We decided to be as thorough in our interview with the mayoral candidate of Wasilla, Alaska as Kate Couric was with the GOP Vice Presidential candidate of 2008. Lawrence asked Levi Johnston the same questions Katie Couric posed to Sarah Palin in the now-infamous interview. That's the same office Palin held before becoming governor of the state and McCain's running mate.
Let's compare and contrast. Who performed better? Tell us in the comment section below.
EXHIBIT A: LEVI JOHNSTON
EXHIBIT B: SARAH PALIN
Leave a Comment:
Hey Lawrence, Loved your show tonight. My brothers and I were cracking up at the story of the might of the Iranian "boats". Good job man.
As for the question, Levi Johnston I have to say did much better. He sounded more genuine and far more intelligent in his responses.
I'm not defending Levi Johnston, but his line of questioning was ridiculous. This guy is running for MAYOR of a small town in Alaska, for Pete's sake. He doesn't/shouldn't care what the Pakastanis are doing, at least not for the job for which he's applying. C'mon, Mr. O'Donnell. You can do better than this. ( And I'm NOT a Sarah Palin fan, believe me! She's an idiot.)
Why did you bother having that poor little nitwit on your show? You made him look like an imbecile. I feel dumber having sat through his dithering around. Did you give him a hanky to wipe the drool? Really. Your ads before your show always talk about wanting to make your audience smarter. You can't pretend to tell me that you learned anything new at all from those wasted minutes with Levi. Please step up the level of guests.
AMEN!! I was very disppointed in the guest and the questions you asked him. Listen to your own promo for this show and then live up to it!! Otherwise, I think many of your viewers will have to change the channel.
All I have to say about these stalwart examples of Alaskan intelligence is
After painfully watching the Palin interview again, "Score One for the Wasilla public school system"
After the Levi interview "Seriously, you couldn't make it through the Wasilla public school system with a degree and she could?"
Keep up the good work on the show.
Poor Levi...you were gentle and fatherly with him, Laurence. I doubt that he even understood most of the questions but he has guts and a basic honesty that keeps him rather appealing in contrast to the Palin hypocrisy. He looks like many abused, confused kids I see in this part of the country, y'all. Don't judge him by urban, educated, technologically-savvy standards; judge him by Wasilla standards. He might go back there and make a very effective advocate on that level.
I was surprised that the questions Lawrence asked of Levi had nothing to do with Wasilla. I would have expected more questions about what issues are facing Wasilla, how are the town's finances, schools, crime rate, unemployment, other things about Wasilla. The kid wants to run for mayor of Wasilla, Lawrence, not a national office. Why ask about Afghanistan or evolution or global warming, except to play "gotcha" with the kid? Now, don't get me wrong, he needs to become more informed (and get his GED for pete's sake!) but the interview was a waste.
Laurence asked the same questions of Levi that KC asked of the Sarracuda. I was surprised that Levi did as well as he did, actually. Not a bit of snark about the kid. I'd have enjoyed hearing more about Wasilla's issues, too, but I have a sneaking suspicion that line of inquiry might have gone off into the weeds of grievance against the Palins.
Wow.... nothing left to say
Comparisons are odious, and besides, the question of who performed better is so "old politics". Palin is passé. Sure, she's proudly ignorant of anything involving nuance or depth in her understanding of the issues, but to some degree at least, she is still caught up in this outdated, stale old demand that our politicians actually, like, "know things" (else why would she be writing crib notes on the inside of her hand?).
Johnston is quite obviously the face of our political future. He has a suave, Zen-like disengagement from any such concern with "knowing things" (which you inside-the-Beltway types are so fixated on in your "gotcha" approach to politics). Levi's innovative approach is centered on a free and open avowal of complete and total ignorance, which is both refreshing and paradoxically perspicacious (there's that Zen thing again).
For, in a nation in which only "about six-in-10 (59%) could correctly identify Joe Biden as the current vice president", and a great many of us, even though we're entirely sure Pres. Obama is a Muslim, are thoroughly unclear on the precepts and principles of our own professed religion (and a rigid insistence on which would only be the "gotcha" style of politics carried over to religion, after all), Johnston is obviously in tune with the American people in a way that other politicians can only pretend to be. Levi is the real deal, no bones about it. First the world, then the Wasilla mayoralty. Or maybe its the other way around, but who really cares?
Brilliant! Still ROFL.
Here is my comparison of Sarah Palin and Levi Johnston:
They both want as much "face time" as possible, they both intend to "cash in" on whatever limelight they can locate or create.
I did like the O'Donnell show, but Maddow still my fave.
After seeing his interview last night, I now have no doubt that Levi Johnston is qualified to be the best mayor that Wasilla ever had.
After seeing his interview last night, I now have no doubt that Levi Johnston is qualified to be the best mayor that Wasilla ever had.
Levi Johnson is his own worst nightmare. Just putting him up there is all anyone needs to see. And even before he opens his mouth, he's no match for Laurence. But why not ask him questions about Alaska politics and on-goings? He's running for Mayor of Wasilla, not President of the United States. Obviously he's not going to know about Pakistan and world issues. It would have been cooler to have seen Laurence up-to-snuff on Alaska issues and hitting the wannabe Mayor right in his own court. Missed opportunity. We already know Levi is an idiot on the world stage. Surprised the producer team didn't think it through, going the obvious route instead.
The Levi Johnston interview was a complete waste of time. Lawrence knew he couldn't answer any of those questions and if he had tried, he would have made a fool of himself. But Levi made a fool out of Lawrence by honestly answering that he had no opinion on any of the questions.
Fair enough that Sarah Palin would be asked tough questions. She was running for vice-president.
Save those questions for our politicians in Washington, not for a poor uneducated schlub trying to get famous on a reality show.
the first response was classic, my mouth fell open. O,donnell's reaction was priceless. ...Went downhill from there..... Why not show "lead up pics" to the interview more recent?..... the old family pics, followed by his disintrest in his kids mother on tv ( no tivo? )... then the pic of the new chick-friend at the end?
better than Stweart on comedy central!!! HAHA
Are you that hard up for guests...what a waste of time. I guess interviewing that nobody promoted your own self esteem and boosted your already overblown ego. If this is your way of getting ratings my guess is you flopped badly. Your obsession with Sarah Palin was your obvious motivation for having Levi as your signature guest. I certainly hope that this is the low point of your show or why watch it in the future.
Agreed that Johnston is an unqualified candidate exploiting his 15 minutes. I understand that reprising the Couric questions to Palin made a delicious point, but they strike me as a tad unfair and something of a stunt. City mayors have little influence on global politics and vice versa. More relevant questions would have been: Have you ever attended a Wasilla city council meeting? Can you name any members of the Wasilla city council? The bid for mowing the cemetery came in 40% over budget-- do you award the contract or rebid? Can you make my neighbor shut up his barking dog at night? What is 23 plus 19? What are you going to do about the cracked sidewalk in front of the city office? Johnston's answers to these would have been just as revealing about his qualifications for the job as those asked. Based on his sorry performance in the interview, I would suspect that he would have done equally poorly on local questions as the national/international ones. They probably are not the type of articles he reads in the Frontiersman.
Levi Johnston --- What can one say? Secretly, I was hoping he had SOME just a FEW articulate abilities and a LITTLE smidgen cogent opinion about issues. Of course, asking a 20 year old man who never graduated high school questions that a serious student of policy going to Georgtown University could possibly answer I thought was ridiculous of Larry O'Donnel to do. What was I hoping? I was hoping the boy, who looks rather like an Adonis, had SOME intellectual ability and he would turn Democratic and help change the nature of our rancid politics. Okay so I hoped stupidly! I admit it.
Why he would go on Laurence O'Donnell's show the "Last Word" and subject himself to that humiliation is beyond me. Money perhaps? No doubt it was that becasue he was so OBVIOUSLY ignorant of really EVERYTHING citing "Field and Stream" as the only magazine he reads certainly, he says, "NOT the "New York Times." Heaven forbid THAT paper. I wonder CAN he read at all? It shows me, however, just what type of person Bristol and with whom, the daughter of a former VP candidate Sarah Palin who could have been one heartbeat away from the presidency, hung around. Not ONLY did she hang around with him but chose to be the father of her illegitimate child. Further, the Tea Baggers say nothing. I THOUGHT they were for family values and abstinenceabstinance? To me a mother with a young child takes CARE of that young child especially if she comes from far away Alaska.
Who cares for the Plain BROOD? Sarah? I doubt it hop scotching around the country selling her bodily wares to the highest bidder. Brisol? Does she care for her nepthew with Downs AND her OWN toddler? I doubt it as she dances her way to the stars. These people are DREADFUL. Not only do they have the IQ of a seven year old but they have the lowest of the low family values. This is the stuff which John McCain thought perfectly fit to run the country since he, as a senior citizen with cancer, could EASILY have taken place.
SHAMEFUL. This country is SHAMEFUL as it puts its trust in the MOST UNTRUSTWORTHY and BLATANTLY UNQUALIFIED INSIPID IDIOTS who seek to thrust their stupidity on the rest of us. The fact that some in the Tea Bag party may actually get elected to high office in the most powerful nation on earth is the MOST CHILLING bit of news since the explosion of the atomic bomb. That they even have a chance is UNCONSCIONABLE and pathetic indeed!
Sorry no coffee yet...make that does Bristol care for her BROTHER with Downs...those Palin family ties are confusing aren't they?
Laurence - big fan although I don't always agree with you - but Levi?? Seriously?? Not since you dressed down Jed Barlett in a cameo appearance on the West Wing have you been as mean to kid! You helped confirm what we already knew about Levi - what's next school board candidates from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio?? Your viewers deserve better!
Lawrence O'Donnell, a seasoned media person, disgraced himself with his absorption in the Palin family. He seems to have an obsession with degrading Sarah Palin at any means by having her grandson's father, Levi, on his show. Levi has already had his 15 minutes of fame. Why have him on? What does he add to any discussion? If you wanted a serious interview, why not ask questions on significant Wasilla issues and how he woud handle them. I definitely am not a fan of Levi's; however, I don't appreciate a thoughtful journalist questioning him for the express purpose of embarrassment.
Lawrence, if you want people to take you seriously and your show to succeed, I would strongly advise that your guest list be upgraded. Also, your journalistic skills need to be honed. When interviewing guests, do your homework and ask pertinent questions and by all means, show respect.
I don't know what the point of that interview was. I felt sorry for the young man. Why didn't you question him on local issues? I doubt my mayor would be prepared to answers some of those questions, and he's been mayor for years and years. I hope you don't waste my time in the future with guests such as Levi.
Levi Johnston is a joke. He needs to get his GED and must move to Wasilla city limits. He's making a mockery of the political system by claiming he will run for Wasilla mayor. His ethics obviously are very flawed as evidenced by his Playgirl 'spread', his corrupt family values - really, a drug felony mother? Levi needs to work on getting his priorities in order, NOT run for mayor. He also looks sorta shaggy these days. Is he on meth now? Alcohol? Isn't he still underage for drinking?
At least he seems to have a "live and let live" philosophy. He wasn't preachy or santimonious. He didn't insult our President or try to pretend he knew better how foreign policy should go.
How difficult was it to keep a straight face during that interview?
And tonight you will have Bob Woodward peddling his book. In the past week, I have seen him so many times on so many shows, I can't believe he has anything else to say. Come on Lawrence, get some fresh guests.
You are in the same boat as Greta on Fox. By 10:00 p.m., everything has been said.
Curth lousy font and even a more inane post. Comcast, aside from AT&T and Verizon they were a participant in illegal wire tapping and email trapping furthering the redaction of our Fourth Amendment, thanks to bush and friends ergo you should try Fox and Friends.
Atrocities we've endured over the past decade; illegally invading a sovereign nation of which we now illegally occupy, suspension of habeas, "The Great Writ", putting our troops in harms way in a civil never ending civil war in Afghanistan, redaction of our 8th Amendment, Executive Over Reach run amok the likes never seen in history before, I could go on forever, but you bore me.
Comcast is going to bring real news to MSNBC?
How so? Stream the Faux talking heads that propagandize the viewers?
http://blog.buzzflash.com/analysis/943
No, they'll just tell the truth.
Well, I am dumping Comcast Cable VERY soon, anyway.
It sounds like you are a board member or shareholder cheerleading.
Lawrence, I adore you but you need some real guests. This is the man that I cheered for when you were questioning a Rep. from the Grand Obstuctionist Party about something in particular about which bill or vote at that time, you were in for Chris that night, and you told the Chubby fool," You're Lying! That's a lie! ", dude almost stroked out, became red faced, sweaty and could barely speak. He said," You don't even know me and and you cacacall me a Liar!", you as usual with your rapier wit answered ," Yes and that's because you lied,", it was too great, that's you Lawrence.
The one evening filling in for I think Chris again you had that teaperson that had been on YouTube throwing a hissy fit about ,"I want my Constitution back", I know 43 et al decimated it but I wasn't aware it had gone somewhere. You posed quite elementary questions to her about the Constitution and Bill of Rights yet she hadn't a clue what the First is, let alone Article.I.Section.8., yet you were quite kind to not allow your head to explode right in front of the "My husband handles the checkbook" type.
Give 'em hell Lawrence I love you when you do your thing with hardcore guests and you put them in their place, you know Fox News?
Thanks Lawrence
Rhoda
What was the purpose of the interview with LJ? It was mean-spirited and humiliating. I am a serious Maddow fan and was looking forward to your unique views on issues...but wow.
I still say Levi wins that battle.