Looking at the Letterman situation I have to come to the conclusion that no matter what happens next we have won this round and won it big.
Item: NOW after several days of waffling came out to attack David Letterman for his misogynistic remarks. The days of “She’s not a woman she’s a republican” may not be gone but it’s hard to put it back in the basket.
Item: Both the Today show and CNN, interviewed Governor Palin. In both interviews were solid dealing with substantial issues such as her recent success in the Palin pipeline project.
These two interviews were important breakthrough moments:
First: The myth that she can not handle herself in an interview that is not conducted by FOX or John Ziegler was dispelled. Like the Rush CPAC speech it’s hard to put the ditz label on when people who would normally see her filtered actually hear her speak. Instead of reruns of Katie Couric you have the image of a strong confident Palin handling solid interviews.
Second: The timing caused the networks to cover a key energy project not only at the moment of success, but at a time when the need for jobs and rising gas prices are in the news. The MSN would not have covered this otherwise.
Third: The Letterman issue is something any parent of daughters can understand. The weak spin that both Wolf and Matt tried to use defending Letterman could not change something that people get.
Fourth: It puts those who want to attack her on the defensive and forces those attackers from MSNBC and CNN to use footage from a positive interview as a backdrop.
Fifth: It plays NBC and CNN off of CBS. Katie is now in the position that she either has to as a woman defend Letterman or Palin
Item: Out of the woodwork come people who would normally not defend Sarah Palin. Megan McCain, Norah O’Donnell for example and the View Crew. These are all people that the media have anointed as credible. This creates instant credibility and keeps the patter going on.
Item: I already covered MSNBC’s Morning Joe openly admitting that they saw a rabidness in the attacks on the Governor. Not only can that never be unsaid but it gives people like Mika Brzezinski (who I think really wants to support this woman) the cover to openly defend her without being dismissed. It may seem a small thing but its importance in the long run can’t be overestimated.
Item The story has grown over the news cycles and as time goes on Palin grows stronger and her attackers grow weaker. It was the news cycle that drove NOW and continues to drive her attackers to cover.
Even if it all stops today this is a win. The game has changed and you ain’t seen nothing yet!
Update: Hotair Agrees
