As NewsBusters revealed Wednesday, Martin Bashir has resigned from MSNBC due to vile comments he made in November about former Alaska governor Sarah Palin first reported here.
Palin responded on Thursday's Fox & Friends saying amongst other things, "I just hope that unprovoked attacks like that don't result in people being hesitant to jump in the arena anyway, to get out there and serve the public or, you know, start a business, or really commit themselves to changing within their family, their community, their world, doing whatever that they can, despite the fact that in this world, you are going to be hurt and attacks will come your way" (video follows with transcript and absolutely no need for additional commentary):
STEVE DOOCY, CO-HOST: In the meantime, we turn to the former governor of the great state, the great big state of Alaska, Governor Sarah Palin. Good morning.
SARAH PALIN: Thanks for letting me be here. Appreciate you guys. Thanks.
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST: You know, it's interesting today with the news of Martin Bashir resigning post an apology, sort of a three-week missing time from television. And we want to talk about your book "Good Tidings" in this segment. You say something here that I think is applicable to Martin Bashir. You said, “If you live and love this world, you will be hurt.
PALIN: Oh, yeah.
HASSELBECK: Obviously his comments were hurtful and wrong. Do you think resigning is enough? He did apologize. He resigned instead of being fired. Is that enough? What's your reaction to that news?
PALIN: My role is to accept his apology and be humble enough to, you know, accept it and move on. But I just hope that unprovoked attacks like that don't result in people being hesitant to jump in the arena anyway, to get out there and serve the public or, you know, start a business, or really commit themselves to changing within their family, their community, their world, doing whatever that they can, despite the fact that in this world, you are going to be hurt and attacks will come your way. I just hope that an attack like that doesn't make people hesitate.
DOOCY: You know, one of the things about his attack is it was scripted. It was premeditated. We've all said things on TV when we're ad-libbing.
BRIAN KILMEADE, CO-HOST: Not me, but go ahead.
DOOCY: It didn’t come out exactly right. But this was, you know, the people at NBC had a chance to review it and they obviously or apparently all agreed. And rather than fire him, they let him resign.
KILMEADE: After weeks.
PALIN: Well, it was refreshing to see, though, that many in the media did come out and say, look, our standards have got to be higher than this. Those with that platform, with a microphone, a camera in their face, they have to have more responsibility taken.
KILMEADE: Governor, think about this: if Governor Palin from six years ago was attacked like this, would you have reacted differently? How have you changed being that this was not new?
PALIN: Oh, well, at this point I'm used to it. That's kind of a sad state of affairs too to have to admit that I am used to it. You know, after five years of this kind of stuff, some of that oomph kind of gets knocked out of you a little bit. So six years ago I probably would have been personally hurt by such an attack. Now, no, I look at it as it’s kind of par for the course, and just again, hoping that that doesn't make those who have not yet been under attack like that hesitate to try to get out there anyway and try to change the world.
HASSELBECK: That’s a good message.
DOOCY: Unfortunately, there’s a double standard with conservatives, and in particular, conservative women, wouldn't you feel?
PALIN: Oh sure, that's obvious, that’s obvious. And as I've said before, I think the target of the attack is usually more significant than what the attack, the articulated words used actually are. And that's, that’s part of that double standard.
KILMEADE: Right.
HASSELBECK: Did you hear from the National Organization for Women?
PALIN: Haven't heard from one feminist.
KILMEADE: Did you check your voice mail? Did you think there was nothing?
PALIN: [Laughs]
HASSELBECK: I'm sure they're getting to it.
PALIN: Yeah.
KILMEADE: So Governor, the whole thing you were able to shake it off, the fact that he resigned, your main point you want to get out is people should go out and give their opinion, but stop with the personal attacks. How is that ever going to benefit you?
PALIN: Well, that's very true. This, of course, some of the attacks go beyond the personal attacks. As I’ve said, too, though Brian, when it comes to me personally, I do feel like I can handle it. I feel kind of callused, and, but not in a bad way. But heaven forbid a Martin Bashir or anybody else come out against somebody who cannot defend themselves and perhaps aren’t…
KILMEADE: Then you'll go.
PALIN: I'll go ballistic on that person, absolutely. Gloves are off. Heels are on, I’ll, then I’ll really say what I want to say.
