Palin gone, anything but forgotten

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 11/7/8 | Carla Marinucci

[SmithL]

GOP vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin returned home in defeat to Wasilla, Alaska, on Wednesday night - leaving behind eyebrow-raising tales about towel-clad appearances and internal campaign feuds.

Palin had barely touched down when conservative Web sites began hawking defiant bumper stickers: "I'll keep my guns, freedom and money. You can keep 'The Change': Palin 2012." It's 1,460 days until the next election, and loyal Palinmaniacs have already kicked off the palin4pres2012.com Web site and mailing list.

Emerging from her plane, Palin was met with chants of "2012! 2012!" She left herself a very big open door when asked about her plans in four years.

"We'll see what happens then," she told reporters.

But even as she hedged, stories emerged this week that threatened to collapse Palin's carefully cultivated pit bull-with-lipstick, moose-hunter, hockey-mom, maverick image.

Among the stories reported by Fox News and Newsweek magazine:

-- She showed up in front of John McCain campaign aides "wearing nothing but a towel."

-- She sent campaign staff on a shopping spree for her family that insiders described as the "Wasilla hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus from coast to coast."

-- She was so shockingly ignorant of basic geography that aides prepping her for her single debate realized she didn't know that Africa is a continent and not a country, nor could she identify the countries that comprise North America.

Palin released a statement calling the accusations "so unfortunate and, quite honestly, sickening. ... The accusations we are reading are not true."

Conservative icon and author Richard Viguerie, who heads conservativehq.com - and who has called Palin "the new Ronald Reagan" - dismissed the reports Thursday and defended Palin as a figure who will continue to have enormous clout with conservatives.

[Luke21]

Sarah is completely comfortable with herself. She can decide for herself when a situation is dangerous. She actually trusts people and gives the benefit of the doubt to people. That’s what traditional women used to do.

Now we’ve got armies of feminists dressed like men in seamless black pants, ready to summon their lawyers and bureaucrats if men don’t act and speak correctly in their presence.

You’d think these idiots would be smart enough to know she actually paid them a compliment. Somebody said they must be gay. A woman like that would have real men completely mesmerized and willing to walk across hot coals for her.

If this is indicative of how McCain would have governed, it’s best to be done with him now. We might as well hit bottom and rebuild.

[norraad]

Suppose sarah ran the campaign in a towel...Would you be upset? I know I sure wouldn’t be!

It sure would have eliminated the clothing scandel.

[Holicheese]

I like the way you think!

By the way, how much did Michelle pay for that horrid dress? Was it an illegal gift?

[norraad]

Good point, right out of the commie play book, always attack with things you are more guilty of to turn the play.