Palin Was An Eyesore From The Word 'Go'

CLEVELAND - As Sarah Palin stepped down as governor of Alaska yesterday, America was given temporary relief from the train wreck that was forced upon us 11 months ago.

Notice I said, "temporary."

Palin proved herself to be a joke once again by quitting her job in the middle of her term. Her explanations for the sudden move painted her choice as an upstanding and selfless decision. She said that she can now "fight even harder for [us], for what is right and what is truth."

Um, sure.

Lt. governor Sean Parnell took over the reigns as Palin's successor and with his swearing in, us unwilling victims of the year-long Palin soap opera finally caught our breaths. Her entrance into the national spotlight as Sen. John McCain's vice-presidential running mate in August 2008 was an endless and overblown saga. She went from being a national unknown to a popular fixation, then became a seemingly clueless laughingstock who was famously lampooned by actress/comic Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live. Since then, she's been a media whore.

While it is true that Palin turned heads with her sexy, naughty schoolteacher appearance, she was actually an eyesore in the proverbial sense from Day One. She initially seemed like eye candy, cleverly recruited by McCain and his team to capitalize on the millions of saddened Hillary Clinton supporters who only had Barack Obama to turn to as their choice for president after Clinton lost the democratic nomination. McCain was hoping to convert them to Republicans by utilizing Palin's appeal as a tough-as-nails woman who had a large family and was an advocate of many issues pertinent to middle America.

Soon after her meteoric rise to fame, it became obvious that she was in over her head as a vice-presidential candidate. She began to seem like a vacuous, yet witty and well rehearsed caricature of a modern day Kelly Bundy. Then there was the business of her 17-year old, pregnant daughter Bristol who was heavily attacked in the media. When McCain lost the election, Palin really began to experience a backlash from those inside the GOP. Many felt that it was her cluelessness that led to McCain's defeat, and rightly so in my book.

Once Bristol Palin and her fiance Levi Johnston broke off their wedding engagement earlier this year, the daughter took center stage while Gov. Palin drifted to the background. Bristol was criticized for being an unwed, teenaged mother. Soon after, Johnston began taking to the media to reveal inside details of his time with the Palins as well as his sex life with Bristol. This launched Sarah back into the spotlight as she defended her child and family, but always with her trademark hypocrisy.

Last month, comedian/talk-show host David Letterman drew Palin's ire when he unknowingly made a sexual joke about what turned out to be her 14-year old daughter. Palin raked him over the coals and a national backlash against Letterman ensued and persisted, even after he publicly apologized.

At the end of this 11-month Palin odyssey, I am relieved that she's no longer the governor of Alaska. Maybe now, we can care about our own family instead of being forced to care and respect hers. But I'm no fool. She won't be out of our hair for long.

She wants to be our president in 2012. Yikes!

Letterman-Palin Story Is Grossly Overblown

CLEVELAND - In today's media-filled, Internet everywhere world, everything gets over reported, mega sensationalized and overreacted to. The current public outcry against comedian and talk-show host David Letterman is no different.

Will this story please go away?

Letterman, 62 has been under a maelstrom of controversy for over a week now as a result of a "tasteless" joke he told about Governor Sarah Palin's daughter last week during one of his opening monologues on The Late Show with David Letterman. In the joke, the legendary host referenced a New York Yankees game that the governor attended with her daughter.

Letterman joked that Palin's daughter got knocked up during the game by Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, a comment that has since appalled and disgusted many. As it turns out, Palin was at the game with her 14-year old daughter Willow as opposed to her 18-year old daughter Bristol, who recently gave birth to a child out of wedlock. Letterman apologized, tongue-in-cheek twice last week, then gave a long and more serious mea culpa last night on his show. He has maintained that he incorrectly believed he was telling the joke about the older daughter as opposed to the minor child.

Of course, the holier-than-thou mentality of Sarah Palin has taken center stage since the incident. She has repudiated, denounced and vilified Letterman in the press and has insinuated that he perpetuates sexual abuse of children. She's accused him of making a crude and perverted joke about a child on purpose and has said he's "not to be trusted" around her daughter.

Um, okay.

Palin's righteous indignation is sickening. As a parent, I totally understand her anger and outrage and even though I cross the line into crude and immoral territory constantly on my web series, songs and books, I get that Letterman's humor was over-the-line in this case. It isn't cause to label him as being morally corrupt or a dangerous child sexual predator. It was an error in judgement by a man who has made his living as a comic for some 30 years. In all that time, anyone is bound to have a few foot-in-the-mouth moments.

One of CBS' sponsors have pulled their advertising. There are organizations in place that are calling for Letterman to be fired from his 27-year hosting gig. Really? This is truly not that serious; Don Imus' 2007 misstep was in-line with who he had been for decades. It represented his character and public persona.

This incident is in no way representative of Letterman's character. It doesn't make it right, but it should count for a lot. The man apologized and his offense was certainly not egregious.

Let's be done with this and move on.

Johnston Manipulating Palin Debacle Like a Pro

CLEVELAND - Levi Johnston comes off as something of a dunce. He never seems completely in the moment, nor does he seem particularly bright.

But he's milking his Sarah Palin affiliation for all it's worth.

Johnston, 19 is the father of the Alaska governor's four month old grandson. The former high school hockey player had been engaged to Palin's daughter Bristol until their supposedly mutual break-up last month, but in the weeks since, there have been a steady stream of back-and-forths between the Palins and Johnstons in the media.

Johnston has appeared on Tyra Banks' show and after some prodding by Banks, he admitted to not always practicing safe sex with Bristol. On Larry King Live last night, he reiterated that line and also echoed Bristol's controversial comment about abstinence not always being realistic for teenagers.

Gov. Palin has repudiated Johnston's claims and dispelled any notion that he and her daughter engaged in any sexual activity in her home. She's also dismissed his current media appearances as nothing more than a cheap ploy on his part and that he has lied "in a quest for fame."

Funny stuff.

When Gov. Palin was announced as Sen. John McCain's running mate for the U.S. presidency last August, Johnston was presented to all of the world as a super-upstanding guy and he and Bristol were the happiest young couple in the world, all ready to wed and live a life of endless marital bliss. That was the mistake, and Johnston always seemed uneasy anytime he was photographed with Bristol, especially at the high-profile RNC.

After McCain lost the election to President Barack Obama, the wheels really started to come off of this contrived relationship. Bristol gave birth to her and Levi's child a couple days after Christmas and initially proclaimed Levi to be a great dad. Last night, Johnston told King that he barely gets to see the child nowadays.

Johnston has been all over television. He has also been approached to do some modeling and has had a host of other offers. He now has a publicist and is constantly hounded by "people camped outside [his] house." He is simply playing his hand to the fullest as well he should.

After all, he was used as a "symbol" by Palin when she campaigned. It's his turn now.

Bristol Palin's Break-Up Could Be Seen For Miles

CLEVELAND - The train wreck that is the Palin family just continues to crash and burn in front of the entire planet.

Bristol Palin once again looks ridiculous.

Palin, the 18-year old daughter of Alaska governor Sarah Palin is a single mom now. Her now ex-fiancee Levi Johnston announced yesterday that they called off their engagement "a while ago" but he wouldn't disclose any specifics.

He didn't need to.

The young Palin, who gave birth to Johnston's child at the end of December was interviewed on Fox News last month and made their relationship sound peachy keen. She even gave off the impression that the hockey-playing Johnston was thrilled to be a father.

But I saw right through her words.

Ever since Gov. Palin was selected to be Sen. John McCain's presidential running mate last summer, I sensed something woefully inept about the Palin family. Shortly after Palin became an instant spark plug for the GOP, she revealed to the nation her then-underage daughter's pregnancy. Anytime Bristol was shown on television with Johnston, they were always holding hands with her smiling or grinning and Levi wearing a very uneasy expression. The few times he managed a smile, it always seemed forced; very transparent.

And then there was MySpace.

Johnston wrote on his MySpace page that "[he doesn't] want kids." This was around the time that Palin was five months pregnant and her family was still nationally obscure. When her mother became a national fixation in early September, it unexpectedly vaulted Johnston into the spotlight, something he clearly was uncomfortable with.

He needed a way out.

Remember, Bristol is only 18...still a kid herself and a high school student. Levi is only 19. For people that young, marriage and parenthood are enormous burdens to bear. I believe that Johnston stepped back and looked at the big picture once the child was born and their nuptials grew closer (they were scheduled for a summer '09 wedding). High school sex with your girlfriend is great for that moment, but when it morphs into a legal commitment and lifelong obligation, suddenly it becomes scary.

I'm not gloating about their split. I'm only saying that it should come as no surprise. This union was snake bitten from the start and destined to fall apart at the seams. The question now is very simple.

How are the Palins going to spin this?

Bristol Palin: A Bigger Embarrassment Than Her Mom

CLEVELAND - Gov. Sarah Palin was maybe the second biggest reason that Sen. John McCain lost the 2008 Presidential election. Of course the biggest reason was the brilliance of then Sen. Barack Obama but in spite of that, Palin's ineptitude was still very painful at times.

Her oldest daughter is far worse.

That's right. Bristol Palin, the 18-year old offspring of the Alaska governor is fast becoming the poster child for naive, sexually active teenagers. With the recent birth of her first child, the young Palin entered into a galaxy of overwhelming responsibility. On top of her new status as a parent, she's trying to achieve a career by finishing her education.

I see.

Palin took to the airwaves earlier this week, appearing on Fox News for an interview with Greta Van Susteren. She discussed the challenges of young motherhood and admitted to wishing she had "waited 10 years" because it would have been "easier."

Ya don't say.

I admit, for most of the interview, the young woman came off as poised and more mature than her years would indicate. However, her few stumbles were significant. Most glaring was her remark about how abstinence is "not realistic at all" for teens. She had a point, but it made her look like a careless and promiscuous adolescent who was simply "following the crowd" and gettin' loose.

I'm just saying.

To further the train wreck that is the Palin family, the newborn's father, Levi Johnston always seems to be uncomfortable in the spotlight, especially during the RNC this past August. When he and Bristol are seen together, they are always holding hands in a manufactured way, almost as if he has been coached to be overly affectionate with her in public. I'm sure he's really the "hands-on dad" that Bristol says he is, but it all seems too scripted to be completely genuine.

How embarrassing.

Here's my take on the interview; based on what Bristol said (and what she didn't say) coupled with her body language, she is likely in denial about how ill-advised this entire pregnancy was. Johnston, a who-gives-a-damn high school hockey player seems like an obvious loser whom she was probably enamored with or simply thought was cute and couldn't control her 17-year old hormones. Condoms were an afterthought but that behavior would have been too irresponsible for her to admit which is probably why she said, "I don't wanna get into detail about [other reasons why abstinence isn't realistic].

I could be wrong, but I'm probably right on the money.

Gov. Palin has been a staunch supporter of sex-ed, and it reeked of defiance when her daughter said that it "didn't matter what [her] mom's views [on keeping the baby] are on it. It was my decision." It was also irritating hearing Bristol repeatedly say how much easier life would have been if this had come in a decade, rather than now.

She almost seemed like she is entitled to an easy life even though she's carelessly fornicating with high school hockey players and who knows who else.

Disturbing.

I understand that people make mistakes, especially in their teens. But this young woman did it (pardon the pun) on a huge stage. She also did more harm than good in this interview, including furthering several unflattering stereotypes about teens and white women and of course, the Palin family. 

That seems to be an epidemic now.