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Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Levi Johnston in Vanity Fair

Posted: Wednesday, September 02, 2009 11:25 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:

From NBC's Mark Murray
Levi Johnston, the father of Sarah Palin's grandson, dishes out on the Palins in the latest issue of Vanity Fair.

On the kind of parents Sarah and Todd were:


The Palin house was much different from what many people expect of a normal family, even before she was nominated for vice president. There wasn’t much parenting in that house. Sarah doesn’t cook, Todd doesn’t cook—the kids would do it all themselves: cook, clean, do the laundry, and get ready for school. Most of the time Bristol would help her youngest sister with her homework, and I’d barbecue chicken or steak on the grill.


On alleging that Palin wanted to adopt Bristol's baby:


Sarah told me she had a great idea: we would keep it a secret—nobody would know that Bristol was pregnant. She told me that once Bristol had the baby she and Todd would adopt him. That way, she said, Bristol and I didn’t have to worry about anything. Sarah kept mentioning this plan. She was nagging—she wouldn’t give up. She would say, “So, are you gonna let me adopt him?” We both kept telling her we were definitely not going to let her adopt the baby. I think Sarah wanted to make Bristol look good, and she didn’t want people to know that her 17-year-old daughter was going to have a kid.


On Palin after the campaign:


Sarah was sad for a while. She walked around the house pouting. I had assumed she was going to go back to her job as governor, but a week or two after she got back she started talking about how nice it would be to quit and write a book or do a show and make “triple the money.” It was, to her, “not as hard.” She would blatantly say, “I want to just take this money and quit being governor.” She started to say it frequently, but she didn’t know how to do it. When she came home from work, it seemed like she was more and more stressed out.

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Levi is a snotty little communist!  Todd Palin won the Medal of Valor for his heroic rescue mission in the first Gulf War, and this little welfare runt is criticizing him?  He's not even the real father of Corky, and he wanted to abort him when he heard about his Downs!
Why does the media keep giving this kid the time of day?  He's in it for the money and will say anything to keep in the limelight.  Why don't you let Bristol and Sarah tell their side of the story?  Levi is making a lot of money on the talk show circuit and doesn't contribute child support.  What a loser.  He has no grounds to talk about "normal family life."  His own family isn't "normal."  
Hardly the stuff of a family values candidate...by the way this same information has been out there its just that those of you who watch faux news for retards never heard about it.

Go ahead righties, nominate this lightweight nimrod in 2012. Please. Please. Oh please.
Out of the mouths of babes . . .
I have read that it is the red states who will benefit the most from health care reform. Does anyone from these states even care? Anyone?

Did all the town hall protestors report back to kindergarten yet? What a disgrace. They offered nothing to the debate this summer except hatred and bigotry. They do not represent the majority of people in this country, thank goodness. And Congress I would hope, knows this. What is it exactly they were trying to say? That President Obama was going to kill senior citizens? That President Obama is another Hitler? That cleaning up the health care industry was against the Constitution? That their taxes might be raised when President Obama said a million times they wouldn't be? These people made no sense. I’m all for challenging subjects in an open debate. But to bring guns and Hitler signs and such? What was that all about exactly?

I hear the economy, especially the manufacturing base, is picking up steam. Imagine that.

It's nice to see Jenna Bush taking a job with NBC to talk about education. No one talks enough about this subject. It appears we have millions of people in this country who did not grow up during the depression or a world war or live in a third world country – yet are poorly educated. Why is this? Lack of money in the school systems? Parents? Teachers? Students?

Ignorance is the biggest threat in this nation of ours. Yet it appears people are happy listening to the Entertainers on right wing radio and Fox who just out and out lie to them.

Their reps in Congress might want to do a better job of educating their constituents, instead of going along with them. I'd like to believe this is all a game to these legislatures. That it's just politics. Because if it's not, we're all in a whole lot of trouble.

Thank you to Keith for bringing to the attention that yesterday was the anniversary of the beginning of WWII. The one Hitler began when he invaded Poland, a war in which millions were misplaced, killed, raped, tortured.

How fortunate we are to have been brought up in America.
It's weird how irresponsible teen father Levi Johnson keeps seeming more and more down to earth as time passes and Sarah Palin just keeps seeming more and more crazy.

Although to be fair to Sarah here, the fact that the kids do their own laundry and make their own food isn't necessarily a sign of bad parenting. I bet a ton of parents would like to know the secret behind that one.
Ah more dirt on the Wicked Wasilla Witch coming out.  We can see just how pathetic a parent Quitter Palin was as she treated her children like household slaves.  No surprise that Quitter Palin quit for the money and didn't want to work honestly.  Good thing that Mainstream America just said no to this lazy piece of white trash.

Man that Hong Kong group must think that Sinner Sarah is some kind of psychic, but they'll soon find out she's just psychotic.  They'll soon discover that she's a total fool and that they wasted their money hiring her to rant.  Sinister Sarah is nothing but an ambassador of ill will.

Just Say No to Quitter Palin!
"Why isn't Obama talking about all those jobs he promised?  It's getting worse and worse.  I can't find a job anywhere near my house.  I NEED A JOB NOW."
Willing to Work

Hey UnWilling to Work - Instead of spewing your whines here why not go out and go job hunting?  You whine about what Obama has done to create jobs but you seem to do nothing to actually find one or create one for yourself.  As your pal the Bushwhacker oft said "Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps"!

The Bushwhacker Made More People Unemployed!
Interesting. Didn't know First Read was doing updates on soap operas. What's going on with 'One Life To Live' today?
This liberal Democrat is also not a stooge...I take what Levi says within the context of a teenaged father who's family of the teenaged mother of his son is not happy with him, and has treated him not entirely well.  BUT...still, would not be surprised at all if all he said were true.  
Obama looked sad and confused. Only ten thousand or so had attended his campaign rally. He smoked a couple of Marlboro's and tried to think. "What, what can I do to be more popular!?" he asked himself. Then Rahm entered the room. Clearly he too was upset. Jen, a loyal campaign worker, was in the hospital on life support. Rahm pleaded with Obama to be by her side, to speak the soothing words he speaks, and maybe, just maybe, Jen would awaken. Barack was torn. Should he help Jen, or help himself!?
I love that kid!  What a wealth of information he's provided on the behind the scene saga of Bible Spice!

What a family of values I might add... also too you betcha *wink*wink*
Oh Boy - this kid is gonna get creamed. You don't spit in the face of Lady Palin and get away with. Look how much support she received when she was so very offended by Dave Letterman. It really is unfortunate that VF had to run this because it will only give the former Alaska Guv an excuse to crow like a plucked chicken, and it will once again fire up her posse of protectors. Looks like we're in for another round of "Oh Goodie, another d**n Palin story."
Dear Lord, are you ever going to quit flogging this deceased equine?  I don't particularly care what a 17 year old has to say about his ex-girfriend's parents-and i wonder what some of your high school exe's would have to say about YOU. Or your parents.

How about some REAL news.  Pew Research, (I imagine you don't call them erratic), has a very interesting report on congress-as in, what the mid-terms look like now.  They have the Dems and Republicans tied in the generic-but, there is bad news in there.  Seems independents prefer the generic republican candidate over the democrat by 43% to 38%.  It is worth noting that indies supported Dems by 11 points in '06.

More bad news:  the GOP leads the dems with seniors by 8 points.  It must be noted that seniors are the single largest voting block in off-year elections.

But, go ahead, keep reporting what Levi Johnson has to say.  You can have group therapy about it in 2011.
Nashville_fan (Sent Wednesday, September 02, 2009 9:31 AM): “U.S. Economy Gets Lift From Stimulus…Spin that.”

Actually, you’ve already put a spin on this issue by virtue of your selective choice of items to quote from the WSJ story.  What about this:

“Government efforts to funnel hundreds of billions of dollars into the U.S. economy appear to be helping the U.S. climb out of the worst recession in decades.  But there's little agreement about which programs are having the biggest impact. Some economists argue that efforts such as the Federal Reserve's aggressive buying of Treasury debt and mortgage-backed securities, as well as government efforts to shore up banks, are providing a bigger boost than the administration's $787 billion stimulus package.”

Or this:  “Opinion, however, remains split about which program has had the biggest impact. ‘I don't think the [fiscal] stimulus was necessarily as effective as people claimed it to be or claim it will be,’ said Joseph LaVorgna, chief U.S. economist with Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. He credits the government's 'stress tests’ of banks, which helped boost confidence on Wall Street and allow banks to raise capital and resume lending.”  By the way, Joe LaVorgna is a very sharp guy.  Check him out on CNBC sometime.

The recession is (hopefully) ending because of the aggressive and innovative monetary policies of the Fed that saved the financial system from collapse, combined with the natural business cycle which is primed for an upswing.  The effect (if any) of the Obama fiscal stimulus is a latecomer to a party that is already in full swing.  Indeed, the article also makes the point that “Much of the stimulus spending is just beginning to trickle through the economy…”  Therefore, you can’t argue that this same fiscal stimulus has had any effect on the improved conditions we’re seeing at present.

Nice try, but selective quoting will come back to bite you every time.
Wow, talk about a tell all. He's dishing all the dirt, no holds barred.
FR--The Palin house was much different from what many people expect of a normal family, even before she was nominated for vice president. There wasn’t much parenting in that house.
------------------------

Finally the confirmation. I do believe him. That explains why her oldest daughter became a teen parent. She didn't know how to balance parenting with her personal aspirations. She did her children the same way she did the citizens of Alaska. Sarah, you can NEVER quit being a parent like quitting a job. Children are a lifetime commitment.


On alleging that Palin wanted to adopt Bristol's baby:
Sarah told me she had a great idea: we would keep it a secret—nobody would know that Bristol was pregnant. She told me that once Bristol had the baby she and Todd would adopt him.
---------------------

This sounds about right too. My guess is that after she agreed to accept the nomination for V.P., the McCain camp got busty with the image remake. That would explain Levi in the suit and he and Bristol looking uncomfortable when she introduced her family.


“I want to just take this money and quit being governor.” She started to say it frequently, but she didn’t know how to do it. When she came home from work, it seemed like she was more and more stressed out.
----------------------

She learned pretty fast didn't she? Explains why she vanished for a while and has finally resurfaced like a bad penny. Sarah Palin, please run for president along with Dick Cheney.
Come on MSNBC. You're now resorting to national enquirer journalism. What is the infatuation with Palin. She doesn't have a role in anything now, but MSNBC can't stop running Palin stories and liberal posters probably mention her 100 times each day on FR. Palin seems far more important to liberals than conservatives. I don't get it.
Come on, First Read.
Stop trying to become People magazine.
Whether you like Palin or you don't like her, who really cares about what the kid has to say?

AHHHH....the truth, from the mouths of babes.
Amazing msnbc. We never thought you could make yourself less relevant. You've exceeded our expectations.
Chuck Todd...you are a total idiot for reporting this sleaze bag stuff.  This belong in the National Inquirer.  What is wrong with you!
Ah yes, Ms. Palin.

First Read, like so many others, loves the dirt, if there really was some to tell.

A boy is paid off to tell a story about the Palins. They don't care what he says, true or not. He's exploited like the other "lives exposed" folly that run too often is a supposedly credible magazine.

Levi has told his story before but we dig and dig and dig, looking for another break through.

It is obvious that Sarah sells mags big time. And when you can no longer get her you go for the second bananas.

We've dug into Slick Willie, Hillary, Obie and even his wife Michelle. Back with more from Arlington next time.

Go home, Levi.  It's the first rock on the right. Crawl in and enjoy your stay.
The Master Plan of World Citizen: Barack Hussein Obama is all falling into place!

Way back in the year 1962(i think), while still in the Womb of his mother, unborn Barack was trying to figure out how to get his 1/3 Black,1/3 Muslim & 1/3 Caucasion Unborn body all to Hawaii (the newest state in America) so DR. Evil could stitch them alltogether,so Barack could Fool the World into thinking he was a natural born Citizen of the USA. This was the Only way he could someday become President & institute the Master Plan of opening up the much needed "Kill Granpa & Granma" Fields.

The talent of this Unborn 3rd-3rd-3rd wannabe President of the USA was aided & abetted by his Caucasion Mother,Kenyan Father & Muslim step-Father.Also pitching into this effort was his soon to be  Unknowing Guinea Pigs,his Mother's, Mom & Dad(Granpa & Granma). Somehow Barack with his Super natural powers, had to persuade unknown #'s of unknown World Leaders spanning 40 year's, of his Master Plan, which also included Destroying America from within.

The Master Plan came together in the year of the Messiah 2008, as now Adult Barack Hussein Obama ,was able to lead the Unknowing sheep into the voting booth's across America to Vote Him into the office of "President of The United States of America"

The Master Plan was now in order for Opening the Granpa-Granma "Killing Fields" & destroying America from within was Implemented.

Corparate America saw an opportunity as the maker's of tea bag's saw thier profits soar, Gun maker's & ammunition maker's also got into the Greed of the Master Plan.

It was'nt until the Summer of 2009, that the effect's of the Master Plan became visible. Granpa's & Granma's across America knowingly became guinea Pig's & brought out Birther's, Deather's,& Utter Ignorance to the point that the MSM had No other Choice but to get involved in the Master Plan of Barack.

All that is left for President Barack Hussein Obama to do now is to light the Fuse of the Nuclar Bomb, which will be done in the form of "Reconcilliation".
This will be the Final Nail in the Master Plan as Stupidity & Ignorance will run Amok across the streets of America!

America will be destoyed from within:The Master Plan Complete. The MSM will be Nomore as they failed to recognize that Barack Hussein Obama had used them to the Final days!

This story was brought to you by the Republican National Committee, otherwise known as Complete JackAsses across America.
Well I thought at least todd would've been taking care of the kids while his wife was campaigning...they didn't even hire outside help!!

If this is true, she fits right in with the self serving party of obstruction.
Goodness...
HAs anyone woken Michelle Obama up from her nap at the kennedy funeral? LMAO..Is this the best you can do MSNBC? Glenn Beck to be presented keys to the city..now thats a story

Hows Obama handling the Van Jones Commie story? not so well huh?  Keithie still think he has the #1 show on cable LMAO
It still amazes me the number of self desribed christian family values crowd who still supprt the withc from wasila even though there is ample evidence that she is neither a moral maven nor particularly christian. PT was right, you can fool some of the people all of the time.
Don't you love these holier than thou christian right winger's who talk about family values. Palin was all about power, greed, lies, subtefuge and you betha let the kids do all the chores and cooking. Judge and condemnation along w/ hatemongering and do as I say not what I do Palin. YOU HYPROCRIT. Now the daughters can raise their special needs sister while that female used car salesmen can rake in the  money from specking engagements. Yeah real class act. Wasilla Beverly Hillbilly that you are.
Three little words to take down this country ....
Barack Hussein Obama.

Palin has crucified him in her speeches, both on and off the campaign trail. It turns out she was right about our little rad prez.

I wonder how many meds the leader of the pack will need before all of this is over in 2012.

No one actually believed she cooked, did they? The thing about adopting the baby, that is so sad....what I want to know is, is that baby Trigg really Sarah's? mmmmm?
WHO in the F@#K CARES????
Why does this loser still get media attention?  
Thanks Sarah

You spanked Letterman and Obama.
Go for the tri-fecta.
Pelosi has approval ratings much less than you, and you're no longer holding an office. See, they still consider you a threat. Nail Pelosi while she's down.
Damn, Sarah, you make Michelle Obama look like mud.

Let 'em talk trash. Michelle's time is coming.
Once again we find First Read not willing to report on any real news (Howard Dean admitting Dems cater to trial lawyers, minimal coverage of Charlie Rangel's major ethics problems,...etc) so "let's find another 'distraction issue'....especially something unimportant about Sarah Palin." First Read, are we really supposed to take you serious as a news provider when you tell us about Sarah Palin in Runner magazine and a Vanity Fair article about Levi Johnston, but minimal real news about politicans in Washington...especially real news which exposes Dems????
I always thought that Levi Johnston was the least crazy person in that household...
Sarah Palin is far from perfect (whether you believe Levi Johnston or not), but the fact that has been a voice and example of a woman who values life and respects it puts her character way above the money-hungry and convenience-driven pro-choice politicans who throw their conscience to the wind in order to line their pockets from the lucrative abortion industry lead by Planned Parenthood and Emily's List.  Abortion is the slavery issue of our generation and on this issue Mrs Palin is right on--being a voice for those who have none and exposing the lies of an abortion money making industry whose founder (Planned Parenthood's Margaret Sanger) was a blatant racist who wanted to control the populations of those she deemed "unfit" (like blacks, hispanics, and jews...).
Glenn Beck has it correct. The Obama administration is composed of communists, marxists, Chicago thugs and, following close behind are the dimwits of the liberal congress. These people are all misfits and an insult to the intelligence of the American people.
It's all about money to this woman, not about doing what is best for the country or americans.  She is a joke and will always be a joke.  The Greed here is no surprise.  If she wanted to do what is easy, she should have never been involved in government.  Not a very realistic human being, more of a right wing nut case.  Its all about money.  I will always have an image of her doing an interview while turkey's are being slaughtered in the background, with no sensitivity or awareness of how people would take it.  I know turkey's are killed for people to eat, but we shouldn't have to watch an idiot do an interview with it happening.  She has no common sense and as you can see it has gotten her nowhere in public life, other then to speak and make money off of peoples stupidity.  She and Michelle Bachman are birds of a feather, and do not represent what most woman stand for.  It's a good day when people like her get out of politics, only wish Bachman would follow her example and get out.  
no comment.

this is the requisite daily (weekly) Palin story to get all of us polarized and entrenched.

not worth the time.
What a disgusting, filthy, low-down, sissy-assed, little punk!

How can you believe the word of someone who impregnated a teenage girl, and then ran away from his responsibilities?

That's his baby, its' mother and its' grandparents he's talking about! Imagine, years from now when that kid is old enough to read, and sees this in print!
Just think of the internal, psychological damage it will do!

Lecvi Johnston is the furthest thing away from being a "man," that one can possibly be!
...and FIRST READ should be ashamed of itself for printing this sort of TRASH!

(Would you want YOUR kids subjected to this, Mark Murray?)
Although I'd love to believe everything Levi is spilling, I can't help but think he's merely using his new found celebrity status for all it's worth. As far as I'm concerned, this entire family is as dysfunctional as it gets.
Just imagine what a fine time we all would have had discussing her multitude of personal problems if she'd actually won thye VP.
The tabloids and pundits would be in hog-heaven, and as someone who recognized what she was as soon as I saw and heard her at the RNC, I admit I would have been just as bad.
It's so great to feel so superior.
And the republiklans thought this woman was a contender,that as long as she could whip up the crazys she was there girl.just goes to show that the party of torture is also the party of win at all cost,leave no un-truthful story untold.Ya got to admit thou she is entertaining,maybe something like the Gong show,that would be about the right speed for this five school collage grad, who quit her job as Governor so she could make some money before her five minutes of fame expires.The salmon Queen,starting to really smell bad.Is there anyone superised by the news she does nothing towards being a parent,except drag her tribe around like side show carneys.Saw a report yesterday saying she hasn't been home in a month,see she bailed even her own kids for the almighty dollar.
It appears that MSNBC has now hit a new low with the the summary of the interview in Vanity Fair of Levi Johnson, notorious liar and deadbeat and absentee dad. Why, just why, would any credible news oeganization post such a trash story? Oh, what a minute, I just answered my own question didn't I? You have no credibility! That's right! I forgot for a minute!
Who cares. Enough about Palin and enough about Levi. This isn't People magazine, is it?

She wanted to keep it secret, really? What politician wouldn't?
Sarah Pallin is a "joke". Why does "white" America keep "proping" her up?. Where is her HS diploma? Where is her college "thesis"? Where are her college grades?
Holy cow.
No! It can't be! Our Great White Woman Hope, a bad mom?
Our Sarah, abandoning her children like some "welfare mom". Rush, please! tell us what to think!


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