The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin is the title of a new unauthorized biography of the former Alaska government and potential Presidential candidate. Journalist Joe McGinniss moved in next door to the Palins in May of last year to begin work on the book, which will come out next week. A New York Times review of the book has started a conversation about its contents and the integrity of its writer.
At the New York Times, reviewer Janet Maslin is more interested in the author's tactics and conflicting conclusions than in the accusations he tosses at the Tea Party icon. "
Mr. McGinniss used his time in Alaska to chase caustic, unsubstantiated gossip about the Palins, often from unnamed sources like “one resident” and “a friend." And these stories need not be consistent," she writes.
Maslin's examples of McGinniss's inconsistency include him maintaining that Palin is racist and also had a fetish for black men, to the extent that she slept with NBA player Glen Rice; that she seeks to establish a theocratic government, and that she's not sufficiently religious; and that even if Palin did not fake her pregnancy with youngest son Trig, "it's something she was eminently capable of doing" -- a conclusion any other journalist would leave out for fear of undermining the objectivity of the book. Objectivity does not seem to be McGinniss's main goal.
Other liberal-minded writers have taken issue with McGinniss and his questionable journalism.
At Slate, a post on the XX blog explains that Palin's critics, like McGinniss, have this problem of undermining their own purpose: "She drives them so crazy that they can’t resist taking the low road when they write about her...but focusing on the superficial only has the effect of convincing her supporters that the media is out to get her." This writer believes that McGinniss's book will bolster support for Palin by those who already take her side.
The fact that journalists who may not otherwise support Palin are speaking out against her slanderer makes me think the book will bring her good publicity. What's the use of a smear campaign if everyone's convinced it's a smear campaign? However,
the Telegraph suspects that "
revelations in an unauthorised biography will test the commitment of her most ardent followers and probably kill off what was left of her White House prospects." There are some harsh accusations in the book, about cocaine use, adultery, and poor performance as governor. It's possible the weight of those charges will spell seriously bad publicity.
What do you think? Will readers be sympathetic to Palin, or will the possible truth of McGinniss' reporting lose Palin some of her supporters?
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