By now, everyone has heard of the “Letterman/Palin flap.” Mostly, that is, because — as usual — the Wassila Hillbillie won’t shut up about it. Letterman cheerfully admitted his joke was in bad taste (this is news? Bad taste on a late-night comedy show?) and said he probably regretted saying it (along with thousands of other ill-considered jokes that bombed). Amidst all the outrage, a number of things got lost. First off, the joke was directed as much at Alex Rodriguez as it was at an (unidentified) Palin daughter. Second, you may recall that one of Sarah Palin’s daught was, indeed, “knocked up.” This would be the daughter who was trotted out at any number of political functions as a prop. The daughter who was applauded for her “choice” in having and keeping the baby — a choice that Mom works hard to deny to anyone else’s daughter (and, as she admitted, a choice she allowed herself). The daughter who was pushed into an “engagement” that ended about as suddenly as the campaign, much to no one’s surprise.

And, for that matter, despite the usual far-right cries about the “Hollywood/New York elite,” the term “knocked up” is one you’re more likely to hear in — say — the backwarers of Wasilla than midtown Manhattan. Furthermore, the term does not in any way imply rape (statutory or otherwise); in nearly all cases of a girl getting “knocked up,” it’s entirely consensual.

Actually, I think Letterman’s joke would gone better something like this:  “Sarah Palin was at the Yankees’ game today. And during the 7th inning stretch, Alex Rodrigeuz hit on her.” OK, that’s almost as stupid (and not terribly funny) as the original version. And a whole lot less offensive.

This whole episode just demonstrates, once again, how tone-deaf and just plain stupid Palin is. We learned that during the campaign. No amount of cramming on current events and foreign affairs can make up for the lack of an intelligent, curious mind. It’s so blatantly obvious that Palin is just using this incident (and, not coincidentally, exploiting her kids again) to get more attention. She seems to think that any publicity is good for her, no matter how much it reveals her intellectural shortcomings.

In the middle of all this, Sarah Palin has been ranting and raving about “the gov’ment” coming to get you. Railing about “the gov’ment” bailing out the states, and then they’ll be telling ou how to live your life. Has anyone told her that, as Governor of Alaska, she is the government. Interesting how all these “anti-government” officials are the ones whining about how thy don’t get back more money than they send to Washington (as if there weren’t any national expenses, like the military, or road and bridges, or protecting the ports, etc. that need to be funded). It’s always the states that actually do get more back than they send that are complaining. The states that contribute more — well, you don’t generally hear them complaining.

I suppose I just contributed to the extension of Sarah Palin’s 15-minutes of infamy by writing this piece as well. Sorry about that. Now could someone please make her go away? Please?