Sarah Hits Rock-Bottom: in new poll ALASKANS prefer Obama to ex-Governor
June 29, 2011
If I could summarize my 2008-2009-2010 research in Alaska about Sarah, I’d say the most surprising thing I found was that those who know her best like her least.
Perhaps I should amend that now to say that those who know Sarah best dislike her most.
It’s only the outliers, who know little or nothing, who cling to their fantasies about the woman who never was.
Alaska Daily News today reports on a new Hays Research poll that shows that President Obama would defeat (“The Oft-Defeated”) Palin 42-36 in Alaska.
And this poll was commissioned by right-wing Alaska radio talk show host Mike Porcaro. Commenting after seeing the results, Porcaro said, “the surprising result is she has become highly unpopular in her home state.”
Porcaro is a good guy and a reasonable man. But if he considers the result of his own poll “surprising,” it shows he hasn’t had his fingers on the same statewide pulse I detected last summer, and even in the fall of 2009 when I was researching THE ROGUE in Alaska.
In any case, now no one can deny the reality: Alaskans would rather re-elect an African-American Democrat than see their ex-Governor in the White House.
My first alert to the fraudulence of Sarah Palin came in June, 2008, and it came from a conservative, my friend Tom Brennan, the ex-newspaperman and p.r. man and present-day author, about whom I write in Going to Extremes. I was thinking of revisiting Alaska to write about the changes since the mid-1970’s, the period about which I wrote in Extremes.
That’s when I learned that Alaska had its first woman governor. Because she was described as a conservative Republican, I wrote to Tom, thinking he’d tell me that she was a brilliant crusader for all that was right (as in “right wing”) and that I should make her the centerpiece of my new book about Alaska.
Well, she has become the centerpiece, but not in the way I first intended. Tom wrote back that she was an ignorant nitwit. He quoted a high-ranking military friend who’d met her as governor and who’d said she had “less depth than a worn-out dime.”
That was my first clue that there was trouble in paradise. I started to pay attention to Palin. What I sensed from the start, and later verified through extensive research, was that by late summer of 2008 Sarah was already sourdough toast in Alaska.
As I write in THE ROGUE:
“As August waned…Sarah found herself at the low point of her political career. Former supporters, both Democrats and Republicans, turned against her. After promising honesty, transparency, and the highest ethical standards, she found herself accused of lying, cover-up, and actions that seemed, at the least, a grievous ethical breach.
Autumn is a mere blink of an eye in Alaska, and looking beyond it, Sarah would not have been able to see anything other than a long, dark winter of turmoil, acrimony and discontent. Then, like an angel on a mission from her Heavenly Father, John McCain swooped down to tap her with his magic wand.”
The rest is history.
And now more Alaskans would vote for Obama than for Sarah.
Repudiation–and that’s with a “p”–does not come in a stronger dose.
To put it another way to Palin supporters: Refudiate this.
Posted in 2012, Anchorage Daily News, Joe McGinniss, Sarah Palin, The Rogue | 
Tags: hays research, john mccain, mike porcaro, tom brennan barack obama
107 Responses to “Sarah Hits Rock-Bottom: in new poll ALASKANS prefer Obama to ex-Governor”
“Refudiate this.”
LOVE it, Joe! And may I just add that I cannot WAIT for your book. I’ve had it pre-ordered for months now. I just know it’s going to be a one-sitter. 🙂
Many thanks.
It occurs to me that it is precisely Alaska’s provincialism that makes it so charming, but at the same time, lets it produce a shallow-minded arrogant ditz-head like Sarah Palin who then goes off to the lower 48 thinking she has something special.
Someone did pluck her out of that rustic every-man-for-himself tundra, and it wasn’t only McCain. What they didn’t count on was how much life and living she had never done and had to make up for! Her narrow views on the worth of the ‘Feds’ as she so charmingly calls them, her utter blindness of any culture other than Wasilla’s, and her ridiculous mindset that lets her push the boundaries of every legality (until a judge says she can’t) is part and parcel of this child of the American frontier. She never grew up. She never had to.
Her world view is so stunted, so small, that she’s never taken the time (even if she had the normal human inclination) to examine the wants, needs, hopes, fears, or dreams of those in different cultures. She’s got no compassion and no ability to be compassionate. Her lens on the world is already fixed, it is crystallized.
“The media destroyed her at Obama’s direction, that’s why and the peebots say, Alaskans are upset because mommy left them, mommy who did so much for them, that is why people are angry. True comment at C4P.
then how about an explaination to why we are seeing palins daughter all over the media pushing a book called not afraid of life when all the girl has ever done is drink do drugs and have sex at 15??
and i ask because this goes back to everyone claiming palin makes money for the media and thats why she is covered even though she is the joke you describe here.
well there was NO ONE asking for her daughter and no interest in her yet we see her and to my knowledge jeoffrey dunn couldnt get any attention for his book.
its a disgrace how the media acts in this country and if Anyone still believes the american press is anything but a bunch of clowns who lost their credibilty generations ago then you deserve the sociopath and her family of grifters.
makes me wonder how you expect to get much notice when your book finally is released.
may i just say that i anxiously await your new posts -your writing is just excellent!!! even when you are being snarky and/or using swear words (please is there any other way to say that?? swear words???:) the eloquence with which you express your thoughts is just so lovely.
anyway, that was really all i had to say. am sure you have heard it before and is nothing new……. i do consider myself fairly discriminating in my tastes for what it is worth.
keep on keepin’ on……………………
peace
There were polls that indicated late last year that President Obama was more popular in conservative Alaska than $arah, their former “manipulate the polls to make me look good” Governor. Of course, none of her followers believe this and still are trying to spin her lack of accomplishments at this very moment in Iowa. Breitbart thinks the newly released, already a flop of a film, “The Undefeated” is going to do for Palin what she cannot, make her look as if she has substance. Impossible, there’s nothing there but an empty shell and between the recently released book by Geoffrey Dunn and your upcoming book, along with Nick Broomfield’s revealing and honest documentary about her, it will only serve to reinforce the true persona of Palin. I’m really looking forward to September and am hoping you’ll be extending your book tour a bit further south, Joe. We’re not all staunch conservatives. I’m in the Triangle area (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) of NC and have only met a couple Palin fans since I relocated from Villanova, PA. There’s a lot of Yanks here along with intelligent Southern born moderates and liberals who would never tolerate the idiocy of Palin. You’d be well-received. Hope you’ll consider it.
If writing to anyone in particular at Random House would help, would you please let me know who to address it to. Thanks!
Kate
Luckily, Joe McGinniss has a 40+ year reputation, and won’t be, can’t be, ignored by what nitwits call the mainstream media. Plus, he’s got a reporter’s instinct and first-class writing skills. It will be a best-seller.
Sarah Palin did him a huge favor by building her ridiculous fence (which looked like a bunny rabbit could have knocked it over) and weirdly complaining about him on national tv. Thanks for the free publicity, Sarah!
One thing for sure: she’ll be lying low the week of September 21, and may be down for the count after The Rogue is published.
Tom–
Who knows? But I have reasons to believe that the book won’t be lacking for attention once it’s published.
–Joe
My impression was that McCain did not pluck Palin out of anonymity — the right-wing pundits visiting AK on the cruises early in the year did (per The New Yorker write up), along with the blogger who was enamored with her, along with the background forces (prob big oil, big money, big Dominionist religion) that we don’t know too much about–who foisted Palin onto McCain. McCain’s role was to give in to the far right wing, to roll over, cave, to betray any principles he once might have had with exhortations of “Well do you wanna win or not?” And when he knew Palin better, probably even learning about the hoax, he said nothing. Even now: nothing. Even after Palin’s documented bad behavior during the campaign: nothing. A spine of jello.
As you are probably aware, I know the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area well, and have since 1979. I have many friends there, but my publisher decides what would be cost-effective. Please feel free to contact the wonderful Annsley Rosner at Crown, who is arranging things for September-October. Her email is arosner@randomhouse.com
I’d love to come down.
–Joe
You’re such a tease…
I have a suggestion for decor for your booksignings.
You are sitting in front of cardboard mockup of a high fence. There are two arrows on it to give directions. One says “Palins,” and the other says “Russia.”
Love the idea. But my publisher has no book signings planned, figuring that not being Sarah or Bristol I wouldn’t draw a crowd. The two-week publicity tour will be only national and big-market media. Not my call, but it’s the publisher who pays the cost of the tour so I can’t argue. If it changes, I’ll let you know.
–Joe
Tom — I too am v discouraged. Joe — your answer gives me hope. I was just going to write that I sure hope you have something up your sleeve that will ensure that your book is noticed, and that people get sucked into reading it. I am saddened to see that so many smart, educated people I know are not really readers. So we’ll need the sound bites, and PR, or whatever it takes to make a book take hold. I sure don’t know. But at least you know, Joe, that you have a small army of people who are eager to talk it up among our associates — and promote the other books as well. Fingers crossed.
Well apparently simple sarah is making her nora desmond appearance in pella. the bused in crowd is in awe of her and p-whipped purse totin’ tawd. Guess what, ram + 100 extra unsightly pounds is right there in the crowd to greet her sweetie pie, girlfriend tammy bruce also making an appearance wonder if greta is there. No report as to whether she brought props..oops kids along for her full length film debut.
Thanks for this comment. It’s people like you who keep me going.
–Joe
“I’ll take drunk fence building for $1000 Alex.”
National and big-market media sounds great to me. I am a voracious reader but I have never gone to a book-signing, prob never will. Seems like that’s preaching to the already converted in terms of selling the book. Whereas reading a good book review or seeing/hearing an interview (PBS!) about a book has me looking for it, talking about it. Still, I see that Caroline Kennedy did some book signings for her “She Walks in Beauty.” Her interviews (on YouTube) really go along way.
Joe: if you are asked to speak re the book, be sure to YouTube it. Esp if you can do a joint thing with, like, Max Blumenthal, or Dunn, Bailey. Geez, you and Gloria Steinem talking for 15 minutes! Gold.
I think Dunn’s book was successful for what it was. I don’t think he had as much invested in the book as I think it grew out of his odd lies of Sarah Palin blog posts. I thoroughly enjoyed The Lies of Sarah Palin and found new information and some additional nuance but no smoking gun. For people who had followed the blogs, many of Sarah’s lies were known and documented. His title was very appropriate but may have limited his readership to people who had already accepted that Sarah Palin is a serial liar.
People who purchase the books that expose Sarah for the fraud that she is are actual readers. The Palin’s have an advantage in book sales because they have an army of people who will buy them by the case lot so that they can slobber all over them.
I’m sure you know that Keith Olbermann quoted your blog today. Thinking that Sarah must be breathing into a paper bag about now . . .
And she fancies herself as the Alaskan Shakespeare with her “refudiate” word, so I’ll quote the REAL Shakespeare who must have peeked into the future:
“Infinite and endless liar, an hourly promise-breaker.”
“False of heart, light of ear, bloody of hand.” (That’s for the poor, defenseless Caribou she slaughtered.)
“O gull, o dolt, as ignorant as dirt.” (That’s for Michele Bachmann too.) . . . and finally (insert mental drum roll)
“Anointed sovereign of sighs and groans.”
OUCH! great post joe. I hope that you are able to come to atlanta for the book signing (altho I understand if the south isn’t your audience) – I’ll buy your book and would be glad to meet you.
when alassska goes for obama over the quitter, you know the quitter is done. and it’s a good thing.
So Joe, I’m curious what you know and think of RAM, she’s at the Pella Palin Propoganda Show.
I neither know her nor think about her.
Hard enough to make myself keep thinking about Sarah.
–Joe
I hope the south is part of my audience. If Crown thinks it useful, I’ll gladly come to Atlanta. I once even spoke at the college in De Kalb and the late, great Paul Hemphill was a close personal friend. Contact Annsley Rosner at Crown: arosner@randomhouse.com if you think there would be sufficient interest.
Thanks,
Joe
I’ve known Gloria forever, though haven’t been in touch for many years. Here’s the thing: I am not Caroline Kennedy. Bookstore signings these days usually only work for people who are already celebrities through other media (actors, rock stars, TV personalities, etc.) Nobody wants to line up to see some guy who’s only an author. I’m sure Crown will make YouTubes of my media interviews instantly available. They seem very tech-savvy. In fact, it’s Crown that twisted my arm to start this blog.
Any publicity ideas you have, please share with Annsley Rosner, the wonderful and talented woman in Crown publicity department who is arranging my tour: arosner@randomhouse.com
–Joe
really, but don’t you want to know how the story ends? i think that is the only reason we are here and elsewhere on the internet voraciously reading blogs. our hope is to see a fit ending to this seemingly unending story. i would think you joe would have the most vested interest in the taking down of sarah palin.
after all joe, aren’t you really one of the true rogues? not following the meme but telling it like it really is:)
and an irish rogue to boot:) LOL
Okay, thanks Joe…..so got ya on Sarah overkill, you deserve an award. Seriously. Talk about the mental health risks that you took for all of us.
Thank you for taking time out of your life to research and write about her. I so look forward to reading your book, and I hope you sell well!
I can believe that her poll standing in Alaska, is low. She hasn’t done anything productive or constructive for the state prior to and after her quitting the Governship.
Very well written!
Never a rogue, but always a bit of a rebel. Please see this long-ago story about me in the Holy Cross College alumni magazine:
http://www.holycross.edu/departments/publicaffairs/hcm/2000_01Winter.pdf
–Joe
Joe, sometimes my feelings are hurt, being a 21 year Wasillan transplanted from Northern Virginia. I like this place; I find beauty all around me and realize that people look on the surface of the town and find it wanting, and then judge it by the residency of Sarah Palin. You seemed to enjoy Alaska and Wasilla and had an understanding that only comes from spending more time here than a “bus and cruise” vacation would allow. I appreciate that because Wasilla/Palmer is more than Palin and is more than people who don’t live here would know. I just wanted to put this out there, again, to remind people that we are people that found our way North for a reason. We wanted less population, less traffic, less regulated Lower 48 suburban and urban lifestyle. That’s why I moved here and that’s why I stay here. Some of us came here with an “Into the Wild” dream in our hearts, and then found ourselves 40 and living in what passes for suburbia at 61.49 degrees North. I just wish that the haters wouldn’t find us all to be “dirtbags” but find us to be people who took the time to seek out a few acres that bought us Freedom from the things that we could not abide by in the more crowded environs down south.
But wait Joe…..RAM through creating C4P before the 2008 election, then going to work for Sarah after she resigned, had a lot to do with building the Sarah Palin national “fake” image. So, why wouldn’t you cover the RAM aspect of Sarah’s “Fake Rogue”, since RAM deceitfully contributed in a BIG way behind the scene to benifit the 2008 campaign, and now Sarah’s political life after the election to this date?
You lucky dog to know Gloria Steinem! Couldn’t you please ask her to do a guest post here, telling us what she thinks of Palin’s Hoax, babygate. Make sure she sees the Mar 14 photo of the flat-profile Palin. Or right after your book comes out.
Here’s one of many reasons I love Ms Steinem: she tries to knock no one, to be accepting and kind all around. But it’s hard. For example, people always asked her if she was a lesbian, and she was at a loss for an answer that was truthful (“No.”) but didn’t seem to put down lesbians, because she respected everyone’s private choices. So when asked later in her career, she had finally developed a good answer:
Qu: Are you a lesbian, Ms Steinem?
GS: Not yet.
I thank you for this comment. You’ve expressed my own feelings about Alaska, and, in particular, the Valley, which is, as you say, so much more than Sarah Palin. In THE ROGUE I write at length about my gratitude to the many Wasillans and Palmerians who reached out to help me when I was being attacked and even threatened last summer. You represent the spirit of the Alaska I came to love in the 1970’s and found alive and well in 2008-09-10, and which I’m sure I’ll be buoyed by again when I return this September.
–Joe
the point of a book is to reach beyond those who “already know”.
your conclusion that dunns book was somehow self limiting by its title fails because had he been given the attention that say palin will get for her so called movie opening, he Would have reached millions of potential people who were totally unaware he EVEN wrote a book.
and if you think the so called media in this country doesnt band together to keep points of view off the airwaves try asking kitty kelly what happened to her when she was trying to get some media attention for her book about the child bush.
and i thought it was just plain obvious……shows ya what i know.
AKPetMom, don’t know you but have been reading your posts for a LONG time now…here there and you know where. Thanks for your perspective and for standing up for your adopted home. Palin won’t ever be able to ruin it for you.
They always know who you are at home.
Come on AKPetmom……..not everyone thinks that of Alaskan’s or Alaska. It is an amazing beautiful and rugged state. Sarah Palin just did a job on the citizens and state, she along with other politicians.
My request is keep an eye on those running for office up there. We don’t need any more Sarah Palin loosed in this country. We all need to pay more attention to everyone, in every state, that is attempting to run for office, and either help support those we agree with or help defeat those we don’t.
The far right has been doing this for quite some time!
Trust me: in the real world, nobody’s even heard of C4P. As Shakespeare had MacBeth say in Act 5, Scene 5:
“it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”
–Joe
Oh Dkey,
Well done!
What beautiful sentiments. I Thank you!
I think you would draw a crowd, but I also think the big media blitz will be better exposure on a higher level! After Sarah’s and now Bristol’s book signings, they have kind of lowered the threshold for book signings. It would be great if we could get signed copies – any thoughts on how that could be accomplished? I am really looking forward to your book!
Marie–
Regarding signed copies, please ask Annsley Rosner at Crown Publishing publicity department:
arosner@randomhouse.com
I’m happy to cooperate.
–Joe
Thank you for the suggestion. My email will be winging her way momentarily.
I read elsewhere, on a pro-paylin site, that the audience is making much of Louis CK’s rant about the princess in her little movie and
it’s serving to cement her claims of victimhood to her legions. I hope Broomfield’s upcoming documentary includes tidbits
from her ‘100K appearance’ videos where her anger, disdain and utter hatred of the President is on full display. Some folks need to see the truth in video as reading actual books isn’t as popular in our tech-fueled age. Perhaps then a handful of her supporters, along with a huge crowd of independents, will discover that she plays the bully game quite well too and frequently. Not surprised by the adoring coverage extended by Fox and right wing radio but it’s has been quite an eye-opener watching the networks give her a pass or benefit of a doubt whenever one of her gaffes bubbles up and out. Although I don’t get my news from those sources I realize that many around me derive almost 100% of their news awareness there and it disturbs me that they get a whitewashed version of her yet they gave much credence to Obama’s birth certificate nonsense. The milder network propaganda is obviously working because I’ve heard several of them say they wouldn’t vote for her but they feel sorry for her because of ‘media attacks’ aimed her way. Sheesh!
I can almost guarantee she will bring the props/bodyguard/kids to the book signing at MOA. The citizen from Alaska/Arizona always brings the ‘lil uns when she makes a PUBLIC appearance. That way she knows no one will confront her in front of the ‘kids’.
A bunny rabbit didn’t knock the fence down, but the first Fall blow did.
i read the piece about you on the holy cross website joe. thank you for referring me to the site!!!
so very accomplished at so tender an age!!! your lifetime of achievements is extraordinary~
and i apologize and stand corrected. you aren’t a rogue.
(the only part of the definition i was attributing to you is the “mischievious” bit-that’s okay right:)
happy you are a rebel AND one with a cause.
i hesitate to just repeat what has been said over and over but -the mind is getting weary so…….i truly
look forward to reading your book joe!!!
Joe, didn’t you say in a recent post that if Sarah has not announced her candidacy by the time your book comes out, she won’t and you know why… How does what you know play into her announcing before your book comes out?
I have to thank you from time to time for helping to assure that Sarah Palin will not hold office in the foreseeable future. If not for people like you and Jesse Griffin and several others, I believe that no one would know how dangerous this woman is to our country. It is an amazing, as well as frightening, phenomenon that has occurred thanks to John McCain.
Love your blog and trust in your writing and research.
Finally, I think that, maybe, perhaps, the bottom is falling out for the Queen. A google search of the Sarah Palin news is full of Michele Bachmann vs. Sarah stories. This is somewhat new. And not being popular in your home state is never good; just ask Al Gore.
Well said! And could be applied to many Alaskans. After all, they elected her gov–and it was all about the State, esp the oil part, despoiling the wilderness and making tons of money, never about what was good for the rest of the country or how that kind of plunder would affect anyone, anywhere, else.
Thanks, Joe. I’ll be emailing her today and pass the word along to others I know of in the area who also are looking forward to the release of your book in September. Hope to see you in NC sometime later this year!
… in other words, as usual, all politics are local. If the local yokel is adept at playing to the tribal instincts of the low information voters and then gets the attention of those behind the curtains, what do we have?
SSDD = Same stuff, different day, and History repeats itself.
Joe, just went over to the link you gave with the article on you and now, though I’ve read a couple, I want to read all your books. Very clever of your publisher to have you blog. Everything does happen for a reason, or what we focus on expands. So true and it is your style to “submerge yourself into your project” so to speak, something I have learned is for me, the only way to do anything worthwhile.
My husband is editing his book with the help of a terrific guy who shall be nameless for now, you may know him, but we met him through family and he is a former activist for civil rights and he lives in NH now and is an editor. He started helping Jerry(my honey), at first as a favor with a little critique, and then he loved the writing and the story and my husband, that now it is a commitment.
Thanks again,
Jeanabella
Tom, I disagree with your first statement. “the point of a book” can be argued a thousand ways. In my opinion, the primary purpose of a non-fiction book is to put fact-checked information in hard copy form. A form that doesn’t change. If only 250,000 copies are printed, then there are 250,000 reliable witnesses to that information. Those witnesses can’t be suborned. That’s why power-gluttons burn books.
Geoffrey Dunn’s book is valuable. Even though I’ve been following the blogs that expose $arah Palin’s real life, I bought Dunn’s book. And I learned things that were not easily accessible otherwise. I expect to learn even more verifiable facts from Joe McGinniss’ book about $arah. I don’t intend to use this book or any book as an evangelizing tool. I expect that absorbing the facts in this book will enable me to be spontaneous with verifiable information when I am faced with people who are ignorant or worse. This is how books have worked for me, and I’m well past 70, and a trained observer. How do you use books?
books are used in many ways.
some books only have pictures.
some just for diversion or escape.
some are history, law etc.
While I will agree with you that books are a great source of facts remember palin also wrote a book that her fans would argue is true.
and most important books are about ideas.
thats why books were burned.
and to spread those ideas beyond the people who understand them is the main value of a book.
that is why you see repression and as I pointed out about, the Kelly book for one example.
the influence of the written word is the danger of books to those who would seek to ban or repress them.
and the reason they do so is to make sure those ideas do not spread beyond the author or the people who may already know them.
Remember, You may believe the facts in dunns book or even Joes coming book but Many will not.
and by reading the book you agree that you can spread its influence.
so I repeat the point of a book is to reach beyond those who claim they “already know”.
I love my state, NC, too. It has wonderful mountains, a great coast line, some real natural beauty, and people are generally full of “southern courtesy”. But it also has its pockets of total ignorance, racism, and people who just don’t pay much attention to those for whom they’re voting. The 2012 Democratic convention will be held in Charlotte and hopefully that will give the President a victory again, since the one in 2008 made him the first Democrat to win the presidency here in over 30 years.
i love joe’s answer to this; that no-one in the real world knows about c4p. i’m sure it’s true!
SPAK (or SPAZ, if Alaska has repudiated her) is only as big as the media’s daily take on her.
she is a creation of them!
i showed my husband the Paul Revere gaffe, and he was shocked by her ditzy-ness. he had only really heard very little about her, and likes to tease me about how he’d vote for her, but not any more.
can’t wait to read your book, mr. mcginniss
Oh, I don’t think poorly of Alaska or even Wasilla, although I wish Wasillans would be more vocal and forthcoming about $arah’s many mistakes and lies while mayor. I’m hoping and praying for you all that she permanently leaves the state. I’d really love to visit Alaska someday and not have to worry about seeing her while I’m there!
Glad to hear that you will not be doing any booksignings. I worry (seriously) about your safety in a public setting. Many of Palin’s followers are downright scary.
Oh I would love a signed copy. I’ve followed this story of Sarah for 3 years and my family and friends don’t get it it. They simply think she is dumb and not a threat. I’ve tried to show some of them why she is a threat. I’ve tried to explain the threat of Dominionism without much success. A book like yours can really make a difference if people read it. I think it is very important for you to do radio and TV interviews and I am sure you can get them, so I hope your publisher does some work on this. I know I will promote your book to everyone I know. Your writing is incredible and I so enjoy your blog posts. Thanks for giving us this opportunity- your publisher was smart to ask you to set this up along with twitter and Facebook!
I think you need to get on the night time shows, the View, Piers Morgan, Bill Maher and even Fox!! I’m sure you would be welcomed at MSNBC and on Keith Obermanns show although that is preaching to the choir. Your story of moving in next door got a lot of attention so why not this too! I’m sure others have suggestions. I say GO FOR IT in an all out manner!!
As you said upthread, “it’s Crown that twisted my arm to start this blog”. That resonates! My children have dragged me in to emailing and using a computer. How has blogging affected you? Has it been, overall, a pleasant experience? When the awful Alaskan finally fades away, you’ll close this particular blog, right? And then? Would you consider doing a different one? Maybe on soccer? 😀 I love the game, but only speak English.
GAWD, I hope so.
I would wait in line to see you, Joe. You’ve been one of my favourite Authors for many years!
Very well written and so true.
I grew up in northwest Wyoming and see many of the same things you describe here. In the 2008 campaign, I was willing to look at her because she was a Western Republican, but quickly saw that she never got outside of her frontier mentality. She and I are the same age, and I see the choices she made vs. the ones I made from pretty much the same milieu. It really takes self-discipline to take the risk of exploring the outside world and question assumptions you grew up with.
I, too, would love you to come to Atlanta. And if you want to experience southern hospitality, you could stay in my guest apartment and have dinner with us! Emory University is right across the street, and I know you would find a receptive audience there…
You rock, Joe!!! Just love this blog. It’s pretty clear palin is losing her mojo….hahaha……watching her slide down that slippery slope to yesterdays news. Even if she bumps up the meds it won’t change the polls or her pathetic screech on all things palin.
”’Nobody wants to line up to see some guy who’s only an author.”
Joe, Ann Rule is an author only, and people line up at her book signing.
I too have great affection for where I live.
Unfortunatly we have Chris Christie now.
Awful man. Not AWE inspiring, just plain brash, egotistical and awful.
And he too is being groomed for the right wings candidate for POTUS.
I could never understand anyone taking Sarah Palin seriously as a candidate for POTUS. I put her below Warren Harding in intellect.
I loved the thin dime comparison.
I think we are about to witness yet another Defeat.
She will be defeated in her attempt to sell Bristol’s book.
Judging by the lack of thousands or even dozens, lined up at the MOA.
They may have no choice soon but to sell the Trig story themselves, for cash.
There’s an exception to every Rule.
–Joe
Now we know why she and Bristol didn’t premiere their book signing gig anywhere in Alaska. One would think they’d at least start from the place that pitted them onto their platform to become wealthy celebrities. Think of all those people who volunteered their time, as described in Frank Bailey’s “Blind Allegiance”; like the elderly man whose “yucky” hat she threw into the garbage can. So many believed in her, gave family time, money, hard work and she quit on them.
The rest have seen a woman bent on name-calling and spitting on all those who weren’t her worshippers; and the daughter is following suit. Polls don’t lie.
Bristol’s book has been cut to $15 at Amazon!
Very grateful to you Joe, that a writer of your calibre was willing to tackle this subject, in all forms literary, from book to blog. Just one correction to your scenario of Palin’s rescue by the Angel McCain. I beg to differ. It was the Angel Trig who rescued Palin and cemented the deal.
I recall he wanted Lieberman. That would have been fine with us in CT- we’d be rid of him.
Add another negative to that poll. Hayes contacted me, but would not tell me what the poll was about before asking questions. I hung up on them, as I expect many people did.
Sorry AKPetMom.
If just one Wasillian would come forward with the real goods on SP and help to show once and for all just what she is, I think it would go a long way in redeeming the town in everyone’s eyes. Especially Babygate — that would really drive a stake through the heart of her phoney image and the media would explode and then lose all interest in her.
There was trouble for Sarah even earlier than June 2008. I found it EXTREMELY interesting that Wev Shea received a call on March 5 from a McCain campaign member, the same day Sarah announced she was 7 months pregnant. What Wev Shea said should have waved a huge red flag to the McCain staffer, but it was obviously ignored:
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/damage-control
“Wev Shea is a Republican, an Anchorage lawyer and a former U.S. Attorney for Alaska. He has known Palin for 15 years, has been an adviser to her and Palin’s husband, Todd, and believes she would make a great vice president.
On Monday, Shea told us that he was first contacted March 5 by a member of McCain’s campaign (a friend of his for more than two decades). The staffer wanted his thoughts on Palin as a potential vice presidential candidate. He gave her a ringing endorsement. Shea declined to give the name of the staffer.
Shea was again a couple months later contacted about Palin as a possible Veep. Shea told the staffer about a particular concern of his: The McCain campaign should not ask anybody in the leadership of the Alaska Republican Party or senior congressional delegation about Palin because the party is tainted with corruption. Randy Ruedrich is the party chairman. Palin exposed him for doing party business on state time in 2004, when both were serving as political appointees under Gov. Frank Murkowski on the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
“The contact I had with the McCain campaign was to tell them not to deal with the Republican leadership in Alaska because of the taint that surrounds them and their failure to address corruption in Alaska,” Shea said.
Shea said that the old-guard of the Republican Party has been against Palin because she’s a reformer. He provided an example of the animosity that some Alaska Republicans have toward Palin. When she was running for governor in 2006, Shea said he was told by Palin’s brother, Chuck Heath Jr., that she had been harassed by U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens’s son, Ben Stevens. Ben was then Alaska State Senate president. Palin was at the time running against incumbent Frank Murkowski in the Republican primary.”
++++++
I was extremely upset that Geoffrey Dunn did not mention the TIMING of McCain winning the Republican nomination on 3-4-08 and Sarah announcing she was 7 months pregnant on 3-5-08, THE VERY NEXT DAY!
Dunn also did not mention the email from Sharon Leighow on 3-4-08. That email was from the first batch of 3000 emails that MSNBC obtained last year. It was one of the many emails that were withheld, but their subject line remained intact. On Page 30 of the privilege log of the withheld emails was this:
Sharon Leighow sent an email to Governor Palin & T. Palin on 3-4-08 at 11:29 a.m. Alaska time. The subject line of the email says:
“strategy for responding to questions about pregnancy”
Thanks. You spoke my life here very eloquently. The reason so many are not attracted to the political side of things is for the very reason of coming here – to avoid such things.
IMO, there are few who locally know the WHOLE $palin debacle story. I think those are the ones who were rewarded with high paying state jobs, state jobs they still benefit from under parnell.
Ouch, lol…..not much of a turn out.
“The mall estimates about 1,500 people turned out and that the Palins did about 700 autographs.”
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/04b49c515b014ddc8030658e12b12fdc/MN–Books-Palins-on-Tour/
I would be there. We do have intelligent people in Atlanta despite being a very red state and having to deal with Nathan Deal and Newt Gingrich.
And this…..even though Sarah was there.
http://www.kare11.com/news/article/928624/391/Hundreds-line-up-at-MOA-for-Palin-book-signing
“The doors opened at six. People were able to line up at five and I think there was only maybe 20 people. I was quite surprised,” said Dan Triplett of St. Cloud.”
Well–at 3 books per person, that’s about 230-something people when they appear to have been expecting 2300, Mall of America and all that you know.
I’m in your camp Tom regarding our MSM. I am more upset with them than I am with some of the half baked and self serving politicians that are currently representing Americans in Congress.
Our media is failing to deliver the facts, or showing discernment in what they choose to cover, and or ignore, or exercising care in how they cover it. They have an established bias for the most part, and seem to have lost their minds because an African American was elected to the Whitehouse. Imo, they contribute enormously to unhealthy state of our politics.
I’m counting the days for the release of youreaking r book Joe. As someone else suggested it will most likely be a one sitter.
Tom wrote back that she was an ignorant nitwit. Governor Murkowski, the previous title holder to the Worst Governor Ever (in Alaska, the title now held by Sarah Palin) determined she was unfit for service years before that… nd yet, the right wing Republicans did nothing to prevent her rise.
Somehow I am not surprised.
I’m impressed “not afraid of life” reached #185 on amazon. Authors her age typically don’t do well. Meghan McCain’s book and tour tanked big time. Heck, most politicians books tank.
Excellent post, thanks gm!
Well, I think palin’s 15 minutes are finally coming to an end. Her book signing with brissdull was pretty much a flop and her “movie” debut about the same. Her word salad after the movie was standard stuff…disjointed sentences with no punctuation or understandable delivery. Talking points bleeding into the next sentences….I didn’t listen to it. I read it so i wouldn’t have to be subjected to that torture. And Immoral Minority mentions her belt buckle – pretty funny stuff. Can’t wait for Joe’s book…..
Thank you for your excellent comment. I have said all along that the key to the fake pregnancy is the date it was announced – the story of Trig would be very different if John McCain had not clinched the nomination.
…youreaking r book Joe. As someone else suggested it will most likely be a one sitter.
What does this mean?
Needz moar consunintz?
Bristol’s book has the buying power of SarahPAC behind it.
Aren’t you the same person who goes excusing Palin’s lies by saying, heck, most politicians lie?
Aren’t you the same person who goes around excusing Palin’s lies by saying, heck, most politicians lie?
Sarah’s trolls are so easily impressed. I guess that is how they became Bots in the first place.
I was mostly bothered by the nitwit proclaiming hollywood types threaten her and her kids’ lives. WTF is that all about? You make a truthful statement that she’s practically brain dead and nowhere near qualified to be a bowling alley snack bar lady and that’s translated into you are threatening her and her kids with bodily harm?? She’s delusional and has some serious mental illness issues.
Joe, You do Rock!!! as said earlier, couldn’t agree more.
I see you are back for more fun Inquiring Minds. I say to you the same thing I say to Sarah; how can we miss you when you won’t go away?
For a couple of months, Sarah was doing fairly well at not playing the victim. But now that she is really down in all the polls I have read, she is pulling out the old familiar I am a victim routine. After the propaganda film aired, did Sarah actually say that her children are at risk of being murdered? Why? Because certain celebrities do not agree with her and have expressed their opinion. She is getting desperate, very desperate. And a bit unbalanced if you ask me. And now that the good folks of Minnesota have spoken by staying away from the Mall of America in droves, who knows what kind of threats the Queen will conjure up in her mind so she can play the victim yet again. It’s really getting old.
Sarah, if you can’t play with the big boys, it’s time to pack it in and go back home. And stay home or a big bad wolve just might eat you up.
jury duty update:
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/sarah-palin-no-jury-duty-june
I thought about this since last night. Part of what hubs did at his previous job at “the publisher” was to set dates for author meet-and-greets and confirm sites & dates for book signings in the greater Chicago area. I went to many of these events; most of these niche-specific authors had their own rabid following. Most were simply authors, not “celebrities”. The PR started about two months ahead of the author visit. I really think you’re selling yourself short.
I’ve been surfing the blogs and laughing at all the comments and info regarding her movie premier. haha….However, I agree with jcinco on her absurd remarks regarding people wanting to murder her and her kids..WTF?? This is standard palin-speak. What a flaming idiot. She’s still trying to unleash her flying monkeys over the threats on her life. But me thinks the flying monkeys are starting to read. hmmmm…..that could trigger a fullblown meltdown in the kitchen, on the fridge…..yikes!
Joe,
Annsley at Random House responded to my request about signed books. She said you will be signing bookplates and will send one to me.
To anyone who would like a signed bookplate, please send an email to arosner@randomhouse.com
with your request and address.
Thank you Joe for working with a great publisher.
You don’t understand Amazon rankings.
And if you end up in the Bay Area, please let me know. We would love to have you to our table.
You’ll make a wager and chuck the actual dice. These books tend to be based basically within the principle that you are likely to play the game against powerful oppositions.
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