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

[Actionmac]

What's this BS every one knew this was going to happen... we all knew she was not capable, who does Brown think she's fooling. Brown didn't bother to vet her through her "no bull no spin" show and neither did any other network. They didn't sit down with Obama when they ran story after story regarding something someone said he was or, will we ever forget, Rev Wright.

Please with the don't get on her, she was part of the deception getting all she could out of it and now, like joe the dumber, will be in the hunt for more.

[frenchie25]

Campbell Brown is absolutely right

[Carolab]

In what respect, frenchie?

[MyGuyO]

I'm sorry but the McCain camp did not vet Missy Sarah Palin in the first place and this is what they get in return. Yes, I believe that they are really muddying her into the ground now that the McCain/Palin ticket has lost this election. This is very unfortunate, but on the flip side of the coin let's face it... for goodness sake, this woman is so immature in the way she acts and speaks... and she is the Gov of Alaska! She talks incessently, doubletalks and does not make sense in what she says most of the time. SP is the queen of put downs, especially her opponets. During her campaigning speeches, she was mean and vile in most of of the things she said about Obama. Lies, all lies. I truly do not believe that her career will go far after this fallout. People have become to see the true Sarah Palin.

[dutchess2]

Just you watch....

Remember Saxby Chambliss in Georgia, ran ads with Max Cleland and Osoma bin laden, and
questioned Cleland's patriotism after Cleland lost two legs and one arm in viet Nam?

Well, he has to have a run off to keep the seat he stole from Cleland... and he wants Huckabee, and Guilani, and Palin to come campaign for him.. along with John mcCain.

If I was Palin i'd tell them to take a cold tater and wait.

[brusby]

I love it . . . there's only 2 plausible explanations:

1) Either the leaks are true and Palin is the fool the leakers claim, or

2) The leaks are lies, which displays in a very bright light the deceptive and underhanded character of those associated with the McCain campaign -- those same individuals who have been attempting a similar type of character assassination against Obama and who almost snookered the American public into electing their candidate President of the US.

p.s. Watching the pity party and blame games on Faux News -- priceless!!!!!!!!!!!

[madisonhack]

Sarah Palin played the game and lost. Tell her to have a beer with Hillary Clinton and exchange some stories. Actually, don't do that...she might learn something about politics that would help her in 2012.

[deidrap]

Any unlearned person who accepts an invitation to the national political stage KNOWING that they are not knowledgeable about everything from foreign affairs to simple geography deserves no mercy when they are questioned and scrutinized about their lack of depth. You accept the invite to be the veep candidate, you accept the scrutiny. As you said, madisonhack, she played the game and lost. So be it.

[molsongrrrl]

Well true enough ... she should never have accepted the nomination when she seemingly knows so little about everything. But she is ambitious and I guess that's what ambitious people do.

No matter what, McCain and his advisers are at fault for all of this. They offered this job to someone without vetting her. If McCain really wanted someone else for the job and gave in to the "base" or whatever - then that's his fault and no one else's.

These people come out now with all these stories. And what did they do before the election? Lied every single day. Lied about her knowledge. Lied about her abilities. Lied about her being ready to take over the presidency if McCain died. McCain said she was the most qualified VP candidate of recent times!

I cannot stand Palin and I cannot wait for the day I never have to hear her name again. I hated the stuff she said on the campaign trail. And she deserved all the scrutiny she got.

But throwing her under the bus when these guys picked her is just low.

[towercrane147]

This may well be the only instance in which I will ever agree with Ms. Brown. Like my Grandma always said, "You made your bed, now sleep in it !"

[BGDiNLV]

Thank god these two did not make it to the White House!!

[mamacat]

I want to feel sorry for her, but I find it difficult to feel sorry for someone so mean spirited. About now, I wish she would just go away.

[sadiehawkins]

I agree with you mamacat, just as long as we don have to hear "We're MAVERICKS" again

[Figural]

She was exploited, but she let herself be. If she had just a little introspection, real intelligence and self-knowledge, she'd have realised that she isn't ready for the role. She'd have questioned why she was picked, taken a look at her party and its top people, and realised they're a bunch of mysogynists that only wanted what they could use, after the election she was disposable.
The responsibility for the campaign was Sen. McCain's, but Sarah Palin should have known better than to get involved. In the end, personal responsibility is all there is, and she failed that test.

[deidrap]

I agree that she should have known better. An old axiom states that "luck is when opportunity meets preparation." Palin thought her luck at being picked for V.P. would require no preparation on her part (which can't occur in debate cram sessions). She was clearly unprepared but still wanted to be an opportunist. Now she has simply been exposed as an ignoramus.

[Carolab]

Oh, the hubris.

[kpal711]

I don't think Palin thought that it was luck, I think she truly believed she was chosen by GOD for one of the highest positions in our Country. That was God's plan for her.

Well, I am not a praying person, but THANK GOD for Barack Obama!

[Carolab]

She wasn't exploited. She enjoyed every minute of her "fame" and "power". She ate it up like Eskimo pies.

[laurareneah]

Exactly. If you watch her speeches on Youtube you can just see the smug satisfaction on her face every time she says something snarky and mean and gets the crowd booing. She was totally feeding on it.

[professormoriarty]

Has anyone considered the possibility that this news does not come from McCain's camp, but rather from Romney's camp or Huckabee's camp?

Clearly, the long knives are out and the race has already started for the Republican candidate for president in 2012. Romney was the rightful heir, and Huckabee was the logical choice from the evangelical base, until Palin came on the scene 9 weeks ago. She was/is now a logical heir to the nomination. Could this just be some sexist garbage from Romney and/or Huckabee trying to clear the field?

[kjstjohn]

I am with you on this one. And, I don't think the Republican base is going to care about Palin's intellectual deficiencies, shopping-gate, AIP, witch exorcisms, ethical violations, or anything else that is going to be thrown at her. Romney and Huckabee are toast.

[Takae]

I agree, in a way. There are some rumors that there's a couple of interested parties that intend to run for 2012. I didn't hear any names, but your suggestions do make sense.

However, I think she has a fan base big enough to defend her against these tactics. This, of course, depends on the GOP's decision on whether to shake itself up to find its focus. At the moment, there are so many egos and grudges going around. It really does need a strong leader to sort the GOP out and lead.

I don't think Romney, Huckabee and Palin have it in them to pull it off. I think everyone in the GOP knew it. Well, perhaps Palin has it in her because she's proven that she can be as tough as she can be and she has a good rapport with GOP supporters. The problems with her, for me, are lack of credibility, hard right wing, inability to separate religion from politics, and lack of professional ethics.

[Joe The Phucker]

Campbell Brown is EXTREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEMLY annoying. She is trying to act like she is balanced, so she will do stupid stories like this. I am beginning to feel that she is JUST AS SMART AS PALIN. CNN SUCKS!

[vegasobserver]

Amen. Campbell Brown is trying to be a female Olbermann, but one who is an equal opportunity critic of Dems and Republicans. The only problem is, it comes across as forced and silly. This is journalism as theater.

[JamesInDenver]

Ok the criticism that she doesn't know what a "continent" is, does seems a bit fishy. Most kids learn this by the 3rd or 4th grade.

BUT no way she gets a pass on the $250k of family clothing.

I just don't believe her "I wore them, but I didn't try them on" excuse. Those skirts looked painted on. No way an aide picked them off the rack.

Also the "consignement store" in Alaska where Palin says she buys her cloths, it sells mostly designer labels. Here's the interview CBS conducted with the stores owner:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/27/earlyshow/main4547381.shtml

Palin needs to tell the truth, at least some of the time.

[marquitin]

But what if it IS true? Somebody in the McCain camp says it's so. Somebody knows who this person is. That person needs to confirm it. Others were present. I wouldn't be surprised. So many Americans are so lame with geography that it seems absurd, but it's within the realm of possibility.

[obamadeus]

I believe it. I've actually met many adults who couldn't name the continents.

[Jacqbear]

I absolutely agree with Campbell's assessment even though I absolutely disagreed with everything Palin said while campaigning. The McCain campaign and Republicans picked her to represent them even though it's quite obvious she wasn't qualified. It's hard to know why she even made the list, while there were reportedly more qualified Republican women. It seems like there's some self sabotage.

To the person who wrote there are three countries in North America; actually there are three North American countries signed onto NAFTA -- there are more than three countries in North America. I googled for the info and was surprised to learn all the countries considered part of North America; for example Greenland is a part of North America. There are many more too.

I'm sure I learned this in school many decades ago; and I'd forgotten. Of course, I wasn't running for vice president either... [:

[PeaceOnEarth62]

They are throwing her under the bus. Watch your back, Sarah. There's more in store. My advice to Sarah is to bring out the details in her own words and bring McCain down with you!!

[tchristin]

I agree basically that the buck stops with McCain and those advisors who sold Sarah Palin as qualified and capable when it was patently obvious she was not. No wonder they kept her away from the press! But, it's hardly "Country First" is it?

[Carolab]

More like "Palin" first.