Conservative Columnist Blames Obama For Letterman's Palin Joke

During a discussion of David Letterman's joke about Sarah Palin on "Hannity" on Thursday night, conservative columnist S.E. Cupp blamed Obama.

Cupp and Sean Hannity didn't accept Letterman's explanation of his joke, in which he regretted the comments, and slammed the lack of outrage in the mainstream media about the jokes in which Letterman referred to Palin's "slutty-flight-attendant look" and quipped that her daughter got "knocked up by [NY Yankee] Alex Rodriguez"

Cupp, who is a contributor to the Washington Post and Politico, fumed:

"This is the enduring legacy of the Obama campaign. I'm not saying this to be inflammatory, I blame Barack Obama because he allowed his surrogates in the media and Hollywood and everyone else on the left to do this dirty talking for him."

Cupp called on Obama to condemn the comments.

Hannity agreed with Cupp, adding "It's like a Sista Souljah moment," referring to the infamous scandal in which then-candidate Bill Clinton repudiated the rapper's comments, outraging free-speech advocates but helping him win the votes of conservative Democrats.

Watch the exchange:

Comments

[TheDarkKnight]

It just boggles the imagination. The facts of the matter are simply that (1) Sarah Palin participated in the 1984 Miss Alaska Beauty Pageant and (2) her daughter Bristol is an unwed teenage mother (in other words, she got knocked up). I can't understand how they can simply ignore that since these facts are the basis of Dave's jokes. Some may say that Dave's taste is questionable, and hopefully so because he wouldn't be a good entertainer otherwise, but Sarah and Bristol alone are the only ones responsible for the reputations they have earned.

As far as Barack Obama, his words during the campaign were quite clear: it is not fair to go after a candidate's family members. He said that both in response to the attacks on Bristol Palin's pregnancy as well as the attacks on his wife Michelle.

[cjgable]

Yes, I agree with what you said...and during the campaign is when Barack Obama said it....but the campaign is over...now every man for himself...the only family members not to go after here now would be the Obama daughters since he is our President.

And Letterman was not going after the family, he was making a joke, albeit it in poor taste...let's move on.

Sarah Palin and her family were all over the news recently commenting about what Levi was saying about them and Bristol, the baby's mother. They make their own news, they should suck it up.

They should look in a mirror before they point fingers. So much of what they tried to paint of their family during the last few months of the campaign and since was based on lies and half truths.

[winstonian22]

It would nice of him to speak out now..but he just won't do that will he. He's too important.

[ppp1604]

High Priestess Sarah Palin holds herself out as being a good parent. A purveyor of Republican Family value. One of the values is not having sex before you get married. Not to get knocked up before you are 18. Fact: Palin's daughter got knocked up before she married and while under age. Now where was Palin while this young girl was developing her "values"?

Republican pundits Appeal To Pity, Appeal to Sympathy to try and make their arguments! Please feel sorry for the High Priestess of Crap and maybe you won't criticize her. Why, you may even start to agree with her. Gain agreement by sympathy and pity. Appeal to Pity uses "values" (perceived or otherwise) as emotional levers to gain compliance. This can be particularly powerful, as it is a strong social force, it is about 'being good' and can easily lead to further commitment.

Her daughter Bristol got knocked up while unmarried and underage. Could better parenting have prevented this? Is this result a reflection of Palin's parenting skills ?

Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. John Adams…..

[jesselee26]

sorry, unlike palin, obama is a little too busy GOVERNING to worry about the late night jokes.

[MsWillis]

Apparently he was "governing" when he went on the tonight show.

[winstonian22]

And insulted retards.

[dcjdjay]

He was using the Tonight Show as a forum to communicate to Americans. And the last time I checked, most Americans were only too happy to see their President on the Tonight Show. And even if he was just having a good time, why on earth should he - or anyone else - give a damn about Sarah Palin and her brood.

[hrholmes]

Here's some inconvenient facts from the Palin thread from mmmdounuts;

#1) Isn't accusing legislators of worrying about future runs for office projection from a woman who spends more time away from her state than in it during an economic meltdown?

#2) He wasn't talking about Willow and she knows it.

#3) When Obama said "stay away from family" he was defending Palin, not himself. He said that after the media accused his campaign of spreading the rumor that Bristol Palin was pregnant.

Unfortunatley for repug fambly values Bristol was pregnant and was paraded around by Sarah and the McCain campaign along with the self proclaimed redneck kid that performed the deed. At least Levy was smart enough to leave that scene.

[sherifffruitfly]

poutrage. Call the wahmbulance.

[Jond0]

Glassjaw from Moosejaw.

[Opygollopy]

What planet do these people come from. Will someone step up to the plate and shut down Fox news. they are going to get the basest of people so enraged that Potus would or could be in danger. What is the matter with these people, are they nuts. I am at the point that every time I hear Hannity/O'Reilly/Rush/Palin and the rest talk, I have to take an antacid tablet. These people are so desperate for attention, they will say, do or try anything to get their faces smeared all over the media.

Hannity and O'Reilly are even worse than Rush and I thought that was impossible. I'll take my Rolaid now.

[winstonian22]

Do you take an antacid when you read about how Fox's ratings during Sean Hannity's hours are more than MSNBC and CNN combined?

[kernel85]

H.L. Mencken said that no one ever went broke underestimating the poor taste or intelligence of the American public.

[pattyg77]

...most people know by now that Rush gets his rating because his program is aired in a larger medium that reaches more people all for "free" & that allows them to get more advertisers & more listeners at a much cheaper price than the other stations that are more "sane"....AND most of the cable companies have Fox & CNN on a lower tier (lower price) scale....thus their ratings appear to be something not exactly true...stations like MSNBC are on higher tier (more pricey to view) I know this to be true because even while on vacation in hotel where I stayed, MSNBC was not even a choice we could watch because it was not included in the cable line-up. I have since heard about other hotels that do not include MSNBC as one of the cable choices...so some people would listen more to to MSNBC but because of economic reasons, having to pay more to watch MSNBC some just watch whatever is available to them for a cheaper price.

[cjger]

It's a Contest! Who can be more outrageously inappropriate. Letterman who makes a lame, bad-taste joke about a Palin daughter on an entertainment show or S.E. Cupp who makes absurd accusations on a show purported to be news and analysis? Umm. Cupp wins. Not close.

One more thing. Where does Faux News get all these air-headed women -- glamorous, coiffed to the max, and ready to spout the Murdoch company orthodoxy? My answer: from the streets. They do a service to the dignity of women by getting the poor girls off the street corner and into TV jobs saying what the company wants. Sure beats that other job.

Maybe not.

[hrholmes]

It is also the reason that the unemployment rate of hot chicks is zero! Here honeycakes, can you read this to the camera? lol

[Jond0]

She is hot, but I can't stand listening to her...

[garyc4]

Don't these morons know how stupid they sound to the other 80%?

[ppp1604]

High Priestess Sarah Palin holds herself out as being a good parent. A purveyor of Republican Family value. One of the values is not having sex before you get married. Not to get knocked up before you are 18. Fact: Palin's daughter got knocked up before she married and while under age. Now where was Palin while this young girl was developing her "values"?

Republican pundits Appeal To Pity, Appeal to Sympathy to try and make their arguments! Please feel sorry for the High Priestess of Crap and maybe you won't criticize her. Why, you may even start to agree with her. Gain agreement by sympathy and pity. Appeal to Pity uses "values" (perceived or otherwise) as emotional levers to gain compliance. This can be particularly powerful, as it is a strong social force, it is about 'being good' and can easily lead to further commitment.

Her daughter Bristol got knocked up while unmarried and underage. Could better parenting have prevented this? Is this result a reflection of Palin's parenting skills

Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. John Adams…..

[me again]

Who prints this idiots drivel? This pair of harpies are espousing fiction.

[kandlefly]

What a couple of MORONS. What Planet are these people from.

[MsWillis]

One of those "morons" has a law degree. You may not agree with them, but issuing personal attacks against those with an opposing view does not make a case.

[Jond0]

Most lawyers are morons. Having a degree can't save you from that, it only protects you from other morons who thinks it makes a difference.

Many legislators are lawyers, ever met one of them?

[MaryK2924]

No matter how silly the opposing view is.

[iluvwhtchix]

A law degree doesn't equate to wisdom or common sense.

[Tear59]

O M G you have to be kidding me! Do they think they can say any thing and we the people will agree no mater how stupid it is!

LMAO

[doublels]

yes, i believe they do

[MaryK2924]

Because there is an ever shrinking group of people that do, but it is shrinking, thank goodness.

[Jond0]

If it repeated over and over, doesn't that make it true?

[Saidas]

Of course Obama is at fault for Letterman's jokes. He is also responsible for the Israel/Palestine problem, India/Pakistan problem, Peak Oil, global warming, AIDES, Darfur, US economic meltdown, poverty, hunger, and all crime everywhere.

[Crissy Patters]

You know what is sad, other than Aides, PO has been blamed for everything else on your list.

[Jond0]

Don't forget illegal immigration and racism!

[winstonian22]

This is no differnet than BUsh getting the blame for every world problem. Get over it.

[jordan3189]

Doesn't she know by now, everything is bush's fault.

[Jond0]

Quite rightly, many of our current problems are B43's fault! What really did he accomplish in 8 years besides destruction?

[rockyersocksoff]

Keep up the fake outrage, Righties, because as long as you do, the phrases "slutty flight attendant" and "knocked up teen daughter" continue to stick to your gal Sarah like tar and feathers!