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

[Ron1951]

Yes, Campbell, they tried to sell us a bill of goods. And it didn't work, did it?

As for the Wassilla Hillbillies, Granny Sarah could certainly dish it out, but she certainly cannot take it. The only ones who were tough on her were bloggers. You didn't hear any Obama/Biden staffers taking her to task for her public non-performances.

[madisonhack]

Think about it. The one that could really take it and didn't feel the need to dish it out was, well , the President Elect...th­e winner, of course.

[Carolab]

Exactly. And who dished it out? SHE did.

[missjabez]

Campbell Brown seems very boring.

[Carolab]

Campbell is married to Dan Senor, Paul Bremer's former right-hand man. Nice, huh?

[rbryanh]

"I find it so stunning..­."

She finds it stunning that the power-mad losers are turning on each other in a blood bath of mindless rage and pointless remorse? She's surprised that politicans eat their own young? Does she live under a rock?

[madisonhack]

No, she is used to being the one that throws people under the bus. Palin blames everyone for her own behavior, and I believe the stories about the tantrums. She's no maverick, she's just a spoiled brat like her kids.

[Carolab]

Sociopath and a narcissist.

[RickCoMatic]

Talk about getting right down to the REAL Nitty-Gritty. They hand picked Sara Palin over dozens of other handsome GOP gunslingers. Why?
SHE filled the Bill.
The Sara Palin gambit would have worked if they had stuck to the script. Take the Nomination Night bump and then locked Palin into doing what she was supposed to do for the ticket; nothing else.
1. Look dignified; pretty. An expensive make-over did just that! She strutted her babe qualities in designer fashions and became the Stepford Wife they all needed us to see.
2. Bring-over Hillary's votes. Lay-on soccer mom, workin'-girl stuff -- thick, with determination. Win every women's vote possible. Read the cards and prompter; then get back on-the-bus ... fast.
3. The "Dirty work". You say what the old Senator cannot. Connect some dots of history and hysteria to make our opponent suffer. Push the envelope to the edge of rage with and paint grotesque pictures of Obama while shaking-up Rattle-cans and handing them out as souvenirs.
The gambit could have worked.
But, Palin was polite at the wrong moment when one of the hacks guarding her from the outside world stepped-out to powder his nose.
The Lady was poliite and answered the question with a remark not written on her cards or on the prompter.
No!
It wasn't supposed to happed that way.
You bitch. It's all your fault, now. We hate you!
She was trying to be a Lady!

[BuckeyeGal]

She was polite -- when?

[Carolab]

You speak in nonsequiturs and make no sense.

And this: the Stepford Wife they all needed us to see -- you dig Stepford wives?

[Philament]

It is truly creepy how hard Republicans were selling Palin to the American people, when behind the scenes so many could see what a walking disaster she was. If they really had the country's interests at heart, they could have at least left the McCain campaign.

[tydicea]

What happened to all the crap they spouted about her being the best choice for the VP slot, her formidable executive experience as commander-in-chief of the Alaska national guard, and the best campaigner he, McCain knew?

Ah! Let the cannibals eat each other. The country will be better off for it.

[RedneckNOT]

Agreed. And in hindsight, Palin obviously did not have the necessary self-awareness to say no. Talk about the USA dodging a b.u.llet!

[LeighbCD]

Well said. I am glad America saw reason and voted in Obama but hey, McCain chose Palin, it is hypocritical for them to blame her for her faults.

I hope she gets a TV contract, how fearsome to think she could be running for president in about [2] years time.

[GroveGal35]

Campbell..­...I understood when you defended the purchase of clothes since it matters what women wear and you receive emails when someone doesn't like what you have on. But, Palin seemed to have irked many people with her spending, greeting people in a towel, buying good for her family, things that any "vetting" would not have revealed. So, they discovered this side of her during the campaign. And it sounds like she obeyed no rules, followed no proposals or suggestions, and how could vetting have discovered she was a diva in disguise? I would say that her behavior was atrocious behind the scenes. And why shouldn't that be revealed? Should they hide she indulged in her excesses? Should we not be told what kind of person she appeared to be when she wasn't playing Wal-Mart Soccer Mom? I don't think so. I think that speaks to who she is as a human being. Since she still has political ambition, these tendencies are important.

[FTracy3]

Being seen in a towel by "trusted" advisors in t he middle of a hectic and heated campaign. Oh the shame of it all and, what a Diva! Thank God anonymous sources of good character and concern came forward with this immensely important piece of news. I for one will NEVER, EVER vote for anyone who allows him/herself to be seen in a towel briefly by trusted aides in his/her own hotel room!

[GroveGal35]

Would you answer your door in a towel? For the neighbor who you probably know? The news of the towel issue is not important by itself but when taken with other acts of questionable judgment. We may not personally care about those improprieties butt she was aspiring to the White House. And in that setting, protocol still matters.

[helgathewitch]

your missing the point. All types of actions show her true morals and character or lack there of. All these things add up to show her true ignorant self

[repugnicansfearme]

Todd Palin, have a drink, man. It's over, relax. Hey, act just like you are at home and have five drinks. What the heck.

[speakyourmind]

and a bong hit.

[Jared137]

Responsibility lies on both of them. McCain knew she couldn't lead. Palin knew she couldn't lead. Done.

[Debzie]

From my understanding, it was not all the aides that chose Sarah Palin. There were plenty of aides that had to deal with her that had nothing to do with the VP pick and I feel sorry for them for having to put up with her. I'm also sure they were ticked off when they found out the makeup artist made more money than they did.

[TocinoHumano]

I wish I were a Republican so that nothing I ever did would be my fault.

[Bruupo]

Of course, but don't forget that absolutely anything that goes your way, no matter how lucky, no matter how arbitrary, only happens as a result of your hard work- and no one else's.

[Cilantro33309]

Yes, Campbell, I agree totally...­.

Kick those neo-cons while their down. It's fun! (yall should try it!)

[Bernieblue]

Okay we get it. Campbell Brown was handed this "No bias No Bull" segment not long ago but the fact of the matter is that she used it come after both candidates but in particular Obama. She has especially used her position lately to DEFEND Palin vigorously. No doubt Campbell should have known that if you are going to do a segment like this then you really have to be neutral.

Neutrality is however, almost impossible so I'll give Campbell a break here. At least she is not as comical as the "no spin zone" featuring joker and SUPER spinner Bill Oreilly.

[GroveGal35]

I agree, Bernie. No Bias, No Bull, is one person's perspective of what is, well, bias and bull. It is only Campbell's opinion and our reporters are suppose to be unbiased and just report the news--unbiasedly. Her style has changed since getting her own show--and perhaps the headiness of that is the cause, although I didn't see Rachel Madow change at all. I see the style and tone of our reporters changing quite about under this new administration. It was very noticeable at President Elect Obama's first press conference today. We saw respect again, although I hope they stop asking questions that are so inane, some they should know cannot be answered (Iran) and what he thinks of the state of our "inteligen­ce." Good For PE Obama--he declined to answer that one.

[Womanvoter4Obama]

I like Campbell Brown much less now because I don't think she's unbiased. I don't think she's trying and frankly I could give a dang what her opinion is. It bears repeating that Sarah Palin WANTED the job, she marketed herself to get it, hiring actual marketing people. So don't cry for her Argentina. If she had pulled it off we all would be suffering. Does the McCain camp deserve some blame..hec­k yes, but so does she. She actually believed in her diminished abilities.