First, the tabloid revealed his book’s more lurid accusations against Ms. Palin: An alleged affair with her husband’s business partner, a pre-marital sexual encounter with former NBA player Glen Rice and snorting cocaine. Then The New York Times said Mr. McGinniss used his summer living next door to the Palins in Alaska to “chase caustic, unsubstantiated gossip.” Next came a leaked email Mr. McGinniss sent to a blogger asking for help corroborating what Random House lawyers apparently called “tawdry gossip.” This week, a Palin family lawyer threatened to sue his publisher. In this edited interview, Mr. McGinniss talks sex, racism, drugs, and politics with the National Post’s Kathryn Blaze Carlson.
Q If you could ask Sarah Palin one question, what would it be?
A I suppose I would ask, “Why weren’t you nicer to me when I lived next door?” She immediately went all over Facebook calling me a pedophile and a Peeping Tom. That set a tone that made things really tense up there — people started offering me guns to protect myself, there were threats against me and the Wasilla and state police were watching my house. It taught me how close to the edge of hysteria she is, and what poor impulse control she has.
Q Do you loathe Ms. Palin as a person? As a politician?
A I don’t loathe her as a person, but I think she’s the most unqualified candidate for national office that America has ever seen. She truly believes that Jesus is going to return to earth during her lifetime, and she’s entitled to her beliefs. But if she’s going to reorganize government and try to turn America into a country she thinks Jesus would like better, well that’s putting private beliefs ahead of public good.
Q In a leaked January email to blogger Jesse Griffin, you say “no one has ever provided factual evidence” for some of the most sensational details in the book. How do you defend those comments?
A That email was a part of the research process. Jesse had been telling me this thing and that thing for months, and I finally said, “Jesse, the time has come. If you can pin any of these things down more thoroughly, then now’s the time to do so.” Between the time of the email and May or June, more information was forthcoming, both from him and from other people. At the time of the email, I didn’t even know Glen Rice’s name. I hadn’t even talked to him yet. I also learned more about the cocaine story. The research wasn’t over — it’s never over, even when you’re writing.
Q What do you say to critics who condemn you for referencing the National Enquirer, as if it were a credible source?
A I pointed to the National Enquirer to say there had been public stories about this or that. If they wrote a story about something, and if the details of the story were confirmed to me, then there’s no point in pretending they didn’t write a story. It’s not like I took the National Enquirer and slapped it between hard covers. I’m not relying on the National Enquirer as my sole source for anything, but it’s not like it’s a dirty word. The National Enquirer wrote [former U.S. senator] John Edwards had a love child — they broke that story, and they were absolutely right on that.
Q The Selling of the President made you the youngest-ever New York Times bestselling author, and you’ve published acclaimed books since. Do you fear The Rogue will tarnish your reputation forever?
A No. I think it will actually enhance my reputation, once the dust settles. This coming Sunday, in The New York Times, there will be a review by Jack Schaefer. It’s not a rave review, but he puts The Rogue squarely in the tradition of hard-hitting, investigative books about public figures designed to shatter some of the illusions about them.
McGinnis is probably working for Roger Ailes and the GOP elites.That’s how it works.Looks like the left but really is GOP.The only media talking about this book is FOX.Get the picture.
Why wasn’t she nicer... to him? Palin has learned the hard lesson, and learned it well. The MSM and their minions will never play nice, so tis best to keep your marbles in the bag. Oh what use is it to open up to people who will only sift through your words and pick out those which can be misconstrued? The most miraculous thing, and telling I might add, is that the MSM scoured thousands of pages of her e-mails and came up with NOTHING. McGinnis deserves Todd’s fist in his face, but he wants pumpkin pie. Libs are scary weird.