Sarah Palin: My New Next Door Neighbor

Joe McGinniss released The Rogue: Searching For The Real Sarah Palin to an eagerly awaiting cluster of fans and critics alike. The early press that greeted his new book was blistering. Critics across the country excoriated him. The overwhelming verdict on McGinniss is that he pushed the envelope too far without providing enough substantiated corroboration to support his allegations. His book caused quite a tizzy and, arguably, put some dents in McGinniss’ otherwise, stellar reputation. All of this controversy begs the big question–what’s all this fuss about?

Many of his critics were ticked that McGinniss played footloose and fancy free with the lurid details surreptitiously whispered to him about Palin’s alleged nefarious behavior: her affair with an African American all-star college player; the snowmobiling expedition where she snorted coke off of a 55-gallon oil drum; and easily, the most contentious claim that Trig, her Down Syndrome child, was not actually her child.

This entire hubbub began when McGinniss, fresh on assignment to write an exposé on Palin, moved into a rented home next door to her and her husband Todd. McGinniss says it was entirely by happenstance he ended up there. Catherine Taylor, the home-owner sought out McGinniss after she learned he would be writing a book about Palin. She’d provide the dilapidated house on the cheap. McGinniss greeted the offer enthusiastically: “This could be a pretty amazing stroke of luck.”

The Palins did not take it well. They believed he had consciously moved next door to spy on them. Tod erected an additional fence–a 12-footer, dwarfing the original fence–to guarantee he could not peer into their bedrooms. They also contacted the media, claiming he was violating their privacy. These false allegations (false, according to McGinniss) set off a firestorm that placed McGinniss directly in the center of the conflagration.

The press jumped all over him. Glenn Beck accused him of stalking her. Dave Weigel, of the Washington Post, wrote: “Can somebody explain to me how this isn’t a despicable thing to do?” Spooky blog posts ranged from punchy threats like, “Any bets that McGinniss disappears in the Alaskan wilderness?” to more scary intimidations: “This dumbass obviously has no idea of gun law [sic] in Alaska and how it is almost obligatory to shoot first and ask questions later.”

Verified sourcing posed a serious challenge to McGinniss. Many individuals he relied upon would only confide in him if he promised to maintain their anonymity. They were fearful the Palins would punish them for talking with McGinniss. There were so many of these fearful folks he believed he had little choice but to include what they alleged while protecting their confidentiality.

From a journalistic perspective one could chide McGinniss for relying upon such anonymous sources. But, here’s the thing, when you’ve got a slew of people reporting the same rapacious behavior, it may lead one to believe there’s some truth to the allegations. And then, many gave McGinniss permission to quote them directly. Gary Wheeler, her former head of security (he had served Governors Tony Knowles and Frank Murkowski in that same capacity) noted, “She was just so defensive all the time. Everybody was out to get her… it made her mean… But I’ll tell you one thing: she’s no mama grizzly; she’s a rabid wolf.” John Stein, her former mentor and former mayor of Wasilla, ran against her for his office and claimed her coalition spread rumors that he and his wife were not married and that he was not Lutheran, but Jewish. In an ultra-conservative community like Wasilla those were deal breakers.

Other noted Alaskans painted a grim picture. Jim Whitaker, Fairbank’s former mayor, told him about watching Palin address a departing group of soldiers (her son Track was among them). “I have never … seen such a detached and self-absorbed speech to deploying soldiers. Her lack of emotional involvement was scary. Her speech was all about her. That was the moment I lost the last of my faith in Sarah Palin.”

McGinniss does recognize her achievements. He acknowledges that once Palin became Governor, she did a brilliant job of generating mile high approval ratings (90 percent at one point). Her champions included men like right-wing radio host Don Fagan and Stephen Haycox, respected Alaska author and Professor of History at The University of Alaska, Anchorage. He also commends her for adroitly massaging the conservative press. The Weekly Standard’s Fred Barnes said, “That Sarah was a Republican star and a politician of eye-popping integrity.”

So, where are we? Without a doubt, McGinniss delivered a flawed book. Should you skip it? Nope, definitely put it on your reading list–it’s just too damned entertaining.