Thread: David Letterman

I find it interesting that some posters think this is politically motivated. How many who think this have kids? And of those who have kids how many would allow someone to drag their name through the mud?

I for one think Palin did the right thing and further more, she accepted Lettermans apology with no further action needed or asked for by Palin. That is classy. I would've done the same thing.

Every single public action by a politician is going to relate, either negatively or positively, to their career in the public service. A governor and former Vice Presidential candidate has teams of people who handle the bulk of the PR and the majority of the thinking (especially in Palin's case). In this situation, she and her team decided, largely due to Letterman's apparent mistake, that they would publicly denounce a dumb little joke of his. Why? Because it's a hot-button issue and she's looking to drum up the public support she lacked in the last election. The Palin team saw an opening and struck, gambling that public opinion was going to be largely on her side.

I'm sure Palin was personally very unhappy to hear her daughter(s) joked about, but this was certainly a choice battle for her.

Originally Posted by Blade Wielder

Every single public action by a politician is going to relate, either negatively or positively, to their career in the public service. A governor and former Vice Presidential candidate has teams of people who handle the bulk of the PR and the majority of the thinking (especially in Palin's case). In this situation, she and her team decided, largely due to Letterman's apparent mistake, that they would publicly denounce a dumb little joke of his. Why? Because it's a hot-button issue and she's looking to drum up the public support she lacked in the last election. The Palin team saw an opening and struck, gambling that public opinion was going to be largely on her side.

I'm sure Palin was personally very unhappy to hear her daughter(s) joked about, but this was certainly a choice battle for her.

You make it sound as if she cares more for her political career than her own children. Have we all grown so callous? and you BW, you're too young to be so callous.

No-no, I'm certain she cares deeply for her children, as any parent would; I'm just saying, as a public figure, everything you do is under the microscope. Before Palin took the job as McCain's running mate, as governor, and even as a mayor in Alaska, she knew that her entire family's lives were going to be altered. Since then, as all public figures do, she's had to learn to pick her battles. We just watched her pick one...publicly.

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

ah, so there are two people to blame! the plot thickens!

Whoever sent me the following note in reply:

Palin and her husband?

I gotta say that is pretty funny but not exactly what I was thinking

I agree 100% with those who say that kids should be off limits. My wife gets those assinine celebreity magazines (US weekly, etc) from her mother. The paparazi shots **** me off, but when it's somone out with their kids...it makes me want to do things to those photographers the very mention of which would put me in counseling.

So....what if it WAS the 18 year old? She is still Palin's daughter, though an adult, right? She IS the unwed single mother of an abstinence only right wing conservative. Is THAT unfair joke material?

Originally Posted by smokelaw1

I agree 100% with those who say that kids should be off limits. My wife gets those assinine celebreity magazines (US weekly, etc) from her mother. The paparazi shots **** me off, but when it's somone out with their kids...it makes me want to do things to those photographers the very mention of which would put me in counseling.

So....what if it WAS the 18 year old? She is still Palin's daughter, though an adult, right? She IS the unwed single mother of an abstinence only right wing conservative. Is THAT unfair joke material?

Yeah, those magazines are pretty sickening. I think the whole celebrity-stalking culture of TMZ and others is horrible. But those guys invade a person's personal space and are often very confrontational, while a joke on a late program is just...a joke.

I think Letterman and others should leave the children of celebrities and public figures out of their monologue jokes as a general rule. Since they're not the ones who sought a public life, it's not fair to drag them into the spotlight like that. Plus, they're kids! This is why Palin's reaction was so overblown, in my opinion. She's a woman with long term political ambitions, and yet she resorted to a public face off with a comedian over a little joke, complaining that he was advocating statutory rape. Pretty overblown.

Imagine if Bill Clinton or George W. had made a fuss every time someone made a monologue joke about them or their families!

I really think that the children of politicians should be off limits to comedians and political commentators. I thought it was really low class when Limbaugh made fun of Chelsie Clinton, and it's really low class when Letterman makes fun of Palin's daughter (over 18 or not).

Make fun of Palin or Obama all you want. That's why they hold office, as far as I'm concerned, so we can throw pies at 'em.

Originally Posted by mhailey

Black's Law Dictionary:

Lible: "A method of defamation expressed by print, writing, prictures or signs. In its most general sense, any publication that is injurious to the reputation of another. A false and unprivileged publication in writing a defmatory materal. (INSERT CITATIONS HERE) A maliciously written or printed publication which tends to blacken a person's reputation or to expose him to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule, or to injury him in his business or profession."

Loss of business is not a prerequisite for a libel suit, and I doubt a suit from Bristol/Willow would be dismissed under a 12(b) motion or summary judgment.

I think Black's spells it "libel", but there is always room for local color . What you have cited there is a dictionary definition, not a legal cause of action. And even if you have a sufficient cause of action, these cases are notoriously difficult to win in the U.S. (something to do with the 1st Amendt ... ), which is why so many Americans are now forum shopping and suing in England under that country's more permissive laws/less protected freedom of speech.

Originally Posted by JMS

That is classy. I would've done the same thing.

That makes you classy, JMS. Even if you do say so yourself.