June 16, 2009 8:49 AM

Palin Accepts Letterman Apology

By
Stephanie Condon
Topics
Republicans
(AP)
Sarah Palin has accepted the olive branch handed to her by David Letterman, following his jokes about Palin's daughter getting "knocked up" by a professional baseball player.

In a statement Tuesday, the Alaska governor said she accepted Letterman's apology "on behalf of all young women, like my daughters, who hope men who 'joke' about public displays of sexual exploitation of girls will soon evolve."

Letterman apologized on CBS' "Late Show" Monday night, explaining that his joke from last week targeted Palin's 18-year-old daughter Bristol -- not her 14-year-old daughter Willow, as Palin interpreted. Letterman never mentioned the name of the daughter in the joke.

"The joke, really, in and of itself, can't be defended," he said Monday.

Palin and her husband Todd initially responded forcefully to the joke. Palin called the comments "sexually perverted." On Tuesday, she said Letterman has the right to joke about whatever he pleases and that "thankfully, we have the right to express our reaction."

"This is all thanks to our U.S. military men and women putting their lives on the line for us to secure American's right to free speech," she said. "In this case, may that right be used to promote equality and respect."


Add a Comment See all 68 Comments
by mattcat25 June 17, 2009 9:47 AM EDT
The Republican Party has nothing, nothing at all but to latch onto Sahara Palin, her pregnant daughters, and Gun Laws.

That's all they have, besides impeding, delaying, and roadblocking the Obama Administration.
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by Paidmydues June 17, 2009 6:04 AM EDT
Letterman in his life time has been a dangerous drunk who though the grace of God didn't kill anyone. He's a low life who spawned an out of weddlock child and now, exhibits himself as a responsible family man. He stays on television because he's a Obama liberal who uses his show to attack anyone who doesn't tow the Obama line. I am ashamed of the media who lost their objectivity long ago. They no longer protect the people of this country by providing unbiased reporting. It's almost comical to hear them denounce Iran biased media coverage.
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by gravyboat3000 June 16, 2009 7:54 PM EDT
by leftsocialist June 16, 2009 9:47 AM PDT
Fire Dave Letterman like Don Imus was fired, otherwise the hypocrisy of CBS is evident. If Dave is not fired I will see BS when I CBS.

How many times are you gonna post that?

And you can't compare what Lettrman said to Imus.

LMAO
Reply to this comment
by velma179 June 16, 2009 8:10 PM EDT
gravy,

I don't think many of these posters will ever "get" the difference between the two... even if they actually wanted to!

Reading down these posts -- I am more certain than ever that we need serious Education reform in the good ol' US....

Maybe understanding what the amendments to our Constitution actually say, could be a great starting point... ya think?
by jorepublican June 16, 2009 6:26 PM EDT
It's very sad to me as a women and a republican that a women who attended 2 community colleges and 2 (1 twice) state colleges to finally get a degree in communication after numerous dropouts becomes the representative of a strong Christian female leader!!! Sarah herself got pregnant out of wedlock (which she lied about), focused more on beauty pagents than her education, and now, shock, shock, has her daugther following in her footsteps. For once I would rather be associated with Hillary!
Reply to this comment
by COMM114 June 16, 2009 3:12 PM EDT
Govenor "Ding-Bat" does not deserve an apology. She is simply a political opportunist who last fall was filled with hate speech. Remember her definition of "real Americans?" Remember those hate filled rallies? She is simply one of those political psychopaths that are incapable of shame or embarrasment. If she was really concerned about her daughters' welfare, she would have avoided parading these kids around the entire campaign.

Palin is rapidly evolving into the Paris Hilton of the political world. No amount of stupidity or low rent behavior seems to limit her need to spout her beliefs.

P.S. I liked the joke about the "****** flight attendant look."
Reply to this comment
by Happy Dae June 16, 2009 3:09 PM EDT
NYC surgeon widens rectum of David Letterman's child so as to bear greater paternal resemblance.
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by McHineguy June 16, 2009 2:36 PM EDT
Its disappointing to me that many liberals seem to think jokes about young girls are ok as long as their name is Palin. The lengths they go to justify this opinion demostrates an underlying lack of integrity as well as contempt for fellow Americans. It doesnt matter that the family fails to be perfect, few familys are perfect. But they stive to maintain their own values and admit when they fail.

It doesnt matter whther Lettermans joke was about the 14 year old, the 18 year old, or someone else altogether. It was about a teenage girl who admits failing to meet her own standards. Conservative or liberal, pregnant or not, she is a teenager wh has publicly said she wishes she had done better.

But Letterman still thinks the joke would have been ok if it had bee about the 18 year old. That demostrates his values are much less than either of the teenagers and most of ours.

Im glad Letterman apologized and the Palin family has accepted it. I just wish our nation would return to the understanding that we are all in this together and as one famous politician once said: "It takes a village to raise a child".
Reply to this comment
by velma179 June 16, 2009 7:12 PM EDT
McHIne...

I totally agree with your concern for children. I'd be very happy if we didn't have to have discussions about any politician's child being inappropriately used... any child at all, actually.

But, I think you are unfairly making this a partisan issue saying .."many liberals seem to think...ok as long as their name is Palin".

Across the board and regardless of political affiliation, comments have favored the viewpoint that the "joke" in question was wrong/in bad taste/totally out of line.
Absolutely, comments have included statements ranging from dislike to disgust for Governor Palin, herself -- obviously a political bias exists in that regard.

But,I wonder why you haven't taken to task the equally offensive comments people have posted about what they "would like to hear" about President Obama's children or their dislike-to-disgust for him.

Having an "underlying lack of integrity as well as contempt for fellow Americans" is not something that applies to those with liberal politics only. You must know that is true, you seem a reasonable person.
by choppertrike June 16, 2009 1:12 PM EDT
fire letterman the ass hole
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by two-cats June 16, 2009 1:00 PM EDT
The right wing is wallowing in anger, as usual. Now they hate Letterman even more for taking away their justification. And Palin's acceptance was hardly magnanimous...instead its gist is still blaming and petulant full of typical right wing platitudes about our military!
Reply to this comment
by steeepe June 16, 2009 12:52 PM EDT
Only that fool Palin could somehow get the troops involved in this issue. As has been noted, many other comedians have made jokes about Palin's daughter and her pregnancy. Palin never complained before. Maybe that's because she was in the limelight then but this time needed to get some attention. Why doesn't she just attend to Alaska's business and leave the rest of us alone?
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