Sarah Palin Book: Joe McGinniss's 'The Rogue,' The Unofficial Index (PHOTOS)

Joe McGinniss's new book, The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin, a copy of which was obtained by The Huffington Post, touts itself as "a startling and penetrating examination of the illusion and reality of Palin," but the book's claims about Palin's supposed fling with college basketball star Glen Rice, and her alleged cocaine use (reportedly snorted from the top of an empty oil drum) -- suggest a decidedly low-brow approach.

Team Palin has pushed back against McGinniss's account, characterizing it as the product of an obsessive personal vendetta. (Watch McGinniss and Todd Palin discuss the book in the video below.)

"This is a man who has been relentlessly stalking my family to the point of moving in right next door to us to harass us and spy on us to satisfy his creepy obsession with my wife," Todd Palin wrote of McGinniss. "His book is full of disgusting lies, innuendo and smears. Even The New York Times called this book 'dated, petty,' and that it 'chases caustic, unsubstantiated gossip.'"

The New York Times indeed was unkind to The Rogue. In her review, Janet Maslin wonders if McGinniss isn't simply basking in the limelight:

So much for the soft sell. Soon Mr. McGinniss is settling in to enjoy the fuss his mere presence has created. “Normally, for a news story to continue beyond the first 24-hour news cycle, something newsworthy must occur,” he writes loftily, but “The Rogue” is filled with proof to the contrary. What was his hate mail like? He quotes it. What did Glenn Beck call him? That’s here too. Who took umbrage at this venom and chose to help him? One man offered him a hideout, despite Mr. McGinniss’s slight skepticism about his motives. “But you don’t know me,” Mr. McGinnis protested.

McGinniss's book doesn't have an index, but we've gone through and picked out some of his juciest claims. Take a look at the slideshow below and vote for your favorite.

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WATCH: McGinniss discusses his book on NBC's "Today" show:

Comments

[Skydave]

12:49 AM on 10/16/2011

Her summer neighbor, the author Joe McGinniss was harrassed by the Palins, besmearched his name. Tried to intimidate Joe, stated he was looking into her daughters bedroom window. Which was all a bunch of crap. While interviewing folks for "The Rogue" most of the people would not go on the record, they didn't want to have the wrath of the Palins brought down upon them. They say she is evil, mean and vindictive. Joe should have gotten a restraining order against Sarah.

[BTDT2]

06:37 AM on 09/30/2011

The only question I have, the one that's not been answered, is "Is it true, or not?"

Of course Gov. Palin would object to it. It isn't very flattering at all.

Certainly she might characterize it as a "personal vendetta" and the product of "stalking".

Those characterizations of Mr. McGinnis may, or may not, be correct.

But I'm curious, much more so now than when the book first came out, if the things he says in the book that Gov. Palin has done...are they true?

Is there any proof that any of them are true? Are witnesses supporting the allegations named in the book?

I'm just sayin'....

[ywcachieve]

08:40 PM on 09/28/2011

She's definitely mentally ill.

http://obamaachievements.org/list

[justobserve]

05:58 PM on 09/28/2011

When the Palins denied, it always proved that they either li*ed or hoped to delay the truth to be exposed. ASK ALASKANS, THEY KNOW THE PALINS BEST! And that exactly what McGinnis did. His book is a gem! If there are many magazines, books written about the Palins with praises, it's because they don't know the real Palins. McGinnis' is an eye opener for her believers. The NYT doesn't know the truth so they shouldn't have spoken up for the Sarah. People who know them know what McGinnis, Levi Johnston, Frank Bailey wrote are the truth. Read them and read the Palins (Sarah and Bristol)'s books also to see their real character displayed. The Palins are living in a bubble of delusion. They talked about freedom? Watch what did they do to others. McGinnis exposed them with proofs and luckily he is not afraid of the Palins as some others who are intimidated.

[Karma2U]

02:29 PM on 09/26/2011

The one thing that I know from life experience, is that those who talk the most about things like sex and family values, are those that practice them the least. It's as if they think that their lies can make up for their lack of true actions.

[rdk70816]

01:17 PM on 09/21/2011

There sure is a lot of smoke in the book. Or is it fog?

[Poster9999]

11:09 AM on 09/20/2011

Even if you say you hate Sara Palin, but post that this kind of journalism is beneath HuffPo, your post will be censored even though it does not break the guidelines. This is the 5th or 6th time I've tried to make this point. See you again tomorrow for try #7.

[Jim bob]

01:55 PM on 09/23/2011

It's all make believe. You don't exist, I don't exist and neither do our "opinions". What exists is a legion of people HP thinks deserve the status of "moderators" who allow what they want and disallow what they don't. The posted standards are not relevant to the discussion. No one moderates the moderators. Try writing the community contact and seeing if you get a response. They will (if they respond) refer you to the guidelines and invite you to send in anything you question. From that point on they will ignore you.; This is a pretend site with anonymous "opinions" in an age where people are hired to make multiple posts with political agendas, and HP's "guidelines" state that they want to regulate and limit "trolls". They don't, and the trolls are taking over. The word trolls isn't allowed. What does that tell you?

[Jim bob]

01:58 PM on 09/23/2011

And of course that comment (that only you can see at this point) was disallowed because it uses the word "trolls". I personally am offended by having to disguise words to get them printed in a site that claims to have a community. Tro11$. There, that better? This is a make believe site run by a make believe organizaqtion that uses people's aspirations to be writers for their own huge advantage and monetary gain. I'm for the most part sick of it, and only comment once in awhile, because it helps me maintain the use of language. I've got to find a better way. This is insulting to the max. Good luck.....

[Poster9999]

02:47 PM on 09/23/2011

Well, a few things... My opinion of HuffPo is overall a good one, but there are some petty tyrant mods who seem to censor things based on nothing more than "I don't like that opinion." I've actually replied to my own OP above and got censored.

Oh, I did get your other post with the T word, and I clicked your name and actually, you DO post a lot. I don't agree with your other post because I think it goes too far, but I do share your frustration over the mods. I'm not typing this again, so I hope it passes the censors.

[aznurse]

02:38 AM on 09/20/2011

so when she imagines living in the White House, todd secret service code name will be
"baby oil"?

[indy girl]

07:51 PM on 09/25/2011

Sarah's would be "Crunchwrap", and Todd's would be "Purse."

[Former Icon]

02:03 AM on 09/20/2011

Buhbye Sarah. It's been real, but your 15 minutes expired about two years ago.

Buhbye.

[freili]

10:33 PM on 09/19/2011

HA......and NOW the Permafrost's are quoting the NYT.........just hilarious.

[ProChoiceGrandma]

10:19 PM on 09/19/2011

WOW! Best post ever at Politicalgates about Chapter 19 in Joe McGinniss' book The Rogue!!

http://politicalgates.blogspot.com/2011/09/rogue-chapter-19.html

[vh47]

11:29 PM on 09/19/2011

I have always had my doubts that was Sarahs son or grandson

[Top Shelf]

08:31 PM on 09/19/2011

Hey MinneMike - don't slow down. We need more lame comments! A little more cow bell too.

[MinneMike]

07:33 PM on 09/19/2011

So, what I'm getting out of this is that liberals and progressives think it is okay to mock and ridicule a single female for "allegedly" having an intimate relationship 24 years ago with a basketball player. Have we turned the clock back to the 1950's?

[ywcachieve]

09:36 PM on 09/19/2011

She was supposed to be covering the game for a news station. Not taking him to the sack.

And she was married when she had an affair with Brad Hanson

http://obamaachievements.org/list

[MinneMike]

10:21 PM on 09/19/2011

Do tell. And what sewer did you draw your facts from? Brad Hanson has, for a second time in 4 years, denied any such allegations. Or does that matter to you?

As for Palin "supposed to be covering the game..." how do you know for certain there was an intimate relationship and if so, how would you know if it was during the game or after her broadcasting responsibility had been completed?

I think you and similar folks are taking women rights back to the '50's with such non-sense. Hope that makes you happy.

[freili]

10:26 PM on 09/19/2011

According to her....she was dating todd...her high-school sweety.

But who knows...maybe the toddster is Cockold.

[MinneMike]

07:20 PM on 09/19/2011

Call off the dogs. The New York Times described this book as petty and "unsubstantiated gossip." Most self respecting woman take issue with some of the claims in this book. For example, the alleged encounter by then Sarah Heath (a single woman) with Glen Rice, a basketball player. Since when should that become fodder for mock and ridicule?

[MelvinTX]

10:22 PM on 09/19/2011

Because he is black and because she promotes abstinence before marriage. We know her own daughter (who she raised) doesn't practice it now we find out neither did Sarah - rank hypocrisy. The fact that Rice is black makes no difference to most of America, but we are talking about the Tea Party here. Sarah and the Tea Party have for years, been spreading and propogating latent racist policies. Just Youtube just about any Tea Party rally to see what I'm talking about. Sarah Palin will unfortunately lose the support of many Tea Party people because of an affair with a black man - sad, but true. If this is not true, then Sarah needs to "refudiate" it right now, but she wont. Mark my words, she will never mention Glen Rice's name ever - she will close her eyes and hope this goes away without losing too many of her rabid racist fans.


For more hypocrisy, just look at your mention of The New York Times in your post. This may be the first time that a Tea Party member has mentioned them without also saying: "the lamestream media".

[MinneMike]

10:59 PM on 09/19/2011

Do you have children? If you do you realize that you can't control your daughters behavior after a certain age, it's called becoming an adult. There are many reasons to preach abstinence, for one, congenital disease.

First of all, you and I really have no idea of this whole matter is true. It is 'unsubstantiated gossip." Second, you buy into the misconception that Tea Party is racist which isn't true. Third, I commend the NY Times for making an honest appraisal of the slimey book, but they were not alone. Colbert I. King from the Washington Post also took a stance for decency:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/new-sarah-palin-tell-all-tells-us-more-about-ourselves/2011/09/16/gIQAXfSXYK_story.html

Mr. King, by the way, is black.

[Raymond C Garcia]

01:40 AM on 09/20/2011

Since she claims to be almost saint like according to her self image of herself. She should learn not to hate Obama just becuase Rice dumped her like third period french!

[MinneMike]

03:43 PM on 09/21/2011

How do you know any of that is true?

[Tom Servo]

07:16 PM on 09/19/2011

superfreak