Campbell Brown Defends Sarah Palin Against McCain Advisers' Scapegoating: "You Picked Her"

Campbell Brown used her "Cutting Through The Bull" segment Thursday night to defend Sarah Palin against "scapegoating" on the part of John McCain's advisers.

"I find it so stunning that the very people who introduced us to Sarah Palin, who told us she would make a great Vice President, have now turned on her with a vengeance," Brown said. "They are the top advisers to John McCain's failed campaign and they are desperate right now to find someone to blame for their long list of mistakes."

Brown, who reminded viewers that Sarah Palin was only in the national spotlight for nine short weeks, also reminded McCain's advisers that they are the ones who chose Palin for the #2 spot:

You are the ones who supposedly vetted her, and then told the American people she was qualified for the job. You are the ones who after meeting her a couple of times, told us she was ready to be just one heartbeat away from the Presidency. If even half of what you say NOW is true, then boy, did you try to sell the American people a bill of goods. If Sarah Palin is the reason some voters chose Barack Obama, that is no one's fault but your own. John McCain, as he so graciously said himself the other night, lost this election. He lost it with your help, your advice, your guidance, and yes, your running mate recommendations. And that is crystal clear to everyone, no matter how hard you try to blame Sarah Palin or anyone else.

Watch:

Brown's Full Comments

Tonight the scape-goating of Sarah Palin. Whatever you may have thought about John McCain's running mate... about whether she was qualified, prepared or experienced enough for the job... try if you can to put all of that aside for just a moment. Because Sarah Palin is who she is. She did not become measurably more intelligent or measurably less intelligent during this campaign. Remember, she was only part of the campaign for a matter of nine weeks. Sarah Palin is who she is.

Which is why I find it so stunning that the very people who introduced us to Sarah Palin... who told us she would make a great Vice President... have now turned on her with a vengeance. They are the top advisors to John McCain's failed campaign and they are desperate right now to find someone to blame for their long long list of mistakes. They have been launching grenades at Palin and her supporters... some of their allegations we at CNN have found to be patently false. You will hear people say "this is what always happens with a losing campaign"... and hopefully, this is the last time we will be talking about these people. But what they have done just in the last few days to save their own skins is worth a final comment.

To those top McCain advisors who leaked the little story about seeing Sarah Palin in a towel. To those who called her and her family "Wasilla Hillbillies" while using her to stoke class warfare with redmeat speeches and an anti-elitist message. To those who claim she didn't know Africa was a continent. To those McCain aides who say she is the reason they lost this election... can I please remind you of one thing: you picked her.

You are the ones who supposedly vetted her, and then told the American people she was qualified for the job. You are the ones who after meeting her a couple of times, told us she was ready to be just one heartbeat away from the Presidency. If even half of what you say NOW is true, then boy, did you try to sell the American people a bill of goods. If Sarah Palin is the reason some voters chose Barack Obama, that is no one's fault but your own. John McCain, as he so graciously said himself the other night, lost this election. He lost it with your help, your advice, your guidance, and yes, your running mate recommendations. And that is crystal clear to everyone, no matter how hard you try to blame Sarah Palin or anyone else.

Previously:

Campbell Brown Calls Out Double Standard On Palin Clothes Controversy
Campbell Brown Rips McCain Camp's "Sexist" Treatment Of Palin

Comments

[Obama4change]

I don't watch Brown's show because a majority of her show are about sexism plus she is also against Keith and his show is so much better than hers. What is she going to talk about now that Palin is no longer a candidate. During the commercials, I have checked out her show and her show is not good. CNN actually is not that good period. Brown talks about sexism, Dobbs talks about immigrants, Grace show should be re-named the CAYLEE show because that is all she has on her show. Who is watching this crapola?

[yngskywlkr]

You know, Palin could easily have said no.

Remember the whole hack about how she's got more "executive experience" than anybody that ever ran for president in the history of the world ?

Sorry am just paraphrasing, but my point is I don't know why Campbell totally had to deflect her of any blame.

Maybe what is being done to her is unfair, but when the first major speech you ever give on the national stage is mainly focused on bashing the "liberal elite media" then do not blame them for having "itchy" fingers when you lose.

[MooseShady]

Campbell is right on target! Aides of McCain should had vetted Palin very throughly before they made the choice whether she's to be his running mate. If I hear correctly, it was Eric Schmidt made that judgement call to McCain on choosing Palin as her running mate. Great call jerkoffs, great call.

[KickerBoard]

If there's a point to be missed, Campbell will happily oblige. No bull, only bull*&%#!

[Shashi0224]

Why does everyone now copy Olbermann's "Special Comments"?

[Martha12]

McCain picked Palin. Period. Some of the people brought in to manage her had never met her before.

As usual Brown is off topic again, trying to create excitement for herself. Brown is up against O'Rielly and Olberman, her ratings are tanking.

The name of her program tells you what to expect....all bull. If she had any real talent it would simply be the Campbell Brown Show, An Hour with Campbell Brown or something like that.

Brown is trying to pander to the audiences of both of her competitors. O'Rielly has the best ratings ( although he is gradually going down) so the name of her program is to entice the right wing-nuts. It appears her program is pandering to the wing-nuts more and more. This business of defending Palin, while completely missing the real story, is so much like O'Rielly, that Brown may have a job on FOX yet.

That would be nice, FOX likes that high pitched whine and idiocy Brown has to offer.

[Samshade77]

Look you all know how I feel about CB, (don't like her reporting very much) . I would like to say something about her final comment (KO knock off) Some of this information divulged was very pertinent , she did not know that Africa is a continent, she came to the door in a towel to greet men, (the Christian right would like to know that one) ok maybe the information was not important but damn it is funny as hell. But seriously I am glad all this information came out and still is, I We do not need this lady nowhere near Washington D.C. Pres or Senate.

[karela]

Yes, McCain has responsibility for choosing her without vetting her and making sure she was qualified to lead the country if needed. That was a grave failure of trust to the nation.
But it is also true that Palin looked right into the cameras on more than one occasion and swore that she was qualified and prepared for the job and she must have known that she wasn't. If someone asked me if I was qualified and prepared to operate on their child, I'd know the right answer. Palin obviously has a great deal of ideology and ambition, but she most certainly is not presidential material and any presidential nominee or party who tried to put her up for that position most assuredly does not put their country's needs before their own.
Brown is wrong to say that it is solely McCain's responsibility. They're both adults and each of them is responsible for their own behavior. Brown's contention that somehow Sarah Palin is the poor, innocent and misused child in this equation is an insult to women. Palin is an adult and responsible for her own actions. McCain is responsible for his. And the Republican party is more responsible than anyone because it was a group of their party thinkers who came up with that hot plan. Ideologues who are willing to sacrifice the country to win the votes of those with rigid religious beliefs are not a credit to their party. Dwight Eisenhower would barf!

[camenbert]

Campbell is getting fizzy and fussy, all put on for the ratings. She needs a change, but that Depends.

[jonjon66]

Brown is completly wrong, Palin has to accept accountability for her lack of understanding the world outside of Alaska. Palin's words, attitude made her a joke, John McCain only put her in the spotlight. It was than on her to perform, which we all saw via Katie Couric, hardly a "tough" interview....and she showed the world just how shallow,empty she truly is, so don't go blaming media basis.

[camenbert]

McCain knows better than most: The Captain takes responsibility for everything....and goes down with the ship. Not on Palin.

[LynB]

Campbell Brown is 100% correct. I was just arguing this same point with someone on Newsvine and they just don't get it. The buck stops with John McCain, NOT Sarah Palin.

[sparkal]

This sums it all up!

[pupbayer]

Campbell Brown is absolutely right on target.

[bookworm123]

Wow, it's great to hear such a forthright statement of the facts. While I find Sarah Palin scary, quite frankly, I agree 100% with everything Campbell Brown said - McCain's advisors recommended her, therefore it's no one's fault but theirs and McCain's.

[Martha12]

"McCains advisors recommended her" How do you know that? Oh yes because Brown said so.
McCain chose Palin. Period. McCain only spoke with her once before selecting her. McCain had many other vetted choices. The Palin pick, like so many other choices McCain made, was a last minute, knee jerk reaction to the lack of support he was receiving from the base of the party. It IS a fact that most of the people brought in to prepare her had never met her . They were sent straight from the Whitehouse, the best the GOP had for the job, as the Republicans realized the disaster in McCains choice.

Lipstick on a pig, remember that, how about "try to make a silk purse out of a sows ear"? That is what these handlers had to do and it never works.

Palin could have said no, but she is too power hungry. Palins ambitious rise in AK politics, at the knee of Ted Stevens, proves that. You might want to check the facts instead of relying on CB.

When Palin took on the job of Mayor it is fact (reported in AK papers, never disputed) that she was asked if she was going to hire a city manager. Palin said " this isn't rocket science, no", what did she do? Palin hired that manager to the tune of $100,000 a year. Palin left that town 3 million plus in debt. Palin has created havoc whever she goes, this is no different.

[bentenrai]

I actually agree with Brown on this one. I'm getting tired of hearing of those McCain aides trying to throw the towel at Palin, although they made the "vetting" and the picking. It didn't turn out the way they wanted it and now she's the devil.
That's just f**king rich. No wonder McCain lost again.