Gaffe of the day: "It's over!"

September 3, 2008
Afternoon before Gov Palin's speech at the RNC Convention

Noonan: Yeah.

Murphy: You know, because I come out of the blue swing state governor work. Engler, Whitman, Thompson, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush. And these guys, this is all like how you want to (inaudible) this race. You know, just run it up. And it's not gonna work.

Noonan: It's over. [Listen to her intonation. There is no doubting how she intended it.]

Murphy: Still, McCain can give a version of the Lieberman speech to do himself some good. [Because this is how he responded to her meaning.]

Todd: Don't you think the Palin pick was insulting to Kay Bailey Hutchinson, too.

Noonan: I saw Kay this morning.

Todd: She's never been comfortable about it.

Murphy: They're all bummed out.

Todd: Yeah, I mean is she really the most qualified woman they could have turned to?

Noonan: The most qualified? No. I think they went for this, excuse me, political bullshit about narratives and the picture.

Todd: Yeah, but what's the narrative?

Noonan: Every time the Republicans do that because that's not where they live and it's not what they're good at, they blow it.

Murphy: You know what's really the worst thing about it? The greatness of McCain is no cynicism and this is cynical.

Todd: This is cynical. And as you call it gimmicky. Thanks, guys.

And of course the mea culpa. You said it - you meant it. Deal.
Peg: "Well, I just got mugged by the nature of modern media, and I wish it weren't my fault, but it is."

Mugged? Who attacked her? She opened her own nasty mouth. Maybe if you gagged yourself there wouldn't be a chance for a mugging. And what's your fascination with the word 'forebearance'?

An audio tape of that conversation was sent, how or by whom I don't know, onto the internet. And within three hours I was receiving it from friends far and wide, asking me why I thought the McCain campaign is "over", as it says in the transcript of the conversation. Here I must plead some confusion.

Waa waa waa and get real. Confusion in a woman whose life revolves around words?

In fact, at an on-the-record press symposium on the campaign on Monday, when all of those on the panel were pressed to predict who would win, I said that I didn't know, but that we just might find "This IS a country for old men." That is, McCain may well win. I do not think the campaign is over, I do not think this is settled, and did not suggest, back to the Todd-Murphy conversation, that "It's over."

However, I did say two things that I haven't said in public, either in speaking or in my writing. One is a vulgar epithet that I wish I could blame on the mood of the moment but cannot. No one else, to my memory, swore. I just blurted. The other, more seriously, is a real criticism that I had not previously made, but only because I hadn't thought of it.

You blurt what you mean. And the last para...all she needed to say:

But, bottom line, I am certainly sorry I blurted my barnyard ephithet (sic), I am certainly sorry that someone abused my meaning in the use of the words, "It's over," and I'm sorry I didn't have the Kay Bailey Hutchison thought before this morning, because I could have written of it.

Someone abused your words? We heard them loud and clear, Peg. And then blaming your words on your thoughts? Hello? And doesn't the WSJ have spell check?