughter incited by sexually-perverted comments made by a 62-year-old male celebrity aimed at a 14-year-old girl is not only disgusting, but it reminds us some Hollywood/NY entertainers have a long way to go in understanding what the rest of America understands -- that acceptance of inappropriate sexual comments about an underage girl, who could be anyone's daughter, contributes to the atrociously high rate of sexual exploitation of minors by older men who use and abuse others.'"
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She said with a wink while holding her bastardo grandchild

Get ready for another grandkid (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:26 PM)

Even though Letterman was joking, I agree that he stooped a little too low. Very much uncalled for and NOT funny.

Oscar (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:27 PM)

"Any 'jokes' about raping my 14-year-old are despicable. Alaskans know it and I believe the rest of the world knows it, too."
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me thinks dave letterman was implying that your family is loose...

It's not the "R" word if she's willing (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:27 PM)

I can only imagine if someone had made the same type of comments about Obama or Pelosi - - they would be run off the air and subjected to death threats.

God Help US - Obama Won't! (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:28 PM)

Dave used to be funny. What made him such a bitter, hateful liberal hack? Reminds me of the cranky old loser that George Carlin became.

J. Leno, LA, CA (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:30 PM)

For one of the first times ever, I actually have to agree with Governor Palin on this one.

Doug in Renton, WA (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:30 PM)

Good for her. Regardless of how you feel about Palin, that was a disgusting comment of Letterman's. And not even remotely funny.

Elizabeth, Short Pump VA (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:31 PM)

Jeff D Westmont IL. (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:32 PM)

Letterman is a retard. CBS seems to have hired the retards that couldn't make it at nbc. Between Letterman and Couric, CBS is dead. Couric of course also ripped Palin and other Republicans at a commencement speech at Princeton. The theme of Katie's speech? "don't be nasty".

Judge Drudge (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:32 PM)

From MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband Todd have just put out scathing statements directed at comedian David Letterman.

A bit out there I would say. But to send Letterman an overstated letter is the worst thing to do. I don't see where Letterman actually said that the girl was 14 years old. Maybe Im missing something.

What about Britney Spears...Britney's little sister, David you just gave them more free media coverage dude. I hope that the 14 year old doesn't become pregnant anytime soon.

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:33 PM)

Sarah Palin need to choose:

Is she going to continue to use her children as political props or not.

So far she has constantly presented her family as part of her political message, thus making them fair game for political jokes.

Gov. Palin opened this Pandora's box when she paraded her family around and started attacking the 18 year old father of her grandchild in the media.

I hate to say it, but it seems that Gov. Palin has a glass jaw - she can dish it out alot better than she can take it.

Maybe she should stop letting her daughter's "pal around" with their live-in lovers before she tries to play the "outraged parent" role for the gullible media.

America calls bullsh!t.

Republicans keep spinning, and America is getting dizzy (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:33 PM)

Why do liberals hate women so much? Unless they've been put into their position in life by a man (Hillary?), then women are objects of scorn.

Pattie Kelmont, Denver (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:33 PM)

Well, you right-wing nimrods have started spewing your hate so vehemently that now the terrorists that belong to your party have started raising their ugly heads. Napolitano was right.. Hope you nut cases are satisfied.

OBAMA/BIDEN, 2012!

KJ, Dallas, TX (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:34 PM)

Pete - Albany, NY (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:34 PM)

If you can't stand the heat, go back to Wasilla.

Your mama (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:34 PM)

I agree with Sarah and Todd on this one, the jokes were clearly in bad taste. He definetly should apologize. We definitely need to move passed this kind of trash.

American Joe (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:35 PM)

God Help US - Obama Won't:

I don't think that will ever be an issue, it's just reserved for trashsy families that hussle their children for political gain.

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:35 PM)

A bit out there I would say. But to send Letterman an overstated letter is the worst thing to do. I don't see where Letterman actually said that the girl was 14 years old. Maybe Im missing something.

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:33 PM)

--------------------------------------

Bristol Palin did not accompany Governor Palin on her trip so the eldest daughter in attendance was 14-year-old Willow Palin.

Most Americans ultimately don't care enough to do the research to find out that Bristol was not at at the game so the joke is assumed to mean her.

PS - How'd that "abstinence only" education work out for you, Governor Palin?

PPS - How much did the taxpayers of Alaska pay for your vacation in The Big City?

PPPS - Don't you know you're only helping Letterman's ratings by releasing these statements?

It's only bad publicity if they spell your name incorrectly. (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:41 PM)

Madam Governor, when David Letterman jokes, the appropriate response if you are going to be taken seriously on a national stage when asked about it is, "No comment."
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Only someone who isn't a parent of a daughter would feel this way.

Mom (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:41 PM)

I don't think that will ever be an issue, it's just reserved for trashsy families that hussle their children for political gain.
Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:35 PM)

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Sounds like Palin has more class in her little pinky finger than you. Why are you filled with so much hate?

Don't understand (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:42 PM)

did not see Letterman but he can be tasteless. what i did see was Contessa Brewer this morning and the lady held her own with amazing class with some clown from L.A. who like all republicans these days follows the party line of say anything just see me. if I could figure out twitter I would have told her so. way to go Contessa.

sandra sheffer glendale heights Il (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:43 PM)

This is why Governor Palin will never be a successful politician on a national scale.

Madam Governor, when David Letterman jokes, the appropriate response if you are going to be taken seriously on a national stage when asked about it is, "No comment."
Pete - Albany, NY

This comment is just plan wrong. People, politicians, celebs, they have to stop taking the crap people like Letterman put out. Letterman won't apologize, and really no one should care, the man is an idiot. CBS should apologize though. There is no reason that this behavior should be tolerated by anyone.

Lisa M., Illinois (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:43 PM)

BTW. For all of you righties who blasted Napolitano for her report on extremist (right and left)...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31208188/?GT1=43001

That's two for you so far. Care to explain? I don't recall any of these types of attacks from the left during 8 years of Bush, do you?

http://jawillie.blog.com

jawillie, Philadelphia, PA. (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:43 PM)

I think the point of this joke was the sensationalism/tabloid nature of covereage of both indivisuals A Rod and the Palin's daughter. I'm sure Dave wasn't refering to their 14 year old and defnitely didn't make a joke about rape. The joke was about the tabloid sensations that the Palin family is. And their overreaction to the joke just reinforces the point. That being said, I am sure Dave will be forced to apoligize for being unsensitive to the Palin's who took things to the lowest common denominator.

Kelly (from Pittsburgh) (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:43 PM)

I can't believe I'm siding with Palin! Dave went over the line on this one, but Sarah can't distract us from her killing of wolves and all her other atrocious policies.

Irwin, Thousand oaks, CA (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:44 PM)

Wow! You liberals are filled with hate. Bottom line, comedians need to stay away from child sex comedy. How would you feel if Letterman made a joke about knocking up Obama's children. I know that many people diagree with her policy positions, but why do people find the need to get so personal with politicians.

DG, Houston, TX (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:44 PM)

But come on Sarah, you should be *thanking* Dave. After all, he gives you a way to stay in the press for yet another day. And that is all you really want anyway, isn't it.

You betcha! (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:44 PM)

Why do liberals hate women so much? Unless they've been put into their position in life by a man (Hillary?), then women are objects of scorn.
Pattie Kelmont, Denver (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:33 PM)
_________

Why do conservatives hate women so much? They would have to, to deny them their freedom of choice.

See, that can work both ways! (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:46 PM)

Wow todd i did not think you could talk, and sarah i thing he was talking about bristol remember your teenage daughter that is 18 and just had a kid out of wedlock!!! dave may be crude but you both know who he was talking about.
just for the record i think dave is a republican, oha well.
Jeff D Westmont IL.

Todd isn't the public figure Jeff. But when a mans family is attacked by a moron like Letterman, he has to stand up and fight. I guess if your family was attacked like Palin's was Jeff, you'd look at the ground, push the dirt around with your foot, and take it like a wimp?

Tarsdale, Dover NH (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:47 PM)

Hey, Sarah, two words for you: "Character counts"

Bob Dole, Kansas (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:47 PM)

Deb Towns, Jersey (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:48 PM)

Letterman did not infer "rape". He was implying that A-rod and the Palin family both (jokingly of course) are a bit, shall we say, horny. If Palin continues to use her kids for political gain, this will happen. Out of line, maybe. But if you can't play with the big dogs, go home to Alaska. This woman can't have it both ways.

Lisa B in FL (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:49 PM)

Well, it business as usual for the Democrats. It's a different day, but they are putting out the same old crap. How in the world can the Democrats keep spending like this? It's obscene what they are doing, they are raping the country of any remaining wealth it has.
Retired Joe (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 1:38 PM)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Riddle me this there Retired Joe… you’re so disturbed about the ‘Democrats’ spending… so I’m confident that you’re sending back your Social Security check every month right? You’re so ‘high & mighty’ the thought of the FREE government handout coming to your mailbox EVERY month is causing a ‘ulcer’ right?

Oh and of course you pay 100% for your private insurance… wouldn’t want to touch that ‘nasty’ socialized insurance called Medicare know would you?

***shakes head*** Unbelievable...!!

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:51 PM)

Would I prefer if people didn't joke about other people's children?

Of course.

Do I think that these over-the-top letters are anything other than a self serving publicity stunt?

No I don't.

The simple truth is, most people didn't know ANYTHING about this joke until the Palin's amplified it.

I sure didn't.

Nashville_fan (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:51 PM)

Pattie Kelmont, Denver
-------------------
You have some nerve. You people advocate murdering a physician that saves women's lives that can't carry a child to full term. You twist around their medical professions to make it appear as though they are just taking lives of fetuses.

Yet you are ready to defend sorry ass parents that didn't take time to be parents by teaching sex education in the home. Hell you all even took that out of schools.

She ran a loose home. She allowed the boyfriend to live in her home with her daughter. If that's not trashy, then what is. We are trying to teach teens about teen pregancies, not encourage them. Make up your minds, what will it be! You can't have both.

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:54 PM)

It's Comedy people. He was doing this for laughs. I wouldn't apolegize. He didn't do anything wrong. If you don't like it stop watching his show. This moral police can come out in force all they want but it won't change the fact that we have free speech in this country. That means I get to make fun of you all I want.

Serious Business (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:54 PM)

marriage does that to cranky old men like Letterman. He was a confirmed bachelor until his son was born. That should have taught him to keep it in his pants. It didn't and he married. Not anyone's fault but his and although I dislike Palin and her family Letterman went over the line. He gets all hysterical when someone stalks him or his family but it's okay for him to say something about raping a 14 year old kid. His son Harry is probably going to be populating the world one day without benefit of marriage. Watch and see.

cathy (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:54 PM)

Late on this one, aren't you?

While Letterman is busy putting Palin down, and her kids, he should be reminded that he has a bastard child and a wife that looks like a train wreck. He also went about 15 years before getting married AFTER Harry was born. What a perfect example of a typical liberal Palin Hater looking for publicity at her expense.

Bad Chihuahua (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:54 PM)

Who cares? It is fine when we attack Republicans regardless of age. If Ole Davey-Boy had said that about one of Obama's girls, what would have been the reaction? Then again, we all know that it's hands-off the Obamas - as they use the race card for anything and everything to protect themselves from their lily-white tower.

Dem who changed to Rep (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:55 PM)

The Republicans need some new voices. The sooner we can put the remnants of the '08 campaign behind us, the better. Chris Matthews is right, I think the new voices are laying low until next year.

And I was pleased to hear about Scarborogh's new book. Yes, I have been arguing that same thing right here on FR since the election. I don't need to read the book however, cuz he articulates where I am on those issues. The "social conservatives" are going to be a pesky group to get rid of, however. When you understand that we all want to support winners, then they'll come around.

Viva la libertas!

Cicero (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:55 PM)

Anita, While you're calling families trashy, how about a word about the Clinton family. Clinton's brother and his adulterous relationship qualifies them as trashy. Or we could go after Al Gore's family because of his criminal son. Or lets go bak in time and crucify Jimmy Carter for the indiscretions of his brother.

DG, Houston, TX (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:55 PM)

Sarah Palin brought her children into the public eye by using them for her own political gain. She paraded them around for all to see, including her seven year old carrying the newborn like a loaf of bread.
I'm sure it was your eldest daughter that Letterman was referring to and she was only fair game after we watched her pregnancy grow on a world stage. You Sarah, are the one who aimed the spotlight at her. No one, not the Bushes, Cheneys, Clintons, Carters or certainly the Obamas have tried to use their children as political capital. Only you think you can have it both ways.

Tim Stocken, Highland Lakes, NJ (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:55 PM)

Yeah, Letterman's joke was 1)inappropriate and 2)not funny. But I do kind of have to take issue with Palin characterizing the joke as being about "raping [her] 14-year-old". Even when Palin has a decent point (can we please keep the children of politicians out of the discussion until they are of age?) she goes all hyperbolic with use of the word "rape". It undercuts any moral high ground that Palin might have been trying to hold.

Letterman was implying that Palin's 14 year old daughter was promiscuous. That's very inappropriate but a far cry from joking about her daughter being raped.

The Rational Hatter (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:56 PM)

Bob Dole,

You are right. Sarah has more character in her little pinky than David has in his whole body.

BillC (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:57 PM)

Hey, Sarah, two words for you: "Character counts"

How is your comment germane to Letterman's tasteless comment?

Sgt Bilko (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:57 PM)

Didn't Dave Letterman and Obama's mom have children out of wed lock?

Michael,NY (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:57 PM)

I agree with Todd Palin. Making a joke about an adult impregnating a teenage girl is disturbing. But this has nothing to do with politics (I personally can't stand the Palins), as Sarah Palin implies. They should have just condemned the joke and left it at that.

J, Phoenix, AZ (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:57 PM)

This comment is just plan wrong. People, politicians, celebs, they have to stop taking the crap people like Letterman put out. Letterman won't apologize, and really no one should care, the man is an idiot. CBS should apologize though. There is no reason that this behavior should be tolerated by anyone.
Lisa M., Illinois (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:43 PM)

---

So let me ask you a question Lisa...why haven't you or others in high profile positions spoken out on the nastiness spewed by the likes of limbaugh, beck, o'reilly and gingrich as they relate to Sotomayor and Pres. Obama?

"There is no reason that this behavior should be tolerated by anyone."

Does that statement apply to all mouthpieces, or just ones that offend you? Sorry, you can't have it both ways.

Julie, TX (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 2:57 PM)

Congratulations, Governor Palin, for taking on Mr. Letterman. He has become so sleezy in recent years. Wait until his son is the target of jokes. We'll see who's laughing then.

Hal Coffey, Des Moines, IA (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 3:01 PM)

Pattie Kelmont, Denver - my mother is a woman and I love her more than any one on this earth!!

Stop with the blanketed non - sense; we don't hate women no more than you hate your mother, sister, grandmother, daughter.

As for the Palins - I don't recall Letterman ever saying someone should rape your daughter.

YOU guys said that, to give it more attention - so whooooose really exploiting your kids.

Thank you and GOD BLESS AMERICA

The - Democrat Soldier (Sent Wednesday, June 10, 2009 3:02 PM)

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