Telling Sarah Palin's story: Two authors collide
In one corner: Frank Bailey, a former aide to Sarah Palin, said to be writing a critical biography of her. In the opposing corner: Joe McGinniss, author of "The Selling of the President 1968" and recent Alaskan neighbor of Sarah Palin, writing his own book. In the middle: a pre-publication manuscript and a cease-and-desist letter.
In our Washington bureau, James Oliphant writes:
The contents of the Bailey manuscript were first reported by the Anchorage Daily News, which said that McGinniss had provided the paper with a copy. The Daily News said that in the manuscript, which was reportedly compiled from e-mail messages sent by Palin, the former Alaska governor complained that she hated her job shortly before she resigned in 2009.
McGinniss' agent, Dave Larabell, told the Associated Press on Tuesday that McGinniss wasn't the only person in the publishing world to see the manuscript.
On Tuesday, Bailey co-author Ken Morris posted an online version of a cease-and-desist letter to McGinniss, from Morris, Bailey and third co-author Jeanne Devon.
McGinniss moved to Alaska -- next door to Sarah Palin -- to work on his biography. Husband Todd built a 14-foot fence between the properties, and Sarah Palin was not amused. "Wonder what kind of material he'll gather while overlooking Piper's bedroom, my little garden, and the family's swimming hole?" she wrote on her Facebook page.
McGinniss, who has written books about politics and true crime, will publish "The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin" with Broadway Books in September.
-- Carolyn Kellogg
Photo: Sarah Palin at a rally in Anaheim in October. Credit: Associated Press
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The controversy over Sarah Palin's pages
Foolish Frank Bailey & jejune Joe McGinniss: a pair of sardines, a couple of minnows, swimming in deep water with the Beautiful Barracuda. How unfortunate for them.
Posted by: Carlton West | February 23, 2011 at 10:51 AM
Squirrel cheeks with the pencil neck is bleeding and swimming with sharks. Angelina is hot. Sarah is not.
Posted by: dutch | February 23, 2011 at 11:00 AM
Poor Sarah is so predictable. When someone scores a direct hit on her, she goes on the attack to divert attention. It is sad to see a woman who was once supported by so many, reduced to nothing more than a village idiot. Can you imagine all the shreiking, doors slamming, dirty diapers on the floor and chaos at the Palin Home? I chuckle at the thought of her ever being considered for governor now that we know what a flaky, thin skinned, mirror, mirror, on the wall ......nut she really is. Frank Bailey has yet to unleash utter destruction to this goofy, second rate would be hotty. She tries too hard to look like Sandra Bullock but it aint working. She looks terrible.
Posted by: dutch | February 23, 2011 at 11:25 AM
@Carlton West:
Sarah? SARAH???? Is that you?
Posted by: Ship of Fools | February 23, 2011 at 12:07 PM
Who cares about this loon anyway?
Posted by: affableman | February 23, 2011 at 01:09 PM
es, and the more hysterical, dishonest, hateful and vicious the Left gets about Sarah Palin, the more I like this new breed of politician. I really hope the polls are all crap (as they were in '04), and then I'll enjoy watching the Left completely melt down about how "we didn't get our message out"..."this nation is racist"..."the election was stolen (note on that: you idiots have tried to steal two previous, and the only things that stopped you were the rule of law and your own ineptitude)".
Posted by: zayiflama | February 24, 2011 at 08:37 AM