Free Republic

In an editorial posted on its website Sunday night, Sarah's Palin's hometown newspaper in Wasilla, Alaska, warned author and journalist Joe McGinniss (who has moved next door to Palin as he conducts research for a book on the former governor) about a state law that allows the use of deadly force to defend one's property. The editorial, titled "Wasilla fence fascinating for national media outlets," paints a disparaging portrait both of McGinniss' work and the national media's coverage of his controversial decision to take up temporary residence so close to Palin. Its concluding sentence reads, "Finally, those who are fond...

Joe McGinniss is wrong to move next door to Sarah Palin in Alaska in order to gather material for his book on her due out in 2011. McGinniss is well known for pushing the envelope when it comes to his subjects. His 1983 book on the Jeffrey MacDonald murder trial result ended in a lawsuit by MacDonald alleging he had been set up by McGinniss. There was an out of court settlement. His next book on the Kennedy's brought similar reaction from that clan who felt that McGinniss had greatly altered the key facts. Now Palin is his subject and...

Sarah Palin's next-door neighbor sought out author Joe McGinniss as a tenant, McGinniss's son said. "No one is stalking anyone," Joe McGinniss, Jr., a novelist whose father is the non-fiction writer, wrote in response to an email from a Palin supporter who confused his email address and his father's. (He shared the email with me.) "A woman was renting her house and sought out the author because the Palins had crossed her (owed her money for renovations she had done at their request and never paid her for). So she knew McGinniss was writing the book and found him and...