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Joshua Green

Joshua Green - Joshua Green was a writer and editor at The Atlantic from 2003 to 2011.

Leaked Palin Emails

By Joshua Green
Feb 22 2011, 11:41 AM ET Comment

I've been reading a leaked copy of "Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin: A Memoir of our Tumultuous Years," the tell-all memoir from Frank Bailey, once a member of Palin's inner circle. The book reminds me of the memoir by Scott McClellan, George W. Bush's former press secretary: the author's sudden and belated conversion to political adversary and portrayal of himself as a misguided innocent duped by a powerful charismatic figure is completely unconvincing and obviously self-serving. Bailey comes across as pathetic, a total sad sack. But he does supply dozens of emails from Sarah Palin and Todd Palin, which, if they're real, provide some insight into the couple's paranoid mindset. I never followed the particulars of the Palin story as closely and enthusiastically of some of my colleagues, but this email from Palin, raging against anonymous political operatives who were apparently spreading rumors about her son Track (not Trig) did surprise me, and it's representative of the odd stuff in the book:

From: Sarah

To: Scott Heyworth Cc: Todd Palin

Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 10:19 AM

Subject: Todd's son

Scott:

Todd just told me you had spoken with him awhile back and reported that some law enforcement friends of yours claimed some dumbass lie about Track not being Todd's son? This really, really disgusts me and ticks me off.

I want to know right now who said it, who would ever lie about such a thing... this is the type of bullshit lie about family that WILL keep me from running for Governor. I hate this kind of crap. I thought it was bad enough that my kids have been lied about recently regarding illegal activities that they had NO part in whatsoever. But a stupid claim like one of our kids isn't fathered by Todd?

I want to know NOW what this latest b.s. is all about because I want to get to the bottom of this garbage rumor mill. People who lie like this may know me well enough to KNOW THAT I WILL ALWAYS PUT FAMILY FIRST, AND IF UGLY LIES LIKE THIS ARE BELIEVED BY ANYONE AND ADVERSELY AFFECT MY HUSBAND AND KIDS... I WILL PULL OUT OF THE RACE BECAUSE IT'S NOT WORTH IT - AT ALL - TO LET MY FAMILY BE VICTIMS OF DARK, UGLY POLITICS LIKE THIS.

Sarah


Thumbnail image credit: Cheryl Gerber/Getty Images




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