World News Now co-host Jeremy Hubbard on Wednesday didn't accept the
explanation that Levi Johnston has simply decided to apologize for his bad
mouthing of the Palin family. The ABC anchor hinted at darker reasons: "You
know, I'm a cynic. Did the Palins get to him, do you think?" [Audio
available here [1].]
Discussing Johnston's public apology in People magazine, Hubbard began, "Did
they sit him down and-" He broke off and didn't finish the thought. What was
Hubbard implying? The answer went unsaid.
This isn't the first time World News Now, an overnight program that airs at
3am, has gone after Palin.
On February
20, 2010 [2], Hubbard downplayed an episode of Family Guy making fun of the
former governor and Trig, her child with Down's Syndrome.
He minimized, "Although there has been criticism, some Down's Syndrome
advocates have given half-hearted praise to the cartoon for including a
well-rounded character dealing with the disability, which leads Palin detractors
to ask: Is she overreacting?"
A transcript of the brief segment, which aired at 4:20am EDT, follows:
VINITA NAIR: Let's talk about Levi Johnston. He is talking and people are listening, still. He's talking in People magazine. And this is actually really different from what we've heard in the past. He says after six months of bad-mouthing the entire Palin family, he's apologizing and hoping to thaw his icy relationship with them.
Here's a quote: "After Bristol and I broke up, I was unhappy and a little angry. Unfortunately against my better judgment I publicly said things about the Palins that were completely not true."
He says he privately apologized to Sarah and hubby Todd but he didn't mention how the two of them responded to all of this. But, keep in mind, he really sort of went on a tirade. He was on early morning shows saying, "I know huge things about her, things that could hurt her." He also said there was talk of divorce between Sarah and Todd. But, now he's saying, just kidding.
JEREMY HUBBARD: You know, I'm a cynic. Did the Palins get to him, do you think? Did they sit him down and- Because there are rumors he and Bristol are back together.
NAIR: Well, they did say they're going to plan on co-parenting the baby together now. So they obviously have a working relationship if they're willing to do that.
HUBBARD: Wow, interesting. Didn't see that development coming.
NAIR: No, I did see the development of him continuing to talk coming though.
HUBBARD: Wonder if he apologized for the Playgirl thing?
-Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here [3] to follow him on Twitter.