Michelle Malkin: Letterman’s Yuks about Statutory Rape Is Just Yuck

» Question wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:13 AM

What’s the difference between what Letterman said and what Don Imus said about the Rutgers womens basketball team? Oh, yeah, Imus was canned right away.

Also, what does A-rod think about being called a statutory rapist?

» Get a life wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:41 AM

The world seems to have forgotten something, there is this thing called humor.  Dave’s usually pretty funny.  This was a little out of line, but Palin is blowing this completely out of proportion and making herself look more and more foolish everyday.

» sluggo wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:42 AM

is`nt there a war somewhere , aren`t children starving somewhere….

» Brett Clark wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:43 AM

His remarks were certainly in poor taste - and his apology was not entirely satisfactory.  However, it is clear from this “controversy” that conservatives, led by Palin who have nothing to offer to the country politcally, are using this as a sideshow to garner media attention and sympathy.  Guess what: none of this is helping your “tanking” party.  You have bigger problems.

» Galen Nicks wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:46 AM

Maybe Mr Letterman would get the feeling if we all started talking about people playing with his son in inappropiate ways so we could get a laugh.  I bet that would raise the hair on his back.

» Lou wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:47 AM

“Face it: David Letterman, late-night entertainer turned partisan hack and hit man, has a deranged obsession with Palin and her family that has crossed into rank bigotry and hatred.”

——————————-
This piece reminds me of how the Right rose up in righteous fury at the cruel, perverted taunts from among their ranks aimed at young Chelsea Clinton.

Maybe, after this, Michelle will march on to straighten out the Great White Whales at Fox News, followed by a big smackdown of the Gorillas Own Party (GOP) in South Carolina…

Or not.  Maybe she’s just a partisan hack.

» Richard Ruhling, MD wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:48 AM

Play it again, Michelle. This country needs to hear from women like you and men who have the moral backbone to stand up for values that are higher than low life or we will be doing Exodus2. http://www.Exodus2.info

» La'shaun in NYC wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:48 AM

The difference between Imus and Dave is that Dave is funny and Imus isn’t. Dave has made thousands of jokes sometimes they hit and sometimes they miss. This was a miss so let it go and move on. There really is no story here, Sarah Palin is just trying to stay relevant and play the victim as usual.

» dutch weismann wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:48 AM

Michelle - that’s the pot calling the kettle “yuck”...Letterman is such a total pig he should be working for FOX, too.

» Ralphie wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:49 AM

If you dont like him, don’t watch him. It’s as easy as that. I find it funny that most of these people who insult Dave are probably not late night watchers. They have to get up early and do important things at 5am. Sarah palin raised at least one daughter with ‘loose morals’ and its not unthinkable for it to happen again.

» jared wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:53 AM

Michelle - get a grip. It helps you look less hypocritical if you don’t attack your targets in the same way that you accuse them of attacking others. It is particularly crude of you to cause him a lecher and imply that he’s a pedophile. Also wrong: Sarah Palin implying that Letterman can’t be trusted around young girls. Isn’t that the sort of language and innuendo you would condemn if someone else said it?

» AJ wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:54 AM

overly sensitive. taking what a professional comedian says seriously may indicate irrationality or basic ignorance at best, attention seeking or lunacy at worst. nobody looks to letterman for facts or opinions, just laughs for laughs’ sake. this article makes its author look like a fool…

» bobeeto wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:55 AM

Go back to your country!!!

» Response wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:57 AM

I can’t see a justification for this degree of backlash on what could easily be a (perhaps tasteless) joke on a media figure. If Ms. Palin was not a political icon of the current GOP we would never have heard one thing about this. Move on Malkin, and stop splashing more attention than is necessary on something that makes my political party look petty.

(insert “Response-175.jpg” here - a dolled up picture of myself in a poor attempt to create legitimacy for my words via physical appearance)

» Gary Rosenfeld wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:57 AM

This is interesting how someone who claims to be exposing liberals stands up for the phoniest of republicans.  Sarah Palin has strategically chosen to involve her children in her campaigns.  She talks the talk about conservative values but fails to back it up with walking the walk.  Not only in her lack of protecting her own children but in the way she governs her state.  Alaska is number one in Federal Government spending per capita, yet she claims to want less government.  Oh I guess thats for everyone else but she is happy taking money from the rest of us.  We have a glut of Natural Gas in the lower 48 but she thinks we should spend an additional 14 billion dollars on a pipeline.  I am confused.  Like I said, she talks but doesn’t even crawl. 

As for Letterman, yeah Dave, poor taste but I have never agreed with everything you said but I know how to change the channel.

» John wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:58 AM

Letterman lost it a long time ago.  Michelle may blast away a people she deems liberal but that has nothing to do with this article.  Letterman was and is out of line.  I stopped watching him years before he left NBC.  I forget he is even still on the air,till I channel surf by him.
 
I saw him jogging once (I didn’t live that far from him, for a while).  He looks a lot creepier in real life than he does on TV.  He looks way older, they must use a trowel to smooth out the wrinkles on him. By the way Dave, look where your jogging, you almost ran into my car (the Silver Mercedes 450SLC, to jog your memory, and the band-aid across your nose is a poor disguise).

» Gene Daniels wrote on 06.15.09 @ 06:59 AM

Yeah! Someone that knows how to call a spade a spade, and David letterman the lech that he is. It is time to get sick, dirty old men off the national media. Haven’t we had enough of his type?

» Ned Entwisle wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:00 AM

At one time I admired Letterman’s sharp wit, but it now appears that he has lost his edge and now is a dottering old fool.  I don’t remember any one liners when he “knocked up” the girl half his age.  As an Alaskan I am proud of our governor, it appears that she is one of the few people around today willing to take a stand.

» c. lathrop wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:01 AM

Your comments were well written, clear and nicely expressed. HE IS SUCH A POOR EXCUSE FOR HUMOR…ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE NONE ATTACK AS HE DOES!!!!! A sad lack of moral judgment, and professional ethics! Carsen would have never stooped so low to get a laugh.
Best regards,

» Answer wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:03 AM

A Rod probably realized it was a joke and moved on with his life like we all should.  If you don’t like it, don’t watch. Simple solution.  Just know you won’t be watching for 3 more years cause he just signed a contract extension for 3 years.

» Dim Lit Bulb wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:05 AM

I agree Michelle, regardless of a person’s political leanings, what bothers me is that ANYBODY could say something akin to this about ANYONE’s children.  Granted Bristol is now 18, but still, classless is still classless.

I was appalled and ashamed that the rest of the world who get news of this thinks that this is what America is all about.  In other countries he would have been either figuratively or actually executed the very next day - very publicly so.

» RMR wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:06 AM

Dave doesn’t need to be the self-appointed hatchet man to take Gov. Palen down to protect all the rest of us rubes, she is quite capable of doing that herself. Why give her the spotlight to be very well justified in her anger?  Good commedians can be funny without being cruel.  Smearing the Governor or the hard working, everyday people he said she looked like won’t reverse his slide in the ratings.

» Huh? wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:06 AM

But a cartoon about the terrorists on the second plane to hit the towers joking about getting their miranda rights is funny?

Someone should ask Malkin why jokey jokes about the worst act of terrorism in the US are ok just because they’re making fun of Obama….

http://perspectives.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=206325&forum_id=91

» the bible wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:08 AM

judge not or be ye judged…

yes I’m a bleeding heart liberal who is appalled that a Mother would use her children any way that she can in order to further her political ambush of america.  a comedian apologized a civilized person would accept and move on… Even go on the show - but no she wants to milk this like the uncivilized person she’s proven to be.  by the way - the right used the words statutory rapist to make it sound worse - the term was knocked up and that usually means consenual sex like Bristol and so many other teens participate in.  This is hilarious because next thing you know a neglectful Mother will be rewarded with another teen out of wedlock pregnancy…

» bouhouhou wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:09 AM

wow, your article is so full of…. Really, if this shocks you maybe you should change channel?

when someone choose to be in the puiblic eye, he/she has to live with the fact he/she will be the target of jokes. Was the joke of poor taste? yes. So what, no one cna be good everytime. And this statement includes you. This article is poorly written and has no content. I hope you dont call yourself a journalist

» Oh Please... wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:11 AM

Do the unintelligent masses out there seriously believe that Mr. Letterman (or ANY lat night talk show host for all this matters) actually comes up with his OWN material?  Good God, no.  Does anyone recall or remember the “writer’s strike” a while back?  Late night talk shows were reduced to re-runs of past episodes.  Why?  Because the WRITERS - not Mr. Letterman - were on strike.  They come up with the garbage that spews from his mouth every evening on your television set.  Granted, I do agree the joke was in poor taste, but Letterman isn’t the only one at fault here.  Sarah just wanted her 15 MORE minutes of fame with her backlash.  As a parent who preaches abstinence, and yet couldn’t keep her daughter from ending up as a pregnant teen, his joke - however unsavory it seemed - hit the nail on the head.  It wasn’t a joke about Bristol - it was a direct smack to the face of Sarah’s parenting skills !

» Stunned wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:12 AM

How can anyone possibly continue to defend Letterman is just beyond me.  I’m just stunned!

Local complains about Michelle then turns right around and does the same thing to her.  Local has no grounds to stand on!  Absurd!

It is always wrong to besmirch the morals and character of these public figures.  Can we have commentary that is not so shallow and mean spirited? 

I am disgusted by the left claiming to be in favor of some new era of civility and then defending, almost exalting this kind of speech.  Sad!

» AmericaRules! wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:15 AM

I’ll reserve my judgement on Mr. Letterman until he mocks the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack with a picture of the second plane hitting the tower.

» Matt wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:16 AM

Seriously? “How tacking on four years to the target daughter makes it funny?” Let me think…. oh yeah, because then it’s not statutory rape, it’s a stupid adult getting “knocked up”. And his point when he says she looks like all these other women is that she’s so generic and clean cut that she can be practically anything to anyone. I mean come on, this rant is just ridiculous. Spare us your holier-than-thou attitude

» annoyed wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:18 AM

you know Letterman didn’t parade his family out in front of the nation to get votes - Sarah Palin made her children publicly known figures, not Letterman.  Though I agree he can be a bit crass at times, this ridiculous drama about his jokes on late night television about an 18 year old girl who did get pregnant under age and out of wedlock and was shoved in our face at every opportunity during the election seems like an acceptable target for jokes…and for the record he didn’t say Palin IS a slutty flight attendant - just that she looks like one and given all the mistakes she has made, I’d say he is going easy on her!

» jj wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:20 AM

I think Michelle is simply calling him on his “jokes” which were made in extremely poor taste and by the way Dave - NOT FUNNY EITHER. Who laughed at this anyway?  This pathetic attempt at humor needs to be reigned in by someone sooner or later.  Obviously his CBS(constant Bull ****) bosses condone this type of trashy comedy, it fits their political agenda maybe?  In my opinion, Dave sounds alot like a man who simply has no respect for women. Ask his wife what she thinks of his comments, hmmm.
As far as calling for his job - seems it’s the first thing some people want when they think something is offensive.  Freedom of speech only applies when that “free speech” is not directed at someone specific.
But this is what I say about fools - give’em enough rope, they’ll hang themselves.

» Anne L. Bohlen wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:23 AM

I think it’s very scary to someone like Letterman to admit that a woman can actually be beautiful and intelligent. It just makes me wonder why she is such a threat to him and others like him? I say, can him..he doesn’t deserve the money he gets paid.  Maybe the liberals will put a cap on his salary…yeah, right.

» Hannity wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:24 AM

Pallin has it all together.  She is the most qualified person to run our country, bar nun. She manages the biggest state in greatest cuntry God ever put on the face of this hear earth. The liberals trash her because she is an attractive female who reached the peak through hard work and perserverance, not based on looks. She has my vote whenever she needs it, and anything else for that matter ;)

» Rob wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:25 AM

Michelle Malkin you are no journalist.  You’re just another hypster misquoting people to stir up controversy.

David Letterman did NOT call Sarah Palin a “slutty flight attendant” (those are YOUR quotation marks).  He called her LOOK, that of a a slutty flight attendant.  Huge difference. 

Letterman was just making a joke.  That’s his job.  He or his writer mistook Willow for Bristol (or the other way around - I don’t follow the Palins close enough to know who is who). 

You on the other hand, pretend to be a reporter.  Getting a quote correct is something 3rd graders that do not pretend to be reporters can get straight.

Please find another job.

» John Anders wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:26 AM

While Letterman’s quotes were in poor taste, Palin has done her daughters far more harm by naming them “Willow” and “Bristol”...

» Kennth Karraker wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:27 AM

I find the article to be precisely on target. Letterman is the perfect “elite liberal snob” and makes no pretext to be anything other.

» Roger wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:27 AM

It’s intersting how MSNBC pundits ran to protect David Letterman from this ‘bully’, Sarah Palin…like the over-protective parent who has the money to pay his child’s way out of trouble, all throughout life.

Sarah Palin can handle it…but her 14 year old daughter was at the NY Yankees game with her mother. She was a visitor in NYC and a millionare “comic” attacked her for cheap laughs.  The daughter should have been left alone.

Letterman, to my knowledge has never had to make a serious decision in his life…he just makes millions of dollars making fun of people who make less money than he does…then runs to the left for protection if he’s pressured. 

And the Left…they will try to stomp anyone who gets in his way.

» Bill O' The Wasp wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:30 AM

Re: “. . .how tacking on four years to the target daughter makes it funny”

It’s not the four extra years, it’s the fact that she’d already gotten pregnant that makes it funny.  It’s the insinuation that she’s a promiscuous girl with poor judgement.

But that begs the point, at what age is someone eligible to become the target of jokes?

Re: “We unenlightened dim bulbs who live outside of Manhattan’s boundaries don’t get the joke.”

I’m pretty sure you’d be unenlightened and dim no matter where you lived.  I’m not entirely sure, though . . . tell ya what, why don’t you move to Iran for a year and let me know if you get any brighter?

Re: “Letterman reminds me of a lecher at the school bus stop. Or an aging creep lurking in the dirty magazine section at a convenience store.”

You’ve really got to stop trolling for dates at school bus stops and convenience stores.  I’d say you’re better than that, but . . . well, you’re not.  But that doesn’t mean you can’t make an effort.

» CRAIG wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:33 AM

PALIN…...PURE CLASS,
LETTERMAN…...BIG DUMB ASS.

» cmarsh wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:35 AM

I love this kind of thing.  This is not a matter of right vs. wrong. This is a matter of Michelle’s *perception* of right vs. wrong.  It’s sadly typical of people like Michelle to misinterpret context. I think my favorite part is “how will you explain this to your son?”.

It’s none of anybody’s business if/how DL explains anything to his son.  Michelle I’m sure you’re quite perfect and never sarcastic.  The rest of us admire and appreciate your moral and ethical code.  It’s pretty obvious you feel the need to impress that upon us every chance you get so- good job!  Impressive.

DL is a comedian and no matter how “right” or “wrong” you think his jokes are, they are jokes.

Michelle, I think a little closer to the mark would be to admit that you secretly love it when someone like DL gives you the opportunity to re-affirm your moral high-ground.  I’m sure there are reasons for that and I’m sure I don’t care.  You need to do that and that’s ok by me.

I’ll still tolerate your opinion.

Best,

Chris

» Jeff In Texas wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:36 AM

While I don’t agree with David Letterman stepping over the line to joke about Palin’s children, Palin herself has been preaching hate, fear and bigotry unchecked for years.  Which is worse?  Attention, Alaska: Get her help now.

» ThisIsAllYouHaveToOffer wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:36 AM

Trite nonsense such as almost every word that comes from Michelle Malkin is why individuals who used to self identify as Republicans are now ashamed to admit any affiliation, much less vote, for the party.  While there is no doubt a conservative base that spends a fair share of their time reading tabloids in the checkout line, there were, once upon a time, intellectual conservatives who simply believed in limited government and personal responsibility.  Now that ideology is a thing of lore and myth and we are only left with these empty headed drones who spend every waking minute looking for a headline to attach themselves to in a desperate attempt to stay relevant rather than presenting parallel solutions to solve the same problems the Democrats are actively going after by increasing government.  Michelle Malkin is a perfect example of why the Republicans can no longer win elections.  Sure, 25% of the population is barely literate and white and just wants a headline to get angry about because every other issue is too complicated for them to grasp, but if the Republicans want to remain a contender for national elections they are going to have to, once again, start appealing to those of us who are patriots, but believe that limited government is the issue, and that includes limiting our governments participation in foreign boondoggles and growing our domestic intelligence capabilities into a police state by spending trillions of our dollars as they have done in the last 8 years.  Freedom comes with inherent risk, but real patriots embrace that danger and would have it no other way.  Instead we have these mind numbingly moronic and cowardly pundits like Michelle fretting over what a 60+ year old late night comedian has to say about the daughter of an empty headed politician who was selected only for her ability to “arouse” that half literate and demographically shrinking base of rejects who still believe the earth was made in 6 days and that everything is as black and white as good vs. evil.  Sarah Palin paraded her children around for months as the only abstract accomplishment in her life trying to garner the “hockey mom” vote and invited the public scrutiny of her children when she sent them around doing interviews as minors.  Whether or not David Letterman’s comments were in good taste or not is irrelevant at that point, comedy isn’t always nice and if you don’t like it, we live in a democracy and you can vote with your remote, but the topic certainly should not be elevated to the level of national discourse that it has been in the last few days by the desperate right, that is unless they simply have nothing else to offer or cling to.  We live in a complicated interconnected world, and if the traditionally conservative values of limited government and personal freedoms are to survive the voice of those values needs to come from someone with more than two active brain cells fighting for dominance.

» Joe Republican wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:36 AM

Don’t we have more important issues to tackle?

» chuckalug wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:37 AM

What’s the difference between Bristol getting “knocked up” out of wedlock & David Letterman’s wife? Umm, ...

» cmarsh wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:38 AM

I love this kind of thing.  This is not a matter of right vs. wrong. This is a matter of Michelle’s *perception* of right vs. wrong.  It’s sadly typical of people like Michelle to misinterpret context. I think my favorite part is “how will you explain this to your son?”.

It’s none of anybody’s business if/how DL explains anything to his son.  Michelle I’m sure you’re quite perfect and never sarcastic.  The rest of us admire and appreciate your moral and ethical code.  It’s pretty obvious you feel the need to impress that upon us every chance you get so- good job!  Impressive.

DL is a comedian and no matter how “right” or “wrong” you think his jokes are, they are jokes.

Michelle, I think a little closer to the mark would be to admit that you secretly love it when someone like DL gives you the opportunity to re-affirm your moral high-ground.  I’m sure there are reasons for that and I’m sure I don’t care.  You need to do that and that’s ok by me.

I’ll still tolerate your opinion.

Best,

Chris

» Dick Starie wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:39 AM

Fire the letch! H isn’t funny, just sick

» Melissa wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:40 AM

Right on! Letterman is a creep, and I pity those who waste their time being “entertained” by such a low-life.

» Siggy Freud wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:41 AM

That space between your eyes is obviously not filled with brain matter.

» knyanor wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:42 AM

I think the media sre given too much attention to Palin’s daughter saga. It is even shameful to promote that a teenager having a child is a good thing. The media should have seized an opportunity to critize Palin during her run for Vice President.

It is bad model for an American mother, family or a teenager.  America has always spoke against children having babies.  When did it became a style or “cool” to have a baby with another teenager at that age.  The media should not be intimidated by Palin.  It’s bad sample as a family model. Palin herself made her daughter as target by introducing her daughter into the public platform by always bringing her daughter to rallies, etc.

For simply fact that one does not support abortion does not mean one should follow a way that the society do not accept to bring kids to this world.  From what I know a good family will raise their children to finish college, get married before having kids.  If Palin wants to set herself up as an American first lady then I would say she has already failed principle one (1).  Life starts from home, manage your home as you will manage America.

It’s time to put the story to rest because no matter how one defend his/her self it bad way to set example as first family.

» Shawn wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:43 AM

To Marc in New York - Hey Stupid, the Joke was about the Daughter at the game. That daughter was 14. The joke wouldn’t work if it was about the 18 year old, because she was not there, Stupid. That’s what does not make sense, Stupid.  As much as you wish people would buy that stupid excuse, Stupid, they are not.  It is also not the “end of story” Stupid. Your posting didn’t make sense, Stupid.

» ANDERSON wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:44 AM

surely we have better things to worry about than whether Palin felt insulted or not !!!  this is a talk show - it’s all for laughs - doesn’t she get that?????

» Bill @ rantsnreviews.com wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:45 AM

You should be a late-night talk show host! This is funny -

“David Letterman, late-night entertainer turned partisan hack and hit man”

Pot. Meet kettle.

» Babyface wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:45 AM

This argument is so disingenuous -that Letterman was making light of statutory rape- You have to WANT to read that into the joke in order to arrive at that conclusion… the joke hinged on Sarah Palin’s apparent hypocrisy as a politician representing ‘family values’ who’s had more than a little difficulty passing those values on to her progeny… That said, I sincerely hope she sticks around until the next presidential election because she so epitomizes the shallowness of the current crop of conservatives.

» John Whitaker wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:46 AM

Letterman is a sick perverted old man and should be fired as was Dan Rather and I hope CBS management will do it soon.

» Observation wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:47 AM

Michelle Malkin is a sleezeball opportunist. As when the definition of “sleezeball” equates to cowardly, self-serving, bottom-feeding, knuckle-dragging, amoral and hypocritical. But, only within that definition. ;)

» jodi wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:47 AM

Great job Michelle!  There is no question that Letterman has issues with women.  He and anyone that approved airing the comment should be terminated.  I flip channels during commercials just to list advertisers I will avoid because they advertise with CBS.  Women. if you are not going to stand up for yourself then at least allow Sarah Palin to do the work for you and then maybe your daughters and granddaughters will bennifit.

» Fred Mills wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:48 AM

Ms. Malkin,
  I agree with you that Mr. Letterman’s comments about Governor Palin’s daughters were in bad taste.  There is however more than a four year difference between Willow and Bristol.  Bristol has already been “knocked up” so a joke about a potential pregnancy is in keeping with her past behavior. Bristol’s age would make the sex consensual, not statutory rape.  While I do think Mr. Letterman needs to choose different targets than teenage girls there is less offense to a joke when the person being targeted is sexually active and of legal age, not 14 years old. 
  I am surprised that after chiding Mr. Letterman for his multiple attacks on Governor Palin, you then finish your article with an attack on Mr. Letterman.  Does your use of personal attacks on a public figure indicate that you also need help now?  Why is it alright for you to attack a public figure about his behavior when you don’t approve of his attacks on Governor Palin?

» JHEEZY wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:49 AM

I’m going to state an opinion that some might have difficluty understanding.  What is Sarah Palins profession?  Politics.  What is David Lettermans Profession?  Talk show host/comedian.  People in politics are always the center for jokes and attention, and the whole thing has been blown way out of proportion.  In fact the joke would have been halarious if it had been the older daughter, I beleive her name is Bristol?  Anways, you have this super religious family and their daughter who’s getting knocked up before she’s even out of high school.  I’m sorry but if you dont practice safe sex…you’re putting yourself at risk for alot of things.
David Letterman admitted the joke was bad taste, what else is there to say?  To want the man to be fired for a joke like that is ludacris.  This man has been entertaing people for years always soaring the top T.V ratings list.  For CBS to get rid of him over a joke about the Palin’s, please they would have to have their heads up there you know what to do that.  It was a joke get over it people!

» PatR wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:49 AM

It’s pretty obvious - Sarah Palin wants to get back in the limelight and get attention AND Letterman just helped her do it - this gal is working on the 2010 election and anybody that can’t see that - must be blind!

» sodak wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:50 AM

Go back to cheerleading the neocon war on terrorism that’s working out so well. Sarah is loving this publicity !

» Neal wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:51 AM

More deranged commentary from the worst this nation has to offer, Michelle Malkin.  You’re a proven liar and right wing whack job all rolled up into one ugly person.

» word wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:51 AM

Michelle Malkin looks like one of those ladies who writes tasteless articles about perceived sexism. Gotta love it.

» Ted wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:51 AM

I wonder if Michelle Malkin took the junkie (Rush Limbaugh) to task when he took every opportunity to attack Chelsea Clinton,s lookshen she was a teenager in the White House.I guess it depends on whose oxis being gored. I’ll gladly hold her high horse while she climbs down off of it.

» Riiight... wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:51 AM

The girl who cried wolf….

Malkin, who makes a lucrative career out of being a rabid attack dog, has no legs to stand on regarding this issue. What hypocricy! Yes, what Dave said was in poor taste. But where is Malkin calling for the firing of Ann Coulter, Bill O’Reilly, herself, or Limbaugh? Remember Limbaugh’s awful “jokes” about Chelsea Clinton being ugly? Where were the right-wing commentators then? Oh yeah, that’s right, they were laughing and repeating those jokes to each other.

Grow up.

» boisespudman wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:52 AM

I think you’re over-reacting. Given the current failures in the Republican party, and with unoffical national spokesman like Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh…what do you expect? Sarah is a megalo-maniac, eating up any and all airtime that she can to help launch her own political aspirations beyond the State of Alaska. The people of the United States saw her for what she was…a fake and a phony. I would be truly embarassed to call her my Vice President, and each appearance she makes lately reinforces my belief. She’s a hack, a has been and if she is the face of the new Republican party, may God have mercy on the Grand Old Party!!

» sgl wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:52 AM

Where was all this outrage when there were non-stop jokes being made when the pregnancy was first announced?  Take you faux-outrage somwehere where it belongs.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shannyn-moore/top-10-reasons-sarah-pali_b_215468.html

» ThisIsAllYouHaveToOffer wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:53 AM

Trite nonsense such as almost every word that comes from Michelle Malkin is why individuals who used to self identify as Republicans are now ashamed to admit any affiliation, much less vote, for the party.  While there is no doubt a conservative base that spends a fair share of their time reading tabloids in the checkout line, there were, once upon a time, intellectual conservatives who simply believed in limited government and personal responsibility.  Now that ideology is a thing of lore and myth and we are only left with these empty headed drones who spend every waking minute looking for a headline to attach themselves to in a desperate attempt to stay relevant rather than presenting parallel solutions to solve the same problems the Democrats are actively going after by increasing government.  Michelle Malkin is a perfect example of why the Republicans can no longer win elections.  Sure, 25% of the population is barely literate and white and just wants a headline to get angry about because every other issue is too complicated for them to grasp, but if the Republicans want to remain a contender for national elections they are going to have to, once again, start appealing to those of us who are patriots, but believe that limited government is the issue, and that includes limiting our governments participation in foreign boondoggles and growing our domestic intelligence capabilities into a police state by spending trillions of our dollars as they have done in the last 8 years.  Freedom comes with inherent risk, but real patriots embrace that danger and would have it no other way.  Instead we have these mind numbingly moronic and cowardly pundits like Michelle fretting over what a 60+ year old late night comedian has to say about the daughter of an empty headed politician who was selected only for her ability to “arouse” that half literate and demographically shrinking base of rejects who still believe the earth was made in 6 days and that everything is as black and white as good vs. evil.  Sarah Palin paraded her children around for months as the only abstract accomplishment in her life trying to garner the “hockey mom” vote and invited the public scrutiny of her children when she sent them around doing interviews as minors.  Whether or not David Letterman’s comments were in good taste or not is irrelevant at that point, comedy isn’t always nice and if you don’t like it, we live in a democracy and you can vote with your remote, but the topic certainly should not be elevated to the level of national discourse that it has been in the last few days by the desperate right, that is unless they simply have nothing else to offer or cling to.  We live in a complicated interconnected world, and if the traditionally conservative values of limited government and personal freedoms are to survive the voice of those values needs to come from someone with more than two active brain cells fighting for dominance.

» evolve wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:53 AM

Palin has earned every sneer she gets. Has anyone noticed that her kid who gets knocked up wasn’t the one who’s developmentally disabled. I think that is its own testament to her parenting skills. Palin is a one note joke who was never informed her punchline expired. Shes not a good politician, shes not even a good mother. David Letterman is no saint, but humor is about pushing boundaries. If it’s safe it’s not really funny.

» Tempest63 wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:53 AM

Michelle, you are the pot calling the kettle black! There is no difference in this situation….You just said/did the very thing you are berating David Letterman for…except with one major difference….. his was joking, maybe it was a bad joke…..not all of David’s jokes are good. But you just verbally slaughtered him, for no good reason…...except you must have nothing better to do. Can you find a worthwhile cause to spend your time on….no one got hurt here….it was a JOKE!!

» John Mesh wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:56 AM

In addition to doing the pot and kettle thing, Malkin thinks interning Japanese-Americans during World War II was justified, accused Sen. John Kerry of shooting himself in Vietnam to get his medals (only to have Chris Matthews expose her as making the story up and lying) and Gen. David Petraeus himself exposed Malkin’s conspiracy theory about U.S. forces reading Al-Quaeda detainees Miranda right.

She was also proven wrong on the Department of Homeland Security’s warning about right-wing extremists.

Michelle Malkin has no credibility.

» Move on. wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:57 AM

More phony outrage from the right. Don’t like Dave? DON’T WATCH! Where’s the outrage when Conan O’Brien calls Paris Hilton a whore? When ALL of the late night hosts make fun of Kirstie Allen’s weight? Humor is hit-and-miss, people. Let’s not forget that Sarah Palin had a list of books she wanted to ban but couldn’t think of one newspaper she reads for world news. Oh, and by the way, Dave already apologized on Wednesday. Sure it was a half-ass apology, but that’s all this deserves.

» He's a professional entertainer. She's a professi wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:58 AM

Please!  He’s an entertainer, not a newscaster!  Palin has garnered a great deal of publicity from this and seems unwilling to let it end just yet.  It appears that she needs to milk several more weeks of victimhood out of it.

» Gerald Carter wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:58 AM

You Michelle Malkin reminds me of one of those prositutes leaving in Saipan.

» Gus wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:59 AM

If you cross the line and make fun of a politico family,
then surely President Obamas family is fair game also.

» Don wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:59 AM

OK, bad joke… so what?

» gary wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:59 AM

Out of the two daughters in question, one is a girl who was impregnated at 17 years old by a self proclaimed “f’n redneck” (all of this despite her privileged up-bringing). She has since then become a poster girl for, of all things, abstinence. The other is a 14 year old who has until now, completely avoided the media. Now, given the choice between subject “a”: equal parts poor judgment/hypocrisy/irony and subject “b”: someone who is 14 and nobody in the media cares about, isn’t it obvious who he was talking about? Would the joke have made any sense if he was talking about Willow? All of these whiners are either p.c. alarmists with nothing else to complain about today or mindless imbeciles who would be better entertained by carrot top or Larry the cable guy.

» Gary Dahl wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:00 AM

Dave:

Very bad taste of jokes grow up.

» Deane0 wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:01 AM

What would everyone be saying if he said the same thing about Michelle Obama. I would bet it would be a lot different. It is amazing how politics can cloud a persons sense of fair play and honesty.Were are the jokes about President Obama and his wife…...I am ready to laugh lets here some…..

» JMAX wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:01 AM

YOU ARE ALL A BUNCH OF FOOLS. COMEDY REGARDLESS OF TASTE IS PROTECTED UNDER FREE SPEECH. AND WHEN YOUR 18 Y.O. DAUGHTER GETS KNOCKED UP OUT OF WED LOCK AND YOU ARE A SUPER CONSERVATIVE HAG THAT IS EXPLOITING HER FOR MEDIA COVERAGE, ITS FAIR GAME.

THE REAL PROBLEM IS PALIN EXPLOITING HER GIRLS (BOTH LEGAL AND UNDERAGE) FOR CONTINUED NEWS REALS!

SHE WAS A DISGUSTING PICK FOR VP AND THE COUNTRY VOTED NO TO THE ARROGANCE AND IGNORANCE OF PALIN.

SHE IS HURTING YOUR PARTY EVERY TIME SHE SPEAKS.

SHE IS THE REPUBLICAN TROPHY WIFE AND PARTY NEEDS TO DIVORCE HER FOR BEING A IDIOT AND A TROUBLE MAKER!

» Charles in Texas wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:02 AM

Mark in NJ (1) the jokes were really about Alex Rodriguez and Elliot Spitzer; and (2) they weren’t that bad. Otherwise, spot on. This is a nothing story except that Sarah Palin has not passed up a single opportunity to get media attention.

» Iron Mike wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:04 AM

People poke fun of people everyday.  It’s called comedy.  But rightwing talking heads like you would rather have us told what’s appropriate and what’s not.

Try concentrating your efforts in putting your party back together since it’s pretty much in shambles right now.

» Kirby Conn wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:04 AM

Get a life. I really wish that all of these protesters and internet-blogger campaigns would spend their time on some of the actual atrocities of the world. Only in redneck America would this sort of thing take precedence over Darfur, Iran, Africa, and the real issues beyond your driveways. If you want to organize about something find a better cause, there is no shortage.

» mazey wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:05 AM

Get a sense of humor, please.  He didn’t tack on 4 years, he was always talking about Bristol.  It was a sophisticated joke.  a joke.  Come on folks, Bristol at 17 was screwing around with her drug dealing boyfriend and every one wants to put her on a pedestal.  Baddddd mother.  And yes, we think her get up makes her look silly.

» ML wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:05 AM

Right or wrong, the comments that Mr Letterman allows or chooses to include in the broadcast are reflections of his moral values.  Values that would seem to be shared by only a small portion of viewers if the response we are seeing is representative of those held by society.

Much is said that might be thought of as “funny”, but most humor of this kind is shared in private.  Bad call, Mr Letterman.

» queenofromania wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:06 AM

I’m glad you recognized that you are a self-described “unenlightened dim bulb”. Otherwise, your self-righteous comments would make no sense. Do me and the rest of the world a favor and stay in California so we won’t have to put up with your idiocy.

» tia wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:06 AM

Dave should get what Imus got - FIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They both told disrespectful jokes towards women!

» Dana wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:07 AM

I’m no fan of Palin’s, but I was a fan of Letterman’s, going all the way back to his daytime show. I won’t watch him ever again. Bottom line, the butt of his joke was the Palin daughter that was at the baseball game, and it was the 14 year old that was at the game.
Dave, you are beginning to sound like a dirty old man, one that all the neighbors warn each other about. I don’t know why all feminists aren’t up at arms at how you degrade women and demean them with your humorless, vile comments. Your show used to be so funny, with Larry “Bud” Melman and all the running gags with Chris Elliott. Do us all a favor and take your retirement early.

» Christine wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:07 AM

Letterman didn’t say anything about rape. He was making a joke. Palin’s words during her “campaign” were rabid and she wasn’t joking. She’ll use anything she can to create separation and her “outrage” is an obvious dumb blatant attempt to separate people. I’m so tired of her I want to vomit.

She’s the last example of “woman” I want my sons to see.

» Matthew wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:08 AM

Get over yourself. They made a mistake about the daughter and apoligized. The four years do make a difference because that makes her an adult; which is precisely the compaint Ms. Pailin has about the joke. Her older daughter is fair game, she was used as a political tool during the election to show how pro-life she was. So if she did not want her to be in the public eye, she should have never brought her out there.

What is worse, what Letterman did, or Rush calling Chelse Clinton a dog back in the early 1990’s when she was only 15??? There was no other daughter to blam that on then.

Was it in bad taste? Yes. Was it a mistake about which daughter he was refering to? Yes. Was it funny if it was the older daughter? Yes! Comedy is edgy, so get a sense of humor and find something worth while to talk about for God’s sake! We are in the middle of a severe recession, there are serious threats from terrorism, North Korea, conflict between Pakistan and India, Iran has just had an illigitimate election, and our nation deficit is going through the roof. Get some perspective and pull your head out of the sand (or whatever whole its stuck in).

LET IT GO.

» Leon Parrish wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:08 AM

You are right on.  What difference does 4 years mean.  We should never speak that way about any young girls or women for that matter.  David has to go!!!

» raygun wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:08 AM

aren’t your eyes too far apart?

» Joe Schmoe wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:09 AM

I love the way Sarah Palin and the rest of the media leeches try to get as much mileage out of a couple of jokes that they can.

Aren’t they as guilty, if not more guilty than Letterman, for continuing to exploit her 14 year old daughter just to get airtime?

» tom wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:10 AM

Hey Michelle,
You remind me of a woodchuck gnawing on shoeleather that drools while gazing directly into the sun.

» IDIOTS!! wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:10 AM

Most of you seem to have forgotten or never been taught manners you are so obessed with your liberal perversions you no longer have morals or dignity. This man is out of line, the audacity he has to publically ridicule a woman who not only speaks of change but has made it a reality. You all probably are the same nothings that voted for obama.Right? check yourselfs it might not be too late for America to turn this page.

» givmeabreak wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:10 AM

He does not show sexist behaviour, only towards women who give women a bad name!  Palin is whiny and sexist.  She wants on the center stage, but doesn’t want any of the heat involved with it.  What a double standard this woman has.  I can not imagine her as President….she cries foul whenever she is questioned.  She doesn’t have the smarts.  No pitbull wearing lipstick for me.  Give me someone who is intelligent and has the strength of character to withstand whatever criticism comes her way.  And sorry but the whole family is a joke.

» G in PA wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:12 AM

Palin is getting exactly what she wants: More than 15 minutes of fame. Let’s just hope for 20. Ms. Malkin should really get a real job.

» unfortunate wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:16 AM

I used to be proud to be a conservative. It’s examples like this column and Brian Kolb (R) that have steered me away from the GOP. Making a bad joke by David Letterman a rallying cry? Really? I wish there was someone with some calm, common sense in politics. Christ, Jesus. It’s no wonder the nation is in shambles.

» Brutae wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:21 AM

Although Letterman’s “sick jokes” re Palin’s daughter were extremely morbid & distasteful, I found Palin’s all to frequent parading of her daughters in front of media cameras throught out her V P campaign, made them “fair game” for any and all of the “dirt” media would throw at them. Matter of fact the obvious “phony-ness” of aforementioned “parading” was in of its self a “bad show.” Futhermore Palin’s frequent announcements of her pregnant daughters soon to be wedding was “asking for dirt throwing” if said wedding never took place.
All in all Palin’s paying the price for “using her family” for self serving political imagery. “As ye sow . . . so shall ye reap.”

» Get a Life wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:24 AM

My god, no one cares about this. Dave is a legend. Palin should suck it up or just call him personally and say, Heeeyyyy I don’t like that! otherwise no one cares

» Kyle wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:27 AM

No sensible person would actually think that a person like David Letterman would make a despicable joke about a 14 year-old girl being raped is just plain stupid. I won’t try to mince words. When I heard the joke the first time, I automatically assumed that the joke was about the 18 year-old daughter, and young lady who has recently put HERSELF in the media spotlight, all concerning teenage pregnancy. I am sure this is the same assumption that 95% of the normal people heard this joke made, as well as what Mr. Letterman assumed when he received it from his writers, and probably what his writers assumed when writing the joke.

Signed,
A conservative with a sense of humor!

» Pere wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:28 AM

Michelle and Palin have to fabricate events like this becuse they have nothing of real value to talk about. As flies are drawn to waste, republicants are drawn to malkins childish constructions.

» Boomchuck wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:31 AM

I saw this show and the following one with his apology.  Never once did it cross my mind that he was talking about the 14 year old daughter.  Didn’t even know Palin had a 14 year old daughter since Bristol is the only one that anybody has ever heard about.

Palin is just taking this opportunity to express outrage so that she will continue to appear on the news radar instead of fading back into obscurity.  Any outrage here is purely self serving.

As for the Letterman jokes about “She looks like…” you need to go back and watch a few more of his shows during the campaign.  He did this same routine about Romney, Biden, McCain, Obama, and everybody else running for office.  There definitely wasn’t a case of picking solely on Palin.  He picks on everybody.

As for jokes being made at her expense, remember that she appeared on SNL in a series of skits that were mocking her as well.  Apparently she can take a joke and understands humor, but she is also shrewd enough (I use this in a good way) to take advantage of jokes to keep her face in the public spotlight.

» Markus wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:37 AM

The Palins have nobody but themselves to blame for any negative attention they receive.  They love running around, being on TV, parading out the baby’s father so they seem like a stand up family, giving interviews, airing their feud.  But if someone says something negative, they turn to the victim immediately.  At least Letterman didn’t yell “Kill her” like so many people at Palin’s rallies yelled about Obama.  She never came out to say that’s distasteful.  As long as she politicizes her family every chance she gets, she invites her family to be ridiculed.

» Bill Edwards wrote on 06.15.09 @ 08:40 AM

Todd Palin should do what Wayne Newton did to Johnny Carson years ago when Carson wouldn’t stop his off the wall attacks. He showed up at Carson’s office, shut the door, and told him it stops now or you and I will settle it right here. Carson backed off and never said another negative word about Wayne Newton. Letterman would do the same. All talk and no guts. It sure is easy to pick on a women and two young girls.Dave Letterman is a wimp.

» Answer me this wrote on 06.15.09 @ 09:23 AM

Why does anyone care what the Christian right thinks? Can’t we make these people go away?????

» See BS wrote on 06.15.09 @ 09:36 AM

Michelle is right but the scope of the story is larger.  Nearly 2 decades ago Letterman was young, the Late Show was clever and refreshing.  Today everything has changed.

CBS has lost their compass of good sense.  With NBC re-tooling the Tonight Show, Letterman stood to pick up viewers,  but as displaced NBC viewers are exploring their options, Letterman tanks.  Though I am not a Palin fan, there is nothing entertaining about personal insults.  Viewers are not won, they are usually lost.  Letterman’s political bias will likely cause him to loose more viewers than the new Tonight Show keeping him firmly where he consistently finishes, second place or lower.  Has CBS given up on winning?

They did the same thing with Dan Rather.  By the time Rather left, CBS News was so weakened by his ego-monster influence that this institution of America’s News was gone.  The program morphed into Dan Rather’s News on CBS, no longer the CBS Evening News.  Rather should have been sent out to pasture at least 10 years earlier and stopped the bleeding.  Like Rather, Letterman is not, and will not build an audience. 

Perhaps Letterman can join Rather and Imus in television’s Siberia of lower tier cable/satellite banished has-beens and re-runs.  As a former Letterman fan, I am very disappointed in his poorly produced CBS show.  They are out of ideas and he really doesn’t seem to have any passion for his craft anymore.  Once again CBS needs to stop the bleeding.  How about a top ten list of reasons why Letterman should go away?  I don’t think I could stop at ten…

» Josh wrote on 06.15.09 @ 10:06 AM

As an dim bulbed yokel living outside Manhattan like yourself, let me be the first to tell you Michelle Malkin that you are an idiot.  The context of the joke was quite obvious to everyone here in Chicago, and seemed to be apparent to everyone that isn’t ideologically driven like yourself and Mrs. tall, beautiful and dynamic.  True, Sarah Palin’s family is off limits as far as the media should be concerned.  However, if one of those individuals starts taking up political causes (such as pro-abstinence speaking engagements) they are no longer immune to media scrutiny.  Willow Palin never apparently spoke out publicly on any political issue, so when a comedian like Letterman makes a joke about a Palin daughter getting knocked up, he’s talking about the one that got knocked up, and continues to preach the gospel of abstinence only education.  To even think he was referring to Willow only demonstrate the extreme depths of your ignorance.

» To "Bigger Question" wrote on 06.15.09 @ 10:09 AM

Gov. Palin was in New York on state business and took along her daughter, whose school is out for the summer. Were you similarly horrified at the price of President Obama’s “date night” in New York earlier this month? There was nothing official about that, other than the size of the accompanying delegation of staff, press, security and probably his food taster.

» Temecula Duck wrote on 06.15.09 @ 11:33 AM

Perverted and sick, and anyone that supports cbs or the dirty old man.  I will not allow my children to watch that perverted network.

» Ted wrote on 06.15.09 @ 12:55 PM

Considering how manic and threatening his detractors are, it probably is a good idea if he did have a food taster. BTW, how many times was GW away from the WH and how many vacation trips did he take to Crawford and Camp David ?

» sbnative wrote on 06.15.09 @ 07:35 PM

Michelle did not “attack” Letterman but she sure did EXPOSE him… too bad when the truth hurts. I want to know when they are going to come up with a word for MALE SLUT? Or a male “slutty” look. Would that be the “look” a lot of local loser guys in this town sport???

» usually disagree with Malkin wrote on 06.16.09 @ 06:24 AM

This column is the first I’ve heard of this.  I have often found Letterman to be funny, but quit watching him a long time ago because he is a smirky sexist, well, sexist pig, to put it bluntly.

IMHO, any politics here are irrelevant.

What is at issue, as Malkin rightly points out, is the sexist, classist character of Letterman’s attempts at “jokes”—which are so offensive, and repeated so often that he should be fired.  Targeting young girls and women is just another notch lower —not just another notch, but another order of magnitude more offensive and immoral.

Letterman:  get out!!!

» Marcel Kincaid wrote on 06.16.09 @ 07:25 AM

Anyone who really thinks this is about Letterman, or that the outrage isn’t feigned, should read

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shannyn-moore/top-10-reasons-sarah-pali_b_215468.html

So what’s it really about? What it always is with the right wing: demagoguery: “a strategy for gaining political power by appealing to the prejudices, emotions, fears and expectations of the public — typically via impassioned rhetoric and propaganda, and often using nationalist or populist themes”

» AN50 wrote on 06.26.09 @ 04:58 AM

Yup, there goes Marcel calling the kettle black.