Letterman apologizes for joke, but Palin supporters vow to continue fight

Under fire for a risque joke last week, David Letterman has apologized to Gov. Sarah Palin and her supporters. But a group urging CBS to fire the host says it's still not enough. 

On CBS' "Late Show" tonight, Letterman says he's sorry about a monologue earlier this month in which he joked that New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez impregnated Palin's daughter during a game. Letterman has said he intended the joke to be in reference to Palin's 18-year-old daughter Bristol, but Gov. Palin actually attended the game with her 14-year-old daughter Willow. Some critics have accused Letterman of joking about statutory rape.

"I told a bad joke," Letterman told viewers at an afternoon taping. "I told a joke that was beyond flawed, and my intent is completely meaningless compared to the perception.  And since it was a joke I told, I feel that I need to do the right thing here and apologize for having told that joke.  It's not your fault that it was misunderstood, it's my fault."

He concluded, "I'm sorry about it and I'll try to do better in the future."

However, the Los Angeles talk radio host behind the group firedavidletterman.com told The Times that Letterman's apology falls short.

"I'm glad he's acknowledged we're right," said John Ziegler, a creator of the film "Media Malpractice: How Obama Got Elected and Palin Was Targeted" and who this month began a new show on KGIL. "I think it's a good first step in the right direction, but I don't think it's enough." Part of the problem, he added, is that Letterman made a "horrendous attempt at an apology" last week, when he devoted several relatively light-hearted minutes to the controversy, invited Palin on his program and repeated the joke.  

Ziegler said he was not sure what sanction Letterman should face, but options should include suspension and firing. The host could also donate to a charity of Gov. Palin's choice, he said. Meanwhile, the group is still planning a rally Tuesday outside the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York, where Letterman tapes his show.

CBS did not respond to a request for comment beyond Letterman's remarks.

-Scott Collins  

Comments

[sd]

John Ziegler's program on 640AM is a political bore. He has a problem with entertainment comedians. I wish he would be more tolerant to the people who bring a little joy and laugh to our lives. Maybe Letterman went a little bit over the roof. But it still was funny and he apologized. It is OK to criticize Letterman, but do not request Lettermans firing. I have a strong feeling that Ziegler is trying to boost his own ratings.

[donz]

There's no evidence that's come to light that has established Willow actually _at_ the game last week. Every contemporary article and all images published on the web describe and include just the Palin and Giuliani spouses. No sign whatsoever of Willow.

[Mike]

The people who want Letterman fired would prove themselves not hypocrites if they were to start a website firerushlimbaugh.com for all his derogatory comments regarding Chelsea Clinton when she was underage.

[Chuck]

Too little, too late.

[ManO'theHour]

Sure Letterman screwed up big time but the man apologized and will try to do better in the future. Much like everybody else when we made our stupid mistakes at one point in our lives and promised to do better in our job, our family, our relationship. Would you rather be fired from your job, kicked out of the house and divorced by your spouse for a non-sense, stupid, low-brow, ill-thought jokes? Aren't we entitled for the second chance?

[lisa]

Let's hope they do, and continue to expose this woman for the joke she really is. If she has a brain, she would tell the retarded supporters to back off and stop making her look bad.

[ophu]

For those who want revenge, an apology will not be enough. For those who want justice, justice has been met. After all, Governor Palin has yet to be fired for her misdeeds while in office--such is the standard of justice in this country.

[blue-eyed son]

what ever happened to the first ammendment? much worse has been said and less hub bub made about it. this is just another manufactured drama by palin supporters. most of us, are still hoping that she'll just fade away into obscurity.

[musicdelite]

perhaps we should hang Letterman by his Ba++s in the coutyard and have everyone spit on him...Would that be enough?? It was a bad JOKE.....Nothing more. Move on already

[mt]

It was a bad joke, it was not statutory rape. Let's not make it more than it was, a bad joke, one that should not been said or repeated.

How many times do we need to say, I'm sorry it was a bad joke? Are we making it into something it is not? Many people on radio & TV should not say some of the things they do say.

Sarah Palin, as a mother, can be upset & voice it but to claim statutory rape goes beyond being a mother and becomes a player in some high stake game she has started.

It's time to put an end to this, there are many things going on in the world worth paying attention to, this is not one of them.

[Lolawell]

ok. he now has apologized so let's move on and let joke continue to be a clown and entertain us. Maybe now Sarah will get more respect by the media.

[Downwithparties]

Her supporters are going too far. Fired over a joke? When in history has that ever happened to a TV host? You guys are out of your minds! Who the hell does Sarah Palin and her followers think they are? God help us all if this if this backwards inbred moronic idiot of a woman becomes President.

Oh and really Sarah Palin, how about you apologize for being a bad parent and letting her underage daughter get pregnant. What kind of example of parenting is that? Sarah Palin is a disgrace to mothers everywhere!

[Carol T. from Burbank]

Shame on Letterman for getting this vile woman's name back in the news. She is beyond ready for benign neglect. Enough already!!!

[jburg]

Though I do agree that perhaps Letterman's joke was inappropriate and over the line two thoughts occur to me. One, he did apologize which does not undo the harm to Palin's daughter but was at least the right thing to do and an act of courage that many do not have when it is the right thing to do.

And, second, if anyone were to actually read the speech that Sara Palin gave when she was introduced to the world as John McCain's running mate, and were to read it without the blinders that lead some to defend at any cost anything said by their own party and to criticize anything said by the opposing party, there is absolutely no question that she was not only negative, but vile in her attacks, and not ethical enough to resist wallowing in the gutter with her "criticism" through disgusting and unsupported innuendo. It was dirty, below the belt and certainly unbecoming of anyone who actually has the audacity to call herself a Christian while allowing herself to stoop to such a disgraceful level.

But, David Letterman overstepped and apologized. Sarah threw mud with no sense of shame. Who will God judge the more contemptible?

[D.Woodward Van Nuys.]

ENOUGH ! Mr Letterman apoligezed,But the Stupid Palin people keep running it into the ground.I think in the end that Sarah Palin and her stupid supporters are going to make total fools of themselves.

[Bob]

Even if Dave said sorry the joke was still really funny.

[Robert Browne]

Letterman has already apologized twice too many times. His joke may have been tasteless, but he's certainly not the first comedian -- I repeat, comedian -- to tell a tasteless joke.

Were Letterman, say, running for Vice President and lying flat-out that his opponent pals around with terrorists and ignoring death threats shouted out against that opponent, then he might have something apologize for.

If he were, say, running for Vice President and he trotted out his kids at every opportunity to show what a family man he is, while pushing policies that are anti-family and anti-civil rights, then he might have something to apologize for.

But Letterman is, again, a comedian. He told a tasteless joke. The only one who needs to apologize is the person who is so crassly exploiting that tasteless joke for political gain.

Resist the pressure, David. We've put those ugly years behind us.

[Donna H.]

Oh, yeah, Ziegler, the guy who's trying to make a living off of Palin; first he made a film about her, and now he's trying to promote it by being outraged on her behalf. Because he's obviously not outraged on behalf of rape victims. If he were, he'd be planning his rally at the office of the Alaskan governor, who showed her true feelings about rape victims when she, as mayor, changed Wasilla's budget and approved making rape victims pay the $500-$1200 cost for an evidence kit (http://tinyurl.com/4vu7z7). That's like the victims having to pay the police to take fingerprints in a robbery or murder. Her behavior in doing that is reprehensible, and her pretense of standing up to David Letterman on behalf of American women is revolting.

[Karmin]

Palin and her people don't get to pick and choose our rights. As long as she has the right to bear arms and murder wolves, I don't see why our freedom of speech should be null. Get over it.

[Annie]

That David Letterman is being forced to apologize for a JOKE, while right-wing talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, and Glenn Beck incite their listeners to commit acts of violence with impunity is as perfect illustration of what is wrong with American society today. No one uses any higher level thinking skills to analyze what they hear. Palin has whined loud and long about the insult to her daughter, loud enough and long enough to get CBS advertisers' attention. The joke was not in good taste, but it is VERY different from Imus' "nappy-headed hos" remark Palin has paraded her entire family in front of the TV cameras in all kinds of places, not just on the campaign trail. Bristol herself has put herself out there as a sex spokesperson. MEANWHILE, the lunatic fringe is being stoked into action by the remarks of Malkin, Coulter, Beck, Hannity, O'Reilly, Limbaugh, and the like. I doubt anyone ever considered "knocking up" Palin's daughter as a result of Letterman's joke, but every week we see another example of violence WITH GUNS as a result of those who stir up hatred and division in the name of entertainment and news. Wake up, Americans, start using your brains and quit letting Rush Limbaugh think for you!