CBS Blasts Palin in Ridiculous ‘Scandal’ Segment

Recent earthquake activity in Alaska provided “CBS Early Show” co-hosts with a ready-made metaphor for a segment on the personal lives of some of the those surrounding Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. But their quake turned out to be barely a ripple.

Hosts Harry Smith and Maggie Rodriguez couldn’t contain their smirks as they introduced the piece. “There's been an earthquake rumbling outside Anchorage, but there is some other rumblings, as well, near Wasilla,” Smith snickered. “Oh, indeed,” Rodriguez chimed in with her eyebrows raised. “Sarah Palin says that she is focused on one thing, governing Alaska. But it has been hard to dodge the negative headlines swirling around her friends and family. Some real doozies.”

Levi Johnston, Bristol Palin’s ex fiancée and father of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s grandson, was interviewed on the Tyra Banks show. Questioned by Banks, Johnston said “I’m pretty sure she [Gov. Palin] probably knew” he and Bristol were sexually active.” Then (perhaps momentarily forgetting that there was living proof to the contrary) he tried to maintain that the two had “always” practiced safe sex. After several prompts from Banks, he reluctantly admitted it was only “most of the time.”

To “Early Show” reporter Hattie Kaufman the teenager’s alternately uncertain and untrue statements were enough to launch a further assault on the liberal media’s favorite target: former GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

“The second piece of bad news also hit close to home,” Kauffman said. “Here in Wasilla, Sarah Palin’s sister-in-law was arrested and charged with felony burglary.” Kauffman’s “exclusive interview” with the burglary victim revealed that Palin’s relative was the “coolest woman you’ve ever saw in your life.”  Kauffman didn’t elaborate on who the sister-in-law is or how close or distant her personal relationship with the governor may be.

“Add to the personal drama, a political hit from John McCain,” Kauffman fretted. “Palin's former running mate hedged on endorsing her in 2012. But with an approval rating over 60 percent here, Sarah Palin is not out in the cold.”

That last sentence was a half-hearted effort to save the segment from total negative bias against Palin and her family. The bias is hardly surprising. As the Culture and Media institute chronicled in a Special Report, the Palin withstood a fierce assault from the media during the 2008 presidential campaign.

“Never seems to end, huh guys?” Rodriguez said to her grinning colleagues at the close of the segment.

Let’s see: a slimy interview with a confused and untruthful adolescent; a chance to link Palin to a criminal; and the non-endorsement of a notoriously inconstant “maverick” politician. What never seem to end are the many, sleazy and ridiculous attacks on Sarah Palin.