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Letterman Apologizes to Palin -- For Real This Time

June 15, 2009 8:41 PM

ABC News’ Rick Klein and Kristina Wong report: After a week of controversy over what he’s calling a “bad joke,” David Letterman today directly apologized to Gov. Sarah Palin and her family.

"The joke, really, in and of itself, can't be defended," Letterman said, in taping tonight’s “Late Show with David Letterman,” per the AP.

"I feel that I need to do the right thing here and apologize for having told that joke," Letterman said. "It's not your fault that it was misunderstood, it's my fault that it was misunderstood."

He apologized to Palin's oldest daughters - at whom the joke was directed, "and also to the governor and her family and everybody else who was outraged by the joke," he said. "I'm sorry about it, and I'll try to do better in the future."

“I told a joke that was beyond flawed, and my intent is completely meaningless compared to the perception,” he said, and claimed full responsibility for his comments.

Two weeks ago, on his program, Letterman joked about the governor’s recent trip to New York: "One awkward moment for Sarah Palin at the Yankee game, during the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez."

The joke seemed directed at Palin’s 18-year-old daughter Bristol, who is an unwed mother. However, it was Palin’s 14-year-old daughter, Willow, that accompanied the governor to New York.

Letterman later explained he had indeed confused the two daughters and had Bristol in mind when he made the joke, but Gov. Palin interpreted it as directed to Willow.

Palin spoke out against Letterman’s comments on NBC’s “Today” show, and called upon the public to rise up in opposition. Supporters have called for Letterman’s firing, even starting a website, www.firedavidletterman.com.

June 15, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (51)

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Letterman’s apology won’t do any good. Sarah and her worshipers think she is the First Lady of the U.S.A. and untouchable no matter how viciously she attacks others or exploits her own children. Sarah enjoys playing the martyr far too much to move on.

Posted by: V. Brame | Jun 15, 2009 8:49:35 PM

Good grief this woman will do anything to stay in the public eye. Those folks that find her what? charming,? certainly not bright, must be in pig heaven. How the hell long is she going to take this piece of trivia?

Posted by: Eileen O'Neill | Jun 15, 2009 9:02:55 PM

Would someone PLEASE tell Sarah Palin to shut up already and leave David Letterman alone. She is beginning to remind me of Barbara Bush's comments a few years about another person whose nomenclature should be "witch" but starting with a different letter. Palin - go home and hide your face and leave us alone already.

Posted by: SA Broyles | Jun 15, 2009 9:05:59 PM

Palin is the Joke!!!!!!

Posted by: Jeremy | Jun 15, 2009 9:15:14 PM

Smell the FEAR of the misogynist, hypocritical Obamabots. 2010 is going to be so painful for them.

Posted by: Jenn | Jun 15, 2009 9:17:15 PM

Letterman is displaying and is on a road that Palin knows nothing about - It's called the high road.

Posted by: Padma | Jun 15, 2009 9:18:57 PM

Letterman’s apology won’t do any good. Sarah and her worshipers think she is the First Lady of the U.S.A. and untouchable no matter how viciously she attacks others or exploits her own children. Sarah enjoys playing the martyr far too much to move on.

Posted by: V. Brame
____________________________
Hillary exploited HER daughter far more than Palin ever exploited Bristol or Willow. And boy didn't you liberals scream bloody murder when a news commentator said that Chelsea Clinton was "pimped out"! I doubt if SATAN himself could rank as low as that news commentator.

Obama himself said that family members (of politicians) are off limits to jokes or commentary. Evidently that only applies to families of liberal politicians.

Posted by: marco | Jun 15, 2009 9:20:43 PM

"Letterman is displaying and is on a road that Palin knows nothing about - It's called the high road."

Letterman is a PIG. Period.

Posted by: Stacey | Jun 15, 2009 9:32:26 PM

What has Sarah Palin ever done to David Letterman??? The joke was a slam to all mothers with daughters. Shame on him. He gets very defensive when someone talks about his family. For him to bring the daughter into his show is disgusting. I will never watch the show again. You would think the writers would have something better to joke about. How about Nancy Polosi.

Posted by: Becky | Jun 15, 2009 9:32:44 PM

dave only did this so that when sarah continues her trash talking, she'll completely look the fool.

whatever it takes to shut the old bag up is fine by me.

Posted by: birdy | Jun 15, 2009 9:42:48 PM

I have been a fan of David Letterman for years, and I was never a fan of Sarah Palin, but I have to say his joke was in bad taste. Leave the girls alone Dave! They're young and dealing with enough without you adding to their pain! Also, you had a child out of wedlock when you were plenty old enough to know better.

Posted by: Paula | Jun 15, 2009 9:43:31 PM

"when can we hear sarah palin's apology to all those rape victims back in alaska that she charged for their rape kits?"

That story was debunked MONTHS ago, genius. Lay off the Kool-Aid.

Posted by: Stacey | Jun 15, 2009 9:47:02 PM

I just love some of these posts. Palin takes a trip to New York. Very little publicity about it. David Letterman decides to make jokes about her and her daughter. Then when she gets offended, all of you want her to shut up and go back to Alaska.

First of all, if you are in politics, then you ask for whatever you get, but the children should never be dragged into the crap. Secondly, we have heard very little from Palin herself since the election, but there are those who invoke her name at every turn like the race is still on. She must be concerning someone, since certain segments of ther population think we need to hear negative thoughts about her for four years.

The election is over. She is not vice-president. And anyone in Alaska who does not agree with her policies can vote against her when she runs for govenor again.

Besides, this smacks of ratings and nothing else. Conan has been kicking Letterman's a$$ and he needed the publicity. I remember when Letterman used to be the shocker, the extreme. Now, if I can't get to sleep, I put the tv on CBS at 11:30pm. Works like a charm.

Posted by: Melanie | Jun 15, 2009 9:54:16 PM

You know, maybe ... just maybe ... if Letterman was axed for his comments, other talk show hosts would also be axed and SNL would not be able to make fun of Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin to make them appear stupid, dumb or worse ... and we could finally have a nation back that doesn't laugh at ridiculing, demeaning and devaluing jokes that always were and always will be tasteless to the point of being contemptable.

Posted by: Rob | Jun 15, 2009 9:55:49 PM

Conservatives are never more passionate than when they are indignant, which Palin knows and exploits this to the fullest. She'll keep flogging Letterman for a while, and keep working on cowing all media people in preparation for her 2012 run.

Posted by: billp | Jun 15, 2009 9:59:21 PM

I think it will end here. Sarah's handlers will pull her aside and say "you better take the apology." and she'll say ; "Really?" and they'll say "kinda ya" and she'll be all like "awrighty" and she'll be all like "I knewya had it in ya Dave! I'll see you in 2012 and we can do that interview."and Dave will be all smiling condescendingly and thanking God he's not Don Imus and hating the US for getting so stupid over the past 20 years.

Posted by: jinc | Jun 15, 2009 10:03:08 PM

"but there are those who invoke her name at every turn like the race is still on."

Liberals require a target to hate, especially those that refuse to see the world as they do. They simply can't accept victory and enjoy the utopia that Obama has brought them. They claim Palin is irrelevant but obsess about her constantly. Sure, it's irrational, but that's why liberalism is a mental disorder. It needs to be defeated if we ever hope to restore our republic.

Posted by: Stacey | Jun 15, 2009 10:05:13 PM

This should NOT be about partisan politics. Both sides of the political fence should be outraged, whenever this happens to ANY child of ANY politician. It was odious when David Shuster of MSNBC made a similar crack about Chelsea Clinton. Shuster was suspended, and the network apologized to the Clintons. Where is the CBS apology to the Palins? Why hasn't Letterman been suspended? This is about a washed up late night host who is now just a dirty old man. This is about a mean spirited, former comedian demeaning a young girl with ignorant, degrading, sexual rhetoric. When misogynistic jokes become as unacceptable as racist jokes, then, and only then, will we know we’ve made progress in the battle for gender equality

Posted by: NDMOMx2 | Jun 15, 2009 10:06:41 PM

Hasn't Dave apologized enough already? We've all said something tasteless at some point or another. Just because you're a professional doesn't mean you won't slip every now and then. Get over it.

Posted by: sowhat | Jun 15, 2009 10:08:16 PM

"Liberals require a target to hate," No. Liberals are just amazed at how the Republicans are seemingly committed to self-destruction by supporting people who are even more stupid than them as presidential and vice-presidential candidates. Not to mention a candidate who told a "joke" at least as bad about Chelsea Clinton, which went entirely under their radar.

Posted by: Starman | Jun 15, 2009 10:09:34 PM

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