There was one awkward moment during the seventh inning stretch. Her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez.
It turns out that Letterman hadn't bothered to find out which daughter was with the Governor. It was her 14 year old daughter who was in New York. The 18 year old daughter and recent mother was back in Alaska. The Palin's, both Sarah and her husband demanded an apology. Letterman sort of responded, admitting that it was a cheap shot, trying to clarify that he didn't mean the daughter who was actually at the game, and taking an additional cheap shot at the Governor's clothing.
Even if we take Letterman at his word that he was too clueless to find out which daughter he was holding up to national ridicule, this is still part of a troubling double standard.
During the Clinton years and again under Obama it is clearly understood that jokes about the presidential daughters are off-limits. Even a year ago it was considered out of bounds to ask a 28-year-old Chelsea Clinton about her father's affair.
In contrast, before they turned 21 the Bush twins were regularly ridiculed (granted they, like most college students, were engaging in under-age drinking). Now Letterman is justifying jokes that imply that an 18 year old girl will have sex with strangers because she became a mother at the age of 17. Letterman would never have made this joke about the daughter of a liberal.
To their credit, the NOW has condemned Letterman, both for his joke about Palin's daughter and for his joke about Sarah's wardrobe.
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