Sarah Palin Infuriated Roger Ailes for Not Announcing Her Decision on Fox News

New York Magazine ^ | November 21, 2011 | Gabriel Sherman

[Southnsoul]

Sarah Palin's announcement that she wouldn't run for president disappointed her legions of admirers — but it infuriated Roger Ailes. The Fox News chief wasn't angry about the decision itself. Rather, he was livid that Palin made the October 5 announcement on Mark Levin's conservative talk-radio program, robbing Fox News of an exclusive and a possible ratings bonanza. Fox was relegated to getting a follow-up interview with Palin on Greta Van Susteren's 10 p.m. show, after the news of Palin's decision had been drowned out by Steve Jobs's death. Ailes was so mad, he considered pulling her off the air entirely until her $1 million annual contract expires in 2013.

After the announcement, he called Fox's executive vice-president Bill Shine into a meeting. Shine is the network's principal point of contact with Palin. Ailes told him she had made a big mistake. "I paid her for two years to make this announcement on my network," Ailes pointedly told Shine. Sources described the episode on condition of anonymity, given the sensitivity of the relationships.

Palin is said to have made her announcement on Levin's show because she's been upset that Fox News has given a platform to Karl Rove, one of her principal critics. "She isn't happy with Karl," one Palin adviser told me. "From day one, he hasn't been very nice." Levin had become Palin's biggest booster in the conservative commentariat, and Palin is known for rewarding loyalists, and punishing her detractors.

[freedumb2003]

think one of the tubes might be going...

And eventually that one show might stop broadasting..

[DJ MacWoW]

Oh no! Say it ain’t so! ;-)

[Lets Roll NOW]

Amen. Palladin is a Palin hater from way back.

Palin’s contract with Fox is to come on shows and comment on the news of the day. When Fox runs poll after poll that says Sarah should not run is she supposed to like it? Everytime Karl Rove is on Fox he is saying Sarah is an idiot. To me Karl Rove is the enemy of Sarah and the Tea Party. The sooner we can elect a conservative majority the better, then we won’t have to listen to the Rino King Karl tell us we don’t matter. See tagline.

[ReneeLynn]

Way over the line. Sounds like a typical liberal. Like Bill Maher or something.

[samtheman]

To: Palladin
I, for one, will be glad to see the back of this basketball-player humping phony.

That's crude and vile.

Pissant got deservedly zotted for a post less crude and vile than this one.

[W. W. SMITH]

I still have this tickle way in the back of my mind. Palin, With a pat on the back here, a good word over there, maybe a hint of endorsement right here and at convention time no one has the nomination. Then after the voting Palin gets to pick her VP and start the attack on Obama.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks onyx.

[samantha]

I did not miss that pukey so called pun, it was not funny or clever. Bennett Cerf he is not.......

[SuziQ]

"She isn't happy with Karl," one Palin adviser told me. "From day one, he hasn't been very nice." Levin had become Palin's biggest booster in the conservative commentariat, and Palin is known for rewarding loyalists, and punishing her detractors.

Heh. Good for Sarah!

[samantha]

Nothing to do with science, and you do not even have to do much research to see your motivation and tendencies. It is right there in black and white.

[presently no screen name]

Right and neither is Palladin.

[SuziQ]

She told some radio host in Alaska that he would be the first to know so Roger, baby, you’re not alone.

Actually, she told those hosts that if she decided to run for President, she would announce on their show. She didn't say anything about her decision NOT to run.

[presently no screen name]

He’s throwing a million to her? Maybe in your world people don’t work for their money but Sarah worked for what she earned. Fox made much more than a million with Sarah working for them. She was gracious to them settling on that salary.

The only one having a hissy fit is Ailes. Try and keep it honest.

[rabidralph]

She’s probably made 50 times what Fox pays her from her books and appearances. She doesn’t need Fox to make a living.

[rabidralph]

Sarah Palin doesn’t care what you think, Bedwetter.

[reasonisfaith]

Actually, you’re wrong. She values loyalty over sucking up.

You just can’t make the case that sucking up is the more intelligent thing to do.

[American in Israel]

Rather nasty tude there dude! Got Friends?

[American in Israel]

I’ve all but stopped watching them the past two months. Which is really something, since I used to practically leave the channel on like a ‘default’ position for my tv-set!

That makes two of us. I have taken to calling FOX liberals with suits. Hanity is the only one I listen to now. Pretty much have the TV set to OFF these days.

[American in Israel]

Bump that! Right on post.

[Ron H.]

That’d what I figured. Rove was leading the Republican charge to drive her out. He’s been against all or most tea party candidates from the beginning.

In my way of looking at him he has been against anyone not towing the party line for the good boys club of the blue blooded Republican Party elite.