Does Sarah Palin Fear Upcoming Book Revelations?

Of all the prevailing theories about why Sarah Palin may have quit the governorship in Alaska perhaps the most intriguing has to do with books--her own and others--and the race to finish the definitive Palin narrative. Palin's frustration with "the media" is one of the reasons she cited for resigning, so it stands to reason that she's craving to craft her own lasting legacy.

It's been widely reported that Palin has a multi-million dollar book deal with Rupert Murdoch's HarperCollins. Even with a good ghost writer - and Sarah Palin's journalism degree background - the earliest the book is scheduled to come out is January 2010.

There are other Palin books coming out within the year, but of all of them, perhaps the one she fears the most is the campaign tell-all by self-proclaimed McCain adviser Martin Eisenstadt. Titled I Am Martin Eisesenstadt: One Man's Wildly Inappropriate Adventures with the Last Republicans, the book is due for release at the end of this October through publisher Farrar, Straus, Giroux. You'll recall that Eisenstadt is the controversial pundit who claimed to be the source for the FoxNews story that Sarah Palin didn't know Africa was a continent.

But nearly as obsessed as Palin is about the press, Eisenstadt himself seems equally paranoid about Palin. In addition to countless Tweets, he wrote this on his blog the other day:

Alaska sources confirmed to me tonight that among other reasons, she was "very concerned" about damaging revelations that will be coming out in several upcoming campaign books, including my own....

Recent articles in Vanity Fair, Politico and CBS News reports (from an upcoming book) accusing her of being a "rogue diva" and tying her to damaging emails about her association with the secessionist Alaska Independence Party continue to hound her. But I can't personally help but wonder if she also became aware of related allegations I make about her in my own upcoming book

While I continue to enjoy a warm relationship with my publisher and editor at FSG, I can't help but wonder if the timing of Palin's resignation is somewhat suspect. Just this very week, FSG started to send out early galleys of the book for review. I have no reason to initially suspect any of FSG's direct employees of leaking the galleys to Palin. But did someone in the media who got an advance copy somehow slip it to a Palin ally? Or maybe an outsourced subcontractor at a print shop? At this point, there's no way to be sure.

So, will Palin's lawyers clamp down on Eisenstadt and FSG in the same way they recently threatened Alaska blogger Shannyn Moore, or will they rally public outrage against his book like they did with David Letterman? Only time will tell. This much is certain, though: No matter what Sarah Palin's next step is, her campaign legacy will be fought in bookstores and Amazon pages in the upcoming months.

[Full disclosure: There are those who would argue that I am actually one of the co-creators of "Martin Eisenstadt" and co-author of his upcoming book. Eisenstadt, though, has always disputed this point.]

Follow Dan Mirvish on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DanMirvish

Comments

[PurplePeon]

A book by some nobody isn't something to be feared. It'll be in the discount bins the following week of release.

[AbstractImp]

Why should she fear your book?

Who is going to read it to her?

[ebanks84]

Who in the world wants tor ead HER book is beyond me!

[doctordoubt]

I can't imagine who is going to edit it. Talk about an excerise in frustration.

[fedupinfla]

I gotta laugh...when I first read that headline, I thought it said "Sarah fears Book OF Revelations"...I thought the reason for quitting she was going to claim next is that she thinks the "end times" are here.

[dave1111]

She thought that bible thingy book was already published.

[dave1111]

She thought that b.i.b.l.e thingy book was already published.

[LiberalBuzz]

If there is a God, Palin will be the republican nominee for prez, thus ensuring one of the largest landslides for Obama in history.

[Dan Mirvish - Huffpost Blogger]

By today's account in HuffPo, apparently now she fear's Levi's book, too!

[Teralyn]

Levi's book would be the one I would be most fearful of if I were her.

[doctorwang]

That may be true......the Palinites won't be able to dismiss Levi's book because it came from a liberal elitist (as they do with any articles/commentary that shine a negative light on their precious Sarah).

[DCinFrance]

Truth be known, I think Levi probably has the most credibility of all these fruitcakes.

[PurplePeon]

The biggest supporters of his book will be far lefties.

In other words, a minimal audience. It won't go that far, but it will certainly cause him problems back home in Alaska.

[Hammerofthor]

Sarah fears nothing. Media & establishment parasites fear her, and the power of her message.

[kindofblue]

Sarah is the Hammer of Thor!

[ladycubsfan]

Yeah, those ignorant people just aren't smart enough to be afraid, are they? Oh, sorry. Look who I'm asking!

[lemonyashes]

You mean Palin's message "also too"?

[chriss0114]

some of us fear the rabid rabble she rouses though

[Teralyn]

Can you please explain what her message is? I can't quite make it out, her "word salad" speeches just don't send a clear message.

[AmericanDreamWarrior]

"Even with a good ghost writer and Sarah Palin's journalism degree background..."

LOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL (gasping for air) LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL (slaping knee) LOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOL (tears steamming down face) LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!

That is the funniest thing I've read so far about all this. So who was responsible for the word jambalaya last Friday or the interviews, speeches, ect., the ghost writer or the journalism degree?

[lemonyashes]

LOL LMAO etc...........!!!!

[Cambridge9]

Me too also ya betcha!

[PurplePeon]

Is that "ya betcha" from that video where Obama endorsed Blago?

[DoctorWhoDat]

The headline was misleading to me. I though Palin had a fear of reading a book. My bad?

[skantea]

We're talking too much.
The people who like her don't care what she does at this point or any point forthcoming.
She's their girl and there's nothing us elitist, gay marriage loving, socialists, health care reforming, environmental saving, liberals can say that will ever change their minds.

Let's just focus on peeling away as many of the Independants in their camp as possible.

I think if the left ignores her, Sarah will lose a lot of momentum and then the far right will sober up and take a better look at her.
And they will slowly start to fear what they see.

[trisha08]

I think you are correct.

[smileatfear]

The smart ones already fear what they see and said so last fall.

[Jamchinadian]

Sadly, that demographic is in the minority.

[Badfickle]

I know but it's just too much fun.

[littlechuckie]

Way too much fun...

[salamanca1]

I don't think the far right will ever give up on her, but the middle right probably will. She already has frightened GOP soccer moms, who departed the fold in large numbers during the recent election cycle.

[DCinFrance]

Truth. Those that identify with her...either sexually or perceived likeness and adherence to a belief system...simply will not care.

But more than peeling away independents, and quite frankly independents for Palin are as great a myth as were the angry Hillary crowd that made the impetuous John McCain bring this fruitcake to the forefront in the first place, it is to keep demanding truth. It is what someone like Palin fears the most, and will continually cause her to react in revealing ways. The American Electorate's memory is short, and 2012 is a long way off. She must be, and caused to be, disqualified continually. She is dangerous.

[gamoonbat]

According to Marty, Sarah Palin still does not know that Africa is a continent or where to find it on a map!

[peacegurl48]

It should be difficult for her to tout freedome os speech when no one is allowed to speka freely about her. It is unbelieveable that there are still people whi fail to see her hypocrisy and igonorance.

[Archivist1000]

......... and yet .......... bush was re-elected!

[FHTB]

Yes, what those who attack her fail to realize is that the more they ramp up the silliness, the more support she will get from those supposedly blind people who don't see her alleged hypocrisy and supposed ignorance.

Bush and Reagan were attacked relentlessly by the left before their elections and we saw what happened there...it doesn't work, people...you keep doing this and be prepared for an outcome you never imagined in 2012...and even 2010...

Back in 1968, when the nation was roiled in conflict over war and assasinations, people never imagined that Nixon would win the White House either...we saw how THAT turned out...

So lesson to be learned from three major elections now:
Don't ever underestimate someone you think is stupid or ignorant...they may turn out to be your President...cutting the BS of idiotic attacks and ignoring the people you supposedly think are so stupid doesn't give them the traction of victim status that they seem to get from the right when attacked...why is this so hard for the left to understand? After effing up so many times, do you want to do it again?

[salamanca1]

Really, are "elected" and "re-elected" the words that apply? I don't think so.

[CarmanK]

Palin is fearless. She is obtuse. There is no way, she is worried about public exposure. The lady wanted out and she took the shortest route to "money" without accountability. The repugs who adore her will continue to donate to "her causes" . I am still amazed that so many in this country are so dense to even consider this woman capable of being "Commander-in-Chief". Do these so called americans really think she has the intellectual capacity to lead this nation. Incredible!!

[donia1970]

Carman, when you are an ill-informed individual, what do you expect?

These people are low-information, and hadn't read a book since, "See Spot Run" - so there's no helping them...

[FHTB]

It is that very snot-nosed bit of elitist claptrap that leads to her getting MORE support, not less, and that kind of foolishness that allowed Nixon, Reagan and Bush to win...keep convincing yourself of this bit of truly stupid snobbery, and you can practically count on Repub wins in2010 or 2012.

[jnaynay]

Here's how things will go for her own book: she pens it herself, it will make no sense, she will self destruct. OR She the publisher will force her to use a ghostwriter, she'll be a total control freak, they'll come to blows, she'll self destruct. It's a win/win I say!!

[SouthernYankeeBelle]

Na, she has a ghost writer.

[FHTB]

You can hope that this will happen...but I hate to tell you, it won't.

[ozwald888]

One thing is for sure, palin fears no book!!

After all, she hasn't read anything since she joined the "gw bush book club", and received her very own copy of..... wait for it........ "MY PET GOAT"!

We know books are the LAST things palin would fear.........

[FHTB]

If you have time to read, then you obviously must have quite the leisurely lifestyle...busy people don't have time to crack books open...they are too busy working, engaging in physical exercise, you know, things that require some EXERTION once in awhile...books are nice if you have the free time, but in this day and age, anyone who has the time to spend dallying around with a book must either be a slacker or pretty lazy.

[Reel Recordings]

To FHTB: You are wrong! Readers...READ!

"Books are nice if you have the free time..." tell that to the millions of people who take University courses while holding down full time jobs, as well as raising a family...you do not know of what you speak!

[LiberalBuzz]

FHTB. Without a doubt that is one of the single dumbest comments I have ever read. BAR NONE.

BUT it does give us a window into the mind(less) that is the con mind. "BOOKS!?! WE GOT NO TIME FOR NO STEENKING BOOKS! WE LET BOSS LIMBAUGH AND HANNITY TELL US WHAT TO THINK! WHY BOTHER READING?"

[Foreground]

Dude(ette?), I work 5 nights a week, go to the gym 3 days a week, exercise at home for an hour 3 days a week, spend time with my family (babysitting a cousin right now), go out most weekends, surf the net (including reading and commenting on dozens of stories on HP, The AV Club, and other sites), watch TV and play video games, but I *still* finish at least one book a week.

This week, "Naked Pictures of Famous People" by Jon Stewart and half of Tony Gaddis'
"Starting Out with C++: From Control Structures through Objects (6th Edition)," and that's not counting how redonkulously text heavy the type of video games I like are (the ones I dabbled with so far this week: Melty Blood, the Tsukihime Fun Disk, Final Fantasy VIII and the admittedly text-lite Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess).

If you can't find time to read, that's your problem; saying that people who do find time to read are lazy... well, that's also your problem, and you might want to see some sort of time management specialist about it, or at least consider taking the stick out of your behind so that you can perform your other tasks faster.

[salamanca1]

So in your world and in Sarah Palin's world and the world of all "busy" people, books are just pretty good fuel to toss into the old wood stove, eh? I've read books all my life, I continue to read all the time, I'm an editor, and a darned good one, and a darned BUSY one, because I've read books all my life. And you, despite your attempt to appear rational, apparently are a knucklehead.

[hopefulnana]

That is just absurd. Readers read. Period. I attended college when my kids were teens. I got two graduate degrees while working night shift in a hospital, with a commute of over a hundred miles. I read every chance I could then and still do. I always carry a book in my purse, and our home is filled with them.

If you have time to surf the net and post on this site, you have time to read a book. If you drive or exercise, you can listen to books on tape. It's a matter of priority. Turn off the tv, shut off the computer, and don't flatter yourself that you are some kind of uber busy productive person.

Books I'm currently reading: This Common Secret by Susan Wicklund, MD; Mystery and Manners by Flannery O'Connor; Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris; The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon; The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted by Elizabeth Berg; Bird by Bird by Anne Lamont (for at least the fourth time) and Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney (borrowed from my grandson who also is an organic reader). Next up in the TBR pile: Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich.

[philosopherkingtomas]

trig trip track trowel and tramp ----- the palin family

[SouthernYankeeBelle]

LOL. FUNNY, I can picture it. Moose mom sitting reading my pet goat.

[salamanca1]

Or in her case "My Pet Caribou."