“Sarah Palin” by Joe McGinniss
Joe McGinniss’ unauthorized biography of Sarah Palin should be a page turner, whatever he says about her.
He’s probably most famous for Fatal Vision, which I never read. His only book I’ve read is Going To Extremes, and it’s one of those books you literally can’t put down until you’re done. It was just his experiences and personal impressions of Alaska, written in 1980.
The book didn’t exactly make you want to drop everything and make a beeline for Alaska. But the way he writes, you just feel like you’re there — camping in the Brooks Range, getting drenched by the 24/7 rain in Ketchikan, seeing another new sterile housing tract in Anchorage that wasn’t there three months earlier, etc.
I was in Alaska a long time ago. I didn’t like it (spectacular scenery though). But Going To Extremes really nails it; the book captures Alaska like nothing else I’ve ever seen or read. (Forget about travel articles, or that lame-ass TV series Northern Exposure from the late ‘80s.)
I have no idea what Joe McGinniss’ political views are. For all I know, his biography will say Sarah Palin is a true salt-of-the-earth pioneer, a Real American, misrepresented by the media, and anyone who doesn’t like her is just an effete ivory tower liberal.
Whatever he writes about her, the book oughta be riveting.
Labels: Fatal Vision, Going To Extremes, Joe McGinniss, Sarah Palin biography
posted by Tom Harper @ 12:21 AM
22 Comments:
Well I'll put that book on my list of must reads.
I don't know if it's true, but I heard Sarah had Todd build a 14ft.high fence on their property.
Seems someone who's writing about her moved in next door. What a freak show.
Later
If I am not mistaken, this is the guy that rented a house near Palin's in Wasila for six months so he could "observe" her. Sounds a little creepy to me.
Fear not though; my impression was that he will abuse Palin with extreme prejudice whether warranted or not, just like the rest of the main stream media does.
By the way, if Palin is so stupid and irrelevant, why is the left so fascinated and seemingly scared of her? Hmmmm.....
[insert I can see x from y joke here]
I wonder where the spectacle's next construct will come from.
Think I'll pass on this one. Just not much into comic relief today.
It seems to be okay to attack a woman especially a white woman in the country today by the party of diversity.
Tom, is he the guy that is occupying the house next door to the Dingbat of Drilling? If so, I hope she stays fully clothed. I wouldn't want the poor fellow to go blind. ;-)
By the way, if Palin is so stupid and irrelevant, why is the left so fascinated and seemingly scared of her? Hmmmm.....
Do you ever, for even a second, consider some of the stupidity you type before you strike the "PUBLISH" button?
We aren't "frightened" of your stupid wet dream; on the contrary, she's poison for just about every candidate she endorses. I very much WANT her to go right on doing what she's doing. It's good for my agenda.
lisa the idiot shat,
It seems to be okay to attack a woman especially a white woman in the country today by the party of diversity.
Nice try, but it is you Klanservatives that seek to put women back in the kitchen and Negroes back in the cotton field. Right here in Ohio, your Klanservative heroes are trying to send Betty Sutton "back to the kitchen."
You scumbags make me sick with your constant victimhood card.
T.Paine
I won't speak for anyone but myself here,
The reason I'm fascinated with her is because she almost became the second most powerful person in the world. She has proven time and time again she is bat shit crazy. I have no problems with a real Republican. Hell once upon a time I was one. We need a strong second party. One with answers.
The only solution she has quipped is drill baby drill. She is a walking bumper sticker with not a single informative idea. She is dangerous in only that she will get enough low brow lemmings to follow her every almost thought. She's not alone, Rand Paul is making a pretty good impact himself. As far as that writer renting next to her..guess what that's common practice as you write a book. Several people have done it in the past. I'm sure if he does something illegal Todd will shoot him.
GT: That book should be an excellent read, just based on the one other book I've read by him. Yup, he's the one who moved in next door to the Palins. The Palins' neighbor rented her house to him to get back at the Palins for ripping her off. Or something like that (he said she said...)
TP: Yup, that's the one. Speaking only for myself, I don't think Palin herself is scary; but I think it's scary how many simple-minded people have been swept up by her. (Now I'm not saying everybody who likes her is simple-minded :) )
I don't care about her political views, even though I don't agree with them. There are a lot of rightwing politicians who are intelligent, but she's not one of them. As Tim said, she's a walking bumper sticker. She may be smart herself, but she sends out this "Stupid" frequency that snags every dunce in a 10,000 mile radius. IMHO :)
Randal: Maybe McGinniss' book will start out with "I can see Sarah's _____________ from my room."
Demeur: Aw come on, it'll do you good :)
Lisa: I didn't know you had a crystal ball. The book isn't even out yet and you already know the author will be attacking her?
TomCat: Yup, that's him. Dingbat of Drilling, LOL. If the book gets written in Braille, we'll know he spent too much time with his binoculars.
JR: I hope Palin keeps on endorsing one Republican candidate after another. Between her and Rand Paul, the GOP might implode this November. One can hope.
GT: Two strong parties, each one having answers. Dream on :)
"Todd will shoot him" LOL. That whole family is armed to the teeth. Trig probably has his own AK-47 by now.
While my instincts are to admire much of what Palin accomplished as governor by reigning in corruption, especially in her own party, and cutting unnecessary spending in the state, all the while achieving a bi-parstisan approval rating as governor in the 70th percentile, she still makes me nervous.
She obviously isn't stupid, despite the nonsensical comments previous to mine, but she sometimes doesn't think before she engages her mouth.
W. Bush, although a buffoon in other aspects, also had this problem. I don't think America will put up with more verbal gaffes from a Republican presidential candidate.
Those are only tolerated by Democratic presidential candidates that make gaffes about spreading the wealth around while traveling to all 57 states.
Oh and Jolly, I think you need to change your moniker to Grumpy Roger and go chill out for awhile.
You make Robert Gibbs seem downright conciliatory and civil in comparison, sir.
TP: As far as the media "tolerating" Democrats' gaffes, Obama's "57 states" comment was all over the news and the Internet. Rightwing bloggers still trot it out.
Whether Sarah Palin is dumb or smart, she's extremely shrewd. But she's lowered the level of discourse ever since she first burst onto the scene in August 2008. Everything she says is combative, designed to agitate, and can fit onto a bumper sticker.
She's to serious political discussions what McDonald's is to a 4-star restaurant; or what a Britney Spears song is to a serious jazz or classical concert.
If that's how she wants to do things, that's fine; but it's obvious why she's a magnet for so many slings and barbs and imitations.
Lisa said exactly what the Hillary people did. "It seems to be okay to attack a woman especially a white woman in the country today by the party of diversity". Well, except for the "especially a white woman" part. That is purely race baiting, thrown in because the Reich Wingers can't help themselves.
And I'm sure Lisa feels just as much outrage over Hillary's "unfair" press as Sarah's "unfair" press. No double standards there, eh?
Fascination for Sarah is very much like fascination for a train wreck.
It speaks volumes that Americans love the ill-informed Bush-In-A-Skirt. She would be putty in the neocons hands, and we would be at war with Iran as soon as she put her ink stained hand on the Bible.
The ditz didn't even know what the Bush Doctrine was, but we know damn well she would love to start her own "pre-emptive war" to satisfy her crusader complex.
TP,
Did you see the poll where most Alaskans would NOT want her as president? Do you remember when she was cited for abuse of power over Trooper-gate?
Her "charm" works only on the ignorant. She is spiteful, vindictive and arrogant. Perfect qualification for the extreme right. And her speeches appeal to the very worst in people. With her skillful ability to fan hatred and anger with a smile, she is the perfect pretty face of American fascism.
And TP, here's another fresh Limbaugh lie from just today, "As you know, I don't make things up".
Good one, eh?
If you're ready for more from Rush "I don't make things up" Limbaugh, I'm happy to oblige. Did you know that "President Obama and former Labor Secretary Robert Reich were never professors"?
Maybe Rush has somebody making these up FOR him. He would never lie.
every guy I ever talked to that supported her can't think of one thing she ever said, but they can tell you what she was wearing.
Erik
T. Paine wrote: ". . . if Palin is so stupid and irrelevant, why is the left so fascinated and seemingly scared of her?"
The media report what Palin says and does because she's photogenic and they know that and the fact "news" about her attracts eyeballs, means more profit for them.
What you call extreme prejudice are the facts. It's like Harry Truman's famous comeback (paraphrasing): "I don't give 'em hell. I tell the truth (about Republicans) and they think it's hell."
Speaking for myself, I'm neither scared of nor fascinated with Palin. Politically, she's 2008's news warmed over. Now, she's just another self-promoting hustler exploiting the spotlight media provide, and making lots of money as a result.
As far as I'm concerned, anyone who hunts and kills animals from a helicopter, is an ass and I don't want anything to do with them. I will not vote for them for anything, even if they make perfect sense. Emotional response? Probably, but it's just plain wrong and corrupt on too many levels, that I can't get past it.
Dubya, at the time of Palin being picked for VP, even Democrat Alaskans were not opposed to her. It was only after the DNC machine trashed her continuously that her numbers fell in Alaska, partiuclarly with Democrats.
Further, I am fairly certain Palin was absolved of any wrong-doing with Trooper gate. Did you get that "fact" from Olberman, sir?
T.Paine. Hate to burst the love balloon for SWMNBN** but she left the state owing more than when she got in. As far as her being stupid, she is, no really. The woman thinks that every single question she is asked including, what papers do you read is a gotcha question. This is even how she is covering for Rand Paul's gaffe last wee, it is the way they went after me, expect it. She manages to turn every little thing into somehow being all about her when it is most definetely not.
Oh come on, you cannot be serious comparing Obama's little mix up in how many states we have to the crap spewed by republicans. Here are some of the more famous ones. Enjoy, I know I laughed re visiting them. Google Bush and gaffes and there are pages and pages of good stuff and laughs. Remember, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, uh, uh won't get fooled again and ob gyns want to practice their love with women all over the country. Yeah that is the same as being tired and counting territories as states in error. come on TP you are WAY better than that.
"People say, well, do you ever hear any other voices other than, like, a few people? Of course I do." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 18, 2008
"I'm telling you there's an enemy that would like to attack America, Americans, again. There just is. That's the reality of the world. And I wish him all the very best." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2009
"Amigo! Amigo!" --George W. Bush, calling out to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in Spanish at the G-8 Summit, Rusutsu, Japan, July 10, 2008 This is where he gave Merkel the creepy back massage too so we don't forget that.
"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? ... That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Feb. 28, 2008
TP,
You mean once Palin opened her mouth and exposed her ignorance, Alaskans learned more about her.
Of course you would be "fairly certain Palin was absolved of any wrong-doing with Trooper gate". You'd never know from listening only to Fox GOP propaganda and Rush "I Don't Make Things Up" Limbaugh.
I understand. I'm here to help.
From ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=6004368&page=1
"Gov. Sarah Palin abused her power when she fired her public safety commissioner this July, a state investigation has concluded."
Here are a couple more non-MSNBC reports.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=awseYZEQaikU
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14481.html
When one's belief system is constantly refuted by informed consensus and reality, I'd say that would be very much like being in a cult. I call it the Cult of Conned-servatism.
You're a good person, and I'm sure there is still hope if you are open to de-programming...
The US needs another Palin book likes it needs her as president.
T. Paine wrote: "It was only after the DNC machine trashed her continuously that her numbers fell in Alaska, partiuclarly with Democrats."
Right, it wasn't news media that uncovered Palin's irregular personnel practices and innovative spending habits. It was Democratic operatives sent north to Alaska to trash her excellency.
And that revealing interview with Katie Couric -- a complete setup. Couric and CBS brass were all in on it.
"I've got it," one Democrat said to Couric. "Here's the killer question you've got to ask Palin: What newspapers do you read?"
Come on, Paine, grow up. Whenever anyone, Republican or Democrat, goes on a presidential ticket, they get vetted by the opposing party and the press. When the media start uncovering things that draw the public's interest, they dig all the harder. And commentators comment on it.
Democrats didn't have to trash Palin. The facts, some from her own mouth and past actions, established her as being as flaky as a box of Wheaties.
Lew, you're right. It needs another Palin book like it needed the first one. Oh, that's right -- she didn't write that one, either.
Couldn't we just let her go back to the obscurity she richly deserves?
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