Sarah Palin mauls David Letterman

US talk show host David Letterman was verbally mauled yesterday by Alaska governor Sarah Palin for making a "sexually perverted" comment about one of Palin's daughters. On his Monday night show, Letterman had quipped that when Palin, the Republicans' vice presidential candidate in last year's election, had gone to see the New York Yankees play the night before, "during the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez".

Palin went ballistic, assuming that the veteran chat show host had been referring to her 14-year-old daughter Willow, who had been the only one of Palin's five children to attend the game. Rodriguez hit the news last year when he was believed to be Madonna's new lover and also was caught up in the call-girl scandal that engulfed New York Governor Eliot Spitzer.

"Laughter incited by sexually perverted comments made by a 62-year-old male celebrity aimed at a 14-year-old girl is disgusting," Palin blasted. Husband Todd, Alaska’s 'First Dude', went further still, growling that "any 'jokes' about raping my 14-year-old are despicable."

A wary Letterman attempted to rebuff the claims on his show last night, claiming that the butt of the joke had instead been Bristol Palin, the governor's 18-year-old daughter who is a high-profile campaigner for teen abstinence from sex despite having had a son, Tripp, out of wedlock last December.

"We were, as we often do, making jokes about people in the news," Letterman said. "These are not jokes made about her 14-year-old daughter. I would never, never make jokes about raping or having sex of any description with a 14-year-old girl," he added.

Letterman attempted to smooth things over with the Palins by inviting Todd and Sarah to return to New York and appear on his show: "I would like you to consider coming to New York City - you and Todd as my guests, or leave Todd at home - I'd love to have you on the show. It'd be exciting." The offer, unsurprisingly, was swiftly turned down by Governor Palin. "It doesn't matter whether he was talking about Willow or Bristol, what he said was unacceptable," Palin’s spokeswoman Sharon Leighow replied.

It's not the first time Letterman has had problems with Republican politicians. Last autumn he attacked John McCain, Palin's running mate, for pulling out of an appearance on his show during the September 2009 financial crisis. As he ranted about McCain's non-appearance, Letterman joked about the unsuitability of Palin to be on the Republican ticket. It could be payback time for Sarah Palin now.