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Mark Nickolas

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Are We To Conclude That Reports Of Palin's Extramarital Affair Were True?

Posted: 07/06/09 04:56 PM ET

Over the weekend, soon-to-be-former-Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) made news by the disclosure that her attorney had send letters to a number of media organizations (including Huffington Post) threatening them with defamation lawsuits if they continue to publish speculation that Palin was being investigated by the feds for political corruption matters.

But what's noteworthy to me is that Palin never went after the National Enquirer last year after they published specifics about an extra-martial affair that Palin was reported to have had with her husband's former business partner, Brad Hanson (while the McCain campaign barked that they would sue, there's no evidence that a lawsuit, or even a letter threatening action, was ever commenced).

So...reports that Palin may be under federal investigation result in hyper-aggressive threats of defamation, but reports of an adulterous affair by Palin with a specific person with on-the-record sourcing didn't result in any legal action? Seems curious, doesn't it?

File this away...

Mark Nickolas is the Managing Editor of Political Base.

 

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10:51 AM on 07/08/2009
To be PC & to keep my reputation as a knee jerk liberal/progressive, Sarah Palin's sex life isn't of our business. It is a matter for husband & wife. That's it.
10:32 AM on 07/08/2009
I have said in the coming weeks, before the year is out their will be 3 to 4 more republicans who will be exposed for their extra-marital affiars, but never thought Palin would be one. But I will sit back and wait and see. But Palin didn't step down because she is concerned about the well being of the people of Alaska. Something big is coming down with her, mark my word.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
LiarLiarIraqsOnFire
06:33 PM on 07/07/2009
I can't wait for that 'I Have Sinned' presser, "I was 'climbing Mt. McKinley' with a dear, dear friend of the family. He is my true soulmate, when he touches me it's as if I were floating in the Aurora Borealis..."
06:16 PM on 07/07/2009
Yeah, I've also found it interesting that even tho there have been several very prominent "not Trig's mother" websites out there, finding info, pictures, etc., to prove she wasn't pregnant--not even a whisper of a lawsuit.

And you would think if EVER there was a topic she could sue about, this would be it.

But then she'd have to prove it was true. In a court of law.

And she can't.
10:39 AM on 07/08/2009
Exactly. And it would be so very easy to prove she is Trig's mother.

How could her own personal staff not know she was pregnant until she was seven months along ?
There is such a thing as prenatal appointments.

And, if it happened as Miss Sarah said it did, the 'Wild Ride' shows appallingly bad judgement.
Why aren't all the right-to-lifers all over her for endangering her soon-to-be-born baby ?
Who just happened to be preemie and special needs. I do NOT think she would have gotten
on an airplane if she was only hours away from delivering a baby.

These things cannot be timed. And the abrupt changes in atmospheric pressure during a flight
can precipitate labor. . . .
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HUFFPOST PUNDIT
jsgaetano
Semper Fidelis Tyrannosaurus!
11:23 AM on 07/07/2009
Adultery is against the law in Alaska, isn't it?

Sounds like a job for Ken Starr!
HUFFPOST PUNDIT
Freesia2
I'm nicer than I appear in print. :-)
10:10 AM on 07/07/2009
Who can say, but the fact that she didn't go after them, holy roller poster girl that she is, sort of sounds fishy. As a poster pointed out below she was on Schmidt's leash so he probably wisely told her to do nothing.

The thing is, most of the evangelicals are hypocrites themselves (don't they have an extremely high divorce rate? I should look this up. I know that the red state conservatives spend the most on porn - for some reason that tickles me. I just went ha ha ha) so even if it turned out she did? All she'd have to do is paint herself as a victim of the bad hoodoo coming from liberals (yes her itch would be your fault) and talk about how her sin brought her closer to righteousness or something, and they'd end up taking her to Neiman-Marcus to buy a new halo.
01:05 PM on 07/07/2009
She and Sanford could end up together. They could both be on the same ticket in 2012.
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
08:45 AM on 07/07/2009
If the Repubs (right-to-lifers) would stay out of other peoples abortioin decision, then maybe liberals would stay out of their xtra-marital affairs.
05:42 AM on 07/07/2009
Okay, enough with Sarahahaha.
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JDM73
male, 38, writer/draughtsman/ex-musician
05:32 AM on 07/07/2009
Well, most reasonably attractive people--married or not--don't limit themselves to one partner. If you're good-looking (and I'm not saying that Sarah Palin is a stunner, but she's certainly presentable), you're probably getting some on the side. It's just as true for women as it is for men.
Having said that, I couldn't care less. I just want her to go far, far away.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
JustJoy7
Give your best, expect the best from others.
11:39 PM on 07/06/2009
If politicians would stay out of our bedrooms, it would be much easier for us to stay out of theirs.
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HUFFPOST PUNDIT
lazercat2008
09:54 PM on 07/06/2009
“Todd found out about the affair and was so mad he broke up their partnership at the snowmobile dealership,†Burdett claimed.

Another source, who preferred to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions, provided The NATIONAL ENQUIRER with a sworn affidavit attesting to the Palin-Hanson story.

“Todd was away on business a lot and Sarah felt lonely. Brad was a good listener, and Sarah talked to him at length. Eventually, she real­ized she was falling in love with him,†one insider divulged.

“When Todd got back from one of his trips, Sarah told him that she had begun to have feelings for Brad.†--National Enquirer
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
RobertHenryEller
I saw Ray Charles perform.
05:12 PM on 07/07/2009
Impossible! The only person Sarah Palin has ever been in love with is Sarah Palin.
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lazercat2008
09:51 PM on 07/06/2009
Another source, which remains anonymous, but also gave a sworn affidavit said.

“Todd was away on business a lot and Sarah felt lonely. Brad was a good listener, and Sarah talked to him at length. Eventually, she real­ized she was falling in love with him. When Todd got back from one of his trips, Sarah told him that she had begun to have feelings for Brad.�?

Since when did feelings and talking become an “affair.†This anonymous source doesn’t even claim they had sex!
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HUFFPOST PUNDIT
lazercat2008
09:51 PM on 07/06/2009
A Hanson family insider named Jim Burdett talked about the affair, and reportedly passed a polygraph test, to supposedly offer proof that the affair happened. Burdett says,

“I’ve known about Brad having had an affair for a long time, but it wasn’t until just recently that I learned his affair was with Sarah Palin. Sarah was elected mayor of Wasilla, Brad became a city council member in the nearby town of Palmer, and they started an affair. Todd found out about the affair and was so mad he broke up their partnership at the snowmobile dealership.
serena1313
Condemnation w/o investigation is hgt of ignorance
08:46 PM on 07/06/2009
I re_member seeing something about Sarah Palin had an affair with Todd's ex-partner, but it was never made an issue. Personally I could care less if someone has an affair including politicians. Although it is none of our business, it is the hypocrisy that I find objectionable.

My gut tells me something is coming down the pike. While listening to Sarah's voice during the press conference she was nervous, her thoughts were scattered, but what gave it away was the gasps of air she took between sentences (surprisingly no one has mentioned).

Furthermore why did she feel the need to have her lawyer threaten the media and bloggers for speculating on rumours? (rhetorical question) And on top of that the FBI spokesperson making a public statement denying she is a target of an investigation is something unheard of. The FBI has never done that before muchless address a rumour -- at least not that Iam aware of.

And last the threatening emails signed by her attorney, it is said, were sent by Palin's spokesperson, Megan Stapleton to her extensive media list, but not to Shannyn Moore. Therein this appears to be a media stunt and an attempt to intimidate and silence her critics.

Whatever Palin's reasons to resign, having an affair is the least important, if that is the case. However if Sarah quit because she couldn't deal with the difficulties ahead, then that is a completely different matter. Her supporters ought to look at that objectively.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
faith
10:59 PM on 07/06/2009
You know, I noticed the labored breathing too. I figured that it was just terribly difficult and an emotional issue as well for her. I think she realized in the middle of her resignation speech that it was probably a big mistake. It may be that she just jumps into things without really considering the subsequent consequences. The problem is that she cannot take back those words she uttered. She really should have waited until after the holiday to issue such a proclamation. Slept on it for a few days. We raise our children to follow through with their commitments. Ms. Palin certainly publicized to America that her daughter had followed through with her commitment to carry a baby to term and prematurely become a mother. Seems her daughter is setting a strangely better example than the Mother in matters of commitment..
10:35 AM on 07/07/2009
Sarah Palin—“Every Breath You Take†video

"This is my edited version of Sarah Palin’s rambling and incoherent July 3rd press conference in Wasilla announcing her resignation as the governor of Alaska. No deep breaths were duplicated (she really did it that much) and the video edits are presented in the order that they occurred with one minor exception. Enjoy."

http://www.rumproast.com/index.php/site/comments/sarah_palin_every_breath_you_take/

Update: Rumproast’s Sarah Palin Video on CNN!

http://www.rumproast.com/index.php/site/comments/rumproasts_sarah_palin_video_on_cnn/
12:50 AM on 07/07/2009
I too reacted to the voice. It didn't sound at all like the voice of someone who's confident she's doing the right thing. It sounded like someone who feels forced to do something she doesn't really want to.

You're wrong about the FBI, though, and I'm pretty sure you ARE aware of it, if you think for a minute. They did exactly the same thing for president-elect Obama when Blagojewich was arrested.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
MelRoy
I think, therefore...here I am
08:36 PM on 07/06/2009
Yes, I'll file this away because I posted the same thing two days ago on the Shannyn Moore and AK Muckraker blogs. You are so behind the curve!

The brief answer is, Sarah Palin probably listened to sage advice on the Enquirer story because she still had to answer to Steve Schmidt and John McCain. Now she listens to nobody except the voices in her head and her handsomely paid lawyer (who appears from his resume to have zero experience in defamation law).
10:46 PM on 07/06/2009
That is a good point..