(Anonymous)
I'm actually really against anyone attacking or mocking her children, in general. You can argue that Bristol Palin is news, and I think she was. But making them the punchlines of jokes...even if it has been Bristol, it wouldn't have been right. Because whatever you think of Sarah Palin, her children are off-limits. They don't drive policy, they are not in control, and life as a kid is hard enough without being a punchline on Letterman.
(And I really hope the Obama girls are protected in this way. It's horrifying to think of what people are going to say about them. The Bush twins shouldn't have been treated this way, Chelsea Clinton shouldn't...children should be off-limits.)
As for the slut remark, isn't there enough we can hate Sarah Palin for without going into outright falsehoods? Although I do wonder if calling her a slut is roughly equivalent to calling McCain an asshole -- it's not a provable insult, but it's a rough shorthand for "despicable, lowlife person". In the context, Letterman's being trashy, but I wonder if, in just saying "Sarah Palin? That slut!", if we're actually implying she's a slut, or if it's just gender-segregated shorthand... -Rachel
(And I really hope the Obama girls are protected in this way. It's horrifying to think of what people are going to say about them. The Bush twins shouldn't have been treated this way, Chelsea Clinton shouldn't...children should be off-limits.)
As for the slut remark, isn't there enough we can hate Sarah Palin for without going into outright falsehoods? Although I do wonder if calling her a slut is roughly equivalent to calling McCain an asshole -- it's not a provable insult, but it's a rough shorthand for "despicable, lowlife person". In the context, Letterman's being trashy, but I wonder if, in just saying "Sarah Palin? That slut!", if we're actually implying she's a slut, or if it's just gender-segregated shorthand... -Rachel