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

[johnsopinion]

So, responders, does this mean that you will continue to focus on the
shortcomings of S. Palin and let the responsibilities of the 'team players'
who snatched her from a comfortable job in Alaska and thrust her onto
the sensibilities of the country slide into distant memory so that they
can remount and ride back into town via the other end of town and present
you with a brand new show next week with an all new cast?

THEY picked her, THEY are responsible. Hold 'em to it.

[yngskywlkr]

"who snatched her from a comfortable job"

Snatched ? What, like kidnap ? If her job was so comfortable then why did she not just say no ?

[SonyaInTx]

....and Palin signed up for it in the first place! The butt kicking she is getting now is absolutely deserved. To anyonewho wants to run for high office in the future, take heed of what is happening to Sarah Palin now. Take good stock of your intellect and ability to do the job. I have absolutely no sympathy for a woman who thought that being a beauty pagent contestant makes you ready to be VP. Now Sarah, be the pitbull you told us you were, and take your public flogging like a man.

[dandypeaches]

Had Palin not been the self-appointed attack pit bull of the Republicans I might feel concern about McCain's staff leaking this information. Instead I am glad that their consciences are making them share the bad news that she is a total fake and a phony. Why should we fault them for not speaking out when the MSM didn't either? Why wasn't the MSM demanding that she hold press conferences and answer questions about AIP, rape kits, leaving Wasilla in debt, her socialist redistribution of oil company profits, her lying about the "no thanks" on the Bridge to Nowhere, the fact that Alaska receives far more from the federal government than it provides, etc., etc., etc.

[Enid]

Does John get out free it was his campaign run by and for McCain, the smears were his, opt-us to his own rhetoric.

For once please make JOHN responsible for something in his life.

[popartusa]

so what. Palin is the darling of the dimwits..they love her they identify with her....they see her faults as virtues. I am happy for them....with Sarah as their leader they may never find their way and wander forever in the "wilderness'.

[mojopo]

Palin is no victim, but Campbell hit the nail on the head. Palin is what she is and THEY picked her. Shame on Palin, and shame on McCain's campaign *more* for their poor judgment. Leave it to Republicans to blame everyone else but themselves. They created this Frankenstein monster, and now they're all peeing in their pants like children. I can't wait until January 20th. It won't get here soon enough for me.

[majorteddy]

Well, Ms. Brown what you say may be true, but that doesn't make Sarah Palin a better candidate or smarter. I don't know why somebody would vote for such a stupid person for governor. It is all about this religion crap.

[AlannD]

Hey did any of you attacking Campbell Brown actually READ what she said? Or did you just get as far as "Campbell Brown Defends Sarah Pailin..."?

Ms. Brown's comments were right on the money, despite what the knee-jerkers here think.

[LemonMeringue]

She is married to a Fox News guy who used to work for Paul Bremer and is a huge Republican strategist.

That disclaimer ought to precede every appearance of hers.

[xjerseyx]

i could care less about palin,,she promoted hate.

[dlvme2]

What Brown is saying is true it is very tacky what was said about Palin by her own people as it was petty and THEY did choose her. I do not care for Palin and after checking on how she had governed Alaska with cronism, small town politics, lack of regard for the environment and many other issues that rub against my grain such as her stance on abortion, birth control and many other issues she is not for me, but I do feel that when you critcize someone it should be about things of importance and that can be backed up. For her inner circle to trash her to the media was unfair when they went out of their way to say she was ready and perfect to be VP. I do feel that she should be held in contempt for the hate that she stirred up during the campaign and how she tried to separate the country and even now she is only for ALASKA well I hate to say it but Alaska is part of the US and we should all be working together not just for our own state. She continues to want to drill, drill in protected areas. Anyway there is a lot to critcize her for, but from her staff who cares.

[karela]

Campbell seems to be more concerned with Sarah Palin's feelings than she is with the safety and security of country. Palin was thrust upon the national stage as a VP and potential president and there are many far right republicans who want to bring her out again in 2012. There is every reason in the world why we should all know all there is to know about Sarah Palin. She made it fair game by assuring us that she was absolutely ready to step in as president on day one if it was necessary. If Sarah honestly has less education than my third grader on the subjects of what countries make up North America and whether or not Africa is a continent, that's information that is important for me and for all Americans to know. It is wrong to cover things like this up. The nation was put at grave risk and it could happen again if we don't thoroughly investigate. This is the single biggest thing that John McCain should be held accountable for. He put America at risk for the cynical sake of attempting to gain a particular group of voters. That is not the behavior of a patriot. I'd feel the same, though less imminently, if he had tried to endanger my child in order to win. You don't risk my kid. And you don't risk my country. If you do, I'm sure going to hold you accountable. And Campbell Brown should know it!

[dannyo152]

A candidate running for office does not endanger the country. Only the people elected may endanger the country, and when the Constitution is honored, the amount of damage is limited.

As to the rest: if she does run in 2012, she'll have to post up against 6-12 other Republicans, many of whom will have similar resumes and base-friendly philosophies, and slog through the various states and debates. Interesting thought: if small-state, small-government, socially-conservative executive credentials were so desired by the party, why aren't we talking about either President-Elect Huckabee or his defeat? Believe you me, the Palin Presidential nomination is far from inevitable and I'm going to not worry about voting against her until she appears on my ballot.

[jamieboley]

How strange that there continues to be so much vindictive actions taken against Sarah Palin even after the election. I find it interesting that she is still being hunted down by slanderous voices. What in the world is wrong with the news media,they are so uncontrolled that they will respond to mere rumours with no concrete evidence?
Sarah Palin is an American citizen dedicated and honorable enough to respond the curruption of government. What the heck is wrong with that? . This country was formed from the blood, sweat and tears of average Americans of all races. We fought a war because we did not want the tyranny of a king. So why in the world do people time and time again raise up men who eventually disappoint us.
America get up off your butts, turn off the tv and make a difference in your neighborhood.If you see trash on the ground, pick it up, What kind of world would we create if for once everyone decided that if we want a better world for our children then we must make that difference. I honestly believe that this was/is Sarah Palins philosophy therefore the media wanted to crucify her for it. I hope that honorable Americans such as gov. Palin and her family will have the strength to continue to fight for the liberty of this country.

[LemonMeringue]

Note that the "slanderous voices" are coming right out of the McCain camp. You cannot blame the Democrats or the media for this.

[Calamityjb]

Sarah Palin sought this position and since it is the second highest position in the land, she should expect people to want to know all about her. Now what we have seen about Palin has largely been controlled by the McCain campaign. The media should vet everything that is released from the campaign. I think it is their duty. Lately, the McCain campaign has been leaking out negative stories. I think it is also the duty of the media to vet that information as well. Ms. Brown pointed out that the McCain campaign is the one that picked her and is now throwing her under the bus. In my opinion, there is probably some truth to the stories, but there has to be some substantive proof before I pass judgment. I would point out though that what I have seen of Palin (from her own mouth) does give credence to some of the stories. #1 She does not seem to have had much interest in foreign policy and looked at domestic policy only through an Alaskan lens. #2 She did not come across as particularly intelligent. In fact, she came across as anit-intellectual. #3 She is greatly (some would argue overly) ambitious #4 she violated ethics laws #5 She stirred up hate and racial bigotry during her campaign rallies, and didn't hesitate to take the pit bull role. #6 She has told several lies during the campaign. All those things don't really lead me to calling her honorable.

[Carolab]

Campbell Brown is IRRELEVANT!

[rayroc2020]

campbell brown go to foxx with your husband,these are the people that tried to divid this counrty with terriost attacks and putting election first