You did not miss anything......It is Palin and how she likes to twist words and make things grandier than ever.... In my opinion she loves the air time. She complains about how the media loves to take shots at her and her family and she thinks she has nothing to do with it....however it seems like everytime she opens her mouth in the national media she gives the comedians something else to poke fun at.... The daughter joke was in poor taste and so is she when she equates the words knocked up with rape..... but than again and again that is her style.

Get out of town -are you kidding! Letterman was tacky, just like Imus...and you want to blame the Palins for defending their girls...Come On! It doesnt matter if you are the Palins or the Obamas...those jokes are off limits!!!!! Dads all over the country would want to punch Letterman and Lauer in the nose for disrespecting their daughters!!

Dot, Lettermen mentioned the 14 year-old daughter of Palin, not by name but by age, getting 'knocked up' by Alex whoever in baseball. It wasn't about Bristol.

Grown man + 14 year old girl = stat. rape. That is how it is made out.

You are incorrect. Letterman never mentioned anyone's age.

A mother certainly has every right to "defend" her daughter...but this manufactured outrage is nothing more than pandering for free publicity and sympathy from a gullible public.

The Palins didn't overreact to David Letterman; they interjected themselves into an irrelevant issue so they can remain in public view. Together the Palins have half a brain, and, if they were intelligent and politically savvy, they would have ignored a late night comedian's joke. What David Letterman said was played over and over again, and there was no mention of any child's name, no mention of rape or any other sexual issues, no innuendo of Letterman asserting underage sex or anything of the sort.

People who have followed Sarah Palin since she was introduced to the public know full well that Letterman made reference to the 18 year old who now has a child. He also made reference to Alex Rodriguez, a womanizer. Put the situation in context - Palin at a Yankees game, A Rod - a Yankee and a womanizer, the older Palin daughter... Come on, please!

Did I like the jokes? No, tasteless at best, and as a mother of 4 daughters (with normal names) I would be angry if that joke reffered one of my daughters. But I have common sense and would try to be a better person. What the Palins did was lie, twist, distort, and, again, show themselves to be stupid people. I keep hearing Palin may run for president - God help us. But at least that's one way the few reuplicans left can again shoot themselves in the proverbial foot and loose even more supporters.

Dear Dot, (x2) Yes sex with minors ,even consensual, is RAPE by law. Mature person is responsible for perpetrating it on a minor. And I am a man liking all kinds of jokes (even crude ones if they are funny- being honest) BUT I did not find Letterman funny that day - I have a daughter and a wife and mother and sister if he did say that about them - he would better clear of any further contact with me. No parent or a spouse would be going overboard protecting loved ones from verbal abuse. Any real man should stand up against a degrading comments like that. Unless of coarse David is diagnosed with mental deficiency.

Rosie (normal name ?) Did you read what you wrote down. "The Palins didn't overreact to David Letterman; they interjected themselves into an irrelevant issue so they can remain in public view." Seems to me that David Letterman was the one who will not let the Palins alone. They were simply trying to enjoy a ball game when Letterman was the one who made the disgusting joke, and only Letterman knows which daughter he meant. The 14 year old was the one at the game and if it was my daughter I would use everything at my disposal to make him pay for it.

Dot:

Letterman made a reference to her daughter getting knocked up at a Yankees game by Alex Rodriguez. Evidently unknown to David was that Willow, the 14 y.o. daughter, was the one on the trip with Palin, not Bristol. So Dave's comment was attributed to Willow, as she was the one on the trip, even if he meant to crack on Bristol. I.E. the rape of a 14 y.o. (Do your homework next time Dave).

Either way, when you attack someone's children, you better be ready for the fallout. If I was Todd Palin I'd be making a visit to the studio and kicking the sh!t out of him. Dave would not appreciate someone making a joke between his son and the horrible tragedy regarding Adam Walsh. Democrats wouldn't appreciate a Nappy Hair comment about the Obama children. Kid's are off limits...doesn't matter who you are or what you represent.

I love David Letterman but I was completely embarrassed for him on this one.

You missed that sex with a fourteen year old is considered statutory rape.

Look beyond politics. Letterman was wrong.

We are a ridiculous and foolish country, but not because women have reproductive rights. We were more ridiculous and foolish back when we had none, and to even educate young women on birth control or their own bodies was against the law.

If you don't like abortion, don't have one. If you're male, you no play'a the game, you no make'a the rules. If men could get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament.

HonestAbe, no one would care about ignorant people making comments about Obama's children's hair... they do have nappy hair, just like his. But, eluding to sexual contact with anybody's children is totally uncalled for. I have to agree with another poster here about paying a visit to his studios and kicking some ass.

Yes what a ridiculous and foolish country we have become. Double standards are the norm. Hateful speech is spewed from both sides while they both call foul AT THE SAME TIME. Get over it, grow up and MOVE ON. There are other things in the world to worry about.

Someone gets called a slut and their children are dragged in and insulted, and you quibble on the meaning of 'knocked up. You're a fine graduate of the Clinton school of semantics.

dot-

we already went through this on your first thread-It's "STATUTORY" rape-

Read the article, Gov. Palin stated clearly the designation of "statutory."

This means that it IS a joke about rape.

Look the word up-in one of those dictionary thingies. It'll do ya some good, yo'.

The "statutory rape" thing wasn't made by anyone but Miss Wasilla herself!

Get yourself one of those hearing aid thingies. Maybe one will you ya some good...

ANY sex with a 14 year old IS statutory RAPE by an adult! Letterman said Palin brought her daughter (which was the 14 year old) to New York. WHY attack the children in the first place? Totally out of line - and "milking the story???" if it had been Obama's children - Letterman would be FIRED!

Laura, and anyone else not paying attention, Dave did apologize

Wow you are really really stupid

Mike B - are you kidding. Letterman fired if it was Obama's daughter. Rubbed out would be more likely. Obama has lot's of friends from Chicago don't forget.

Sarah does this to keep her name in the news. Throw the kids under the bus - but keep me in the public eye. Look how she used Palin. If she doesn't want her kids in the news, then quite bringing them up. Absolutely disgusting mother.

Dave - as tasteless as the comment was, Letterman was referring to Palin. The 18 year old, remember. Obama's daughters are 7 and 10. That's a huge difference. Don't be an idiot.

I find it interesting that some of you talk about Palin with such disdain, when she was dragged into this controversy, not by being a willing participant. What Letterman did was nasty and pure disgusting. Palin, as a woman and mother, in my opinion hasnt dont enough. If this was Michelle Obama and her girls, we would have riots and demonstrations all over America AND LETTERMAN WOULD BE IN TH UNEMPLOYMENT LINE AS WE SPEAK. Yet, somehow, some feel that Palin doesnt even have the right to defend herself or her daughters. Thats an interesting twist. So let me get this straight ....... When Letteman talks about young females in this dispecable way, its free speech. When Palin defends herself, she is crossing the line and nees to lighten up and go away. HMMMMMM Has anyone ever heard of the fall of ROME?

THERE'S ONLY ONE SOLUTION HERE, WE MUST BOYCOTT LETTERMAN AND ALL HIS SPONSORS, AND "NOT" LIGHTEN UP UNTIL THESE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT TOLERATING THIS DISRESPECT ANY LONGER.

Palin is not a laughing joke and she is not going away. The libera media have tried to portray her that way. Eversince she got on the public trail, they have tried to sabotage her from every angle.

I wish someone would throw her overboard!!!! If Palin has legitimate concerns about her younger daughter, why then did she let her sit anywhere next to Rudy Guilliani? Talk about a pervert and a womanizer. Ask his ex-wife.

For the people pulling Obama's Children hair into this. What about the Palin's children having oily and greasy hair. Gotta keep that trashy look!

For those who say that Palin is constantly throwng herself into the arena. How many nights has Letterman spent on dissing Palin. He has said quite a few jokes about her and her family. Interesting how when she decides, for once, to defend herself and family, some are so blind sighted that they are blaming her for using this to get attention. R U kidding me? She didnt start this nonsense; Im actually elated that for once she stood up for herself and al women. Those comments that Letterman made were condiscending for all women.

Thats why our country is in such a mess. We cant tell from the good or bad anymore. We see someone doing something dispecable to someone and instead of helping the victim, we laugh and defend the perpetrator. Then, if the victim says anything, shes labeled a trouble maker for defending herself.

Where does it end? Dont these big shots get paid enough to even fake that they care about young people's feelings or how their comments may effect our youth's actions? It is more like "criminal" to be paid so well and act so adolesent. Freedom of speech? Or freedom of ignorance? No excuse! Aren't you a little bit to old to be having to look over your shoulder all the time? Have you no shame? Well do ya punk?

alright hewres thge deal : Letterman never mentioned the age of the girl, so why is Sarah Palin implying that it was her 14 year? I mean that wouldn't even make any sense as a joke because it was the 18 year old who got knocked up. Sarah Palin is using a tiny, meaningless joke to get her name back into the press, it's obvious. Right now, she's just pissed off because Newt Gingrich got to speak at some republican gathering and she didn;t, so she's using this to get her name back into the spotlight.

Yes you missed it........big time. Even in my uber-liberal state of Washington, a 30+ year old male knocking up a 14 year old girl is called rape. You must live in Vermont.

Simple! Say YOU were a public figure doing your job in New York, catching a ballgame with your 14 year old daughter and ANY talk show or radio host said that about YOUR family, how would you feel? If you still side with David Letterman, you're a bigger piece of @!$%# than he is, and the bad part is that you know it.

Mr Brownstone,

You are obviously eager to comment on an issue you are so ignorant about. The only daughter that attended the baseball game with Palin was her younger daughter, Willow, not Bristol. And Letterman, clearly made degrading remarks about the daughter that attended the baseball game. I would have a hard time if any parent would be ok with a comedian using thier kids for crude humor. If he said that about Obama's kids, I would be equally outraged. And if you think Palin is over-reacting for defending her kids, you need your head checked.

This is ludacris, off-color jokes are made all the time. But include a celebrities' family and suddenly you've crossed a undefined line. Palin is just lookin for a little more spotlight. I'm sure that when she heard Letterman's comment she did an arm-pump, complete with an audibel "Yes!".

Remember how old Sarah Palin reacted to her being spoofed by Tina Fey on SNL? She had the colossal nerve to demand an apology from them.

Yes, she needs to go back to work and quit whining; you know when you are a public figure in politics, you're pretty much fair game to the media as it is.

Also, if it consentual, it's not rape. It might be wrong and disgusting. But it's not rape unless drugs were used or it was forced. I don't give a damn what any law has to say about that. Furthermore, not once did I see any age implicated in Letterman's comment. Also, I would not support Mrs. Obama if this comment were directed at her children. To support Palin is foolish, it was a JOKE.

Knocked up does not mean rape. Sex between someone A-Rod's age and Willow Palin is referred to as statutory rape. Willow is below the age of consent.

Would it be okay if someone made these types of comments about one of Obama's daughters?

Gosh.........,

I have been collapsed by the community at 3.11..............

I really think a collection of censors, however large, suits the liberal, censor at MSNBC....... as who knows what some people may say.......?

My comment centered on the fact that liberal,secular-thinking women believe society cannot dictate to them morals, ethics or simply, proper behavior.......

When they see anyone, male or female, point this out to them, they become enraged, act like banshees, and try to censor any thoughts or words to their contrary opinion...........

Ladies, you lose in the end........ your foolishness is transparent................

You idiot liberals...Knocked up or rape. She is 14, (and Letterman mentioned her age) years old...any adult abusing a minor makes it rape by definition. The double standard still exists for all of you libs. Imus was forced to leave NBC...Why is the same not applied to a liberal against a republican?

WOW, regardless of whether you like the Palin's or not, how pathetic that we have so many people in our society (yes, so many of you here!) that are willing to excuse ANYONE for making the classless, tasteless, and OFFENSIVE "jokes" that he made ...regardless of which daughter, or what age! And if you think you can convince ANYONE that you would just laugh off someone making those comments about your daughters/sisters/female relatives of any age, you are flat out LYING!

Sarah Palin has NO concept of when to be quiet and when to speak. Every time the woman opens her mouth, she only calls MORE attention to the issue, and she only makes herself look WORSE. Chelsea Clinton was made fun of endlessly by comedians, and the Clintons wisely realized that speaking about it only called MORE attention to it. Palin convulsively reacts in that ol' "moose huntin" mentality -- shoot first and ask questions later.

She ALSO mistakenly mentions the Obama children's being "off limits" while IGNORING the fact that her oldest daughter was made pregnant by having sex with a teenage, dropout hockey player, all while preaching holier than thou "abstinence."

Letterman CLEARLY was not talking about Palin's 14 year old daughter. Those who think he was only WANT to create an issue that was never there to begin with. You may not like Letterman's humor, but Palin is helping him by giving him the attention he wants in the ratings battle between his show and O'Briens. Palin is helping Letterman get ratings, and in her typical mentality, she's CLUELESS about it all............

Hey! Who allowed their unwed mother teenage daughter to appear on the cover of People magazine, and on the Today Show, and on FoxNews, and on the CBS Early Show, and on............. etc, etc. If Sarah Palin is so protective of her children, why does she use them for publicity when it suits her purposes? What kind of a mother is she???

I am no fan of Sarah Pailn. I have never watched David Letterman.

I have heard about David Letterman, Jay Leno, even Johnny Carson, and every comedian in the business saying some things I have cringed at. It's been painfully obvious that they have all also said hurtful things that were politically motivated.

That said, I do think there are certain lines that we as a society need to observe. I thought the punishment that Don Imus received for his comments on the women on the championship basketball team, which were not pre-scripted or mean-spirited and which he immediately and profusely apologized for, was way too harsh.

I think David Letterman's comments, which were prepared in advance by writers and then reworked and reviewed by him prior to delivery on air and should have been fact-checked relative to which daughter was in New York, were meant to be political zingers. But they were also much too obvious in their intent, and some were directed at people other than the primary target, as in "stewardesses" (and Dave, we call them flight attendants now, and have for years), and references to what turned out to be one of her minor children.

Her oldest daughter is an adult and has made herself a public figure and spokesperson for a particular group, so she will need to grow a thicker skin, as all public figures must. But Letterman was very wrong to go after the rest of the children, even if it was through his own ignorance.

We have traditionally left the minor children of public figures with a bubble of privacy, since they do not choose to be where they are and cannot really defend themselves. We have even extended that to the children when they have grown beyond the age of majority as long as they have chosen to lead lives that do not place them in the public spotlight.

Regardless of one's political affiliation, this should be the line we adhere to.

Letterman crossed that line. I am sorry that he is not a bigger man and cannot seem to offer a sincere apology (with no tagged-on laugh lines) for what truly were several outrageous blunders.

I am even more sorry because other comedians before him have done just that when they have taken indefensible shots at innocent bystanders, and some have lost jobs or endorsements as a result. I find it very sad that Letterman seems to not be compelled by his sponsors to do anything but think up new clever lines in an attempt to downplay the gravity of his mistakes.

But I also fault Palin for taking this into arenas where it does not belong (women's rights, failure to respect women in power, young girls' self image problems, etc.) to promote a personal agenda.

The producers of Letterman's show failed to make a timely and appropriate correction to this very unfortunate error in both preparation and judgment. Palin has failed to exercise any restraint in keeping the issue on topic. If not for both of these failures, this would have been a non-news item in less than an hour.

Chelsea was not joked about until she went to college. The Clinton's asked that she be left alone and until she graduated from high school they did, and to leave her alone was the right thing to do. One Chelsea was on her own and did things that made head lines - which if it had been anyone but her no one would have noticed - then jokes were made.

The jokes of Letterman where specifically about the daughter that was with Palin and that daughter - like it or not - was Willow who is only 14. He attack a 14 year old due to 1 fact he hate her mother. He did not care 1 iota how that 14 year old would feel. The subject matter is degrading to Willow and for any fool that laughed it said degrading children with sexual joke is ok in you sick sad worlds. Then Letterman weak excuse - not an apology - then tried to say it was wrong to say about a 14 but ok because he meant the 18. It is wrong regardless of who the parents of the child or the age of the girl/woman.

You obviously do not have a young daughter 18 or younger. I am so tired of people not seeing that a lack of taste is a lack of taste. Whether or not he was speaking about the 18 year old daughter or not the joke was out of line and every woman should be outraged by his statement as well as every dad, brother, uncle or friend of a woman. If this was about any other daughter other than a conservative political figure. Every woman's group as well as the media would have pounced on David Letterman rather than the woman. Women for years have fought for our rights and here is another example where women are allowing ourselves to lose ground all because of which side of the political fence we happen to be on. Shame on us!

When a 62 year old man makes jokes about an older man (Alex Rodriguez is 33 yrs old) "having sex with" a teenager...in this case, a 14 year old little girl...that is statutory rape or rape of a child. Duh! A pervert is a pervert is a pervert!

Lets see if I got this right, Sara Palin has a daughter Bristol Palin who is over 18 who got

‘knocked up” had a baby (whom I sorry to say I believe has Down Syndrome) who is a public figure (people magazine May 20, 2009, salon life Feb. 18, 2009, etc) in her own right who was supposed to go with her parents to New York (she did not she had a interview of her own to go to) now the fact that willow went instead ( David’s people need to do a better job of fact checking). But let’s remember that there have been tons of jokes about Bristol her are a few I hope you remember,

Top 10 Late-Night Jokes About Bristol Palin

1. "In an interview with Fox News, Gov. Sarah Palin's daughter, 18-year-old Bristol Palin -- remember Bristol Palin, who had the baby? Well, she talked in the interview. She said, 'A year ago, I never would have thought I would become a mom or that my mom was going to be chosen to be a vice presidential candidate.' Oddly enough, both things happened because some guy failed to take the proper precautions." --Jay Leno

2. "It's true, John McCain's running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, has revealed that her 17-year-old daughter is pregnant. Palin said, 'We should never have introduced her to John Edwards.'" --Conan O'Brien

3. "Some sad news. Bristol Palin, Sarah Palin's daughter, has broken up with baby daddy Levi Johnston. I was stunned when I heard. I mean, really, if two kids without a decent education and no jobs and a baby can't make it, what hope is there for the rest of us?" --Jay Leno

4. "You know who is really, really happy that John McCain did not win last night? The boyfriend of Sarah Palin's daughter. He doesn't have to get married now. 'Whew, thank God!'" --Jay Leno

5. "Bristol Palin and Levi Johnson have broken up. That's right. That's right. And apparently it was not that big a surprise. Even the Russians saw it coming." -- David Letterman

6. "One awkward moment, though, during the game. Maybe you heard about it, maybe you saw it on one of the highlight reels, one awkward moment for Sarah Palin at the Yankee game. During the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez." --David Letterman

7. "Experts say -- this is interesting -- that since Sarah Palin became the vice presidential nominee, there's been an actual spike in the sales of her style of eyeglasses. Gone way up. Yeah. Yeah, with Palin's glasses, you'll be able to see everything, except what the hell your teenage daughter's up to." --Conan O'Brien

8. "Did you see what Sarah Palin said yesterday? She made a speech in Alaska and she said that the money the federal government is sending to states to help bail out, well that's not good, because that's the federal government getting in there and trying to 'control people.' Yes that's right, Sarah, it's all about the Federal Reserve making your daughter use a condom." --Bill Maher

9. "Saturday night, Sarah Palin is going to drop the first puck at the Philadelphia Flyers' hockey game. Then Palin will spend the rest of the game trying to keep the hockey players out of her daughter's penalty box." --Conan O'Brien

10. "The Republican Convention is under way. The theme for tonight's Republican Convention is, 'Who is John McCain?' Tomorrow night's theme is, 'Who forgot to check if the Vice President's daughter is pregnant?'" --Conan O'Brien

Now David Letterman’s jokes yes were in poor taste but even a cursory glance of the joke shows he was joking about Bristol not Willow, I do believe Bristol is an adult now right,. Bristol and her mother talk a lot about Bristol getting knocked up.

So let me get this right Sarah Palin can use her 18 yo daughter and call foul but its ok for them to use her for political reasons, I do believe letterman’s jokes were in poor judgment and bad information, but they were not aimed at nor implying that willow the pailin’s 14yo daughter should be raped ETC..

Laura S-531010 not sure why your remark was collapsed? I quess the facts hurt.

Florida res. I guess you don't have a daughter.

DrBob-1155273 . Kids make mistake, like having kids out of wedlock. Does that mean you disown the kid or the child? As they say Sh*t happen and life goes on. And if you are a parent you still care about them whether you like it or not. Is this really a joking matter?

You can call me what you will but I will also stand my ground when you attack my family. Doesn't Lettermen have better joke writers?Must not!!!

As far as the remark about A-rod taking her daughter to the dug out is like calling her a ho.. And that not acceptable with a 18 year much less a 14 year old. And he referred to the daughter that came with her...That being the 14 year old.

This guys a has been

Willow Palin was with her mother at the game and therefore, the joke was about the younger of the girls. Regardless, it is inexcusable to make sexual jokes about children.

The Clintons and the Obamas have rightly insisted that their daughters not be brought into the political area.

To clarify this for those who may be confused-- Willow was the only daughter at Yankee stadium with Palin during their trip to New York. Bristol was Not at the game. This is how we make the logical assumption that Letterman was referring to Willow. He probably didn't mention any names intentionally because he knew that if he flat-out referred to Willow by name he would have no grounds by which to weakly defend his blatantly inappropriate comment.

It's ironic that the repubs only talk about womens rights when it benefits their argument. When they actually start introducing legislation that helps women is when I'll listen to them in this discussion.

If you don't like Letterman and his tasteless jokes, why don't you all just not watch? I don't like rushbo, hes an arrogant a-hole, so I don't listen to his show. Just give it up already, it was just a joke!

It was NOT "just a joke.........."

It was a cruel and tasteless testimony to the schizoid liberal mindset that disparaging one's children might be funny........adolescent brainfarts from a second rate "funny-man....."

I don't like Keith Obermann or Rachel Maddow, either..... delivering an opinion with a smirk on one's face is just plain childish....what else could you expect from MSNBC?

But, I watch them because I am not so closed minded as my liberal brethren as to applying the Fairness Doctrine to my opponents and exempting myself from such scrutiny.

nobody cares, cause he went on air and admitted his mistake aplogized but this means zip!! unless it's not stat rape? Which it is.. Because only her daughter, at that point, was the ONLY rape victim in her town NOT PAYING FOR THE RAPE KIT OR CSI OR COURT COST all PAID BY THE VICTIM IN PALINS TOWN[EXCEPT HER OWN DAUGHTER]...Letterman already said his peace and admitted it was poor taste [wow honesty, can't get that from O,Rilly can ya] so whats the beef? she WAS underage.. if i boned your daughter, at the same age as her daughter was.. i would be dead,, and if the same happened to letterman or lauer, adoption would be in the conversation, not kill it, and toss it!!!

Humor! get over it,, there are no boundries with free speach...I would rather hang a KS City Colalition member for interupting a military funneral...Than Letterman

The above post is clearly the best example of schizophrenia I have ever read....flight of ideas, convoluted thinking, adolescent vocabulary, and hallucinatory brainfarts........

How does this nitwit figure out how to turn his computer on......?

DaneLover:

"delivering an opinion with a smirk on one's face is just plain childish"

Isn't that EXACTLY what Palin did when she was bashing Obama when she was nominated for vp and at all of her rallies? People smirk because they think the topic is funny or stupid, which when discussing either Palin or Bush, how can one not 'smirk'?

Some smirks are deserved........others are mere presentation of all topics.........

Four years from now, 'Bama will be the smirk jestor..........

Women's groups will not touch this issue because it is a NON-ISSUE. Letterman was making a joke about a girl who had sex, got pregnant, had a baby, all while living with her mother and THEN is the poster child for abstinence! THAT is the joke! A-Rod hasn't piped up because he can tell when something is a joke, you know, when it is told by a COMEDIAN! While there are real issues out there regarding reproductive rights, equal pay, fair working conditions, and sexual assault, Women't organizations will focus on these REAL issues, not one that is MANUFACTURED a politician.

donna - right on
Honestly,I belive Bristol Palin was KNOCKED up!!!

So Ms Sarah Palin wants to do what???
Hey, Ms Palin, you need to concentrate on many other issues than trying to get attention for your future PRESIDENCY!!!

donna,

In this history of moronic comments on any public forum, you take the cake..........

Deary, Bristol was NOT with Sarah on her New York visit, it was Willow, a fourteen year old girl......since your facts are wrong, your comment is simply imbecilic....

As far as real issues, your women's groups seem to have a lot of censorship as to what they consider important.........They consider it important that they control their reproduction, yet, deny that aborting a fetus is murder.......that trashing a life in the womb is so much yesterday's indescretion and lust.........

Being a man (I guess), you have NO idea what is important to women, or groups that represent them. As for which daughter was with Palin, no one knew or cared...the joke was ABOUT BRISTOL. Letterman came out and said it himself, but, NOOOO, you nuts on these boards have to have something to scream about so, have at it....and enjoy!

Nobody -

your post clearly indicates that you are less than moronic.

donna-

being a woman - I guess - you have no idea what is important to men, or likely anything based on the rest of your post. Get your mommy or a conservative to read the article to you where the so-called joke is contemporaneous with Palin's visit with her 14-year-old daughter. Letterman took TWO days to make a statement after that - and you believe him? You need to get a life.

To you that try to compare Lettermans' nasty remarks to campaign challenges - you really have NO clue. Try reading somewhere besides left-wing looney web sites.

CodeSculptor - Let's clarify a few things here, shall we? Your post:

Dave obviously wasn't referring to Palin's 14-year-old daughter, and those of you suggesting otherwise are clearly credulous! Sarah Palin went out of her way to bring her family AND her family values to the public-eye.

Get real! Palin's family and values were dragged into the public eye by the liberal media that daily reminded everyone that her daughter was a pregnant, teenaged, unwed mother.

With the media snapping at her heels Sarah's only defense was to go on the offensive. Rather than hiding her daughter behind closed doors (MSM would have loved that, then they could have slammed her for being ashamed of her own daughter, "practically making her a prisoner in her own home!") Palin knew her best defense would be to go on the offense and show the world that she supported her daughter's choice to keep her child.

If Palin had been elected to the office of VP, then she (and they) would all be fair game (remember Bush's daughters?).

Of course we do, how could we forget? The liberal media hounded those poor girls unmercifully. Betcha won't hear a thing about Obama's girls, just as you heard very little about Chelsey Clinton.

Sorry to mention this, but the entire Republican party more than implied that having sex outside of marriage, much less before you are 18 kind of makes you -- well, a slut.

Which makes Palin's attitude toward Bristol's pregnancy even more noble.

It's not brave to have a baby just because everyone says that is the ONLY alternative that you have, and when every moment of every conversation regarding abortion says that your god and your friends and their friends consider it a most contemptable form of murder!

In my own personal opinion, once that baby's heart begins to beat it is a living human being. If you take the life of a living human being, then you are committing murder. It is a much braver thing to face the consequences of your actions than to go to an abortion clinic and have a living human being scrapped from your womb.

In such a case, it's braver to have the abortion and engage the consequences IF, and only if, if that was truly what she wanted.

What a duplicitous and indefensible confluence of absurdities!

Your post certainly is "a duplicitous and indefensible confluence of absurdities!"

Donna,...........

Nuts come in many shapes and flavors........

You, however, are the proverbial nut on a post we love to despise..........

"Being a man (I guess), you have NO idea what is important to women, or groups that represent them. As for which daughter was with Palin, no one knew or cared...the joke was ABOUT BRISTOL..."

Your nearly moronic suggestion that ovaries supercede testes is antithetical to the Bible and any reasonable socialologic truth related to to existance of human beings...........

Ask your ancestors how many girls went to hunt mammoths and saber tooth tigers........the food that fed you girls while you tended the fire in a cave............

donna,........ I enjoy providing you a place at the campfire......you eat last, as the men, eat first, who provided you with survival.........

The joke was about Bristol......... she wasn't with her mother in New York.....Letterman can't even get his facts straight to compose a dumb-ass joke.......that is why he is third-rate.....

FLfunnyboy

There wa bashing on both sides...Or have we forgot!!!

donna-397871

SO what do women want ? to sleep with A-rod? That's what the joke was about. Does he generally go around sleeping with 14 year olds?

And you say he did not know it was the 14 year old he was talking about? Better get his facts straight than..And even if i was the 18 year old ,it's ok to call her a ho...That basiclly what he said..I guess you are saying all kids who have children out of wed lock are a ho.....so it ok to make jokes about them.Does that include all the one who have sex out of wed lock?

Bottom line Lettermen cross the line to get at their mother and now is paying the piper..I know a lot of fathers and mothers who would have put his lights out for saying this.

I hope you are done with the rest of the "talk show" hosts too since they all make tasteless, sex oriented jokes, not just Letterman.

Alan, no she is not but you are. Can tell how much you respect women.

Sheila, Letterman doesn't care if you don't watch (stupid), he isn't doing this for ratings, Sara Palin is and she disgusts me. As does the rest of dumb America.

• Move to another country. ASAP

If America disgusts you, then go away. The only thing that's dumb is ignorant people that don't think everything about TV is for ratings. If you continue to watch NBC than you're part of the "dumbing down of America" in the first place. Stop watching TV & go out & be a useful member of society.

I didn't see either thing happen, but it's shameful for anyone to talk about public sex.

motherof5 wrote 'stop watching tv and go out and be a useful member of society'

lol

does that mean that if you watch tv, your an unuseful member of society?

lol

also, this gem "it's shameful for anyone to talk about public sex". lol what in the heck do you mean by that? having sex in public? talking about sex in public? hilarious. everyone talks about sex publicly, its a hot topic, please get real lady

Sheila, that's assuming that Letterman knew which daughter was with Palin. I certainly didn't when I first saw the joke and assumed he was talking about Bristol, who is the most well known and the one that the joke logically targets. Is the joke is poor taste? Sure. Is it over the line? I don't think so, but different people have different senses of humor.

Nikki, I assume by your name you are female. I assume by your comment & support of Letterman's comment that you are lacking in self respect. Obviously, you are so in awe of Letterman & his kind of celebrity that you are willing to accept this type of insulting & obnoxious brand of humor regardless of who is the target. Letterman is ignorance personified & as is anyone who agrees with him!

Mostly, irrelevant blather.

Letterman told a joke.......not even funny.

Including Palin's daughter (Willow) in the joke was tasteless.

Defenders of Letterman become the schizoid bashers of Limbaugh had the joke been uttered by him......

Libs, your ethics, morals and thinking are now on display.......you are not a pretty picture.

Shelia

As a leader of a State, very very very stupid for putting her in the limelight, just to show how stupid you were, by not even knowing your own daughter...I would step down,, as a hyocrit..thats what Great core values leads to,Honesty,Pride,Courgage,she has none of these qualities, or she would have left office in Alaska already in disgrace...thats what I would do!!!i guess you take the low road "it's not my fault" an excuss used by children that age...All the time...

"Letterman doesn't care if you don't watch (stupid), he isn't doing this for ratings"

Nikki - EVERYTHING Letterman does is for ratings - how stupid are you!

Nobody.........

And, you would list among your "leaders of state" with such virtues as Honesty, Pride, Courage...with Great Core Values....the likes of Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Maxine Waters, Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Chucky Schumer...........?

You are delusional.......................

Folks, you are all getting your panties in a twist over a joke about a girl getting knocked up by A-Rod. I know all you outraged posters are trying to convince yourselves that Letterman meant Willow (if he did, why didn't he name her in the joke?) but it is obvious that he meant the daughter who has ALREADY been knocked up once (Bristol...with name like these, who could tell the difference?) There are REAL moral dilemmas going on in this country; people are MURDERING other people because they hate them or what they stand for! THIS is a real problem....not getting your extra 15 minutes in the spotlight over a manufactured issue.

donna,

The REAL issue is that your morals belong in the sink disposal with the other garbage I send to myn septic tank...........

My morals are just fine, thanks. I think that murdering people with guns is wrong. I think that telling jokes about a joke politician and her adult daughter are just fine. And what's a "myn septic tank"? S l o w d o w n when you type, then you won't make mistakes!

I think that telling jokes about a joke politician and her adult daughter are just fine.

I think that murdering people with guns is wrong.

Just so. Do you believe murdering fetuses with a skull tap is just fine? Do you believe disparaging any other human being with a cruel joke is just fine?

If you do, then you are the antithesis of a caring, moral human being..........

A septic tank, mine, is where most of your comments belong.......among the worms and bacteria in that hole in the ground...............

community

If you are going to collapse Alan than also do Nikki same remark just worded different ,Lets be fair.

Said what needed to be said??? In her defense of "young girls in our society" she herself mentioned feminists as if it were a swear word as she was about to read emails in her inbox. She gave credance to an email she received by letting us know that this person "Isn't a known feminist" (so this is legitimate). I don't think offending most of the female population while trying to defend respect of women is saying what needs to be said. I assume she was refering to radical feminism? I'm sure she's unaware that there are many different feminist positions and that she herself falls into one of those ideological positions. If you believe women should be allowed to work (in any job for which they are qualified) and should receive equal pay for equal work, then you are a feminist, so I'm not sure why she refered to feminism like it's such a bad thing. I personally, am offended by her remarks. I have never watched an interview where I feel that she is speaking for me. I am embarassed for her every time I see her.

Said what needed to be said? She's manufacturing a story with faux outrage over a pretty mediocre joke.

Was it in poor taste? sure, was it worth a national blowup over? Not in the slightest. The reference had nothing to do with the 14 year old, it was obviously meant regarding the 17 year old, who has ALREADY BEEN PREGNANT.

While it's not terribly impressive, Palin's ridiculous overreaction in response is the far more telling of the two statements.

But the 18 year old (not 17) wasn't the one with Palin on the trip to New York. And that's what Letterman was joking about.

Laura, was it common knowledge that it was Willow and not Bristol on the trip? Isn't it just as likely that Letterman only knew a daughter was with Palin in New York and not necessarily which one? If you didn't know which daughter was in New York with Palin and heard the joke, which daughter would you assume he was talking about?

Who cares whether it was the 14 or 18 year old daughter? It was still very wrong to make such a joke.

As immoral as our society is, I can't believe anyone would 'condemn' a young girl getting pregnant as loose or a skank or any of the other derogatory terms out there. She was clearly in a relationship with this boy and regardless of her mother's morals (which I share...stuff happens, though) THIS society preaches that teens should have sex and the younger the better. It is not education level that causes unexpected pregnancies. I feel sorry for Bristol. I know what it's like to get pregnant out of wedlock and I was 40 YO with a masters degree. I had been in the relationship with the same man for years. Do I still think it is better to wait for marriage ... you bet, because men lie, promise forever to get what they want, then bail when the price tag gets too high.

Think about it...what would the media have done if Sarah made her children stay home? Is she ashamed of them? Should they be hidden? What about her Downs son? How would her children feel to see Obama girls on stage, but their mom kept them locked in a room in Alaska?? In a society that says kills children, it doesn't truly surprise me that one teen girl's mistakes are made a national joke, but another teen's girls mistake is supported by nurturing parents (which is what it looked to me like the Palins were doing) and that's okay as long as they stay out of the limelight? Seems to me, no matter what Palin does, if someone knows about it, it's her fault, even if she's right. She did not go seeking publicity about this "joke", a media person asked her. Get your facts straight and use the same ruler for everyone. If it's wrong for Palin family to be in public, even at a public baseball game, it's wrong for everyone to take their kids out in public, even to a public baseball game.

Ever heard of the term grace? Compassion? I didn't know there were so many perfect people in the world that the Palins just deserve to be hung in the center square.

John Edwards cheated on his terminally ill wife. Go defend that for a while, if democrat leaders are so perfect.

I care which daughter it was targeting because Sarah is pulling out "statutory rape" allegations. If it was targeting Bristol, which it almost certainly was, the allegation is a fallacious one. Worse, I think Sarah KNOWS it was directed at Bristol and not Willow, but she realizes that she couldn't make near as many political points off it being Bristol given her age.

Plus, what age is the appropriate cut off for a subject of a joke? Certainly anyone less than 18 is a bad choice for any joke, especially jokes with a sexual element. So, is it alright to tell jokes about someone who is 18 or should we wait until they are 21? Then again, when jokes were made about Jamie Lynn Spears when she got pregnant at 16, there wasn't near as much outrage. There is a double standard going on, I'm just not so sure it is the one being debated here.

Are you serious or have you overdosed on pickle juice?

Your argument is pure nonsense..............

If Palin wants to "make a stand" for women, why does she make them pay for their own rape kits in Alaska?

Did Sarah Palin imply the joke was about rape? Yes. She implied it was about statutory rape when she implied that the joke was about Willow. Could she imply the same thing if the joke was about Bristol? No. Was the joke intended to be targeted at Willow? Almost certainly not as most of the audience probably didn't know which daughter was with Palin at the time, and there is the possibility that neither did Dave.

Do we have a double standard with this type of joke? Jokes were made about Jamie Lynn Spears, was there this outrage then? No, and she was younger than Bristol. Many conservatives ended up attacking Spears instead of coming to her rescue. It's a completely different story now that the person who is the butt of the joke is the daughter of a conservative politician. What this comes down to is a group of people who are somewhat outraged by a lame, poorly conceived, crude joke, and those that are absolutely incensed by a misinterpretation of who the joke was aimed at.

I agree completely. There is no outrage like a right wing conservative hypocrite's outrage!

So, do two rights make a wrong,.....or is it two wrongs make a right........?

What this comes down to is a group of people who are somewhat outraged by a lame, poorly conceived, crude joke, and those that are absolutely incensed by a misinterpretation of who the joke was aimed at.

Not Really. And, your poorly conceived notion that it is that, is sophomoric.

A second-rate jokster expressed an inflammatory, demeaning and imbecilic comment about a Governor's daughter (FACT)...........it implied debauchery, rape and minimizing of our children (FACT).......it was NOT funny (FACT).....and you have the unmitigated gall to compare a Governor's daughter to California's products of stupid families like Spears......?

Sir., when was the last time Limbaugh compared a Clinton or Obama daughter to being a whore........?

Think about it for a couple of minutes.........far exceeding your attention span..........

I am no fan of Sarah Pailn. I have never watched David Letterman.

I have heard about David Letterman, Jay Leno, even Johnny Carson, and every comedian in the business saying some things I have cringed at. It's been painfully obvious that they have all also said hurtful things that were politically motivated.

That said, I do think there are certain lines that we as a society need to observe. I thought the punishment that Don Imus received for his comments on the women on the championship basketball team, which were not pre-scripted or mean-spirited, was way too harsh.

I think David Letterman's comments, which were prepared in advance by writers and then reworked and reviewed by him prior to delivery on air and should have been fact-checked relative to which daughter was in New York, were meant to be political zingers. But they were also much too obvious in their intent, and some were directed at people other than the primary target, as in "stewardesses" (and Dave, we call them flight attendants now, and have for years), and references to what turned out to be one of her minor children.

Her oldest daughter is an adult and has made herself a public figure and spokesperson for a particular group, so she will need to grow a thicker skin, as all public figures must. But Letterman was very wrong to go after the rest of the children, even if it was through his own ignorance.

We have traditionally left the minor children of public figures with a bubble of privacy, since they do not choose to be where they are and cannot really defend themselves. We have even extended that to the children when they have grown beyond the age of majority as long as they have chosen to lead lives that do not place them in the public spotlight.

Regardless of one's political affiliation, this should be the line we adhere to.

Letterman crossed that line. I am sorry that he is not a bigger man and cannot seem to offer a sincere apology (with no tagged-on laugh lines) for what truly were several outrageous blunders.

I am even more sorry because other comedians before him have done just that when they have taken indefensible shots at innocent bystanders, and some have lost jobs or endorsements as a result. I find it very sad that Letterman seems to not be compelled by his sponsors to do anything but think up new clever lines in an attempt to downplay the gravity of his mistakes.

But I also fault Palin for taking this into arenas where it does not belong (women's rights, failure to respect women in power, young girls' self image problems, etc.) to promote a personal agenda.

The producers of Letterman's show failed to make a timely and appropriate correction to this very unfortunate error in both preparation and judgment. Palin has failed to exercise any restraint in keeping the issue on topic. If not for both of these failures, this would have been a non-news item in less than an hour.

Concernemed Dem, As you said it doesn't matter the age of the girl. Letterman's statement/joke was simply inappropriate, wrong rapacious.

Amon,

Well said. However I'm not sure many here are capable of understanding what you are saying. This is NBC and the crowd here would feel much more comfortable with Bristol -- and would be more tolerant of her -- if she got pregnant and overtly aborted the child, then have the baby. Just because she is having the baby and raising him makes her and her family white trash, hypocrites, etc...

But trying to make the rabid folks on the left (many here and folks like Lauer, olberman, currric, and most other leftist with a chip on their shoulder ) to understand the compassion you talk about, is like trying to explain to someone who has never had a orgasm what an orgasm is. Or how it feels, or why it is the most amazing thing for ones body and soul.

If you never had one of your own, watching someone else having it does look and sounds surreal and torturous. Not pleasurable. All the moaning, grinding, the painful facial expressions the painful looks, etc. simply sounds more like a torture than pleasure.

Most of us look at these folks and feel sorry for them and prey someday they have an orgasm of their own, so they too can understand the joy we feel. Yet these sorry folks have gone a step up and are trying to re-make our society based on what they have seen from outside looking in. We know they are mostly clueless, childless, godless, and rabbid delusionists. but they have study us having an orgasm and have decided an orgasm is something to fight against, rather than try to have one of your own. (sorry for the bad anology, but so true.)

To most of us, it is hard trying to make these clueless folks understand your point of compassion and love. They simple don't get it. Most of these folks had never had a child of their own, never known god, never understyood spiritually, forgiveness, fortitude, compassion, gentility, love, etc... Your words sound hollow to them. Just as it impossible to explain the pleasure and awe of what an orgasm is to a clueless. You can turn blue and foan in the mouth till you die, and they still won't get it.

I guess all we can do is pray for these challanged folks who for whatever reason have decided that having and orgasm is simply wrong based on what they have observe in a porn.

But I think you came pretty close Amom trying to explain it to them. However, as you can see, they are still cluless. I've giving up on them.

Of course it was common knowledge that her younger daughter was with her. It was broadcast on the news. And because Letterman's writers are too stupid to check their information, they look pretty bad. And the apology wasn't anywhere close to being a real apology. Don't get me wrong, I wish Palin would stay in Alaska and do what she can to stay out of the spotlight. But Letterman is wrong. Once he found out her 14 yr old was the daughter in New York he should've made a true apology for his bad taste in humor. Not some lame attempt at backpedalling.

you're an idiot. and you don't watch David Letterman in the first place. And doesn't everyone know he already apologized and that the joke was in bad taste.

That was NOT an apology it was another low life joke

I agree, Kathy. That wasn't an appropriate apology.

Letterman wouldn't know how to apologize to two cow-plops in a pasture..............

Sarah Palin is a low life joke!

Do your parents know you're playing on the computer, BigNewsDay?

Yes! Do yours?

Neil, YOU are the one who is too "p.c.". Things have gotten pretty sad when a moderately funny joke is dragged on and on and on...... This should have been done with in one day but Palin refuses to let it go. Some poster said "everyone" knew which daughter was with Palin in N.Y. , well, I, for one, did not know, or care. Is this another trip with her family that she will charge to the government? Letterman was not being vicious, what is vicious is the absolute hate that is spewed by O'Reilly and drug addict Limbaugh. And OF COURSE Letterman is not going to apologize for a joke that any half-wit would understand was about an adult young woman who has already had a child out of wedlock. He has emphasize that he would NEVER joke about a minor being raped (this language was introduced by the Palins, by the way) and if anyone cares to review his past shows, you would know that he is telling the truth.

Very well put Donna. If Billo, Hannity, or that fat pig Rush would have said that (Rush made even nastier remarks about Chelsea), the right-wing hypocrites would be rolling on the floor. Don't we have more important things in this country to worry about than this non-issue?

Donna,

You are so sincere, loving, tolerant, humble and compassionate, NOT.

I bet you don't have a child of your own. sorry, you would never get what these folks are frustrated about.

But it is our fault.

I was wondering if anyone remembered Rush cruel attacks on Chelsea when she was about 10 (I think - could have been younger). But Rush walks on water. Just ask 'em.

JT,

Come on now...

Yes Rush did joke about Chelsea being ugly, but he was scorn for what he did, both by the right and the left.

But most of all by his audience and his people. If you remember he sincerely apologized and said he was out of line in his radio show.

If you folks got the whole report or listen to something other than Keev Ogerman, you would know.

Lettermen apologized for what he said. He didn't apologize for the stuff Palin made up and attributed to him. SHE should be apologizing for that!

Matt, what has happened to you. I have watched "Today" for years and yes I don't always agree but this has went to far. Matt why are you defending David Letterman. What has been done to the Palin family for the last 9 months by "Today" has been terrible with this morning being over the top. Letterman may try to cop out and say he didn't say Willow's name but go back and watch the whole joke from beginning to end and see who he was meaning. It was definetly against Willow. America we better take a stand when we think a comment like this is o.k. we have no reason then to complain as we see society go down the tubes. There was nothing funny about this. Letterman should be FIRED!

I totally agree....Matt what has happened to you?

A reporter should be fired for grilling a lawmaker??!! Give me a break. That's his job

I watched the entire interview this morning and I thought Matt was way more than respectful to her position, even stating more than once that he thought the joke was out of line. Let's face it. Anyone who interviews Palin besides Fox is going to be on your s**t list. No matter how they bend over for her.

You are a pig Abe!

any question palin gets puts her on the defence since she has the brains of a cookoo bird

Agree with you, she should have simply walked out and left him and his smirk, in place.

If Palin really wanted to protect her daughter, she would have dropped this topic. It was fair that she said the comment was out of line and that WILLOW (remember her, Sarah?) deserved an apology. Instead she found something else that can keep her in the media spotlight for awhile.

I didn't see Letterman as the majority of the country didn't see Letterman. However we all now what was said. If Palin had really wanted an apology, she could have sent a letter to Letterman and told him that he had offended her daughter. He would undoubtedly apologized. Story done. But no. She's going to drag this out for every minute of attention she can get.

larry292879 quit insulting the cookoo birds! hahahahahahahaha!!!

It was Letterman that brought her back in, not Palin herself. You've got it backwards. If people truly want her out then they need to stop talking about her.

How dare she go to a ball game with her kids. How dare she comes to the lower 48 and not wear a mask, or a berka. How dare she let her children be out of the house.

If she didn't do this kind of stuff, people like Letterman, Laure, Olberman, the Nation, and other warm, tolerant folks wouldn't be so offended by her presence.

People are sick and tired of her taking her kids to a Mall or a show or a ball game.

How dare she.

Neal, you forgot how dare she bring her child to the lower 48 to do charity work. After all doing charity work and going to a ball game with you child is justification for you and your child to be attack by a dirty old man.

the deeper issue? It was a bad joke on a late night TV show. Sarah is the one creating the deeper issue, just like she did with Obama's "lipstick on a pig" remark. It is her MO for staying in the public eye

Katherine:

'We should be proud of Sara Palin...

Are you serious? The lady's a nutcase

'The joke was in bad taste indeed...'

So? what are you and your family doing up so late anyway, if y'all are so wholesome???

'It's frustrating to see such a strong and professional woman criticized...

(Wink) You Betcha!

If she were "strong" she would see it for what it really is and brush it off. If she were "professional" she would not be beating this to death in the media. Enough!

Hypothetically, how "strong" do you think Maxine Waters would be if I called her an "ignorant Creole with bastard children" on national TV.....?

Would she be "professional" and "brush-it-off"....?

Yeah, right... She would summon the committee on hate speech and have my testicles hung from the "White House" flagpole.

Just this, Libs........ you cannot behave like sophomoric imbeciles and expect the public to let you get away with it...............

It is NOT okay to disparage and hate your opponents, nor make fun of them via your liberal media and expect the public to ignore it........

Since Letterman's liberal TV network has not said anything......it can be assumed that they are in full agreement with his behavior and speech......... pathetic.....

I am very proud of her and her husband. They protect their family with the utmost sincerity.

If the Palins really wanted to protect their family, they wouldn't have dragged all of them around for months on the campaign to tout the "perfect family" picture. Your family wasn't running for office, Sarah, YOU were! They should have been left in school with their father at home to take care of them. And all this, while Bristol had just gotten pregnant, right under her "no sex before marriage" mother's nose. I have no problem with premarital sex and if you become pregnant and choose to keep the baby, great! But, if this girl had perhaps an iota of sex education under her belt, perhaps this wouldn't have happened. So don't try to say the Palins protect their kids, so far they're doing a piss poor job of it.

Once, more the glib donna proves that most earthworms have more brains than some humans..........

Interesting how you attack Donna for making some very valid points, but never explain why you disagree. It doesn't take much intelligence to call someone an earthworm or that they belong in the garbage. At least keep your arguments on point, fool.

Dane lover,

ROFLOL...

You state the obvious. But they are not listening.

As I said most of these folks are childless, godless, merciless folks. they wouldn't get what you are saying.

And be careful talking about Maxin or other very tolerant, sincere and loving folks like that. You know they will come after you and will hang your ball on the flag pole.

LOL...

Thanks, Neal,............

But, please consider my Scottish heritage........I would, as William Wallace did, give my life for freedom........

My liberal friends(sic), would give nothing more than skipping a noon-time meal..........

I would give my life for my family, my clan and my friends..........but not for the idiots who would sell their souls and freedom for the hind teat of a tyrannical government......

I would be happy to hang my dead balls from the White House flagpole..........Maxine, having none, would have to create some virtual history of her contribution to NOTHING..............

Who remembers the King of England in 1304.........?

Who remembers the brave hero of Scotland in 1304........Walllace.......

Do you think a minor representative from a socialists state, Maxine Waters, would scare me......?

Do you think she could exert any power over me that would render my beliefs silent.......?

Freedom is not free........it is maintained by the courage of just a few patriots who would die for it......encouraging others that a tyranny of government is a folly, a monstrosity inflicted on the weak-hearted.......

Cruach Mor,

DaneLover:

"Hypothetically, how "strong" do you think Maxine Waters would be if I called her an "ignorant Creole with bastard children" on national TV.....?"

Gee danelover, don't think I heard letterman say something like that. Must be what's rolling around in your mind though...

-"Just this, Libs........ you cannot behave like sophomoric imbeciles and expect the public to let you get away with it..............."

ummm, hmmm, you're talking about rush, hannity, glenn beck, right??? I like the way you act like its 'libs' when its really your own party acting sophomoric, as this seed indicates and now the complaining about obama giving a note to a 4th grader, yeah, really sophomoric...

"It is NOT okay to disparage and hate your opponents, nor make fun of them via your liberal media and expect the public to ignore it........"

hmmmm, again, rush/hannity/beck and even the palinmeister herself has been guilty of this one right? Or, its only bad if the left does it? Do you even realize the hypocrisy?

Palin should sue Letterman. Since he is not good at being a politician or a comedian, he should get a job as a Walmart greeter. Appoligies to all the Walmart greeters.

He wasn't speaking about Willow. If that's how you choose to INTERPRET it, that's your issue, not Letterman's. The joke was a bit inappropriate, but it's late night TV, there're plenty more risque jokes out there than this.

Much ado about nothing.

"He was speaking about an incident during that game(her daughter being knocked up)."

Her daughter was knocked up during a game?

"Even her older daughter for that matter being knocked up by older man is still rape. Look at the law."

Her OLDER daughter is 18. Perfectly legal for her to get knocked up during a game. You need to "Look at the law."

The joke was a bit inappropriate

This jackoff commentor cannot tell poop from his elbow.........well, likely his head has found his posterior excretory organ.......

Did Billy-boy Clinton teach you how to INTERPRET a blow-job?

I find it interesting how you can seem so high and righteous about Letterman's joke, but are about as rude and crude as they come to most of the posters here. Hypocrite ring a bell?

And I know this will raise some hackles, but to use the same argument that you Rush lovers use: Letterman's been at the top in ratings for a long time so he must be doing something right.

Letterman is high on your list of buffoons in the media...dosen't make make him a saint or an oracle........

Nice liberal tack of elevating your opponents to "high and righteous".......

Try another tact, you buffoon.......................................

Show's how insinsitive you really are. Imus made a racially charged statement against women athletes from a HBCU (Historically Black College or University). The fact that you find Imus' comments less offensive than Lettermans speaks volumes about your beliefs and values.

Sayitaintso - Rutgers University is not an HBCU. Your comments show your lack of knowledge. Way to play the race card. Anyone who defends a person you don't agree with is labeled a racist. It's either ok to make a joke about anyone or it isn't. STOP THE DOUBLE STANDARDS!!!!!

Now it's a crime to interview someone???? Matt Lauer asked Palin questions regarding this "faux" incident. Several times he said Letterman was out of line. What, should he have been kissing her ass too? Imus' remark; calling black women athletes "nappy headed whores" cannot be compared to Letterman joking about a young woman, who has already had a child out of wedlock, getting knocked up again. Please folks, get your priorities straight.

Say...

I am no fan of Sarah Palin. I have never watched David Letterman.

I have heard about David Letterman, Jay Leno, even Johnny Carson, and every comedian in the business saying some things I have cringed at. It's been painfully obvious that they have all also said hurtful things that were politically motivated.

That said, I do think there are certain lines that we as a society need to observe. I thought the punishment that Don Imus received for his comments on the adult women on the championship basketball team, which were not pre-scripted or mean-spirited and for which he apologized immediately and sincerely, was way too harsh.

I think David Letterman's comments, which were prepared in advance by writers and then reworked and reviewed by him prior to delivery on air and should have been fact-checked relative to which daughter was in New York, were meant to be political zingers. But they were also much too obvious in their intent, and some were directed at people other than the primary target, as in "stewardesses" (and Dave, we call them flight attendants now, and have for years), and references to what turned out to be one of her minor children.

Her oldest daughter is an adult and has made herself a public figure and spokesperson for a particular group, so she will need to grow a thicker skin, as all public figures must. But Letterman was very wrong to go after the rest of the children, even if it was through his own ignorance.

We have traditionally left the minor children of public figures with a bubble of privacy, since they do not choose to be where they are and cannot really defend themselves. We have even extended that to the children when they have grown beyond the age of majority as long as they have chosen to lead lives that do not place them in the public spotlight.

Regardless of one's political affiliation, this should be the line we adhere to.

Letterman crossed that line. I am sorry that he is not a bigger man and cannot seem to offer a sincere apology (with no tagged-on laugh lines) for what truly were several outrageous blunders.

I am even more sorry because other comedians before him have done just that when they have taken indefensible shots at innocent bystanders, and some have lost jobs or endorsements as a result. I find it very sad that Letterman seems to not be compelled by his sponsors to do anything but think up new clever lines in an attempt to downplay the gravity of his mistakes.

But I also fault Palin for taking this into arenas where it does not belong (women's rights, failure to respect women in power, young girls' self image problems, etc.) to promote a personal agenda.

The producers of Letterman's show failed to make a timely and appropriate correction to this very unfortunate error in both preparation and judgment. Palin has failed to exercise any restraint in keeping the issue on topic. If not for both of these failures, this would have been a non-news item in less than an hour.

Pinch, you obviously did not see Letterman's comments. He did use the term Flight Attendants. Also, it seemed obvious to me which of the Palin kids he was talking about, but I can see how the simple-minded folks may have misinterpreted his remarks.

Big...

Guilty as charged. As I said, I do not watch Letterman. The quote I saw was from an onscreen "transcript" on a news broadcast. I should have reviewed the actual footage. My bad.

I do agree that some people would have understood his reference, but judging from the selective thinking of most of the posters on this vine, I think the goal here is to have a political name-calling fest, not look at what was probably intended. And Bristol Palin would have been fair game, since she has made a choice to be a public figure, as has A-Rod.

However, since there was an unavoidable reference to a New York baseball game where Bristol Palin was not present, I do fault Letterman's fact checking staff and he himself for not vetting this "joke". It is not like they were pressed for time. In fact, it is no different than my error in not checking the actual tape of his show relative to the flight attendant remark, in which case, I will apologize to Letterman as soon as I check my facts, and it appears that will happen before he does the same to Governor Pailin so she can stop dragging this out and expanding it into areas that are totally unrelated and just further her own personal ambitions.

There is nothing like watching to huge egos battle things out on the air to raise each other's ratings - hmmm, a new reality show maybe?

Totally, totally agree. This is once again a case where the 'victim' (a female of course) becomes the one 'at fault'. Shame on you, Matt Lauer, as a journalist and as a father.

I agree. The media is "supposed" to be unbiased, though it rarely ever is. However, when it concerns a minor of any gender it's inexcusable to lean to the side of illegal. I don't really care who's child, boy or girl, race or religion, if they are a minor they are NOT in anyway shape or form, fair game.

As a side note, I just love how they spent 3 times as long grilling Mz. Palin about her daughter than they did about the proposal concerning natural gas, which was supposedly why they had her on the air to begin with.

How does Palin not anger all of you morons?(because you're morons). I respect Matt for being so civil towards her. She is no victim, she's manipulative, and the GOP is lucky to have such a scary. Christian (?)( )spinster.

Okay Nikki-1150515, you have a right to your opinion; but you don't have to name call because others disagree with you. Based on your comments, you might want to check yourself out regarding the need to call others (who you don't even know) "morons."

I know it is hard for you to accept this fact but Gov. Palin has a right to defend her children and I would ask you, why do you have to make this into a POLITICAL issue?

It is not a political issue, Sarah Palin is simply a Mother defending her kids. Children should be off limits; even President Obama said so during the campaign.

Nikki-1150515 said:

"How does Palin not anger all of you morons?(because you're morons). I respect Matt for being so civil towards her. She is no victim, she's manipulative, and the GOP is lucky to have such a scary. Christian (?)( )spinster"

Also, Gov. Palin is NOT A SPINSTER (which is a name reserved for unmarried older women); Sarah Palin is married.

What I believe is that you (Nikki) have "Sarah Palin Derangement Syndrome" and like you stated "she angers you" to the point where you are so irrational about her that no matter what she says or does YOU ARE ANGRY (to the point of what appears to be blind rage).

I find it interesting (as others have commented) that the political overtones seem to negatively impact the rational thinking of folks who would NEVER ordinarily condone the bullying or abusive treatment of innocent children or young people.

How narcissistic and savage a society we have become when we need to laugh at and attack innocent children (and teens) for our own political purposes. Think about what you are saying and condoning.

Gov. Palin and her husband Todd are just responding as any loving parent would do when someone attacks their family (even in so called jest).There is plenty of political fodder in the arena; leave the children alone because (in any civilized society) they ARE off limits!

Nikki is a non-entity.............Don't recognize her as anything more than raindrop on dog@!$%#...........

I'll go to Fox news too. I agree Mr. Lauer was defending Letterman. They deserve each other.

Yes, please tune into "Fox News", a term which I use loosely. The day after the shooting of the security guard at the Holocaust Museum, Fox, buried the story, well below a story about a Catholic parrish fighting not to be labled a lobbyist group. WOW. Someone REALLY has their priorities screwed up.

Be sure to send letters to the station and even the sponsors telling them why you aren't watching or buying.

I just sent a letter to CBS explaining that I will watch the Letterman Show every night, just for the sole purpose of irritating hypocritical, intolerant republican morons. Have a nice day : )

Funny you should say that. I've been thinking the same thing. I haven't watched Letterman in years, but Leno's gone now and I can't stand Conan, so this is just one more good reason to tune into Letterman. :)

Roses, welcome to FOX.............

Welcome Nick, to Fox..........

donna......, your view of the news and what is important is deranged........so, go to the deranged network with Keith and Rachel and have a wonderful century, idiot...........

BigNews.........please fill your face with McDonald burgers until you develop kidney failure and have to have your blood cleared everyday by normal,conservative nurses who think you would be better off dead.......

JustThinkin......who does not think, but vomits nonsense on this blog........please kill your kidneys so nice conservative nurses can care for your lousy body.............

Maybe Palin's daughter should have thought more about her representation of young women when she consented to having sex out of marriage and then having the child and then dumping the father. I think those are more moral issues that effect the standards of women than a stupid joke.

I'm a woman....Guess what I don't care. There are other things to get upset about. I don't care if an over the hill "comic" told a joke in bad taste. I don't care if Matt Lauer defended Letterman. I care that so much time and energy is being spent on this topic.

I don't like Palin and I think she has no business being in public office. I don't like Matt Lauer, I think he's a watered down hack that can't make it as a real journalist and Letterman should have quit years ago.

Guess how I solved all these problems: I don't listen to Palin anymore when she talks (she gives me the creeps anyways with her winks and nose wrinkling). She's done more harm to the women's movement than anyone else. I don't watch Lauer. I put on real news in the morning if I want to know whats going on. I don't watch Letterman, never have. Never thought he was funny.

Michelle--very nicely put!! I've thought all along that Sarah Palin has done more damage to women's rights and equality in the 6 months she's been in the spotlight than the damage that might have been taking place daily since women were given the right to vote!! She's a former beauty queen with no place in politics! I'm sorry, but beauty pageants are archaic and degrading...and no, I'm not a fat girl who never had the chance to be in a pageant! LOL I actually was in one and won Ms. Congeniality! However, go back to Alaska and shut up! She put her family in the spotlight and now she has to live with it...

Also...someone put earlier that Bristol was brave to tell America she was pregnant...that wasn't brave...that was getting the jump on it before her baby bump was visible! Give me a break!

I can't believe that you won Ms. Congeniality. Your comments are insensitive and unless you are actually from Alaska, I doubt that you can really formulate an eduated opinion as to whether or not Palin is qualified to be in politics. Give us all a break and go back to beauty pageants and keep your mouth shut.

Lexi you said it in a nut shell! As a woman I am embarrassed everytime Palin takes a so called stand for women. Letterman I don't need an apology. I know what you meant, you have apoligized so please lets move on. Palin, quit using your children to grand stage your future political goals. You should be ashamed of yourself!!!!!!!!!!

Lisa,

You're not embarrassed about Palin......you are a democrat and you let that political association overcome your logical thinking....l

Max, I AM embarrassed every time that Palin tries to speak on behalf of women. I am a professional and I have never in my life said, "you betcha! wink wink" I was a highly placed officer in a bank. Believe me. My first "you betcha!" and I would have been the one serving coffee from then on.

Palin does not represent me in any way. She has obviously taught her children completely different morals and attitudes than I have taught mine. I would never presume to tell a woman that she has to continue a pregnancy she doesn't want for whatever reason. My kids both are college-educated with no unintended pregnancies and no children yet. I read - my family reads. We could name actual newspapers and sources we get our information. I would never presume to know a country because I've stood on the border and looked acrossed into Mexico and Canada both!

Don't make such broad statements regarding Palin and women. I have yet to meet a woman yet who agrees with Palin. Max, you're obviously a man. We real women are capable of thinking for ourselves.

Thank you soooooooo very much! JustThinkin

Gosh, girls....................

Have you ever paid attention to Nancy "dimwit" Pelosi? How about the idiot Maxine Waters...........

Or, my perenial favorite, Barbara "bubba" Boxer.........?

Or, the chief of international affairs, Secretary of State, the ever, "it takes a village to raise a child" , Hillary, I hate him, but the perks are great, Clinton?...............

Women, generally, position themselves around men so as to acguire position, wealth and security.........

These are not the human characters that would elicit heroic poems by Homer.......

To JustThinkin:

THINK ABOUT THIS, there are many REAL women, (millions of them as a matter of fact) who like and admire Gov. Sarah Palin.

So GET OVER YOURSELF, you do not speak for ALL women; only a narcissistic person would in fact believe that they did.