New book goes rogue on Sarah Palin
A much hyped new book by a journalist who moved in next door to Sarah Palin has made a series of salacious allegations, from extra marital affairs to drug use.
Just when you thought that there was surely nothing left to reveal about the former Alaska Governor, Joe McGinniss has dished up an entire menu of salacious allegations, ranging from extra-marital affairs to drug use.
What is definitely true is that McGinniss went to great lengths to gather material for ‘The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin’ – indeed, his search took him all the way to her front door. Literally. He was the ‘peeping Tom’ reporter who moved in to the neighbouring house in Palin’s home town of Wasilla – where Palin accused him of intruding on her family’s privacy.
Fling with NBA player – claims book
The tome is published next week, but according to leaks in the National Enquirer, it claims that Palin had a one night stand with a 6 foot 8 basketball star, Glen Rice, while she was a sports reporter with an Anchorage television station. The encounter supposedly took place in the dorm room of Sarah’s sister Molly, at the University of Alaska – while she was dating her future husband Todd, and nine months before their marriage. The Enquirer claims that Rice confirmed the affair, adding “he remembers only nice things about Sarah, recalling her as ‘gorgeous’ and saying she was a big crush of his at the time.”
As for drugs – McGinniss claims that Palin smoked pot with a professor while she was a student at Mat-Su college – and, the book alleges that she also snorted cocaine off an oildrum while she and Todd were out snomobiling with friends.
Infidelity claim denied
There’s also a further claim about infidelity; something Palin has consistently denied. But the book says she had a six month affair with Todd’s business partner Brad Hanson – who’s also denied that he was ever involved with her.
And there’s even a swipe at her abilities as a mother, or as McGinnis cattily describes her ‘a housewife who happened to be Governor’ – accusing her of letting the kids ‘fend for themselves’ when Todd was busy – and scandalously claims that her daughters Bristol and Willow were left to eat burned macaroni cheese. Make of that what you will.
Political intentions?
The New York Times review has comprehensively trashed the book – casting the villain as McGinniss himself. It castigates his inconsistency and weak sourcing of rumours and concludes that the book is “too busy being nasty to be lucid”. There’s been no official comment from Palin or Joe McGinniss, according to the American press.
As for Palin’s political future – she’s still deciding whether to enter the Republican presidential race, dropping veiled hints every so often about her intentions. “I always think there’s room for more”, she said last month, on a surprise visit to Iowa.
Too busy being nasty to be lucid – The New York Times
It’s unlikely that the McGinnis book will make any difference to her chances – although she may already have missed the boat. With Rick Perry and Michelle Bachmann josling for position on the right – there’s precious little room left for Sarah Palin. And despite her ever-loyal fan base, all the polls now suggest that few in her party now want her to be their Presidential nominee.
Felicity Spector is the US Politics expert for Channel 4 News. Follow her on Twitter @felicityspector