Old, I know, but I HATE Palin!

[JMorris]

Letterman is making a serious, formal apology tonight.

Final word? or will she be classy enough to accept it?

she didnt deserve the 1st apology. it was one thing to do it the 1st time, but a 2nd time? im losing respect for letterman. if she cant take jokes, then she needs to keep her butt in alaska. i thought alaskans were supposed to be tough?

 

[Watchmen]

she didnt deserve the 1st apology. it was one thing to do it the 1st time, but a 2nd time? im losing respect for letterman. if she cant take jokes, then she needs to keep her butt in alaska. i thought alaskans were supposed to be tough?

I've read the apology and it actually makes a lot of sense. Here it is:

"All right, here - I've been thinking about this situation with Governor Palin and her family now for about a week - it was a week ago tonight, and maybe you know about it, maybe you don't know about it. But there was a joke that I told, and I thought I was telling it about the older daughter being at Yankee Stadium. And it was kind of a coarse joke. There's no getting around it, but I never thought it was anybody other than the older daughter, and before the show, I checked to make sure in fact that she is of legal age, 18. Yeah. But the joke really, in and of itself, can't be defended. The next day, people are outraged. They're angry at me because they said, 'How could you make a lousy joke like that about the 14-year-old girl who was at the ball game?' And I had, honestly, no idea that the 14-year-old girl, I had no idea that anybody was at the ball game except the Governor and I was told at the time she was there with Rudy Giuliani...And I really should have made the joke about Rudy..." (audience applauds) "But I didn't, and now people are getting angry and they're saying, 'Well, how can you say something like that about a 14-year-old girl, and does that make you feel good to make those horrible jokes about a kid who's completely innocent, minding her own business,' and, turns out, she was at the ball game. I had no idea she was there. So she's now at the ball game and people think that I made the joke about her. And, but still, I'm wondering, 'Well, what can I do to help people understand that I would never make a joke like this?' I've never made jokes like this as long as we've been on the air, 30 long years, and you can't really be doing jokes like that. And I understand, of course, why people are upset. I would be upset myself.

"And then I was watching the Jim Lehrer 'Newshour' - this commentator, the columnist Mark Shields, was talking about how I had made this indefensible joke about the 14-year-old girl, and I thought, 'Oh, boy, now I'm beginning to understand what the problem is here. It's the perception rather than the intent.' It doesn't make any difference what my intent was, it's the perception. And, as they say about jokes, if you have to explain the joke, it's not a very good joke. And I'm certainly - " (audience applause) "- thank you. Well, my responsibility - I take full blame for that. I told a bad joke. I told a joke that was beyond flawed, and my intent is completely meaningless compared to the perception. And since it was a joke I told, I feel that I need to do the right thing here and apologize for having told that joke. It's not your fault that it was misunderstood, it's my fault. That it was misunderstood." (audience applauds) "Thank you. So I would like to apologize, especially to the two daughters involved, Bristol and Willow, and also to the Governor and her family and everybody else who was outraged by the joke. I'm sorry about it and I'll try to do better in the future. Thank you very much." (audience applause)
​

 

[JMorris]

I've read the apology and it actually makes a lot of sense. Here it is:

"All right, here - I've been thinking about this situation with Governor Palin and her family now for about a week - it was a week ago tonight, and maybe you know about it, maybe you don't know about it. But there was a joke that I told, and I thought I was telling it about the older daughter being at Yankee Stadium. And it was kind of a coarse joke. There's no getting around it, but I never thought it was anybody other than the older daughter, and before the show, I checked to make sure in fact that she is of legal age, 18. Yeah. But the joke really, in and of itself, can't be defended. The next day, people are outraged. They're angry at me because they said, 'How could you make a lousy joke like that about the 14-year-old girl who was at the ball game?' And I had, honestly, no idea that the 14-year-old girl, I had no idea that anybody was at the ball game except the Governor and I was told at the time she was there with Rudy Giuliani...And I really should have made the joke about Rudy..." (audience applauds) "But I didn't, and now people are getting angry and they're saying, 'Well, how can you say something like that about a 14-year-old girl, and does that make you feel good to make those horrible jokes about a kid who's completely innocent, minding her own business,' and, turns out, she was at the ball game. I had no idea she was there. So she's now at the ball game and people think that I made the joke about her. And, but still, I'm wondering, 'Well, what can I do to help people understand that I would never make a joke like this?' I've never made jokes like this as long as we've been on the air, 30 long years, and you can't really be doing jokes like that. And I understand, of course, why people are upset. I would be upset myself.

"And then I was watching the Jim Lehrer 'Newshour' - this commentator, the columnist Mark Shields, was talking about how I had made this indefensible joke about the 14-year-old girl, and I thought, 'Oh, boy, now I'm beginning to understand what the problem is here. It's the perception rather than the intent.' It doesn't make any difference what my intent was, it's the perception. And, as they say about jokes, if you have to explain the joke, it's not a very good joke. And I'm certainly - " (audience applause) "- thank you. Well, my responsibility - I take full blame for that. I told a bad joke. I told a joke that was beyond flawed, and my intent is completely meaningless compared to the perception. And since it was a joke I told, I feel that I need to do the right thing here and apologize for having told that joke. It's not your fault that it was misunderstood, it's my fault. That it was misunderstood." (audience applauds) "Thank you. So I would like to apologize, especially to the two daughters involved, Bristol and Willow, and also to the Governor and her family and everybody else who was outraged by the joke. I'm sorry about it and I'll try to do better in the future. Thank you very much." (audience applause)
​

the only people who seem to need to have the joke explained to them are morons. but thats beside the point, the joke is perfectly understandable, and i have no doubt that they in fact understand the joke. their just going way, way, WAY out of their way to make stupid people think it was about the 14 year old. what semi-intelligent person ever thought it was about the 14 yr old? who the hell even knew palin had a 14 yr old daughter? the only one we hear about is the slutty 18 yr old. i guess its not enough to have 1 daughter as a political set piece. she needs 2! shes the one who made this about the 14 yr old, shes the one who should be doing the apologizing. i seriously doubt letterman is apoligizing because he actually thinks he's wrong. sounds more like something the sponsors are demanding of him.

 

[rojse]

No worries. I agree, the further North you live, the tougher you have to be. Now if you'll excuse me I'm off to wrestle with a bear. OK, well just off to pump some iron, really, but if there's a bear on the way (it could happen) some bear-wrestling may ensue.

Bear wrestling or bare wrestling?

 

[Reverend Rick]

I realise that Governor Palin scares the living crap out of Liberals and must be taken down. It is like open season on her. David Letterman is doing just like Rosie O'Donald. Both where sucessful and became political. Being a comic and becoming political is the kiss of death. Lenny Bruce comes to mind.

What I find appalling is a joke of any kind about any of Sarah's children. Just because a teen aged daughter becomes pregnant, does not make her a ****. That sounds more like something a Republican would say actually. Well, David Letterman is an old white man after all.

I don't care if a young girl is 14 years old or 18 years old, it is inappropriate for a 60 year old man to make comments about their sexuality PERIOD.

IT IS SEXIST PEOPLE! I guess it is just fine to be inappropriate as long as you target Conservative Republicans.

John Edwards took a shot at Dick Cheney once making mention that is daughter was a Lesbian. BIG FREAKING DEAL! Once again, inappropriate behavior unless the recipient happens to be an evil conservative republican. Then it is open season, no holds barred.

I would like to see an old white conservative republican make a sexual comment on National TV about Barrack's children in a few years and let's see how that flies.

No, I take that back. I would be outraged and want to slap the living crap out of such a person.

 

[Smoke]

What I find appalling is a joke of any kind about any of Sarah's children.

I don't like David Letterman. At. All. He's not funny.

However, it's disingenuous for Palin to use her children as props in her politicking and then affect to be shocked when jokes are made about them.

 

[Reverend Rick]

I don't like David Letterman. At. All. He's not funny.

However, it's disingenuous for Palin to use her children as props in her politicking and then affect to be shocked when jokes are made about them.

Would you feel the same way about Obama's family? I believe they meet the same standard.

 

[JMorris]

Would you feel the same way about Obama's family? I believe they meet the same standard.

i wouldnt care. if your a politician your fair game. if you use your kids as props (which both the palins and obamas (and every other politician with a child) have done) then, maybe your kids are fair game, depends on how you feel about it i guess. if your, the kid of the politician, and put YOURSELF out there as palin's daughter has done with her "abstinence campaign", then your fair game.

 

[Smoke]

Would you feel the same way about Obama's family? I believe they meet the same standard.

Yes, pretty much, though Obama has not used his children as cynically as Palin has used hers. I didn't like the way Limbaugh and other Republicans went so viciously after Chelsea Clinton, but I think joking is within the Pale.

I dislike the way politicians trot their children out as props. There's no good reason for any child to appear on a party convention stage. I don't think even their wives and husbands should be expected to gaze on adoringly during political speeches. It cheapens the family and fools nobody but fools.

Obama did a bit of that, but I don't think he went to the extent Palin did. I don't even know his kids' names -- or Biden's, or McCain's, except for Meghan. But everybody knows Palin's kids -- Track & Field, Harvey's Bristol Cream, Will o' the Wisp, Piper Laurie, and poor little Geometry.

 

[JMorris]

Track & Field, Harvey's Bristol Cream, Will o' the Wisp, Piper Laurie, and poor little Geometry.

lol :biglaugh:

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I would like to see an old white conservative republican make a sexual comment on National TV about Barrack's children in a few years and let's see how that flies.

Let's just hope that there are no conservative republicans when Obama's children come of age.

As I recall, there were plenty of jokes about Clinton's and Bush's kids when they were in the limelight - sneaking out of the White House and partying, etc.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I don't like David Letterman. At. All. He's not funny.

He could show Mr. O'Brian a thing or two.

 

[Smoke]

He could show Mr. O'Brian a thing or two.

Don't like him, either. Or Leno.

I didn't appreciate the greatness of Carson till I saw what took over late-night talk shows after he was gone.

 

[Magic Man]

Yes, you hate Sarah, because she scares the crap out of you. She is your worst nightmare if she obtains the highest office.

You're damn right about that! However, it's not for the unfounded and stupid reasons you put forth. Instead it's because she's an idiot and irrational and doesn't seem like she has too much problem with mixing religion and politics. I like my president to at least mostly adhere to the Constitution and to have some kind of brains, but that's just me. Maybe you don't want those things in a president.

 

[Watchmen]

Rick - I'm a moderate and have absolutely no fear of Palin. She is just flat-out not qualified.

 

[J Bryson]

I realise that Governor Palin scares the living crap out of Liberals and must be taken down.

Not exactly. She's more like Dan Quayle: An easy target when nothing else presents itself.

It is like open season on her. David Letterman is doing just like Rosie O'Donald. Both where sucessful and became political. Being a comic and becoming political is the kiss of death. Lenny Bruce comes to mind.

Or Jon Stewart, or Stephen Colbert, or George Carlin.....

What I find appalling is a joke of any kind about any of Sarah's children. Just because a teen aged daughter becomes pregnant, does not make her a ****. That sounds more like something a Republican would say actually. Well, David Letterman is an old white man after all.

*snort* Touche. I don't think that it was as big a deal as Palin made it out to be, but I see where you're coming from.

I don't care if a young girl is 14 years old or 18 years old, it is inappropriate for a 60 year old man to make comments about their sexuality PERIOD.

Again, point taken if not agreed with.

IT IS SEXIST PEOPLE! I guess it is just fine to be inappropriate as long as you target Conservative Republicans.

He was also making fun of A-Rod.

John Edwards took a shot at Dick Cheney once making mention that is daughter was a Lesbian.

" I think the vice president and his wife love their daughter. I think they love her very much. And you can't have anything but respect for the fact that they're willing to talk about the fact that they have a gay daughter, the fact that they embrace her. It's a wonderful thing. And there are millions of parents like that who love their children, who want their children to be happy."

Yes, how mean.

BIG FREAKING DEAL! Once again, inappropriate behavior unless the recipient happens to be an evil conservative republican. Then it is open season, no holds barred.

I would like to see an old white conservative republican make a sexual comment on National TV about Barrack's children in a few years and let's see how that flies.

If one of them gets pregnant, then I'll give Bill O'Reilly or Rush Limbaugh about two seconds (the time it takes to draw a deep breath).

No, I take that back. I would be outraged and want to slap the living crap out of such a person.

Understood.

 

[gnomon]

People are seriously upset at the Letterman joke.

How stupid can people get.

 

[Watchmen]

People are seriously upset at the Letterman joke.

How stupid can people get.

I still maintain it should have been Alex Rodriguez who should have been upset.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I still maintain it should have been Alex Rodriguez who should have been upset.

Solution: Let's put Palin's finger on the trigger of our nuclear arsenal.:yes:

It's not crazy, IT'S INSANE!!:computer::verymad:

note: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfV8U16OkL0

 

[Watchmen]

Just read that Palin accepted Letterman's apology "on behalf of all young women." What gives her the right to make such an acceptance? I know there are plenty of young women and there parents who understood it was a joke and didn't need an apology.

Oh well - maybe the campaign to get Dave fired will end now.