(Palin) Thought Katie Was Her Fan: You betch I was suprised (smarmy quotes from "McCain source")

New York Daily News ^ | Friday, November 13th 2009, | David Saltonstall

[presidio9]

Sarah Palin says she was blindsided by Katie Couric's devastating interviews last year because John McCain's aides lulled her into thinking the CBS anchorwoman was a fan.

In Palin's new book, "Going Rogue," the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee reveals that her handlers talked up Couric as a working mom - just like her - who was struggling with low self-esteem and even lower ratings.

Couric liked and admired her, advised campaign media honcho Nicolle Wallace. The interviews would be a nice favor.

The scouting reports were so sympathetic, Palin writes, that that she almost began to "feel sorry" for Couric.

As it turned out, Palin should have been feeling fear - the Couric interviews were widely regarded as a moose-in-the-headlights disaster for the Alaska governor, whose answers were mostly rambling and nonresponsive.

Palin now writes that Couric was "badgering," had a "partisan agenda" and edited out Palin's substantive remarks in favor of "gotcha" lines.

A CBS source close to Couric responded last night, "The interviews speak for themselves." Wallace did not immediately answer a request for comment.

Palin's rips on Couric were among the sharpest in the much-hyped 413-page memoir that scored her a $1.25 million advance and is already a best-seller. Although the book doesn't officially go on sale until Tuesday, The Associated Press reported excerpts yesterday.

Judging by The AP's account, readers aren't likely to learn much new about Palin. One tidbit: As a girl, she dreamed of working alongside sportscaster Howard Cosell.

Palin confirms lingering hard feelings with many McCain aides, and the feeling is mutual. One ex-campaign official predicted the book will kill off whatever presidential dreams she may harbor for 2012.

"This will reinforce the fact that 25% of the country loves her and everybody else thinks she's not up to it," the source said.

The book also includes much of what her fans, and foes, might expect. There are tributes to family and faith and patriotism, and attacks against the media and other perceived opponents.

She writes about the "jaded aura" of professional campaigns, and she expresses awe about how aides hired a New York stylist - who was also Couric's stylist - to make her over.

Taken aback, she wondered who was paying for the $150,000 worth of fancy clothes - expenditures that would later cause a furor.

But family members were told it was being taken care of or was "part of the convention."

Palin also shares behind-the-scene moments when the nation learned her unwed teen daughter, Bristol, was pregnant. She told of how she rewrote a statement prepared for her by the McCain campaign - only to watch in horror as a TV anchor read the original statement, which, in Palin's view, glamorized her daughter's situation.

But the Couric interviews may be her worst memory.

The McCain campaign tried to convince Palin that she had performed well. But even Palin didn't believe that, as she told Oprah Winfrey in excerpts of a taped TV interview released yesterday.

"I'm thinking, if you thought that was a good interview, I don't know what a bad interview is," Palin said.

[presidio9]

Note to all amateur detectives. This is the headline as it appeared in today's print edition of the Daily News. The online headline is different. If you feel the need to verify this (I have come across freepers with that obsession), you will find every print copy of the Daily News (along with many other papers) at pressdisplay.com

In any case, I confess to being not quite as taken with Sara Palin the candidate as a lot of FReepers. I love her politics, and I admire her tremendously as a person and as a Christian. I just wouldn't vote for her as a president. I think that McCain might have won had he chosen Romeny as his VP and the election became about the economy in October. I'm not sure that would have been the best thing for the country however, and there's where people like Sara Palin (especially Sara Palin) can do the most good: Galvanizing Republican voters to pick and honest conservative candidate.

I posted this because liberals like Saltonstall (and his made up unnamed McCain source) just don't get it. They sort of get it, because they recognize how dangerous Palin is a lot better than most Republicans seem to. Right now she's on Oprah, and a lot of other mainstream programming. She comes across as a very regular American who just happens to be charasmatic and attractive. She IS going to draw a lot of the middle into her camp. And when there aren't enough of them to get her the nomination, the winner is still going to need to appease the Palin voters. And creeps like Saltonstall who condescend to a woman who has already accomplished more in a single lifetime than they could hope for in a thousand just end up making undecideds sympathize with Palin, and take a second look at her. Obnoxious liberals end up looking like bullies with nothing to back it up. Anyway, that's the way I see it.

For what it's worth, the new improved web headline is "Sarah Palin in 'Going Rogue': John McCain camp set me up for disaster in Katie Couric interviews." The editors probably like that one better because it plays up Republican in-fighting and plays down any sypathy for Palin.

[GOP_Lady]

I agree with what you posted.

In addition, Sarah should have known better about Katie Couric.

[mountn man]

I disagree with you. Mclame already had the Rino's, Sarah brought the conservatives. SHE was the star of the RNC, and the star of the campaign. McLame did as well as he did BECAUSE of Sarah.

Like the bumper sticker says "Don't blame me I voted for Sarah".

[yongin]

The big question: With Palin firing back at McCain operatives, is she igniting a NY-23 fight on a national level?

I think Steve Schmindt, Nicole Wallace, Mark Salter, and John Weaver should join the Dems.

[SoConPubbie]

posted this because liberals like Saltonstall (and his made up unnamed McCain source) just don't get it. They sort of get it, because they recognize how dangerous Palin is a lot better than most Republicans seem to. Right now she's on Oprah, and a lot of other mainstream programming. She comes across as a very regular American who just happens to be charasmatic and attractive. She IS going to draw a lot of the middle into her camp. And when there aren't enough of them to get her the nomination, the winner is still going to need to appease the Palin voters. And creeps like Saltonstall who condescend to a woman who has already accomplished more in a single lifetime than they could hope for in a thousand just end up making undecideds sympathize with Palin, and take a second look at her. Obnoxious liberals end up looking like bullies with nothing to back it up. Anyway, that's the way I see it.

Wishful thinking on your part.

Palin IS going to win the GOP Nomination for the 2012 election.

[presidio9]

Incidently, I looked at your homepage and note that while Rush is a fan of Palin’s, he is definitely not a Palinite. When callers suggest Palin as a candidate, he lets them have their say without contradicting them. But he never agrees with them. I suspect that his thinking is along the same lines as mine. In his case, there is no point in alienating 60% of his viewers a full year before anyone starts announcing a candidacy.

[sheaheysakman]

Palin clearly outshined McCain in Minnesota at the convention at it got to his people. It must have bothered McCain that she was getting far more people and attention at her ralies than he was. I’m willing to cut her some slack if she was lied to about Katie Couric as it’s clear to me she was. All i Know is it will drive liberals beyond insane that her book sales will cruch anything any liberal puts out this year.

[Diogenesis]

I agree with you. McCain was a loser UNTIL Gov.Palin.

Then it took Romney and his team of reprehensible assassins to wipe out the ticket
and now we witness the daily destruction of America ... because of Team Romney.

Late in October, The American Spectator's The Prowler revealed:
"Former Mitt Romney presidential campaign staffers, some of whom are currently working for Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin's bid for the White House,
have been involved in spreading anti-Palin spin to reporters, seeking to diminish her standing after the election.
'Sarah Palin is a lightweight, she won't be the first, not even the third, person people will think of when it comes to 2012,'
says one former Romney aide, now working for McCain-Palin.
'The only serious candidate ready to challenge to lead the Republican Party is Mitt Romney.
He's in charge on November 5th.'"
The Prowler added: "Some former Romney aides were behind the recent leaks to media, including CNN, that Governor Sarah Palin was a 'diva' and was going off message intentionally."
The Romney supporters in the McCain campaign had access to internal polling which indicated well in advance of the November 4 election that McCain had no chance to win.
So they began working to position their man Mitt for a run in 2012. Just two days after the election,The Palmetto Scoop reported:
"One of the first stories to hit the national airwaves was the claim of a major internal strife between close McCain aides and the folks handling his running mate Sarah Palin."
"I’m told by very good sources that this was indeed the case and that a rift had developed, but it was between Palin’s people and the staffers brought on from the failed presidential campaign of former Gov. Mitt Romney, not McCain aides."
"The sources said nearly 80 percent of Romney’s former staff was absorbed by McCain and these individuals were responsible for what amounts to a premeditated, last-minute sabotage of Palin."
These aides loyal to Romney inside the McCain campaign, said The Scoop, reportedly saw that Palin would be a serious contender for the Republican nomination in 2012 or 2016, which made her a threat to another presidential quest by Romney.
Erick Erickson, who organized Operation Leper, said:
"Here’s what I think: I think there are some staffers on the McCain campaign who seriously screwed up the roll out of Sarah Palin, to which Governor Palin herself objected.
These staffers are now out trying to finish her off thinking, as typical D.C. types do, that if they don’t do it to her, she’ll do it to them. They just never understood who Palin is or what she is about."
"Likewise, I do think there are some staffers and others who expect Mitt Romney to run again in 2012,
they decided McCain could not win, and decided to undermine Sarah Palin and her chances hoping it would ingratiate themselves with Mitt Romney."

"Who's the Palin Leaker from the McCain Campaign? (Mark Wallace, Romney pimp)
National Review Online: The publication of a Vanity Fair profile of Sarah Palin
appears to have opened old wounds in the McCain campaign.
... the source of the “Diva” leak was Nicolle Wallace’s husband."

---

"Peeking Out From the McCain Wreckage: Mitt Romney"

"Someone's got to say it: IS MITT ROMNEY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBAMA'S VICTORY?"

"Vanity: Team Romney Sabotaged Palin and Continuing to Do So?"

"Romney Supporters Trashing Palin"

"Romney advisors sniping at Palin?"

[4rcane]

unnamed mccain aide accuse palin of lying, oh whats new. If they’re unnamed then they have no credibility

[taxcontrol]

Well I voted for Palin. McCain just happen to be on the ticket. I will vote and even work for her again.

[bigbob]

I respect your opinions, and applaud your thoughtful comments. I’m “rogue” enough to want to think Sarah Palin would make a great President, because I feel that (as was the case with Reagan) the job is more about who you are as a person than whether you’re the greatest policy wonk or historian, orator, etc.

But time will tell. It will be interesting to review this thread in one year and see how our opinions may have changed.

[DHSMostWanted]

It will really piss off the lefties that Palins book will be the most in demand book this Christmas.

[ExSES]

Sarah Palin says she was blindsided by Katie Couric's devastating interviews last year because John McCain's aides lulled her into thinking the CBS anchorwoman was a fan.

Note to anyone..., Always assume that any reporter will use your interview to THEIR advantage! That said, EVEN IF the reporter is "friendly"..., their editor may not be!

Palin should have been more alert to this. Relying upon McCain's staff was obviously a mistake.

As a side note, often "your" media handlers are rather naive themselves..., trust your gut and give the message that YOU want to give, not what you "think" may make it through the editor's office!

[warsaw44]

Yes, she will be the nominee. There isn't one other solid Conservative who brings in the numbers she does.

She'll be the nominee or I predict there will be violence at the GOP national convention. No friggin’ way will we allow the snot nosed party hacks to hand us another Rino.
Screw them.

- and as for Romney? Seriously, the man can't even come out and endorse the Conservative in the recent NY race? Please.

[SoConPubbie]

Incidently, I looked at your homepage and note that while Rush is a fan of Palin’s, he is definitely not a Palinite. When callers suggest Palin as a candidate, he lets them have their say without contradicting them. But he never agrees with them. I suspect that his thinking is along the same lines as mine. In his case, there is no point in alienating 60% of his viewers a full year before anyone starts announcing a candidacy.

My take is exactly opposite to yours where Rush is concerned.

He has nothing negative to say about Palin, in fact, today, he said that her book is probably the best Policy book written, or words to that effect.

Without saying it distinctly, he is removing all doubt that she is ready and able to be President, in fact, he related the other day how friends who had come over to his house were repeating the same old DNC, MSM, RINO talking points about how she wasn't ready or qualified and he lit into them about how wrong they are.

You are hearing what you want to hear, not what he is saying.

[grey_whiskers]

Ready for Romneycare?

[freekitty]

I wonder when Palin knew McCain had already given the Presidency to Obama.

[warsaw44]

Well I voted for Palin. McCain just happen to be on the ticket.

---

99% of the people I have spoken to about the race said exactly that: they voted for Palin - not McCain. I've spoken to a heck of a lot of people about the last presidential race.

My favorite pro-Palin voter was a young meter maid from inner city Boston. She so admired Palin and said she could not wait to vote for her.

[Slump Tester]

I voted for McCain too, but I was hoping he’d kick the bucket right after he won.

[SoConPubbie]

Yes, she will be the nominee. There isn't one other solid Conservative who brings in the numbers she does.

Amen to that brother!

There is no other possible candidate willing to fight the fight like she is, with the exception of Demint and Hunter.

There is no other possible candidate who is and comes across as sincere as she is in her beliefs, again with the possible exception of DeMint and Hunter.

The rest of them are Posers!