Wednesday, November 17, 2010

The Palin Network

The New York Times Magazine has published a lengthy article about Sarah Palin. The Washington Post's Rachel Weiner noticed that the Times' article contained an "interesting anecdote" about Palin's resignation:
One afternoon in June 2009, Gov. Sarah Palin was sitting in the Washington office of her friend Fred Malek, whom she met through McCain during the 2008 campaign. She was listening to the former White House aide to Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford map out logical next steps to her political career. Focus on amassing a good record as governor, he advised her. Run for a second term. Develop some policy expertise. Do some extensive overseas travel. Generate some good will by campaigning for fellow Republicans.

Malek told me that he could tell that this wasn't what Palin wanted to hear. Here's the problem, she replied impatiently: I've got a long commute from my house to my office. I don't have the funds to pay for my family to travel with me, and the state won't pay for it, either. I can't afford to have security at my home -- anybody can come up to my door, and they do. Under the laws of Alaska, anybody can file suit or an ethics charge against me, and I have to defend it on my own. I'm going into debt.
Weiner then cited an Anchorage Daily News article in which Palin complained about the debt that, she said, she incurred as a consequence of the ethics complaints against her.

But The Mudflats has some informative posts, on matters of ethics and expenses, which cut through Palin's feeble spin. On the idea that she resigned due to expenses associated with ethics complaints, see "Palin's Millions of Dollars," and "Palin's Millions - Take 2. A Closer Look." Those two articles, written in July of 2009, shortly after Palin quit her job, let the air out of the baloon that Palin tried to float about why she resigned. If she runs, her resignation will be a major issue, and she will try to claim, again, that she quit because the ethics complaints were costing the state of Alaska millions of dollars. They weren't. Sarah Palin quit because celebrity was more exciting (and more remunerative) than the hard work of trying to govern a state.

The complete NY Times article can be read by clicking the post's title. The Times' article is about much more than the ethics complaints' "expenses." For example, there is an amusing anecdote about how Sarah "Just Ask My Mom" Palin became testy when the article's author asked her about the books she had been reading. The article's author spoke with Palin for an hour, by telephone.

6 comments:

Joie Vouet said...

The NY Times article contains an interesting interactive timeline of Palin's life. Some are sure to be disappointed by the timeline, but I think the timeline could be a valuable resource to opposition researchers (of any party).

Joie Vouet said...

There has been some reaction to the NY Times article here, here and here.

Anonymous said...

Let me get this straight: She wants people to talk to her mother, to hear that she has read books.
O-tay!

Have maintained all along, arrested development approx age 13-14.

NM.

Joie Vouet said...

The "conservative" press doesn't know quite what to make of the Times' article. For example, c4p claims that "Whitney" will have something, later. Perhaps they're waiting for some spin from Bill Krisol or Matthew Continetti. They may find some comfort in the article, but I believe that the Times' article was not kind to Palin. The story's writer, while accepting Palin's statements uncritically at times, posed some important questions to her and her responses indicate that she is still unable to field questions as well as voters would expect.

Anyway, c4p did link to the article and its cover (.pdf file). Looking at that you'll see that there aren't any new people in the "network." Indeed, at one point Palin concedes that if she decides to run she'll need to expand her staff (with people she trusts). That may well be another major hurdle to a successful candidacy; Sarah Palin finds it difficult to trust people.

AKRNC said...

More B.S. from Palin in regards to her dilemma as Governor and being without security, living far from her office, unable to have her family travel with her, etc. The Capitol did not move after she was elected. She knew it was in Juneau when she decided to run for Governor yet just as in all other positions she has held, she changed her mind after awhile and didn't want to do the work involved. This bitch is such a whining liar no matter what she is questioned about. Give it up, $arah, we didn't want you in 2008 and don't want you now! How about a nice little trip to Mars? I hear Nasa is looking for people, although it's one-way, which will work out perfectly for the people of this country should you decide to accept the assignment. I'm sure if you don't like it, they'll let you quit, but you'll have to find your own way home.

nswfm said...

"Indeed, at one point Palin concedes that if she decides to run she'll need to expand her staff (with people she trusts). That may well be another major hurdle to a successful candidacy; Sarah Palin finds it difficult to trust people."

Hilarious! People don't trust Grifter Granny, either!