Roger Ailes Told Palin Not To Make 'Blood Libel' Video: NY Mag

Sarah Palin's infamous "blood libel" video reacting to the Arizona shooting caused no small amount of controversy. Now, New York magazine's Gabriel Sherman reports that Palin was even warned against making the video by Fox News CEO Roger Ailes--and that her decision to do so anyway has left a rift between the two.

Palin's video came days after the shooting, during a time when people had wondered why she had made no extended public statement about the tragedy and when some were citing her "crosshairs" map as an example of extreme political imagery that was contributing to a violent national climate. Palin was reacting to the latter when she accused journalists of "manufacturing a blood libel" by, in her view, charging her as complicit in the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

According to Sherman, though, Palin called Ailes before making the video. She complained that the media were blaming her for the shooting, and expressed a desire to respond to her critics. Ailes said that would be a bad idea.

"Lie low," he said. "There's no need to inject yourself into the story." Sherman writes that Palin said her lawyer and other confidantes had given her the same advice. Of course, she didn't follow that advice, and made the video. Ailes was not happy.

To read Sherman's full report, including what the rift between Ailes and Palin means for her potential 2012 political ambitions, click here.

Comments

[Demgirls]

01:24 AM on 03/18/2011

Palin listens to no one except her own wild impulses. Was always a loose canon. Don't care what meghan mccain says, but palin helped her father lose, period. Just doesn't want to admitwhat a terrible choice/decision he made. He won't admit the truth...very republican these days.

[J Michael Norris]

02:29 PM on 03/16/2011

"Palin's video came days after the shooting, during a time when people had wondered why she had made no extended public statement about the tragedy and when some were citing her 'crosshairs' map as an example of extreme political imagery that was contributing to a violent national climate. Palin was reacting to the latter when she accused journalists of 'manufacturing a blood libel' by, in her view, charging her as complicit in the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords."

The reason Ms. Palin's map was made issue at the time was because of the irony of Representative Giffords speaking previous to her shooting about this map and how it might be misconstrued by someone who was deranged, becoming an impetus for violence. Lest we forget, here is the quote:

"We need to realize that the rhetoric, and the firing people up . . . for example, we're on Sarah Palin's targeted list, but the thing is, the way she has it depicted, we're in the crosshairs of a gun sight over our district. When people do that, they've got to realize that there are consequences to that action . . . ."

[Janetshusb]

12:49 PM on 03/16/2011

True to form: unable to identify intelligent advice.

[PaleMail]

07:02 AM on 03/16/2011

Playing the rogue card once again, that's our Sarah.

[CaliTLC]

02:33 AM on 03/16/2011

Ailes doesn't get any credit for JUST NOW trying to muzzle Sarah. Should have done that over 2 years ago. That ship has sailed.

[the crustybastard]

01:44 AM on 03/16/2011

"I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.”
- Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

[greymom]

12:48 AM on 03/16/2011

Oh that Sarah, she's goin' rogue again. Ain't it just adorable?

[CajunSpectre]

08:10 PM on 03/15/2011

If Roger Ailes doesn't like her message, he should do all of us a favor and terminate her employment.

[pinlin]

06:44 PM on 03/15/2011

I can hear her now,,, whining"I know,I know."

[Dis Gust]

05:56 PM on 03/15/2011

Roger Ailes, Fuxx News, Karl Rove. The real power behind the republican party. anybody who didn't believe me before when I have ranted about them should be able to plainly see that even Palin runs her politics by them. Crossroads GPS--why didn't a democrat think of doing this?

[SunnyDaySam]

05:04 PM on 03/15/2011

Sorry Roger, there's no cure for stupid.

[Momklok]

05:02 PM on 03/15/2011

What!!! Sarah didn't listen !?!?!? What a shock. She can't take good advise because she is too stupid and arrogan to recognize it.

[cimbri]

05:00 PM on 03/15/2011

Pretty absurd advice, "don't inject yourself in the story". That was after 1000 ridiculous liberal articles regarding bulls eyes, etc. Whatever happened to the Clinton theory of 1992 that you are supposed to answer all attacks?

[jcinco]

12:35 PM on 03/15/2011

so sarah was promoted as a special guest on the premiere of lou dobbs on faux last night. she didn't show, did roger tell her not to bother or did sarah stand lou up to spite roger?

[Pat Padrnos]

02:39 PM on 03/15/2011

Other than she did not show - nothing yet on why. Read that early this morning on one of the Alaskan blogs.

[indy girl]

10:44 PM on 03/15/2011

maybe she was busy throwing cans.

[merrymico]

11:20 AM on 03/15/2011

Darn Roger and Sara make a hansome couple.