Whatever you may think of her, former vice presidential nominee and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) knows how to leave an impression.
Her appearances as a Fox News contributor over the past several years were shining examples of that.
Whether it was publicly bashing Fox News — while appearing on Fox News — or giving such a garbled speech that a Fox anchor questioned whether the TelePrompTer was working, Palin produced a few gems.
Thus, the news Wednesday that Fox had dropped Palin as a contributor on June 1 came as a surprise for the simple fact that Palin was good TV.
In honor of her tenure as a Fox News contributor, here are five of her most notable appearances.
‘For Shame On’ Fox News
On June 8, amid allegations that two members of the Duggar family, the reality TV stars of “19 Kids and Counting,” had been molested by their brother, Palin appeared on Fox and bashed the channel. Fox anchor Megyn Kelly had been the only person to interview two of the alleged victims. But Palin used an appearance to denounce “the media” for re-victimizing the women by putting them through an interview.
“These girls are being re-victimized, for shame on the media for, under the guise of ‘Hey, gotta let them have their say anyway. Let’s interview them and put them there, back into the fire, and let them explain,’” Palin told Fox News’ Sean Hannity. “They’re innocent! And these girls, yeah so humiliated.”
‘Did A TelePrompTer Go Down?’
After giving a rambling speech on Jan. 25 at the Iowa Freedom Summit, Palin was questioned by Fox News host Sean Hannity.
“You got criticized for the speech by a lot of people, even some some of the people in the crowd that tend to be supporters of yours,” Hannity said during Palin’s January 28 appearance on Fox. “Did a TelePrompTer go down? Did you have trouble with the copy? Was there any moment in the speech where you had any difficulty?”
Palin said she was “used to TelePrompTers not working,” before brushing off the criticism of her speech.
“I received a standing ovation throughout and at the end of the speech,” she said. “So I don’t know, I think a lot of this herd mentality of some reporters would — that kind of exacerbates some of the criticism. But I don’t know what anybody really would, when you talk about the meat, the content of the speech, would criticize.”
‘Bless Their Hearts, Those… Haters’
Palin said she might consider another run for political office despite the “haters,” during an appearance on Oct. 28, 2014 on the Fox Business Network.
“Bless their hearts, those, uh, those haters out there,” Palin said. “They don’t understand that it, it invigorates me. It wants me to get out there and defend, uh, the innocent. It makes me want to work so hard for justice in this country.”
Palin said the more the “haters” continued “pouring on,” the more she was “gonna bug the crap out of them by being out there with a voice, with a message, hopefully running for office in the future, too.”
‘Mom Jeans’ Vs. Bear Wrestling
On March 3, 2014, Palin creatively described what she viewed as the differences between President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Her criticism of Obama, who she said wore “mom jeans,” came during her analysis of Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.
“Look, the perception of Obama, of him and his potency across the world is one of such weakness,” Palin told Fox News’ Sean Hannity. “People are looking at Putin as one who wrestles bears and drills for oil. They look at our President as one who wears mom jeans and equivocates and bloviates.”
‘I Haven’t Read That Article’
Palin admitted during an appearance on Dec. 23, 2013 that she didn’t really know about the issue she was discussing.
Palin was defending reality TV star and “Duck Dynasty” patriarch Phil Robertson after he made anti-gay and racist comments in a GQ interview. The comments were labeled “graphic” and “offensive” by Fox News host Greta Van Susteren, who was interviewing Palin. But Palin said she wasn’t really up to speed.
“I haven’t read the article,” Palin said. “I don’t know exactly how he said it. But what he was doing was in response to a question about a lifestyle he disagrees with, and yet he has said over and over again he doesn’t hate the person engaging in a lifestyle he disagrees with.”
