Video: Letterman non-apologizes to Palin; Update: McCain scolds Letterman
posted at 2:42 pm on June 11, 2009 by Allahpundit
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
I had a few long moments of panic after publishing last night’s post when I considered that Entertainment Weekly might have taken him out of context. Surely he didn’t really defend himself by saying he only meant to call Bristol a whore, not Willow. Except … he did, as you’re about to see. No apology, either; the closest we get is an admission that he “probably” regrets having told those jokes — which are duly repeated here in their entirety — but only after admitting that he “kind of likes” the one comparing Palin herself to a “slutty flight attendant.” On some basic level he doesn’t understand what the problem is here (e.g., comparing Spitzer and Alex Rodriguez, each of whom sought fame, to Bristol, who didn’t), and no wonder: Much of the left’s derision towards Palin and her daughter stems from the perception that they’re white trash, a class-oriented smear which Dave naturally figured he could mine for a few safe slut/whore jokes at their expense. Imagine his mystification at suddenly finding out that he can’t. Evidently it’s not just cultured, well educated, progressive girls like the Obama sisters who are off-limits for cheap shots.
Sounds like the ‘Cuda’s done playing nice with him after this. Exit quotation from the governor’s spokesman: “The Palins have no intention of providing a rating’s boost for David Letterman by appearing on his show. Plus, it would be wise to keep Willow away from David Letterman.”
Update: A mild rebuke from Maverick, but better than saying nothing at all.
Republican Senator John McCain has a message for late-night comic David Letterman: Enough with the jokes about Sarah Palin and her family…
“I don’t understand why Letterman would say that about a young woman,” McCain said during a telephone interview on Thursday. “They (the Palins) deserve some kind of protection from being the butt of late-night hosts.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: 1 2 3 ... 8 Next »
Money.
V15J on June 11, 2009 at 2:45 PM
Gee, how come during Leno’s tenure, we never heard such material from him? Yet Letterman steps in it quite frequently?
Rhetorical Question.
Weebork on June 11, 2009 at 2:45 PM
Allah, if you had kids and this happened to you. What would you do?
upinak on June 11, 2009 at 2:45 PM
Waiting for the jokes about the Obama girls.
Firebird on June 11, 2009 at 2:46 PM
Here’s MM’s take on Letterman’s non-apology apology.
Lance Murdock on June 11, 2009 at 2:46 PM
Willow could prolly kick Dave’s a$$ anyhow LOL
Keep digging Dave, you’re truly a pathetic shrew of a “man”.
StockOption on June 11, 2009 at 2:47 PM
Hey Letterman, your new wife looks like a man.
Just kidding! It’s just a joke!
eforhan on June 11, 2009 at 2:47 PM
That guy is still on television? I thought that show was cancelled years ago.
Vashta.Nerada on June 11, 2009 at 2:47 PM
To quote Allahpundit, “OH, SNAP!”
aero on June 11, 2009 at 2:47 PM
Don’t mess with Mother Nature and Momma Bears
meerkat on June 11, 2009 at 2:48 PM
what can you really expect from a libtard
SHARPTOOTH on June 11, 2009 at 2:48 PM
Keep young girls away from Letterman. heh heh That’s the new meme. As someone just posted – MONEY!
Sugar Land on June 11, 2009 at 2:48 PM
maybe he should get John Kerry to be his new joke writer.
Jed_Eckert on June 11, 2009 at 2:49 PM
If there’s one thing that is not needed, it’s a replay of Letterman replaying the tasteless jokes he told the night before.
Marcus on June 11, 2009 at 2:49 PM
Now can you really blame Letterman for resorting to cheap stunts? After all, he could really use the attention.
The 18-49 demo numbers are brutal.
Slublog on June 11, 2009 at 2:49 PM
If I were Todd Palin, I would be on the next plane to NY to personally kick David Letterman’s ass.
-Dave
Dave R. on June 11, 2009 at 2:49 PM
Love the Palins’ subtle reference to Letterman’s inclination towards pedophilia. He just got labeled.
sherry on June 11, 2009 at 2:50 PM
This is just part of Alinsky ,Axelrod ,GE fascist business plan.
It’s not Palin running out of time , it’s America.
the_nile on June 11, 2009 at 2:50 PM
Lame.
I’d rather boycott the advertisers and hit him where it hurts, than accept this lame explanation.
Go away, Letterman.
UltimateBob on June 11, 2009 at 2:50 PM
Letterman is a joke. So are his ratings.
NebCon on June 11, 2009 at 2:50 PM
+1…to Dave R
LtE126 on June 11, 2009 at 2:50 PM
Poor David. He just reads those jokes off the teleprompter, like his hero, the commander in chief
never really understanding what he’s saying. I actually almost believe him when he says he didn’t know which daughter was at the game: he probably couldn’t tell you what a Palin was besides some nebulous concept of evil that lives in the snow.
fronclynne on June 11, 2009 at 2:51 PM
Letterman’s a gutless weasel and a coward.
Either own up to ripping her or apologize.
NoDonkey on June 11, 2009 at 2:51 PM
Hey Dave, in my top 10 things I’d like to do, this is #1:
1. Knock up your slutty looking wife.
I know, I’m a laugh riot.
Daggett on June 11, 2009 at 2:51 PM
Letterman invited the Palins to NY to be on his show.
I think a better invite would be for Todd to invite Dave to Ak for a hunting trip > > hint hint
Hal-9000 on June 11, 2009 at 2:51 PM
bazil9 on June 11, 2009 at 2:52 PM
MM nails it (as usual).
petefrt on June 11, 2009 at 2:52 PM
Only if Cheney got to come along, too.
teke184 on June 11, 2009 at 2:52 PM
He is obviously feeling the heat – keep on calling and emailing, time to take the clown down.
dpierson on June 11, 2009 at 2:53 PM
Oops. Dave apparently brought a second-class intellect and a Swiss Army knife to nuclear-war put on by Mensa.
Hell, Palin’s people are even funnier. Now that’s gotta sting.
Heh.
Professor Blather on June 11, 2009 at 2:53 PM
Is Malaria O. fair game now too? Just for jokes that is. I forget the other one’s name. Shasta ?
redrock on June 11, 2009 at 2:53 PM
I guess the Palin’s want to protect Loathableman from getting his brains kicked in by Willow.
Right_of_Attila on June 11, 2009 at 2:54 PM
So a 62 year old guy with rape fantasies about 14 year old girls has his own talk show?
/ why don’t you have a seat right over there…
Sefton on June 11, 2009 at 2:54 PM
Exxon Mobil and Transcanada announce a pipeline deal. Even her enemies at home have acknowledged this is a huge political victory for Sarah. Go ‘Cuda!
promachus on June 11, 2009 at 2:55 PM
“I’m sorry if you were stupid enough to be offended.”
rockbend on June 11, 2009 at 2:55 PM
If you have not emailed his sponsors, you should.
Its nice to see assclowns like this eat their own sh**.
bluelightbrigade on June 11, 2009 at 2:55 PM
Letterman is a deceiver, a dissembler
His trousers are alight
From what pole or gallows
Shall they dangle in the night?
What infernal serpent
Has lent him his forked tongue?
From what pit of foul deceit
Have all his slanders sprung?
What red devil of mendacity
Grips his soul with such tenacity?
Will not one he cruelly showers with lies
Put a pistol ball between his eyes?
PercyB on June 11, 2009 at 2:55 PM
That’s a bigtime burn right there.
LibTired (KO) on June 11, 2009 at 2:55 PM
Has anyone checked the registration roll for sex offenders in the NYC area for one name:
Letterman, D., 62-year-old comedic hack.
BuckeyeSam on June 11, 2009 at 2:55 PM
OOOOHHHHHH. The Momma bears claws. They shred good.
Dave, See that line about 1/4 of a mile back? Yeah. That was the line of decency.
My grandad hated letterman. He always said “with teeth like his you could eat corn through a jar”.
portlandon on June 11, 2009 at 2:55 PM
I nominate this for the 2nd Asinine Post of the Day.
BigD on June 11, 2009 at 2:55 PM
Let’s not forget everyone’s favorite, Piper.
BuckeyeSam on June 11, 2009 at 2:56 PM
Lol. The pig just got called a pedophile.
That’s awesome.
bluelightbrigade on June 11, 2009 at 2:56 PM
Letcherman’s ideations of sex with a minor scare the heck outta me. Why isn’t the MSM picking up on the issue here? It’s not that he insulted the Gov., it’s that he advocated the rape of minor one night and then the next insinuated she was a prostitute. There is no humor in this, and I don’t believe for one second the pig thought the daughter was Bristol, no reasonable person could considering Willow’s name and picture were in all the papers.
I really hope all of our complaints to the FCC, CBS and Letcherman’s sponsors will result in his firing. The man is sick inside.
theenforser on June 11, 2009 at 2:56 PM
Don’t like the mention of Willow in the spokesperson’s reply. Not a big deal to me, just wish they had maintained a higher tone and kept her out of it.
CK MacLeod on June 11, 2009 at 2:57 PM
Wow…ouch. I had a momentary Kathleen Parker-type lapse earlier where I thought maybe too big a deal was being made about these “jokes”, but no. Joking about Willow, who was the one in NY, was just completely beyond the pale. Even if he really meant Bristol, suggesting she’s a whore ought to be out of bounds too. And his “apology” is ridiculous.
changer1701 on June 11, 2009 at 2:58 PM
Why doesn’t anybody get it? Liberals do not apologize. THEY ASK OTHERS TO APOLOGIZE. They are NEVER WRONG! Letterman is just telling jokes when he calls Sarah Palins daughter a whore and A Rod a sleazy minority rapist. Poor misunderstood Letterman. He’s a liberal and doesn’t need to apologize for his atrocities.
afotia on June 11, 2009 at 2:58 PM
So, Letterman is into rape fantasies of 14 year old girls on network TV?
When is he going to arrested?
faraway on June 11, 2009 at 2:58 PM
You want to knock up Bill Paxton?
toliver on June 11, 2009 at 2:58 PM
Since I don’t watch Letterman anymore… I stopped when he could no longer contain his liberal anti-anti-anti Bush slant), what jokes did he make about Obama and his wife when they went to New York for an evening? Did he or didn’t he?
JeffinOrlando on June 11, 2009 at 2:58 PM
Yes its so funny because its a joke Mr.Letterman. Its just you exercising your freedom of speech. So tonight I want the same joke but I want you to use different people—-Michelle Obama while visiting France found the hardest part of the trip was keeping her daughter away from Pres. Sarkozy.
While attending the European shopping districts there was one awkward moment when her daughter was knocked up by Silvio Berlusconi.
Lets see the applause and laughs roll…//sarc
canditaylor68 on June 11, 2009 at 2:59 PM
You want to know what you are, David Letterman? Huh? Huh? You don’t, I do, everyone does… … you’re the son of a thousand fathers, all cowardly pedophile ugly bastards like you.
Tuco on June 11, 2009 at 2:59 PM
I think its clear that Letterman and his writers were just too lazy and uninterested to make sure it was Bristol who went to the game instead of Willow. Why would he make a joke about a 14 year old who didn’t have a reputation for getting knocked out? But it still doesn’t excuse him. All he had to do was read about the event.
Speedwagon82 on June 11, 2009 at 2:59 PM
They didn’t, Letterman did.
Jim Treacher on June 11, 2009 at 2:59 PM
David who?
MadisonConservative on June 11, 2009 at 3:00 PM
Dear Amoral, Unfunny, Gutless Wonder:
Fah Q, Fah Q, Fah Q.
locomotivebreath1901 on June 11, 2009 at 3:00 PM
PWNDED!
BPD on June 11, 2009 at 3:00 PM
promachus on June 11, 2009 at 2:55 PM
Shouldn’t that be a cue for one of the Palin trolls – I’m thinking lowandslow – to come tell us why the pipeline deal can’t happen, how if it does happen it’s bad, and how if it happens and is good that’s despite not because of Palin?
CK MacLeod on June 11, 2009 at 3:00 PM
It would be wise for Dave to keep away from Willow. I bet she could beat the snot out of his wrinkly, prerverted hide.
DamnCat on June 11, 2009 at 3:00 PM
Sorry, I don’t know enough about David Letterman to get that joke.
Daggett on June 11, 2009 at 3:00 PM
Speaking of jokes about the children of celebrities…how do you think it would go over if a conservative had cracked a joke about the plot to kidnap Letterman’s son back in 2005?
Lemmy on June 11, 2009 at 3:01 PM
Same old.
Liberals = just making jokes, speaking against the government is patriotic, its free speech.
Conservatives = Hate Speech
dpierson on June 11, 2009 at 3:01 PM
You’re wrong , their fully intentional in what they do.
the_nile on June 11, 2009 at 3:01 PM
Er, they didn’t bring Willow into it, Letterman did.
Jim Treacher on June 11, 2009 at 3:01 PM
Letterman clearly didn’t know who he was referring to when he told those jokes.
Kind of makes you wonder if he ever knows what he’s talking about.
MzeeTamu on June 11, 2009 at 3:02 PM
He’s done. Boycott.
Mason on June 11, 2009 at 3:02 PM
Letterman is obviously threatened by attractive girls/women (shot at his new wife).
Oh and if he meant to call Bristol promiscuous because of her out-of-wedlock pregnancy, doesn’t that make Letterman’s babymomma the same?- (The Lettermans just got married but she gave birth his spawn five years ago.)
baldilocks on June 11, 2009 at 3:02 PM
Right – but I think it’s preferable to get the kid out of the story ASAP. Like I said, it’s not a big deal to me – we should all wish we could display 1/20th the Guv & Family’s grace under pressure – but it’s still a bit of getting down in the mud to wrestle the pig. For now, I attribute it to the spokesperson, not the Palins.
CK MacLeod on June 11, 2009 at 3:02 PM
I notice he never mentioned that Bristol was not in New York…only Bristol.
Sorry Dave, you stepped in it.
right2bright on June 11, 2009 at 3:02 PM
“The Palins have no intention of providing a rating’s boost for David Letterman by appearing on his show. Plus, it would be wise to keep Willow away from David Letterman.”
At the risk of sounding like a troll, I think it’s the Palins (and some commentators), not Letterman, who dragged a 14-year-old girl into all this. Yes, Palin took Willow to the baseball game. But Letterman was telling a joke about Palin’s daughter getting “knocked up.” One of her daughters did get knocked up, which was pretty high profile last year and a blip on the daytime talk circuit early this year.
Who, upon first hearing that joke, thought of any daughter but Bristol? You may be offended by the joke and found it unfunny, but it was a JOKE. A joke about Willow Palin makes no sense to most Americans. A joke about Bristol Palin is at least grounded in something most people are aware of. The insinuation that Bristol Palin is a tramp is still classless and partisan, but that’s still slightly better than a statutory rape joke.
If you’re so inclined, the jokes were offensive enough before bringing accusations of rape into this, which I highly doubt is what Letterman intended.
YYZ on June 11, 2009 at 3:02 PM
So lets see…how long before we get a joke on letterman about Obama’s girls getting preggers or knocked up?
Anyone know?
BillaryMcBush on June 11, 2009 at 3:03 PM
First of all, as Colin Ferguson put it, the look is “naughty librarian”, not “slutty flight attendant.” It is that there is something real nice hidden underneath the exterior. Sluttiness is out there from the beginning. (I guess all the good writers have left the show).
Second of all, even if you intended the older daughter, it just isn’t funny. The young lady’s got enough to deal with at the moment no need to pile on.
Thirdly, you missed a good joke about Sarah being afraid to hunt NY rats — because even moose aren’t that big.
The only difference between the Palins and a lot of NY liberals (and I’ve been around them) is that both mother and daughter decided to keep their babies and not have abortions. That’s their “crime”.
rbj on June 11, 2009 at 3:03 PM
As mentioned earler by Firebird waiting for the jokes about Obama and family, you know like the ones so casually and routinly spoke about the Bush’s. It seemed as in now nothing is of limits for one side of the aisle but perish the thought to comment about Mrs’ O’s choice of attire in London….which of course is not worthy of comment. As for Leno he did not reach or aspire to the level as Lettermen does frequently
Lincoln1 on June 11, 2009 at 3:03 PM
Oops, I forgot to self-link like a jerk: David Letterman’s Stupid Blame-Dodging Tricks.
Jim Treacher on June 11, 2009 at 3:04 PM
Letterman is an Anti-American/Pro-Jihadi Leftist Traitor Democratic POS…
He’s a Hollywoodite, and a “Liberal” and a “Progressive” and a Leftist, all those things go hand in hand, and he’s made his views known over the years, so this is no surprise, actually.
But it’s a bit more complicated than that.
Sarah Palin scares the HELL out them, as can been seen by their violent reaction towards her, from day one, because she’s:
Smart
Accomplished
Natural
Articulate
A Mother
Married to a Man
Christian
Patriotic
Kick-Ass
Pro-Life
Pro-Gun
Married to a “minority”
etc….
She’s done all this, without being, what a “woman” is to the Left (think Hillary, Janet Reno, Albright, Rosie, etc. here)
Ugly
Nasty
Rotten
Mean
Testicular
“Alternative Lifestyle living”
Anti-American
Anti-Semitic
Pro-Jihadi
Traitorous
Leftist
etc…
In other words, Sarah Palin is a threat to their very concept of “Feminism”!
It drives them crazy, and they can do nothing other than try to Destroy her, because IF she succeds, she will become the new standard for “American Women”, and everything the Anti-American Leftists have worked to accomplish over the past 40 years with their version of “Feminism” will be washed away!
The Anti-American Left is scared Witless of Sarah Palin, make no mistake, and they’re trying to destroy her as a result…
Dale in Atlanta on June 11, 2009 at 3:05 PM
I don’t. He made the joke and has not apologized. This is who he is, and he needs to account for it.
Jim Treacher on June 11, 2009 at 3:05 PM
To complete the new admins circle jerk, Obama
should tag letterman as his new Press Sec. That’ll
give dopey Dave a whole new bowl of giggles and sickness.
Texyank on June 11, 2009 at 3:05 PM
I imagine the advertisers and the network started rattling his cage yesterday when all the calls came through. I don’t think this elitist would ever deign to apologize or explain his actions unless there was pressure coming from up top and the companies writing big checks to keep that show on the air.
sherry on June 11, 2009 at 3:05 PM
Can you imagine the outcry, if this gap-toothed, misfit had said the same thing about the Obama children?
As always, it’s open season on Conservatives and Christians. If you’re both, the gap-toothed, misfit will have a field day.
OhEssYouCowboys on June 11, 2009 at 3:06 PM
You’re naive , this is the way liberals work.
Seen pelosi attacking CIA? They’re unsafe at any level.
the_nile on June 11, 2009 at 3:06 PM
Not an apology; not sincere; not good enough
Letterman knew who he was insulting: He’s a leftoid POS, but not stupid. His words and actions have been deliberate:
He’s just one more mentally ill person who gets paid millions of dollars a year to work out their serious emotional problems in the ‘public square’
Janos Hunyadi on June 11, 2009 at 3:06 PM
Hey did you hear the joke about Obama’s Mama getting Knocked Up at 17 also??
Oh wait you havent? what you thought Obama was born in a manger?
I wonder if you have seen the slutty nude pictures of Obama’s Mama (Stanley) in nothing but cheap jewelry and ungly high heals.
Oh you haven’t? Well then do a search on Nude Stanley Dunham on google. turn safe filtering off btw.
I think they are hilarious!!
I also think its the first time a President’s Mama has been caught on camera showing her hootchie kootchie ala Paris and Britney!
Now that not only Classy but Hilarious!! Lets have jokes about that!!!!!
What?
No?
But its ok to joke about Palin and her children?
BillaryMcBush on June 11, 2009 at 3:07 PM
Anyone with the least bit of perceptive cognition can clearly see that is was something profoundly different.
MB4 on June 11, 2009 at 3:07 PM
http://www.bittenandbound.com/2009/03/24/regina-lasko-david-lettermans-wife-photos/
Pics of lettermans hot wife.
seven on June 11, 2009 at 3:07 PM
http://ace.mu.nu/archives/288358.php
toliver on June 11, 2009 at 3:07 PM
I don’t know, I kind of enjoy watching Gibbs crap the bed every time he opens his stupid, lying mouth. It kind of sets the tone for the entire Obama Administration.
NoDonkey on June 11, 2009 at 3:07 PM
hey
Bucko
Go get your tooth gap fixed before you relentlessly attack a beautiful woman
blatantblue on June 11, 2009 at 3:08 PM
YYZ on June 11, 2009 at 3:02 PM
“Who, upon first hearing that joke, thought of any daughter but Bristol?”
I thought of Willow immediately. She was the daughter at the game. Why is this such a difficult concept for people to grasp?
Furthermore, it doesn’t matter which daughter it was. The comment was disgusting.
NebCon on June 11, 2009 at 3:08 PM
The man is clearly a pedophile and it doesn’t take Freud to see that.
MB4 on June 11, 2009 at 3:08 PM
YYZ on June 11, 2009 at 3:02 PM
Since I’ve offered some light criticism of the Palin spokesperson, I’d like to disassociate myself from any suggestion that the Palins are originally responsible for bringing their kids into this story. The only thing the Palins are responsible for ultimately are being alive, having kids, and daring to go up against left-liberal groupthink. Period. It’s leftwing prigs, joined by a few opportunistic turncoats on the right, who are responsible for making an “issue” out of the Palin children.
CK MacLeod on June 11, 2009 at 3:08 PM
Willow can shoot a rifle and skin a moose with the best of them.
Illinidiva on June 11, 2009 at 3:09 PM
Intent? Thats what your arguing?
You have a bright future as an Obama Justice department as terrorists counsel. Say hello to Miranda.
portlandon on June 11, 2009 at 3:09 PM
It’s simple – Willow was the only Palin daughter at the ballgame – therefore she was the only Palin daughter in any position to have anything done to her by A.R. So how could the joke be about Bristol.?
Letterman didn’t care whether it was funny – his usual idiot viewers didn’t care either – it was just a way of showing his and their disdain for Gov Palin.
katiejane on June 11, 2009 at 3:09 PM
And of course as I google around I see that Letterman is often referred to as a very “private” person. I’m sure it would be a shame if someone ripped on his family now wouldnt it.
Dash on June 11, 2009 at 3:09 PM
Why do you keep defending what he said? How does that benefit you–or anyone? Don’t you realize that by defending him you join him: You share the responsibility for he’s done
What is your Major Malfunction?
Janos Hunyadi on June 11, 2009 at 3:09 PM
EVERYONE is now fair game. The left has made it so. Maybe not on this site, but I’m sick of letting things slide.
madmonkphotog on June 11, 2009 at 3:09 PM
In Letterman’s stand-up monologue last night, he joked saying Palin called him pathetic. Letterman went on say he felt so bad about it, he went out and purchased a $150,000 wardrobe to make himself feel better. Then Letterman continued saying he should’ve known better than to piss off a hunter. I couldn’t believe he made those swipes just before sitting down to make a half-baked attempt at a semi-apology.
I find it amazing that he’s making 8 month old wardrobe jokes and jokes at the expense of Palin’s kids, but Obama is still off limits.
Christina_M on June 11, 2009 at 3:10 PM
Ask his ex-wife if it would be okay to write a sternly-worded letter to the president of CBS.
TMK on June 11, 2009 at 3:10 PM
Letterman wasn’t apologizing. He was rationalizing.
And Sarah did the right thing by stepping over that approach.
Rationalization of sexism isn’t anywhere close to apology. Rationalization means, “I’m not responsible, and I’ll do it again.”
She has a responsibility to speak out. She did.
End of story.
I feel “closure” due to her statement. Thank you, Sarah.
I’m not a Sarahfan, but I am definitely sick of the sexism that is running rampant through our culture today, from girls starving themselves to congresswomen being laughed at for botox.
I’m sick of it all.
AnninCA on June 11, 2009 at 3:10 PM
Comment pages: 1 2 3 ... 8 Next »