Sarah Palin Cancels NBC Interview After Martin Bashir's Controversial Remarks

Palin Cancels NBC Interview After MSNBC Host's Gross Remarks
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BY DAVID BAUDER, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK (AP) — Sarah Palin has cancelled a planned interview with NBC's Matt Lauer at her home in Alaska in the wake of MSNBC commentator Martin Bashir's suggestion that she deserved a graphic punishment for a remark on slavery.

An NBC executive who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person is not involved in the "Today" show booking confirmed the cancellation on Wednesday. It was first reported by Fox News.

NBC is trying to reschedule the holiday-oriented appearance.

Bashir has apologized for a commentary where he suggested someone defecate in Palin's mouth. An MSNBC spokeswoman has not responded to queries about whether Bashir will face further disciplinary action.

The MSNBC afternoon host anchored his show on Wednesday.

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Before You Go

Top Palinisms
Final Words(01 of15)
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“Nuclear weaponry, of course, would be the be-all, end-all of just too many people in too many parts of our planet.” -- CBS interview with Katie Couric, September 25, 2008 (credit:AP)
Putin(02 of15)
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"As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where – where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border."-- CBS interview with Katie Couric, September 25, 2008
Continent(03 of15)
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"So we discussed what was going on in Africa. And never, ever did I talk about, Well, gee, is it a country or is it a continent, I just don't know about this issue."-- Fox interview with Greta Van Susteren, November 11, 2008 (credit:Getty Images)
The Tonys(04 of15)
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“I don’t know if I should Buenos Aires or Bonjour, or… this is such a melting pot. This is beautiful. I love the diversity. Yeah. There were a whole bunch of guys named Tony in the photo line, I know that.”-- Addressing a Charity of Hope gathering, Hamilton, Ontario, April 15, 2010 (credit:Getty Images)
Track(05 of15)
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“Obviously we loved sports, and the baby was born during the spring track season.”--Going Rogue (credit:Thinkstock)
Irony(06 of15)
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“Believe it or not – this was in the 60s – we used to hustle on over the border for health care that we would receive in Whitehorse…. Isn’t that kind of ironic now. Zooming over the border, getting health care from Canada.”-- Speech in Calgary, Alberta, March 6, 2010 (credit:Getty Images)
Death Panels(07 of15)
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"The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's 'death panel' so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their 'level of productivity in society,' whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil."-- Facebook, Aug. 7, 2009 (credit:Getty Images)
Messiah(08 of15)
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"When the American people elected President Obama they gave him responsibility to handle this disaster. He promised to “heal the earth, and watch the waters recede...” or something far-fetched like that."-- On the oil spill, May 27, 2010
Evolution(09 of15)
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“I didn’t believe the theory that human beings – thinking, loving beings – originated from fish that sprouted legs and crawled out of the sea. Or that human beings began as single-celled organisms that developed into monkeys who eventually swung down from the trees.”--Going Rogue (credit:Getty Images)
Cologne(10 of15)
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“With the gray Talkeetna Mountains in the distance and the first light covering of snow about to descend on Pioneer Peak, I breathed in an autumn bouquet that combined everything small-town America with rugged splashes of the Last Frontier.”--Going Rogue
First Amendment(11 of15)
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"I think it's appalling and a violation of our freedom of the press." —On negative media coverage of Republican congressional candidate Vaughn Ward, Boise, Idaho, May 21, 2010
Refudiate(12 of15)
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"Ground Zero Mosque supporters: doesn't it stab you in the heart, as it does ours throughout the heartland? Peaceful Muslims, pls refudiate."—On plans to build an Islamic community center near Ground Zero, via Twitter, July 18, 2010 (credit:Getty Images)
Shakespeare(13 of15)
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"'Refudiate,' 'misunderestimate,' 'wee-wee'd up.' English is a living language. Shakespeare liked to coin new words too. Got to celebrate it!"—Tweet, July 18, 2010 (credit:Getty Images)
Cop(14 of15)
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"I'm not politically correct. I am not one to be a word police."-- Fox interview with Chris Wallace Feb. 7 , 2010 (credit:Getty Images)
Post Script(15 of15)
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"I didn't really had a good answer, as so often -- is me."--On writing notes on her hand for the Tea Party convention address, March 5, 2010 (credit:Getty Images)