Tucker Carlson Insults Sarah Palin; Bristol's Book Deal Is Real

It's the month of March, time for Dana Milbank's month of silence about Sarah Palin to end, and the Palin family is helping him by getting back in the news.

First, there's Bristol Palin's upcoming book.

Then, there's Daily Caller Editor Tucker Carlson's snide tweet about Bristol's mom, the former Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential candidate, that's generating plenty of heat among conservative women and Palin supporters.

We'll go with the controversy first.

Sometime last night, Carlson tweeted this: "Palin's popularity falling in Iowa, but maintains lead to become supreme commander of Milfistan"

Um, nice. You can Wikipedia it and learn that MILF is an acronym for "Mother I'd like to ..." Then check the Twitter search. OK, definitely not nice, Mr. Carlson.

Carlson deleted the tweet, but as we all know, such things live forever once they're retweeted and the screen shot is taken.

Tuesday morning, Carlson tried to blame American evildoer of the week, Charlie Sheen (as opposed to Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi? Guess he doesn't Tweet), for his missive. "Apparently Charlie Sheen got control of my Twitter account last night while I was at dinner. Apologies for his behavior," Carlson tweeted.

That's not good enough for many conservative women and Palin supporters.

"Conserv women get enuf crap from lib pantywaists. Beltway boys (u ALL know who u are) should watch their mouths. #RESPECT," tweeted conservative columnist Michelle Malkin. "I am not down with @karlrove @tuckercarlson misogynist mockery of @sarahpalinusa. Sick of it."

Conservative talk show host Tammy Bruce also weighed in on Twitter: "Hey @TuckerCarlson time for a *serious* apology to every conservative woman/mother out there #respect"

Over at the Conservatives4Palin blog, Carlson received heat for his apology: "He didn't take responsibility for his comment and he fails horribly at humor. Try again, and Tucker... you're not funny."

UPDATED: Late in the day, Carlson tweeted this mea culpa: "I'm sorry for last night's tweet. I meant absolutely no offense. Not the first dumb thing I've said. Hopefully the last." (Woman UP is doubting it.)

No word from Palin on the tweet-oversy. She's been silent since her Feb. 22 Facebook missive on Libya.

On the book front, Wonkette reported a Bristol memoir might be in the works in early February after a link appeared on Amazon. The link came down the next day.

But Tuesday, the New York Times reported that the book, "Not Afraid of Life," will be published this summer by William Morrow, the same company that published her mom's two books.

Days after John McCain announced Palin as his vice presidential nominee in 2008, the campaigns announced that Bristol, then 17, was pregnant and engaged to boyfriend Levi Johnston. Baby Tripp arrived in late December, but a marriage never materialized. Johnston sought his own fame and fortune by trashing the Palin family, then briefly reunited with his baby mama last summer.

Bristol rebounded from the second breakup with a star turn on the reality ballroom dancing show, "Dancing With the Stars," placing third among the dozen dancing pairs. She used some of her cash to buy a new house in suburban Phoenix.

"Bristol gives readers an intimate behind-the-scenes look at her life for the first time, from growing up in Alaska to coming of age amid the media and political frenzy surrounding her mother's political rise; from becoming a single mother while still a teenager to coping as her relationship with her baby's father crumbled publicly -- not once, but twice," the Times quoted Morrow as saying.