CNN’s Jack Cafferty’s Palin Derangement Syndrome Reaches New Heights

CNN commentator Jack Cafferty, true to his form over the past several weeks, launched another attack on Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Tuesday’s The Situation Room. During his regular "Cafferty File" segment during the 4 pm Eastern hour of the CNN program,he played a clip from the latest interview the Alaska governor did with CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric, in which she partially answered her critics’ questioning of her readiness to be vice president by repeating the list of offices that she has held over the years. After she concluded with her past position of Alaska oil and gas commissioner/regulator, the CNN veteran condescended, "A regulator of oil and gas. How can -- how can anybody, including John McCain, take this woman seriously?... When this is over they all write books. Hers will be titled, ‘How I Committed Political Suicide on the CBS Evening News.’"

When he returned at the end of the hour to read some of the viewer responses to the question, Cafferty read nothing but negative responses to the question, with one exception, and he continued his condescension after reading it. A woman named Trudy wrote, "Within three minutes, you remind me why I don't watch the opinionated news on CNN.... Your condescending attitude towards Sarah Palin is another example of the lock-step Left trying to portray a Republican as less intelligent." Caffery then replied, "Trudy, when it comes to Sarah Palin, that's not much of a reach."

In fact, Cafferty is so eager for the destruction of Sarah Palin’s political career that when he read the viewer responses to his question during the 5 pm Eastern hour, he graphically described his anticipation for the vice-presidential debate on Thursday evening. When a viewer suggested that all three senators on the two main presidential tickets return to Washington, DC to work on the financial bail-out, he quipped in reply, "[A]s long as they don't compromise the debate on Thursday. I would crawl through a barbed wire fence nude to get a seat in front of a TV set for that."

After the commentator read two more viewer responses, substitute anchor John Roberts asked half-jokingly, "You [are] enthusiastic about this debate on Thursday?" Cafferty replied, "I can’t wait! I can’t wait!" Roberts cracked, "It's an interesting visual." That’s the understatement of the month, John.

The full transcript of Jack Cafferty’s Cafferty File segment, which began nine minutes into the 4 pm Eastern hour of Tuesday’s The Situation Room; and the transcript of the viewer replies, which aired 57 minutes into the same hour.

-4:09 pm EDT:

JACK CAFFERTY: Last Friday, we ran a piece of tape from an interview that Governor Sarah Palin did with the CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric. She was asked about the bail-out package. Palin rambled on incoherently for a minute or more, about trade and jobs and health care, and all manner of things except the bailout package. Her answer made no sense at all. That segment of The Cafferty File found its way on to YouTube after the broadcast last Friday. As of about an hour and a half ago, it had received one million, one hundred thousand hits. Well, guess what? She's back. Palin did another interview with Couric. This time, she was asked about the first interview. Check this out:

KATIE COURIC: Governor Palin, since our last interview, you've gotten a lot of flak. Some Republicans have said you're not prepared, you're not ready for prime time. People have questioned your readiness since that interview, and I'm curious to hear your reaction.

SARAH PALIN: Well, not only am I ready, but willing and able to serve as vice president with Senator McCain, if Americans so bless us and privilege us with the opportunity of serving them -- ready with my executive experience as a city mayor and manager, as a governor, as a commissioner/regulator of oil and gas --

CAFFERTY: A regulator of oil and gas. How can -- how can anybody, including John McCain, take this woman seriously? Here's the question: is Sarah Palin helping her chances by continuing to do these (laughs) interviews with Katie Couric? When this is over they all write books. Hers will be titled, 'How I Committed Political Suicide on the CBS Evening News.' Go to CNN.com/CaffertyFile. You can post a comment on my blog. It must be embarrassing on some level to John McCain to have to go around sweeping up after her.

JOHN ROBERTS: I talked to him this morning, and we'll actually play some of that later on today, and he still has full confidence in her and her ability to be president should the need, God forbid, ever arise.

CAFFERTY: I'll bet that's not a true statement.

ROBERTS: Check please. Thanks Jack.

CAFFERTY: (Laughs.)

-4:57 pm EDT:

ROBERTS: Jack Cafferty asked a provocative question earlier this hour. He's back now with some of his responses.

CAFFERTY: Thank you, John. The question this hour: is Sarah Palin helping her chances by continuing to do these awful interviews over there at CBS with Katie Couric? They're -- they're just frightful.

Karen Missouri writes, 'No. She didn't do the interview with Katie Couric. Palin and McCain did the interview with Katie Couric. He didn't let her answer a lot of questions that she was supposed to answer. Palin always sounds the same. She sounds like a wind-up doll. Oil and gas regulator? Excuse me?'

Liz in Tucson [Arizona]: 'I have no doubt she fits right in in Alaska but not the world stage. McCain ought to have not asked her. If she were a sincere and honest person, she would not have accepted the place on the ticket. This was clearly not a decision for the betterment of our country.'

Trudy writes, 'Within three minutes, you remind me why I don't watch the opinionated news on CNN. It's difficult for the Republican Party to run against Obama and the entire broadcast media. Your condescending attitude towards Sarah Palin is another example of the lock-step Left trying to portray a Republican as less intelligent.' Trudy, when it comes to Sarah Palin, that's not much of a reach.

Saar, Tel Aviv, Israel: 'In the 1970s, Bette Midler said it best, and this is what John McCain must believe too. Midler said, "Of course, I have standards. They may be exceedingly low, but I do have standards."'

Kay in Tallahassee: 'I think she made it worse in the second interview. She had to bring Daddy McCain along to help her. She looks like she can't talk to the press on her own.'

Carolyn in New York: 'I agree with you completely. I have never before felt frightened for my country, but the idea of Sarah Palin becoming president is truly beyond belief. John McCain put our national interest in last place when making this selection. Country first? Far from it.'

And Kev writes, 'Katie Couric may very well be saving the U.S, and perhaps the world, from the idiotic words of Sarah Palin. Can you imagine four years of her? I'm not sure she's qualified to be governor of Alaska. It's great, though. You couldn't write this stuff.' Indeed, you couldn't. If you -- she makes Tina Fey look legit.