UPDATE: Fan Beats Critics For "Dinner With Sarah Palin" On eBay

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Earlier this month, I posted on how Ride 2 Recovery, the charity for wounded veterans, was offering one lucky person the chance to win dinner for five with Alaska Governor turned professional Facebook-status-updater Sarah Palin, by placing bids on eBay. Well, the latest update is that if one of the current frontrunners ends up winning and joins Palin for a meal, that dinner could prove to be very awkward!

Scott Woodham reports in today's Alaska Dispatch that the bidder in question is best-selling author and notable Palinographer Joe McGinniss.

McGinniss is among the top-two bidders in that now-famous eBay auction for a foursome dinner date with Palin. He's bid $59,999.99 to dine with Our Lady of the North. The ecstatic subject line to an email McGinniss sent to AlaskaDispatch.com Thursday night read, "I'm going for the knockout blow! (mostly because I like the 'FREE shipping' guarantee)."

Winning the auction would be a boon to McGinniss, who says in his email, "I think such a dinner would be the perfect way to kick off the reporting for my new book: Sarah Palin's Year of Living Dangerously. (To be published by Broadway/Random House in fall of 2011.)"

McGinniss is the author of "Pipe Dreams", an article in Portfolio Magazine which documented Sarah Palin's failure to deliver a gas pipeline in Alaska. As Danny Shea reported for these pages back on March 17, the original subhed read: "Forget "Drill, baby, drill." Sarah Palin says she's building a $40 billion gas pipeline, which even President Obama wants. The only problem: It isn't there. And it's her fault."

From "Pipe Dreams":

To many outside of Alaska, it may therefore come as a surprise to learn that not only does such a pipeline not exist, but--even as Alaska's deep winter darkness gives way to the first light of spring--the prospect that it will be built within Sarah Palin's lifetime grows dimmer by the day. ( View a slideshow hitting the highlights of Governor Palin's travels.)

Barack Obama wants the pipeline. It says so right on the White House website, in the section about energy and the environment: prioritize the construction of the Alaska natural gas pipeline. But Obama might not realize that one of the biggest obstacles in its path--all Palin's rhetoric notwithstanding--is the woman who wants to take the presidency from him in 2012, Governor Sarah "Drill, Baby, Drill" Palin.

As Mike Hawker, the Republican co-chairman of Alaska's House Finance Committee, told me one night in Juneau not long ago, "The only thing standing in the way of an Alaska gas pipeline is the Sarah Palin administration."

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And as former Governor Tony Knowles, a Democrat, told me over coffee one morning in Anchorage, "It's as if getting the gas pipeline built is only her second-highest priority. Her highest is making sure the oil companies don't build it."

Don't think that article escaped Palin's attention! Remember, she reads "all the papers," including, apparently, Portfolio! Back in March, her then-spokeperson Bill McAllister complained:

It seems to expect people to be surprised by the fact that the pipeline is not under construction. That's not much of an "aha." Obviously, anyone paying attention knows this will be years in the making.

"Palin has virtually ignored the pipeline issue since returning to Alaska in November to focus instead on her 2012 presidential campaign strategy." Show me one shred of proof for either part of that statement. The governor had a nearly daylong meeting with her gas line team the week after the election, and of course those consultations have continued. In early December, she arranged an event in Fairbanks to present the AGIA license to TransCanada. She has gas line-related funding requests pending before both the Congress and the Legislature. This is "ignoring"?

McGinniss notes "her absence from major oil-company summits." She had Exxon in her office last week. Not sure what his point is there.

McGinnis calls AGIA a blunder, but every lawmaker but one voted for it, and a majority voted to stay the course over a year later and give TransCanada a shot. The governor campaigned in 2006 on getting Alaska's terms for its gas, in contrast to the Murkowski contract that ceded tax sovereignty, judicial sovereignty and regulatory sovereignty. AGIA was a game-changer, a new paradigm.

McGinniss' cited $59,999.99 bid was briefly topped this morning by another bidder who offered a dollar more, but McGinniss has upped his ante to $60,100.00 and is in the lead with just over four hours to go in the auction. And McGinniss seems pretty determined. His only concern, according to Woodham, is that he might have to break some promises to friends: "I've already promised at least 40 people that if I win I'll bring them with me."

Woodham has a statement from Palin spokesperson Meg Stapleton that casts no specific aspersions on any of the bidders, instead praising the support of all participants for giving their money to the Ride 2 Recovery. But if you recall, the prized Palin repast comes with disclaimers: "Governor Palin reserves the right to refuse dinner with a winning bidder if, in her sole discretion, the winning bidder is not a suitable bidder based on her subjective standards of suitability, professionalism, background and other factors." We'll see if McGinniss prevails!

UPDATE: The auction is over, and by the looks of things, McGinniss did not prevail. The winning bid was $63,500.

MORE UPDATE: With a tip of the hat to emailer Ed Byers, we have a winner! And the good news for Palin is, it won't be an awkward dinner at all. The AP reports:

A true fan of former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is paying $63,500 to have dinner with her.

Cathy Maples of Huntsville won the dinner today in an Internet auction, which was a benefit for a charity that aids wounded veterans.

Maples says she fully supports the military and the men and women fighting for this nation. Maples, who owns a defense contracting company, also says she's a "big advocate" for Palin, and would love to see her as president.

Back at the Alaska Dispatch, it is reported that McGinniss has sent along a letter of congratulations to Maples.

McGinniss may have come up short in the end, but he's far from through with the former Alaska Governor. His next book Sarah Palin's Year Of Living Dangerously, is slated for publication in the fall of 2011.

MORE:
Going to extremes for a dinner with Palin [Alaska Dispatch]

PREVIOUSLY, on the HUFFINGTON POST:
Sarah Palin Ebay Dinner Offered -- With Disclaimers
Sarah Palin: Portfolio Cover Girl For April 2009

[Would you like to follow me on Twitter? Because why not? Also, please send tips to [e-mail] -- learn more about our media monitoring project here.]

Comments

[troika]

Cathy Maples must be as dumb as Palin if not worse. If she is so concerned about the military families, why not give that $63,000 to them directly instead of all this ado. Perhaps she wants her 15 minutes of fame with the quitter. Moving on to Palin's speech in Hong Kong, did she even know where this country is on the map. Hmm!! wonder why it was a closed door session? Did she tell them that she could see the US from Hong Kong? This woman could not even mention the name of the paper/periodical she read, drew totally blank in answering any question about the supreme court and totally lacked any intellect. It makes me wonder why folks in HongKong would want to hear anything coming out of her mouth. Hope they have burnt their fingers badly on this issue. Finally, Palin should kiss the ground McCain treads on, for without him she would have been an obscure governor.

[cybersense]

not much of a budget for dinner. Perhaps dinner goods will have to be....hamburger helper?

[Luv2Purple]

Sarah Palin is Glen Beck's biyatch! What ever happened to the news of SARAH'S AFFAIR in ALASKA w/ her husbands business partner?

[Dosadi]

$5 says Palin does not show up and will claim she never agreed to any dinner.

[Sita001]

that would be priceless, she sold it on ebay so it has a record. if she keeps money then it is wire fraud and federal pen LOL

[catluvr4]

HuffPost, never mind that dinner right now. There are more important things going on this week. This is the week Palin is suppose to be in China. Isn't she going to give that big speech on the 23rd? What's the latest on that? Please let us know.
Thank you.

[Christopher74]

Funny how the reality of life always finds repulicans sneeking around backstage pulling the strings. Im sure Maples dinned before with Palin. This was a great story. I think its a matter of time before Sarah Palin hangs up her Republican hat and puts on her American hat..

[DickyTrik]

On Letterman's show today no doubt he and Obama will make jokes about her kids, he's GOT to say something about this dinner date thing! Maybe he can say 'lunch-meat' over & over before they get to the serious topics. Can't WAIT!

[kiim]

Can anyone get their facts straight? I am so sick of the lies and untruths. This dinner was about a charity, obviously nothing McGinniss or others would know about. I am so glad he did not win the opportunity to spin more lies all for the sake of lining his pockets with his book. The charity aids wounded veterans, that is all there is to this story folks. And lord knows we need more charities like this because this administration could care less about its veterans. So all you loons on the left and dems quit making it about YOU for a change.

[maddmatt]

Well said!! The SICKOS on this website will go after Palin no matter what she does even if she raises money for the troops

[Cadillakin]

Give me some specifics on this administration not caring about soldiers and veterans.. And you can contrast that with the previous administration - and how they cared - so that we will all be better informed...

[gonzie46]

I think you got your facts wrong here It was the last admin. that didn't give a Sh*t about our wounded troops I've seen it for myself. We raised money we asked for donation of everyday necessities because the last admin wouldn't supply these simple little things.

[notsopc]

The previous administration cared for our troops so much that they sent thousands of them to be slaughtered in a trumped-up war.

[frameric]

>This dinner was about a charity, obviously nothing McGinniss or others would know about.<

Cathy Maples knows plenty about it...She owns a Defense Contracting Co.!!! .....Hel-lo
And Defense Contractors have a reputation, well deserved, of playing fast and loose with ethical rules...paying favors to folks with political influence is one of the oldest games in the book. No wonder she wants (desperately) Palin to run for Pres....that way she would get a monsterous return on her $63,000. That is in the unlikely event that Palin would ever have any real political pull again.

[troika]

frameric, you couldn't have said it more clearly. Come on folks a defense contractor paying $63,000 for a dinner with a quitter!!! You know how they make money - they rob from the country's exchequer (by over bidding on contracts) and pay for such asinine things. In short, it is the tax payer's money they are playing with. Give me the name of one defense contractor who is truthful about his business. We all are aware of the defense contractors and their play in politics. A shining example, Rep. Cunningham (Republican) from San Diego who is currently in prison for accepting bribery from Kyle "Fogg" and his associate found guilty of the same crime. Yes they were defense contractor lobbyists.

[shel3364]

How will Palin sit through dinner with all of these mindless barnacles attached to her a$$??

[Dem4Lyfe]

Well, at least the money is going to charity.

[gonzie46]

I really hope it is going to a veterans charity and the the Palin charity

[Raster]

PALIN/BACHMANN 2012........now more than ever!

[rockymthi]

Speaking as a Liberal----I LOVE IT!!!

[dotbed1]

If the media would just sop talking about Sarah Palin and just her go away , quietly she would just fade into the night . She is getting free airtime and enjoys it much.If her plan is to be President to some of americans and not the others , she is wasting her time . Why does she not have her hands full taking care of her special needs baby and new gc? Who is funding all of her travel? This would be very interesting to know and you need not look further than those over at FOX cable.

[gonzie46]

I thought you had to hold some kind of office in order to run for President?

[Dosadi]

Nope, you only need to be approved by Rush Limbough.

[troika]

I too thought of it. She was an obscure governor and then a QUITTER. Lets band together and send her back to obscurity.

[Sicarus]

I'd like to have dinner with Palin just so I could spend the whole time pointing at her plate and asking, "You gonna finish that?"

[Gatorboy]

Come to think of it, since the winner owns a defense contractor business, I probably helped pay for that dinner...

[beerguy]

Well since they own a business that does defense contracting and the whole idea of owning a business is to make a profit that's rather obvious

[Raster]

If you pay Federal taxes, you certainly did. Congratulations!

[Gatorboy]

"Maples says she fully supports the military and the men and women fighting for this nation. Maples, who owns a defense contracting company..."

Well, yeah, of course she supports the military. She makes her money of the lives of these young soldiers.

[Dosadi]

A true corporate welfare benefactor.

[troika]

Gatorboy, you are so right. Defense contractors are thugs and this woman Maples is a part of it. Anyone who has some intellect knows how defense contractors work. They are ruthless and they will make money by any means, even if it means shortchanging our brave men and women on the frontiers. The $63,000 is a pittance to the huge millions they make. Then they turn around and bid for an asinine event such as having dinner with the QUITTER in the name of charity. The woman seems to dream that the quitter would one day become president and return her a huge favor. It ain't going to happen. She just needed her 15 minutes of SHAME.