On Friday's CBS Early Show, correspondent Nancy Cordes reported on leaked excerpts of Sarah Palin's new book, 'America By Heart,' claiming, "some of the topics she tackles may be surprising." One such topic was Palin's criticism of the media for promoting Levi Johnston: "It was disgusting to watch as his 15 minutes of fame were exploited by supposed adults taking advantage of a lost kid."
While Cordes found that comment "surprising," CBS, and the Early Show in particular, were chief among those who exploited Levi Johnston and his attacks on the Palin family. As has been detailed on NewsBusters [1], throughout 2009 and 2010, the CBS Early Show has featured six lengthy stories on Johnston, including three "exclusive" interviews [2].
At the end of her report, Cordes seemed disconcerted over Palin's criticism of the First Lady: "She even takes a swipe at Michelle Obama, dredging up that comment about being proud of her country for the first time when her husband started to win elections. This is going to be some pretty provocative stuff."
Here is a full transcript of the November 19 segment:
7:09AM ET
MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ: Sarah Palin's new book is not in stores yet but you can still read part of it because excerpts have turned up online. And as you might imagine, the author is not happy about that. CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes is in Washington this morning with the story. Good morning, Nancy.
NANCY CORDES: Good morning, Maggie. Palin appears to go well beyond politics in her new book, criticizing everything from popular TV shows to the First Lady.
SARAH PALIN: Let's restore America!
CORDES: Less than a week before it is scheduled to go on sale, sections of Sarah Palin's new book, 'America By Heart, Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag' have been leaked on internet and some of the topics she tackles may be surprising.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Palin's Pages; Palin's New Book Revealed]
SHIRA TOEPLITZ [POLITICO]: We haven't really seen a lot of political criticism in this book so far, at least in the parts that have been leaked to the media. It's mostly been social criticism about things like 'American Idol' or about Levi Johnston.
LEVI JOHNSTON: I don't care what she did or where she was at.
CORDES: Palin is critical of Johnston, the unmarried father of her grandson Tripp, for seeking publicity, writing 'It was disgusting to watch as his 15 minutes of fame were exploited by supposed adults taking advantage of a lost kid.' And she takes on the TV show 'American Idol' writing that the contestants embarrass themselves for the benefit of producers.
BRISTOL: My name is Bristol Palin.
CORDES: But of her daughter Bristol's role on reality TV she writes, 'She engaged in an uplifting, family-oriented show called Dancing With the Stars to challenge herself in a new, fun way.'
TOEPLITZ: Sarah Palin is also, in many ways, a creature of television herself, she has a contract on a cable news show, her daughter's on a television reality show, and Sarah Palin has her own reality TV show that she's compensated very well for.
CORDES: Palin apparently is not pleased by the leaks. On Thursday night she tweeted, 'The publishing world is LEAKING out-of-context excerpts of my book w/out my permission? Isn't that illegal?' One thing that hasn't been leaked, any mention of Palin's plans to run for president in 2012. But, of President Obama, she does say that he seems to believe it is an unjust, unequal country. She even takes a swipe at Michelle Obama, dredging up that comment about being proud of her country for the first time when her husband started to win elections. This is going to be some pretty provocative stuff, Maggie.
RODRIGUEZ: It is already. Nancy Cordes in Washington. Nancy, thank you.
-Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. You can follow him on Twitter here. [3]