Sarah Palin, The Mean and Vindictive

The Washington Post has an interesting review of Frank Bailey's book, "Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin." The Post's article begins:

... In Palin he [Bailey] found a leader who elegantly fused faith and politics. She exuded charm, energy and idealism, and, most important, she inspired trust. Bailey was politically smitten: “In my mind, God had chosen her, and this was His will.”

But God had his own plan for Frank Bailey. The political novice spent nearly four years at Palin’s side only to wind up disillusioned by his “Ronald Reagan in high heels.” In “Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin,” his political kiss-and-tell based on more than 50,000 Yahoo! account e-mails that he wrote or received as a campaign and administration staffer, Bailey paints a portrait of an erratic, vindictive, unethical politician. Palin emerges as a woman far more interested in power, fame and fortune than in the day-to-day grind of governing. “I am convinced,” Bailey writes, “that her priorities and personality are not only ill suited to head a political party or occupy national office, but would lead to a disaster of, well, biblical proportions.”

Bailey's book promises to be a good read and goes on sale tomorrow. More than anything else, it may paint the best portrait of Sarah Palin, the mean and vindictive. Jeanne Devon and Ken Morris, who co-authored the book with Bailey, have recently written about the book, here, and here.

I hope the book quotes Sarah Palin saying, "I hate this damn job!" The reviewer, Steven Levingston, The Post's non-fiction editor, got the impression that Palin wasn't interested in the "day-to-day grind of governing." But a governor -- or president -- has to be able to handle the executive as well as the ceremonial duties of office. We should never forget that once Wasilla hired a city manager, Palin's mayoralty became a ceremonial post, with the city manager responsible for the day-to-day grind of governing.