Rick Klein is ABC News' Senior Political Reporter and author of The Note's morning look at the upcoming day in politics. Throughout the day, ABC News' political team contributes to The Note with the very latest news and analysis from the nation's capital.
To email Rick Klein, click here.
RECENT POSTS
- ‘Top Line’ with Sally Quinn -- Inside the First Obama State Dinner
- GOPers to Biden: Stop Using Stimulus Jobs Numbers
- Exit Ramps: Democrats Grow Restless on Afghanistan Strategy
- The Note's Must-Reads for Tuesday, November 24, 2009
- RNC's Communications Chief Resigns
- A Better Palin Than Tina Fey?
- ‘Top Line’ -- ‘America’s Next Great Pundit’
- ‘Top Line’ at the Movies: ‘Outside the Law: Stories from Guantanamo’
- Mass. GOP Gov’s Candidate Chooses Openly Gay Running Mate
- Workplace Diversity: Lines in Sand Make Mess for Dems
THE NOTE CATEGORIES
- 2010
- Afghanistan
- Bill Clinton
- CIA
- Congress
- Democratic party
- Environment
- Financial Reform
- GOP
- Gov. Mark Sanford
- Gov. Sarah Palin
- Guantanamo
- Health Care
- Hillary Clinton
- Immigration
- Iran
- Iraq
- John McCain
- Mitt Romney
- North Korea
- Obama Agenda
- Politics Live
- President Obama
- Republican Party
- Ronald Reagan
- Sen. John Ensign
- Senate
- Sonia Sotomayor
- Stimulus
- Sunday Shows
- Supreme Court
- Ted Kennedy
- The Note
- The Note Must-Reads
- Top Line
- Vice President Biden
- Virginia
MONTHLY ARCHIVES
« Previous | Main | Next »
Palin: Levi Johnston ‘Mean-Spirited,’ ‘Malicious,’ Selling ‘Body for Money’
October 28, 2009 3:53 PM
ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: Former Gov. Sarah Palin is blasting away at the father of her grandson, issuing a blistering statement today that impugns Levi Johnston’s motives in continuing to speak out against the Palin family, and attacks his decision to pose for “Playgirl.”
In a statement issued this afternoon, Palin, R-Alaska, said: “We have purposefully ignored the mean spirited, malicious and untrue attacks on our family. We, like many, are appalled at the inflammatory statements being made or implied.”
“Trig is our 'blessed little angel' who knows it and is lovingly called that every day of his life. Even the thought that anyone would refer to Trig by any disparaging name is sickening and sad.”
Palin also attacks CBS, which aired the first part of an interview with Johnston on “The Early Show” this morning.
“CBS should be ashamed for continually providing a forum to propagate lies. Consider the source of the most recent attention-getting lies -- those who would sell their body for money reflect a desperate need for attention and are likely to say and do anything for even more attention,” Palin says in the statement.
The attack comes after Johnston hinted this morning that he has damaging revelations he can make about Palin.
"There are some things that I have that are huge. And I haven't said them because I'm not gonna hurt her that way,” he said.
"I have things that can, you know -- that would get her in trouble, and could hurt her. Will hurt her. But I'm not gonna go that far. You know, I mean, if I really wanted to hurt her, I could, very easily. But there's -- I'm not gonna do it. I'm not going that far."
Also in the interview, Johnston expanded on an allegation he made in an interview with Vanity Fair, that Palin regularly refers to her youngest child, Trig, as “retarded” -- a charge Sarah Palin denies. Trig Palin has Down syndrome.
"I was just in shock for the first time I heard it," Johnston told CBS. "And then she'd say it regularly. And I think she was joking, but it doesn't make it right."
Palin’s memoir, “Going Rogue,” publishes next month.
October 28, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (104)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Gov. Sarah Palin is a threat to the Democrats and the Liberal Media, which is why they constantly have to dig up this loser Levi Johnson to try and smear Gov.Palin. But it wil not work; Gov. Palin is too much of a force -for good - that the Liberal Media and Democrats cannot stop. Note how Joe Biden's daughter caught on tape doing cocaine was never investigated by the Liberal Media, but this same Liberal media is willing expose any lie from Levi Johnson. This is why the Liberal media can not be trusted and their rating are in the toilet with Levi Johnson. So, it is not Gov. Palin who is trashing Levi Johnson for what he is,it is all of us "real" Americans trashing him.
Posted by: Peter Smith | Oct 28, 2009 4:04:01 PM
"Gov. Sarah Palin is a threat to the Democrats and the Liberal Media" HOW
and why will she not show her face anywhere or be interviewed even on Sesame Street without being paid? She just spits her attacks from her FOX hole. when she stops everyone else will until then......weap
Posted by: xpalinsupporter | Oct 28, 2009 4:13:59 PM
Why are any of this lot in the news? I at least take some solace in the fact that this is the first I've heard of Levi for months.
Posted by: jhw539 | Oct 28, 2009 4:15:28 PM
Peter Smith, are you kidding? John McCain and Sarah Palin brought this kid into the spotlight. If McCain had a backbone, he would have chosen someone that could help him win instead of someone designed to bring attention to the ticket. Sarah Palin knew this kid and what he was about when she accepted McCain's offer to run with him. I'm sorry, it is Palin and not the media that is responsible for this disaster. You're a "real American" and good christian, so you've heard the saying....... you reap what you sow. Reap on Sarah, reap on.
Posted by: Wow.... | Oct 28, 2009 4:19:57 PM
Now I am beginning to understand what this all about. Sarah wants to be the star of her very own "reality show". And what a comedy it is starting to be.
Posted by: CND FOX | Oct 28, 2009 4:31:18 PM
"Former Gov. Sarah Palin is blasting away at the father of her grandson"
I'll bet she'd like to hunt him from a helicopter like she does innocent animals.
And us democrats love her. Repubs, give her all your money for a run in 2012. It will be fun !
Posted by: djdjdjs | Oct 28, 2009 4:35:27 PM
This only goes to prove that she is a high school drama queen with nothing to add other than "my friends won't stand by me!" Time for her to go. Her 15 minutes are up and her book will make her alot of money so she can quietly disappear where only she can see Russia.
Posted by: robert York | Oct 28, 2009 4:37:15 PM
Does Play girl really think that Johnston has that hot of a body ? Too funny...Hes seen in photos shirtless and he looks like a 10 year old.... Any idiot that would pay money to see this kid is desperate. Johnston is being used by the anti-Palin forces that are terrified of her. They are especially afraid now because the public is starting to see that she tried to warn them about Obama and his associates but they were too busy chanting for Bams. Are you chanting now ?? Is there still Hopey-Changey in the air...NO ... the Kenyan fraud is being exposed daily.... Johnston is a loser ... the kind of deadbeat that can be used by anyone for pay.
Posted by: jimbo | Oct 28, 2009 4:38:30 PM
Sorry, Jimbo. No one is afraid of Palin. We're just tired of listening to her garbage. She makes many of you feel comfy-cozy because she's not very bright and that's fine. But for us elitests (you know, people who read and are well-traveled), the fact is, this lady is nothing more than an opportunist who would have been better served on a reality show. Nothing more.
Posted by: Julia | Oct 28, 2009 4:48:29 PM
At least Levi isn't trying to scare old people across the nation with fake death panels.
And he isn't asking working people to donate money to him through some self serving organization. (SaraPAC).
Posted by: Oliver21 | Oct 28, 2009 4:50:14 PM
PLEASE....... this Levi kid was Introduced to the nation by Sarah Palin, John McCain and the Republican party. DON'T BLAME THE AUDIENCE for the Comedy on The Screen!
The suggestion is... Your upcoming episodes might well be... NOT ONLY Unsavory and somewhat Uncivilized BUT POSSIBLY Pornographic!
Posted by: bobj72 | Oct 28, 2009 4:52:38 PM
Ms. Palin is in trouble. Things are rising to the surface. People in the know are getting ready to talk.
I nudge any media outlet interested in being on top of this to start really paying attention. There are so many levels to this story and they're being missed. When this blows, it's going to carry the airwaves for quite awhile.
I'm just sayin .....
Posted by: RonniNY | Oct 28, 2009 4:53:00 PM
Why are the democrats so terrified of Sarah Palin that that keep this kid in the media spotlight? His 15 minutes of fame are over, and by the way, how is that Hope and Change working for you a year later? ROFL
Posted by: HH | Oct 28, 2009 4:59:02 PM
jimbo, maybe it's the same morons that would pay money to read Palin's idiot ramblings, you bet'cha.
Posted by: JR | Oct 28, 2009 5:03:16 PM
Now, BabyDoll has a point here (in my view.) This kid is cut from the same cloth that she is (she knows this too)and is only looking out for himself. The difference being is that HoneyCakes at least has some type of support system which can allow her to do what she does. This guy here, is a high school drop-out, who most likely isn't providing adequate support for his son, riding on her coat-tails! She is right! He needs to GET LOST!
Posted by: FS | Oct 28, 2009 5:22:14 PM
Libs ( media) would go to any lengths to keep this character in the public eye to embarass Sarah Palin with lies and misinformation and Levi is a willing tool to do whatever can be done to make sure Sarah is politically destroyed.
Posted by: Joe | Oct 28, 2009 5:26:11 PM
Boy, you guys at ABC must get tired of all the right-wing patriarchal sexist rants (from purported liberals) that show up every time you mention Palin.
Fact is, kids, this is a nightmare for her family. It's not a judgment on her. She is not "cut from the same cloth" as Levi Johnson as far as anyone has the right to suggest. Granted, she's a ridiculous idea for president, but as a mom and a grandma, she deserves respect and the benefit of the doubt against this vulgar lout.
Posted by: Vail Beach | Oct 28, 2009 5:28:03 PM
"Consider the source of the most recent attention-getting lies -- those who would sell their body for money reflect a desperate need for attention and are likely to say and do anything for even more attention,” Palin says in the statement."
Says the former Beauty Pageant contestant.
Posted by: moliere | Oct 28, 2009 5:31:49 PM
I'm just naturally skeptical of anything said by a guy who's about to take money for dropping his pants. And who has to do a press tour to make sure everybody knows it.
Posted by: Antonio | Oct 28, 2009 5:49:43 PM
"Ms. Palin is in trouble"
Right, just like Fox is in trouble (#1 in ratings for a decade), Conservatives are in trouble (the majority of the country describe themselves as Conservative; the term 'liberal' is considered a dirty word).
Palin is immensely popular, a gifted politician, and a very smart woman. This is, of course, what makes your type so crazy mad: you can't stand it when someone who so perfectly embodies the opposite of everything you believe has success. So you have to tear them down.
You're supporting a man-child who impregnated a teenager, then ran away to cash in on his 'fame', and who only stays in the spotlight by helping other insecure, hateful people attack a woman whose only crime was standing up for what she believes in. And you do all this in service to the most incompetent President this country has ever seen.
I'd ask how you can stand yourself, but I know all liberals are self-hating anyway.
Posted by: AtheistConservative | Oct 28, 2009 5:57:21 PM
Post a comment
POLITICAL VIDEOS
THE NOTE BLOG ROLL
- ABC News -- George Stephanopoulos
- ABC News -- Jake Tapper
- ABC News Politics
- ABC News -- The Numbers
- ABC News -- The Blotter
- The American Prospect -- TAPPED
- The Atlantic -- Politics Channel
- The Boston Globe -- Political Intelligence
- Center for American Progress -- Think Progress
- Center for Responsive Politics
- The Chicago Sun-Times -- Lynn Sweet
- The Chicago Tribune -- The Swamp
- Drudge Report
- FactCheck.org
- FiveThirtyEight
- Heritage Foundation -- The Foundry
- The Hill -- Briefing Room
- The Hotline
- The Huffington Post
- The Los Angeles Times -- Top of the Ticket
- NPR -- Political Junkie
- National Review -- The Corner
- The New Republic -- The Plank
- The New York Times -- The Caucus
- Newsweek -- The Gaggle
- Political Wire -- Taegan Goddard
- Politico -- Ben Smith
- Politico -- Mike Allen’s Playbook
- PolitiFact
- Real Clear Politics
- Talking Points Memo
- Time -- The Page
- USA Today -- On Politics
- Variety -- Wilshire & Washington
- The Wall Street Journal -- Capital Journal
- The Washington Post -- The Fix
- The Washington Post -- 44

