Palin Meets Marlee Matlin

Cool story over on Zap2It:

On Wednesday (Dec. 15), in a break in her trailer between takes during a guest-starring appearance on CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," tentatively scheduled to air on Thursday, Feb. 3, Matlin tells Zap2it in sign language, through an interpreter, "My opinion on Bristol is that I really applaud her. I saw, from the very beginning, that she wasn't a good dancer, but she had her own identity. She didn't give a f**k that she was the daughter of Sarah Palin, and I could see that.

"Then I saw, week-by-week, the transformation of her really blossoming. She didn't deserve to be the top winner, she didn't deserve that, but I think she she deserved to be in the third slot -- maybe fourth spot would have been better. I didn't think Brandy should have been knocked off.

"She did come a long way. I mean, that's what the show is about -- be a crummy dancer or have no talent at all and grow. There was evidence of that. I got a chance to tell her mother, in an elevator, in New York."

Turns out that fate brought together Matlin and the former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice-presidential candidate, who is now a Fox News contributor and has her own documentary series, "Sarah Palin's Alaska," airing Sunday on TLC.

"I was in the elevator already," says Matlin, "and she walked in, without a bodyguard. She and her husband walked in. I said, 'Well, well, Mrs. Palin,' and she turned around, 'Marlee Matlin!' I said, 'Hello, it's nice to meet you.' And she said, 'You speak very clearly.' And she said, 'My son is learning to sign, the son with Down's Syndrome.'

"And I said, 'I heard that, and I think that's great.' We spoke as two mothers back and forth. Then I said to her how proud I was of Bristol, and that she should be, too, and I told her why, with my observation.

"She said, 'Thank you, thank you, thank you,' and gave me a hug. Elevator opened, and she walked out. My interpreter said that he heard her say, 'Wow!'

"You understand, I don't support her politics, but as a woman and as a mother, yes, just like any other mother. And she's really pretty."

Reached by email, Gov. Palin recalls the encounter, writing, "That is so nice! She was so gracious when we met, and we got to talk about Trig learning sign language. Having that small but meaningful connection was sweetly surreal. I have always admired Marlee."

I honestly have no clue who Marlee Matlin is. Don't really care. Just a cute story.

Kate: "Sarah, All Hail You, Amazon Woman"

When the news first came out that Kate was going to be on Sarah Palin's show, I was really, really hoping it was an unfounded rumor.

But come on, this is hilarious:

Not to rag on Kate. She provided us with a lot of laughter last night.

Palin in Haiti with Samaritan's Purse - Update

Governor Palin and Greta van Susteren are in Haiti with Samaritan's purse to:

Encourage the people of Haiti and bring awareness to the needs that still exist there.

Slideshow:

Find more photos like this on Team Sarah

Stories here and here.

And a word to those who say, "She's only doing this for a photo-op! She doesn't really care about Haiti!"

Who do you care about? Her being there is drawing attention to the cholera problem and to the good work of charities like Samaritan's Purse. What difference does it make to you why she's there if it's doing good? You should put your disdain for Palin on the back burner to the suffering in Haiti. Kudos to Democrats with brains:

Update - More pictures have been added to the slideshow. I think as I add them they go to the end, so you'll have to skip ahead.