The 2012 GOP Invisible Primary On Late Night Television

Jay Leno is trying hard this week to get his show back on track with big name guests. Tonight he had Sarah Palin on. While Palin still has not dared to appear on any of the Sunday morning interview shows, she’s always up for some fluff.

Leno kept away from issues to avoid too much embarrassment for Palin. There was one strange exchange in which Leno talked about the media crossing the line to go after her children. Presumably this applies to comedians as well as the news media and I guess a joke such as this is a good example of crossing the line:

Governor Palin announced over the weekend that her 17-year-old unmarried daughter is five months pregnant. Oh, boy, you thought John Edwards was in trouble before, now he’s really done it!

That joke, incidentally, was told by Jay Leno, who told far more jokes about Palin’s children than David Letterman despite all the noise made by the right wing.

Palin naturally had writing on her hand and she even made a lame attempt at stand up comedy. If this was anyone else such an act might be taken as evidence that she does not intend to run for president in the future. Sarah Palin has already made such a gigantic fool out of herself while running for vice president that tonight’s appearance cannot hurt her any more.

Letterman meanwhile countered Palin’s appearance on The Tonight Show by having Mitt Romney on Late Night. Romney warned Dave to be careful of what he says about Sarah Palin because, “She has a rifle, you know.” Personally I think that, instead of inviting Romney on to counter Sarah Palin, Letterman should have invited Tina Fey.

2 Comments

  1. 1
    Conservative Pup says:

    You’re mistaken about Palin not appearing on any “Sunday morning interview shows.”  On Feb. 8, 2010, she appeared with Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday.  Huffington Post said it gave the show it’s best ratings ever, with over 4 million viewers.

  2. 2
    Ron Chusid says:

    While technically you are right, Chris Wallace has a show in an interview format which airs on Sunday, this is not one of the true Sunday morning interview shows which I was referring to. (If I was discussing Sunday interview shows as opposed to late night television I would have been more specific here).

    Fox is essentially a propaganda arm for the Republican Party, not a true news organization. For Palin to appear on a show hosted by Chris Wallace is more like appearing on a Republican infomercial than a true Sunday interview show where she would be pressed to answer questions on the issues.

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