Video: Letterman non-apologizes to Palin; Update: McCain scolds Letterman
posted at 2:42 pm on June 11, 2009 by Allahpundit
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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.”
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Doesn’t Letterman know anything? You’re supposed to attack Governor Palin as an “unnamed source in the GOP”!
andycanuck on June 11, 2009 at 6:49 PM
She did well on SNL. Her biggest asset is that she is charming and charismatic. After embarrassing Letterman for a while, she should do the show. It will do big ratings and reinforce that she knows how to work the media to her advantage.
She should use appearances like that to pound one key issue that will resonate with a broad audience. With oil prices heading up again, her domestic energy position is simple, appealing and can be remembered by every viewer when they hit the pump or pay their heating bill.
dedalus on June 11, 2009 at 6:50 PM
He was obvoiusly confused. Piper Palin was the target of his rape fantasy.
fronclynne on June 11, 2009 at 6:50 PM
Mav steps in and defends the Palin’s about as forcefully as he campaigned in the last two months heading into the election…
Yeah, earth to Mav, they don’t need you or your support. During the campaign and the subsequent attacks you launched through your subordinates blaming her for your inability to beat an effin’ community organizer and a lobotomized senator, they learned to make due without it, so why would they even want it now?
SuperCool on June 11, 2009 at 6:52 PM
I’m just wondering here …
How much pressure do Liberals think that a kid can take before they snap and do something drastic?
And if the child has Republican parents – do liberals really care?
Will Liberals demand that Letterman “resign” (like they did with O’Reilly after the abortion doc was murdered)?
HondaV65 on June 11, 2009 at 6:56 PM
Frankly, as long as people watch and sponsors pay, there is little reason for him to stop playing the crude, lecherous, uniformed old fart he is.
CBS doesn’t care. I would bet that there are people watching just to see how obnoxious he can be about it tonight. This guy is enabled by the companies advertising on his show. If you really want to hep shut this kind of stuff down, stop buying from companies that advertise on this kind of show. And let them know.
Anyone know where I can find an advertiser list?
OBQuiet on June 11, 2009 at 7:00 PM
I agree and if he did think Willow was Bristol at the game it is too much of a stretch to believe that he was still confused the next night when he made the Elliot Spitzer joke. At least by the second night, there is very little doubt that he knew it was not Bristol at the game.
If the painfully moronic and unfunny joke was about Bristol [which I don't believe] does that mean that politicians’ families and children ARE fair game now? Please, clarify those who are defending this. Can conservative commentators, talk-show hosts etc… now make fun of the children of liberal politicians? Is there a specific age of eligibilty for public ridicule? If so what is that age? Just what are the rules for this? What about sexist remarks. Are conservatives now allowed to call liberal women sexually vulgar names, publish hate-rape fantasies and dig into their parents divorce records…. just because we disagree with them? I’m confused as a dumb, hillbilly white-trash conservative I need to have the ever-changing guidelines spelled out for me.
Renae on June 11, 2009 at 7:00 PM
That was a lame defense. But McCain is so busy reaching across the aisle (and getting slapped every time) he has lost his understanding of what it is to be a firm believer in a cause.
I feel dirty having voted for him.
dpierson on June 11, 2009 at 7:00 PM
Go with Throttle Up.
HondaV65 on June 11, 2009 at 7:02 PM
What Dom Imus said was a joke, too. What’s your point? Oh, I know, making jokes about minorities is intolerable, but making jokes about statutory rape is okay because, well, it was just a joke. Got it.
Fed45 on June 11, 2009 at 7:05 PM
Rules for radicals , liberals follows them.
the_nile on June 11, 2009 at 7:11 PM
Did these jokes consist of calling the politician a slut, or the raping of their minor child, or any of their children?
capejasmine on June 11, 2009 at 7:11 PM
All of this is the hysterical over-reaction of the year, so far. It’s PETAesque.
The Playboy article was much more offensive.
One usually has to go to Kos or HuffPo to see such breathless hand-wringing.
Bad joke + unfortunate reference, and nothing but. Letterman sorta apologized. You don’t have to like it, of course. But, some perspective please. Stop looking so desperate to lynch somebody.
Moesart on June 11, 2009 at 7:11 PM
Thanks for proving my point.
Moesart on June 11, 2009 at 7:13 PM
Cher’s daughter Chastity Bono is changing gender from female to male
LAST CHANCE TO GET A
POKEJOKE IN DAVE……Rovin on June 11, 2009 at 7:14 PM
Mobysart.
Jim Treacher on June 11, 2009 at 7:15 PM
As Homer Simpson would say: “It’s funny cuz it’t true”
Touche, CarolynM. Now THAT is what we call humor.
Fed45 on June 11, 2009 at 7:19 PM
i’d pay good money to see Letterman get raped.
moonbatkiller on June 11, 2009 at 7:19 PM
Perspective? How about a joke about raping a 14 year old kid and then a “sorta” apology.
Maybe you really don’t care about those kinds of jokes aimed at kids though. Oh well.
HondaV65 on June 11, 2009 at 7:21 PM
The Playboy article was taken down, and STILL got plenty of criticism after that.
Letterman is just continuing to tell his pedophilia jokes, even as he says he doesn’t.
I was willing to believe, initially, that the joke was originally intended to attack the eldest daughter. But in Letterman’s excuse last night, he:
1) stated that he makes jokes about “people in the news,” and if that’s his criteria he knew full well which daughter was in New York with her mother.
2) declined to apologize at all. If he had said something like: ‘I was mistaken about which daughter was at the game, and I in no way meant to suggest anything untoward regarding Willow Palin. I’m sorry.’ then that excuse might be credible.
3) repeated the joke, to a delighted audience, and without being able to make the claim this time that it was about Bristol Palin.
malclave on June 11, 2009 at 7:22 PM
As I’ve said before… as a woman, these kinds of jokes deeply offend me. Have you ever stopped to consider the mothers, and women out there, who are victims of rape, or have had a daughter raped? For me, this is not about partisan politics. This is about crossing a line, and condoning rape jokes, and even articles of such nature, from playboy.
This area is for comments, whether, or not you agree with them. But to say we need to stop, because you personally don’t like it, or find it trite, is wrong. If people want to express what they feel, or voice their disdain for such things, they are allowed to.
capejasmine on June 11, 2009 at 7:22 PM
I hate you for posting that link. Bad, bad…
ladyingray on June 11, 2009 at 7:23 PM
When is the last time we heard “just jokes” like this from Letterman about the minor child of a Democrat?
drjohn on June 11, 2009 at 7:23 PM
They don’t care as long as whatever the child does plays to their agenda and/or causes tremendous suffering and pain on their political opponents. Libs are scummy that way.
Only in so much as they can then use it to bludgeon Republicans with it, regardless of the tragedy. That’s how you know the Columbine killers folks were libs: not a peep about the parents from libs.
Don’t be silly. As I said, they’d be too busy beating said Republican over the head with it and secondly, they’d be busy congratulating Dave for being a team player.
SuperCool on June 11, 2009 at 7:25 PM
An aquaintance of mine was raped over 30 years ago…the rapist never caught….she has to repeatedly remind herself that the neighborhood boy mowing her lawn isn’t going to hurt her as she sits in her locked up house…she won’t park in a parking garage…
…yeah, any kind of rape joke is not funny. Period.
ladyingray on June 11, 2009 at 7:26 PM
Pay him enough and he might let you. It’s not like he’s doing this because he enjoys it anymore.
Jim Treacher on June 11, 2009 at 7:27 PM
I’m no Letterman fan, but I’d still pay good money not to have to see that.
Snowed In on June 11, 2009 at 7:27 PM
OK, now I’m confused. I’ve been relying on transcripts to this point, and haven’t actually watched the underlying videos (for two reasons, really… one, I can’t get streaming video here, and two, I hate the process and aftereffects of vomiting and thus try to avoid it when possible. Same reason I never click link to Bill Maher videos).
But this seems to directly contradict what AP built into the original post. AP said:
So… which is it? Did he say he meant to aim it at Bristol instead, or not?
It makes a big difference in how to parse this all. Please don’t make me click the links. I’ll be good, I swear!
VekTor on June 11, 2009 at 7:29 PM
I have a funny, funny joke.
Lettermans daughter and wife cross the street to buy some crack. A travel trailer stops in the middle of the road with 20 naked men inside. They divert themselves from their crack quest long enough to take on all 20 men twice, and swallow every drop before continuing on to buy their crack. The crack dealer gets upset saying to Lettermans wife and daughter, “biatchs, I dun you yesterday, besides, I don’t do sloppy 41’sts!”
AHAHAHAHAHHA O man that was so funny! I wish I could tell that joke to Letterman personally on his show, I bet he’d enjoy that huge burst of intelligent humor.
Spiritk9 on June 11, 2009 at 7:31 PM
No, it’s simply because white-trash conservatives are fair game. It’s called “unity”, “love for the people” and “bringing us all together”.
ddrintn on June 11, 2009 at 7:32 PM
Allah made a leap in logic – albeit a logical one. But in fact – Dave doesn’t say who the joke is about. He’s just saying he’s not advocating, nor making a joke about raping a 14 year old girl.
Now – could the joke have been about consensual sex with a 14 year old girl? Well – you could make that conclusion – because Dave doesn’t say – and anyone who would make a sick joke like this anyway may very well believe in “consensual” sex between a 14 year old girl and an old man.
HondaV65 on June 11, 2009 at 7:33 PM
I’d pay double if it was by Chastity Bono.
atheling on June 11, 2009 at 7:35 PM
If you care enough to question my take on it, then please do your homework.
Jim Treacher on June 11, 2009 at 7:37 PM
20 years ago, the failed Vice Presidential nominee’s unmarried, pregnant 18 year old daughter would not have been joked about half as extensively as it has, but our culture has gotten a lot cruder. You all act like this is a surprise.
Speedwagon82 on June 11, 2009 at 7:38 PM
Just because something isn’t unexpected doesn’t mean it’s to be accepted.
Jim Treacher on June 11, 2009 at 7:40 PM
Oh Nay Nay! We’re not the least bit surprised. Just like we’re not surprised that the CURRENT Vice President’s Cocaine Sniffing Daughter is off limits according to Liberals.
Double Standard Much?
HondaV65 on June 11, 2009 at 7:41 PM
FIFY, you evil cow.
atheling on June 11, 2009 at 7:41 PM
I wonder if Letterman did this for ratings. How many people tuned in to just here what the bastard said about his advocacy of statutory rape? The only one harmed is Willow Palin- I’m guessing he thinks it is worth it even though his own bastard child is kept far far away from the media.
highhopes on June 11, 2009 at 7:41 PM
Yeah and someone ought to call CPS on the filthy pervert.
atheling on June 11, 2009 at 7:44 PM
See that is the thing – you’d think that a 62-year old man who’s really “compassionate” would be mature enough and smart enough to leave innocent children out of the punchline of his jokes. Especially when the jokes are so hurtful.
And quite frankly – to all trolls out here who think we’re overreacting – you can talk to the hand buddy. Because if David Letterman is going to be this idiotic – then he’s getting what’s coming.
Life’s Tough – It’s Tougher when You’re Stupid.
HondaV65 on June 11, 2009 at 7:45 PM
20 years ago the pregnancy and marital status wouldn’t be newsworthy. There would be whispers in Washington but it wouldn’t be fodder for comedians who haven’t been funny for years.
highhopes on June 11, 2009 at 7:45 PM
The only up side is that I think there is truly a revolution by social conservatives coming because of all this stuff. This group is still the backbone of the nation despite the claims by the Dems that the urban vermin that supports them reflects ordinary Americans. Letterman’s all but asking to “have relations” with Willow Palin is just one more nail in the coffin before the revolution begins.
highhopes on June 11, 2009 at 7:48 PM
Ok, the ante has certainly been upped, and it seems directly in line with AP’s take instead of Dave’s. Please see the new thread “Letterman: When I joked about Palin’s daughter having sex, I meant Bristol, not Willow”.
Letterman seems to make it a bit more explicit in that transcript.
VekTor on June 11, 2009 at 7:49 PM
highhopes:
It’s not just Willow Palin who is harmed. It’s young girls (and probably boys) of her age. What Sarah Palin said in her statement is correct: Letterman’s filthy “joke” only gives fodder to the growing menace of older men who fantasize about raping girls (and boys). And believe me, it’s becoming epidemic.
atheling on June 11, 2009 at 7:49 PM
McCains response was almost as lame as the joke. C’mon, is there not a gentleman in DC who would stand up and say this is trash (present company excepted, of course)? This is a joke. Letterman himself is a joke.
scalleywag on June 11, 2009 at 7:49 PM
Strike “Dave’s” and substitute “Jim’s”. Thank you.
VekTor on June 11, 2009 at 7:49 PM
Good point. Letterman has a child. How do we no it is safe with statements that show a complete lack of concern about the welfare of minors.
highhopes on June 11, 2009 at 7:49 PM
I think the people who do hold traditional values are sick and tired of being told that they are wrong or that they need to compromise or being called every name in the book because of them. And the threat of a nanny-state reeducation at the hands of the dems who are destroying our economy may be enough to wake them up.
BakerAllie on June 11, 2009 at 7:55 PM
One need look no further than the US Senate where Senator Webb of Virginia has published books that glorified pedophilia and cutting up women. He is a monster disguised as a respected politician.
highhopes on June 11, 2009 at 7:55 PM
Twenty years ago Carrie Prejean would have been put on a pedestal for her comments and beliefs. Twenty years ago, if some one said Arnold Schwarzenegger would some day be a State governor, even Hollywood would have laughed.
Rovin on June 11, 2009 at 7:55 PM
He additionally has a poor habit of leaving his guns laying about.
HondaV65 on June 11, 2009 at 7:57 PM
Yeah, and I’m one of them. I want a frakkin’ divorce from liberals. I don’t want to live around them. I don’t want to watch them on TV. I don’t want to hear them babbling around me. I don’t want to support them in any way, manner, or form. My tolerance level for the s**theads is past the breaking point. I’m now at zero tolerance.
Secession. It’s the only way.
atheling on June 11, 2009 at 7:58 PM
NOW has also weighed in on this: in their statement, they can’t resist slamming Rush Limbaugh:
“NOW Analysis: After two nights of “jokes” at the expense of Palin and her family, Letterman tried to explain himself and offer something of an apology. On his June 10 show, Letterman said he was referring to Palin’s 18-year-old daughter, Bristol — not the 14-year-old daughter who actually accompanied Palin on her New York trip. Letterman said “I recognize that these are ugly” jokes. NOW agrees. Comedians in search of a laugh should really know better than to snicker about men having sex with teenage girls (or young women) less than half their age.
The sexualization of girls and women in the media is reaching new lows these days — it is exploitative and has a negative effect on how all women and girls are perceived and how they view themselves. Letterman also joked about what he called Palin’s “slutty flight attendant look” — yet another example of how the media love to focus on a woman politician’s appearance, especially as it relates to her sexual appeal to men. Someone of Letterman’s stature, who appears on what used to be known as “the Tiffany Network” (CBS), should be above wallowing in the juvenile, sexist mud that other comedians and broadcasters seem to prefer.
On that point, it’s important to note that when Chelsea Clinton was 13 years old she was the target of numerous insults based on her appearance. Rush Limbaugh even referred to her as the “White House dog.” NOW hopes that all the conservatives who are fired up about sexism in the media lately will join us in calling out sexism when it is directed at women who aren’t professed conservatives.
Take Action: Write to CBS and tell them what you think.”
http://www.now.org/issues/media/hall-of-shame/
yogi41 on June 11, 2009 at 7:58 PM
Yep. The filthy liar in the White House goes to Notre Dame and claims that we need to have a dialogue about abortion. That suggests that the filthy liar’s side has a valid position when they want to kill babies! Just one example where “getting along” forces the social conservative to reject core principles while asking the filthy liberal to cede nothing. It is time for a radical change in the nations thinking.
highhopes on June 11, 2009 at 7:59 PM
Wow the Palin’s really are pissed at Letterman. This is the second day in a row that they have essentially inferred in a public statement that Letterman is a Pedophile.
Hellrider on June 11, 2009 at 7:59 PM
Which part?
Jim Treacher on June 11, 2009 at 7:59 PM
I’m willing to bet that he is. Only a filthy thinking pedo would make the jokes that he does.
atheling on June 11, 2009 at 8:01 PM
That’s because they have selective outrage. They bring up Rush Limbaugh and Chelsea Clinton who, let’s be honest, wasn’t the most attractive child and DID look like a poodle.
NOW neglects to mention that they gave Chelsea’s dad a complete pass on being a serial rapist. The Lewinski affair alone should have gotten the old hens into a cluck fest since it has all the elements they claimed were wrong in society. Old horny boss taking advantage of a naive intern (who actually thought she was going to be the second Mrs. Clinton). Sex in the workplace- while he chatted up Arafat no less. NOW ignored that because Clinton was a liberal Democrat. Their condemnation of Letterman means that they are going to use this as a fundraiser.
highhopes on June 11, 2009 at 8:04 PM
Most moronic comment I’ve ever read on this site. Go back to HuffPo and comment, you’re not ready for a big league board.
hawkdriver on June 11, 2009 at 8:05 PM
As always, good to hear from you, sir!
You, and all who defend freedom, are in our prayers.
massrighty on June 11, 2009 at 8:07 PM
I’m sure both of Letterman’s viewers thought he was endlessly hilarious.
I’m sure Imus is loving the consistency.
MikeSC on June 11, 2009 at 8:08 PM
I have this funny feeling you’d say the same thing if she went for that face to face apology.
ddrintn on June 11, 2009 at 8:10 PM
Interesting that NOW can’t condemn Letterman without condemning Rush also – and for an “accidental” incident that happened on Rush’s TV show – which he profusely apologized for. Let’s compare this apology to Letterman’s “snark” …
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m sorry. Let me tell you very quickly what happened last Friday night. There was a new in list and new out list that was published in the newspaper. The writer said in, cute kid in the White House; out, cute dog in the White House. Could we show the cute dog in the White House who’s out, and they put up a picture of Chelsea Clinton back in the crew. And many of you people think that we did it on purpose to make a cheap comment on her appearance. And I’m terribly sorry. I don’t–look, that takes no talent whatsoever and I have a lot of talent. I don’t need to get laughs by commenting on people’s looks, especially a young child who’s done nothing wrong. I mean, she can’t control the way she looks. And we really–we do not–we do not do that on this kind of show. So put a picture up of her now and so we can square this.”
HondaV65 on June 11, 2009 at 8:10 PM
OMG LOL
Czarina on June 11, 2009 at 8:11 PM
The Clinton years left NOW a completely discredited joke. Who cares what they say.
ddrintn on June 11, 2009 at 8:13 PM
The part where he makes it clear which daughter he WASN’T talking about… the 14-year-old.
Seriosuly, Jim. AP has no problems parsing this, nor does Entertainment Weekly, nor NOW as pointed out a few posts above. He’s pointing out that the 14-year-old is NOT the daughter he was trying to reference… that he would never consider making such jokes deliberately pointed at a 14-year-old (intent is important in the term “deliberately”).
Now, you can not believe him all day long. There’s more that good reason to assume that this could be nothing more than a walk-back. But it seems disingenuous to act as if he hasn’t tried to say he meant “the other one” (i.e. the much more famous one, the one that people would most likely think of when he’s referencing a Palin daughter being knocked up).
Maybe he didn’t use the exact words or phrasing you’d prefer in making that distinction. So be it. But I think it should be clear to most folks that (he’s claiming at least that) he meant the 18-year-old.
He’s a jerk and a tool no matter what. I just fail to see anything useful that can come from trying to cling to a hair-splitting parsing of his words in direct contradiction to what he says in the statement itself.
VekTor on June 11, 2009 at 8:14 PM
That, or Willow is really pissed and they’re just trying to protect Letterman.
Maybe both.
Hey, I have an idea… since Todd and Sarah won’t go on Letterman’s show, why doesn’t Dave do a SUO tour in Iraq. He can visit Track’s unit and explain in person to Track and his buddies what he really meant.
Anyone else think that would be a good idea?
malclave on June 11, 2009 at 8:18 PM
They why didn’t he just make a humble apology? Instead of the snark?
He even snarked at the end of the apology … “Or you can leave Tod and come here alone”.
Classy.
Look – whatever was his intent – BRISTOL wasn’t there – and it’s reasonble to conclude that Letterman knows WTF his jokes are about and that it was WILLOW that was there.
But in any case – he’s an idiot – and he’s even more of an idiot for not apologizing.
So he deserves the abuse. Reap what you sow … etc.
HondaV65 on June 11, 2009 at 8:18 PM
Even NOW (which really dislikes Sarah Palin) has condemned Letterman and urges its members to write CBS to express their outrage.
http://www.now.org/issues/media/hall-of-shame/
While I am not a fan of NOW, I respect them for this.
bw222 on June 11, 2009 at 8:19 PM
I don’t think anyone is saying that Letterman hasn’t tried to excuse himself by saying that he meant Bristol. Many, including me, don’t believe him because:
* he didn’t mention either daughter by name in the ‘jokes’
* he claimed to have gotten his material from the news, which did name Willow
* he inasmuch as repeatedly the slam the next night, again against an unnamed daughter with Palin in New York, in the reference to Eliot Spitzer
* his ‘apology’ made no reference to the fact that Willow was that the game while Bristol was not (which fact makes the joke logically nonsensical), not even by ‘admitting’ that he made a mistake in confusing the daughters
ProfessorMiao on June 11, 2009 at 8:23 PM
Who wasn’t at the game he was talking about. His “clarification” is that he didn’t make a joke like that because he couldn’t make a joke like that. Except he very clearly did.
He made an 8-minute statement and at no point explained who the joke was really about. So I’m left to assume it was about who he said it was about to begin with: Sarah Palin’s daughter who was at the Yankees game with her.
I will, now that I have your permission.
Taking note of reality and how his “clarification” is at odds with it isn’t hair-splitting.
Jim Treacher on June 11, 2009 at 8:24 PM
Personally, and I hope that I don’t get kicked, but as a father, I’d agree to go on the show, kick dave’s ass and leave. I understand that it wouldn’t help Governor Palin’s career, I’m just speaking as a father. Some things are unacceptable, especially when it concerns family.
Sam_I_Am on June 11, 2009 at 8:24 PM
It seems to me that the hair splitting parsing is going on on Letterman’s side of the story. One daughter was at the game that he used as the premise of his joke. by making the joke the obvious understanding would be that he was refering to the daughter who was at the game. It’s simple logic. Doing backflips to explain after the fact that he meant the 18 year old daughter (who wasn’t there) was the one he was
talking about is where the twisting of logic is going on.
It’s like Gibbs trying to explain that what Joe Biden
is the exact opposite of what he said.
Scrappy on June 11, 2009 at 8:25 PM
meh. I wasn’t outraged by the Imus comments and thought he shouldn’t have been fired so I can’t get outraged at this. I’m consistent at least.
fastestslug on June 11, 2009 at 8:25 PM
ugh… emphasis rather than block quotes.
duh.
Scrappy on June 11, 2009 at 8:26 PM
Not me. How many days did they wait to say something? Only after they got pressured by their silence. And, of course, they had to drag Rush into it long after the statute of limitations for his transgression ran out. I’m not pardoning Rush for what he did – he should leave the kids alone – but for NOW to find a way to slam Rush for this – as if he is somehow to blame, is not respect-worthy. It’s all about politics to them, not about principles.
atheling on June 11, 2009 at 8:26 PM
Well said – bottom line – he got caught making a very bad pedophilia joke and he’s covering his tracks.
Which the left will allow him to do.
HondaV65 on June 11, 2009 at 8:27 PM
Well that’s because you have the intelligence and sensibility of a slug. Now go crawl back under the rock.
atheling on June 11, 2009 at 8:27 PM
I agree with you. 50 years ago, most people would agree that you have a right to kick the Pedo’s ass if he insulted your daughter that way. But then, that was when men acted like men.
atheling on June 11, 2009 at 8:30 PM
Because, as I pointed out before, he’s a complete tool?
You’re the one who was talking about him being a “professional”, right? I don’t make the assumption that he “knows WTF his jokes are about”. I assume, based on years of past experience, that he’s an idiot… and idiots like that aren’t known for doing thorough fact-checking and researching before putting together their moronic jokes.
Occam’s Razor tells me he took two concepts and mashed them together to make a joke: A Palin daughter at a baseball game, and Alex Rodriguez. Which Palin daughter would be most likely to leap to his mind? The one that he can use to make the joke work… the more publicly known one.
Now, since he was wrong about which one was there, he smacked himself in the face with a shovel. Not surprising, because he’s an idiot. So why would I expect that an idiot would suddenly do the best possible job of being a decent person and properly apologize? I’d expect him to be an idiot about it, and he was. He turned in a non-apology that was equivalent to “I meant the other one, and yes that’s crude, because that’s how I roll”.
He’s a tool. Why should I expect that when he acts like a tool in an “explanatory non-apology” that it’s evidence of some cover-up on his part?
Yes, he justly deserves whatever comes to him, and it’s long overdue. But let’s not get wrapped up in conspiracy theories just to preserve the ability to be outrageously outraged. It’s bad enough when the libs do it, no need for us to wallow in that same sty.
VekTor on June 11, 2009 at 8:30 PM
Why not make it a foursome, with Dick Cheney and Bobby Knight–just for sport?
Barnestormer on June 11, 2009 at 8:30 PM
Rush DID apologize – and his joke was a technical accident on his TV show – but in any case – compare Rush’s apology to Letterman’s “snarky” apology. And let’s not forget here – whatever happened on Rush’s show – he didn’t make a joke about underage rape …
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m sorry. Let me tell you very quickly what happened last Friday night. There was a new in list and new out list that was published in the newspaper. The writer said in, cute kid in the White House; out, cute dog in the White House. Could we show the cute dog in the White House who’s out, and they put up a picture of Chelsea Clinton back in the crew. And many of you people think that we did it on purpose to make a cheap comment on her appearance. And I’m terribly sorry. I don’t–look, that takes no talent whatsoever and I have a lot of talent. I don’t need to get laughs by commenting on people’s looks, especially a young child who’s done nothing wrong. I mean, she can’t control the way she looks. And we really–we do not–we do not do that on this kind of show. So put a picture up of her now and so we can square this.”
HondaV65 on June 11, 2009 at 8:30 PM
Now that’s something I would give my right arm to watch!
atheling on June 11, 2009 at 8:31 PM
Honda, thanks for clearing that up for me. I’m glad to see that Rush is who I always thought he is: a decent guy who loves his country.
atheling on June 11, 2009 at 8:32 PM
Yes, he justly deserves whatever comes to him, and it’s long overdue. But let’s not get wrapped up in conspiracy theories just to preserve the ability to be outrageously outraged. It’s bad enough when the libs do it, no need for us to wallow in that same sty.VekTor on June 11, 2009 at 8:30 PM
Glad we agree that he deserves what he’s getting. You’re free to give him a pass on Willow. I won’t – because Bristol wasn’t there and facts matter to me.
HondaV65 on June 11, 2009 at 8:32 PM
True, but they had to get in a dig at Rush, to go along with it.
See, when a Republican does something (or someone of a conservative bent) it’s news, all by itself.
But, when you’re going to finally condemn someone more liberal, you need to make sure the message is “everyone does this, and it’s wrong.”
As if there’s some equivalence between making a stupid comment about someone’s appearance, and suggesting child rape.
Both wrong, but not equivalent.
massrighty on June 11, 2009 at 8:32 PM
Strikethrough is out of control. :P
HondaV65 on June 11, 2009 at 8:33 PM
The simpler explanation is that he didn’t bother to check, and he just assumed that it was “the famous one” at the game.
VekTor on June 11, 2009 at 8:34 PM
I have a right to my opinion you jerk. No wonder this site has such a bad rep.
fastestslug on June 11, 2009 at 8:34 PM
It does?
With who exactly?
HondaV65 on June 11, 2009 at 8:35 PM
Noting that Letterman made a joke about Sarah Palin’s daughter getting knocked up by A-Rod at a Yankees game, that Willow was the only Palin daughter at the Yankees game, and that Letterman has said nothing to square these facts with his protestation that he’d never made a joke about a 14-year-old girl getting raped: This does not quite meet my definition of “conspiracy theory.”
Jim Treacher on June 11, 2009 at 8:35 PM
And I have a right to mine, which is that you’re dumb as a rock because you have no sense of decency or propriety. It’s people like you who are destroying this country.
atheling on June 11, 2009 at 8:35 PM
I mean, try to put yourself in Willow Palin’s shoes: You go to a ball game with your mom and dad. A few days later David Letterman makes a joke about you getting knocked up by A-Rod. Are you supposed to give him the benefit of the doubt that he actually meant your older sister?
Jim Treacher on June 11, 2009 at 8:38 PM
I’m not giving him a pass on anything. The flaw in the theory is that facts would matter to Letterman. I’ve never seen evidence of that before.
If the fact was that he really did mean the 18-year-old, would that matter to you… since, you know, they matter to you?
That’s the only distinction I’m making here. I’d rather know the truth, instead of clinging to a misperception that just happens to further a position that I have, and perhaps allows me to make hay at the expense of an opponent. That’s the liberal’s game of selective truth. I try to avoid playing it whenever possible.
VekTor on June 11, 2009 at 8:38 PM
If there was a video of her snorting cocaine, the jokes would be coming too. But unless I missed something, the video hasn’t been produced yet.
Speedwagon82 on June 11, 2009 at 8:41 PM
I’m sure you’d be all over it if it was a liberals teen daughter no matter who it was. yeah, yeah, yeah. You’d defend her and be all outraged calling for heads to roll even if it was said by someone you admire, right? Everyone’s decency depends on what side they’re on.
fastestslug on June 11, 2009 at 8:41 PM
nothing could more schaudenfruedian than watching this horse’s ahole go down.
pc on June 11, 2009 at 8:42 PM
I mean, try to put yourself in Willow Palin’s shoes: You go to a ball game with your mom and dad. A few days later David Letterman makes a joke about you getting knocked up by A-Rod. Are you supposed to give him the benefit of the doubt that he actually meant your older sister?
Jim Treacher on June 11, 2009 at 8:38 PM
Hell no! If you’re Willow, you’re supposed to get on a plane with Dad and a couple of bodyguards and photographers, fly out to meet with him, and then punch him in the nuts on camera, and spit on him while he’s on the ground. Then sell the video rights.
There’d be a line of lawyers around the block willing to defend you for free, and no jury in the world would convict you of anything more than a $1 fine with treble damages.
VekTor on June 11, 2009 at 8:43 PM
Yet another awesome point – not that it surprises me.
Too bad logic doesn’t keep trolls at bay (like garlic, or crosses, for vampires.)
massrighty on June 11, 2009 at 8:43 PM
No. I think all minor children of politicians should be off limits. Period.
Disturb the Universe on June 11, 2009 at 8:43 PM
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