Letterman & Palin joke furore: The Left and the Right are both winners

It seems that the furore surrounding David Letterman’s ‘joke’ has benefited both parties. Following the departure of Jay Leno from NBC’s Tonight Show, the CBS host is facing new blood in the form of Conan O’Brien – some may think it will pay to appear edgy against a host 16 years his junior, and making off-colour jokes about Sarah Palin’s daughter being knocked up by third baseman Alex Rodriguez could be one method.

On the other hand, it’s highly unlikely that Letterman actually meant to imply it was the Alaska governor’s 14-year-old daughter who was in danger of sexual congress with A-Rod – despite her being on the trip – the nod was more clearly toward 18-year-old Bristol, a single mum. At the very least, that’s a defensible position.

This allows Palin to play the wounded party and demand an apology – while Letterman offers her a chance to come on the show which she will, of course, decline. In a time when the Republican party is bereft of obvious leadership, Palin’s stock rises with the conservative base as she maintains a dignified semi-silence – and Letterman’s ratings leap.

Then again, aren’t there less painful ways to bolster one’s position? A situation well-exploited is perhaps the best final analysis.