Letterman's jokes about Sarah Palin and her daughters (and Eliot Spitzer and Alex Rodriguez) were right on the line of appropriateness, maybe over. I can understand why some might find them sexist but I disagree that Palin deserves some sort of safety net because of the "all pretty women are stupid" stereotype. Sarah Palin has proven repeatedly her lack of knowledge about a wide range of topics while insisting that she is qualified for high political office. Likewise, she has no qualms about attacking anyone who does not adhere to her political views. Whether it's liberals "palling around with terrorists", or leading the nation to "socialism", she has been one of the GOP's toughest attack dogs.

John McCain's comment that the Palins deserve some sort of special protection against late night comedians was rich given his awful comments about Chelsea Clinton in the 1990s.

As for her children, she dragged her minor daughter who was pregnant by her boyfriend into the national spotlight as a poster child for ... well, for what? Keeping the baby? We found out later Todd tried to prevent the marriage by offering his daughter a car. Now, Bristol is 18, a single mom, a national spokesperson against teen pregnancies, and thus a public person. She gives interviews to national magazines, appears on television and at seminars. Yet she demands protection against jokes by late night comedians? Eight years he left office, Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky still suffer occasional shots from Letterman and other comics. Has anyone heard Bill or Monica complaining?

If you want to protect your children, then do so. Don't use them as political props and then object to the damage you have done.

The Palins dragged their Down Syndrome baby all over the country like some badge of honor ("See? I am the mother of a disabled baby."). Is that protecting your child?

The Palins are an example of how not to protect your children from the prying eyes of the media.

Also, in her statement that Letterman read Wednesday night was a familiar phrase, "Hollywood and New York entertainers." Purposely or not, Palin used an old code phrase that means "Jews," which is funny because none of the major late night comedians is Jewish.

In the end and as usual, the Republicants can dish the dirt but can't take it. They attack someone's patriotism or religious and political beliefs in the most vicious terms imaginable, but make a few bawdy jokes and watch them whine.

Must give you credit for this article. With what I have heard from the liberal side on these horrible statements from Letterman, it took some courage for a liberal writer to put these thoughts out for others to see. The statement from Mr. Palin was very mild compared to the rant letterman would have heard from my husband if this had been said about either of my daughters, or myself.

There is one reason and one reason only that anyone, anywhere, ever heard the words "Sarah Palin" - is because she is attractive and has learned to mouth the korrect neocon phraseology, albeit in a mangled sub-moronic way.

15 seconds after she loses her looks, which I pray will happen soon, she will be forgotten. Just like the blond on Friends.

Sometimes, sexism can be a good thing.

David Letterman is a good man. Get off his case.

misogyny?

you are joking, right?

are women THAT delicate? Do women NEVER put down men?

really, just quit it already, feminism is dying because of feminist writers' blockheaded ignorance.

Now that you mention it, you are shrill and humorless. You're demanding pc protection from any comment on looks by any man about any woman.

From my point of view, once a woman uses her looks to advance herself, she's fair game. Palin most certainly has used her slutty flight attendant look for her own personal gain.

Just another example of a hypocritical feminist wanting to have her cake and eat it to.

As for Rush Limbaugh and his fellow jerks being immune from gender based comments, who are you kidding? Are you blind, or just an outright liar?

I can't count the times I've read (or heard) comments that refer to Rush not being able to see his winkie below his gut, much less the oft-repeated assertion that he has to be compensating for the tiny size of his manhood. Same for Hannity, etc. O'Reilly takes tons of crap for trying to use his power and money for sexual access. Cost him millions of dollars, too. Not to mention the crap Bill Clinton has taken because he likes a little bit on the side.

Whether I think Rush is a tiny dicked cowardly freak is immaterial. Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander: just another whiny, humorless rant from a dishonest professional victim.

I agree with Letterman. The flight attendant crack was funny.

This feminist hypocrisy?

Good God! Even on something like THIS, some Salon posters are so hateful themselves toward Palin and conservatives that they are willing, even eager, to trot out their hoary jibes and snotty putdowns instead of facing up to the plain truth: Letterman was out of line, and we progressives need to have the balls to say so. I cannot stand Sarah Palin's ideas or dumbass commentaries, but that in no way excuses the crap and the nastiness of a man who's become a sad shadow of his former self.

This bullshit about calling women "slutty" and finding it hilarious to suggest a young woman during a baseball game--no matter who the girl is--will easily allow A-Rod to screw her in her mother's company just cannot be defended or justified.

The article is right, and if anything much too kind to ole rambunctious Dave. This man began his downward slide into bitterness and meanness when early in the campaign he used Sen. Clinton as a punching bag every goddamned night. Then he moved on to Palin. There's something wrong going on with him; watch how SLUTTY he acts towards nearly every attractive female guest these days. This is not a man to defend, especially when he says really rotten mean things about people he dislikes like Palin.

And if this kind of crap isn't misyogny, then we're not ever going to see anythng that is.