I Just Saw Sarah Palin Snow a Willing Greta van Susteren

Just minutes ago on Fox News I saw Sarah Palin tell Greta van Susteren that the rumors that she wanted to ban books in the local library while she was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska were false.

Governor Palin said the charge was untrue because someone accused her of banning Harry Potter books and that would be impossible because Harry Potter "hadn't even been written when I was mayor." But Sarah Palin was mayor of Wasilla from 1996 to 2002 and there were additions to the Harry Potter series in that period.

So the conclusion to be drawn here is either 1). Palin is lying about her attempt at book burning in Wasilla and trying to cover it up; or 2). Palin is so clueless about secular popular culture she is unaware of the time period of the publication of the books in the mega-hit Harry Potter series. Of course, van Susteren -- dutiful Fox News Republican ventriloquist dummy she is -- just let Palin's assertion go by unchallenged. I just thought it was really weird. I guess Palin just lies even when she doesn't have to or is really culturally challenged up there in the tundra. Did anybody else see this?

Comments

[Joseph A. Palermo - Huffpost Blogger]

Thank you for clarifying this stuff, especially the dates of the book publications (I didn't know that) -- so the consensus here is that she willfully lied about the Harry Potter book and the library? It just shows how weird this person is because if she had a beef with a book with "two daddies" (which is what I also heard) then why not just cop to it? Her anti-gay constituents would applaud her -- maybe she really is thinking about 2012 -- which I say: Run Sarah Run!

[southbay]

I agree. I'd love to see Sarah Palin on the 2012 ticket. I'd re-register as Green, because the Democrats wouldn't need any help!

[Rhubarbarian]

Perhaps us Dems could register as Repubs and vote for her in the primaries, you know, like Rush wanted the Repubs to do so Hillary would stay in the running.

[DCinFrance]

I've said this elsewhere, but be careful what you wish for, Joe. This person is dangerous. The problems we face today will not go away in three year's time and will be hung on Obama. The selfish, shortsighted and memory challenged electorate may just put this dangerous person in a position of real power.

[Adrio]

Draw your own conclusions, but according to the Anchorage Daily News of 1 February 1997, Palin wrote letters firing Librarian Mary Ellen Emmens and Wasilla Police Chief Irl Stambaugh because they hadn't supported her in the mayoral election. Emmens pledged to support Palin's administration and kept her job, Stambaugh did not. He'd been with the department for twenty-two years. Public outrage was almost enough to prompt a recall vote.

http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/story/510219.html

Palin's meteoric rise from an ethically-challenged politician to star clown in a media circus is one of those great-American success stories we're always hearing about.

[LeBeau59741]

No, it is my understanding that the conversation with the librarian took place shortly after Palin became Mayor Palin. I've actually seen nothing that appeared reliable that says specific titles were mentioned but it does seem to be very true that Palin asked about the process for the removal of books and about the librarian's feeling should she be asked to remove unspecified titles. The librarian, as librarians are wont to do, bristled at the suggestion... Palin apparently DID attempt to fire her/force her resignation but backed off after a pretty loud public reaction.

[JonStewart4President]

I go for the absolutely lying through her teeth, option, because it's what she does about everything else. The first Harry Potter book was published in 1997, the second in June 1999 (in the US); the third September 1999 (in the US); the fourth, July 2000. All within the time she was mayor. So yes, she could have tried to ban them any number of them.

Nice to see though that the Fixed Noise doesn't play "gotcha," journalism, like bringing up facts and things.

[ramblingjohnny]

lolll I read the Harry Potter series actually I listen to the audio books so I could multi task and I never known when the first book was published! We know that she not the sharpest tool in the shed but if she was to lie about it why use that lie!

[PatA]

Yes......I can't even think of anything to say about her....except my die hard Repuglican neighbor has switched his party affiliation. Democrat.

[mhaven]

Yep, I saw that. Palin is a pathological liar.

[Nutri1Max]

Actually, she was choosing to comment on a rumor about the Harry Potter books, which weren't out when she talked to the librarian about banning books. This is a good misdirection, giving her deniability, but she tried to ban a children's book about growing up with gay parents (I believe). She was snowing, but still accurate.

[IzzyCA]

Palin: Mayor of Wasilla 1996-2002

1st Harry Potter book released in US September 1998
2nd Harry Potter book - June 1999
3rd Harry Potter book - September 1999
4th Harry Potter book - July 2000

'Nuff said....

[KDeHardt]

I believe that the key legalese is "while she was mayor". Didn't she do that when she was on the city council?

[CIgarCityGirl]

And wasn't the book in question about a little boy with two daddies?

[TrueBlueMajority]

I thought it was "Heather has Two Mommies."