-
Katie Connolly
|
Nov 18, 2009 02:20 PM
Over at The Daily Beast today, political strategist Mark McKinnon makes a compelling argument for why the 2012 election could be tailor-made for NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg. McKinnon is one of the sharpest minds around when it comes to understanding the mood of the electorate. McKinnon knows how to sell winning candidates, which is why I think the case he builds for Bloomberg is a serious one. Bloomberg is a true centrist who has racked up a swag of political achievements in New York—and he has a ton of cash. Dropping $1 billion on a presidential campaign would barely cause a ripple in his ocean of Benjamins. And he appeals to the growing bloc of independent voters. But, after reading McKinnon's analysis, I've got a couple of lingering questions.
First, how will his background in financial services play to an electorate weary of Wall Street misadventures? To be sure, it's been a very long time since Bloomberg was directly involved in trading and banking. Most of his cash piled up when he started offering IT and media services to the financial sector. But Wall Street is already enough of a myth to most voters. They may not have the patience to distinguish between the greedy bankers who broke the economy and the folks that provided the information that helped them carry out the devastating deeds. They may just see a really, really, ridiculously rich guy who made his money on Wall Street.
More
-
Daniel Stone
|
Nov 18, 2009 12:35 PM
As Sarah Palin’s book tour kicked off this morning, the debate continues to rage about what exactly she means for America and the Republican Party. This week’s NEWSWEEK takes a look at those questions, exploring the unique challenges posed by a would-be candidate both loved and loathed but almost nothing in between.
Our choice of a cover image this week has also stirred the debate. Yesterday, NEWSWEEK Editor Jon Meacham responded to critics of the photo, explaining the magazine’s policy, which is, and has always been, to choose the most interesting image available to us to illustrate the theme of the cover.
This morning, on the Today show, NEWSWEEK Managing Editor Daniel Klaidman further explained the editorial choice. “Since [Sarah Palin] has been on the national stage, there have been these questions about her gravitas and her seriousness. Sarah Palin has cultivated this image of a down-home, folksy, outdoorsy woman. And I'm not suggesting it's not authentic, but there is a sense in which she understands that it resonates politically,” Klaidman told Today host Matt Lauer. “There are a lot of people who would see that image and say 'that’s Sarah Palin, that’s why she connects with people, there’s that authenticity.' I don’t think this is an image that is taken out of context, especially when you consider what the point of the story was: to raise these questions about her seriousness."
Watch the video here.
-
Katie Connolly
|
Nov 17, 2009 03:34 PM
Newsweek, issue dated November 23, 2009
This week, to coincide with the release of Sarah Palin's book Going Rogue, NEWSWEEK's editors decided to print two essays (one by Evan Thomas, the other by Christopher Hitchens) about the former Alaska governor and have her image grace our cover. The photo chosen was from a shoot Palin had participated in for Runner's World magazine.
To note that choosing that particular photograph has ruffled a few feathers is perhaps an understatement. Palin denounced it—and us—to her million-strong Facebook following last night. "The choice of photo for the cover of this week's Newsweek is unfortunate. When it comes to Sarah Palin, this 'news' magazine has relished focusing on the irrelevant rather than the relevant," she wrote on her fan page, adding, "The out-of-context Newsweek approach is sexist and oh-so-expected by now." She also told ABC's Barbara Walters that she found the cover "a wee bit degrading." Others, like CBN's David Brody, said our cover was a new low: "biased and sexist at the same time."
Today, NEWSWEEK's Editor Jon Meacham has responded to critics. "We chose the most interesting image available to us to illustrate the theme of the cover, which is what we always try to do,” Meacham said. "We apply the same test to photographs of any public figure, male or female: does the image convey what we are saying? That is a gender-neutral standard."
-
Eleanor Clift
|
Nov 16, 2009 03:47 PM
It’s nothing new when liberal women complain about sexism, but whenconservative men take up the banner, calling Newsweek sexist forportraying Sarah Palin on the cover in her jogging clothes, thatcatches my attention. Why do right-wing men rush to Sarah’s side todefend her? My theory is this is payback time. They’ve been calledsexist and racist, and subjected to media ridicule of their allegedlyretro views. Palin is their way to push back against the elites thathave marginalized them.
More
-
Katie Connolly
|
Nov 3, 2009 04:32 PM
A new Palin book hits shelves today, with lots of juicy details on the Alaska governor's accelerated ride to the top of the GOP. In Sarah From Alaska, Scott Conroy and Shushannah Walshe, reporters from CBS and Fox, respectively, who covered her campaign, document Palin's rollercoaster rise and uncover more than a few interesting nuggets along the way. Perhaps their best score was getting their hands on a copy of the speech that Palin would have given on election night had McCain's campaign managers not barred her from doing so. Her desire to introduce McCain at the nationally televised event rankled the McCain campaign, who worried that she was trying to steal his moment or, worse, that she would go off script as she had done before and undermine the gracious tone they hoped to set. But the speech that was written for her was actually quite respectful and complaisant. Here are a few of her choice would-be lines:
More
-
Holly Bailey
|
Oct 29, 2009 01:27 PM
Politico's Jonathan Martin has a good story
today about an Iowa conservative group's efforts to lure Sarah Palin to
a fundraising dinner in Des Moines next month. The Iowa Family Policy
Center, according to J-Mart, is trying to come up with Palin's reported
$100,000 speaker's fee in hopes of getting the former governor to
headline its Nov. 21 banquet—which just so happens to be the same night
Vice President Joe Biden will be in town to headline
the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner. But wait a
minute: Paying a White House hopeful to come to Iowa? Seriously? Has
anyone ever had to do that? Needless to say, the very prospect has
other Iowa Republicans up in arms. "If somebody tells me they want me
to pay an appearance fee, it tells me they're not very serious about
running for president," Ed Failor Jr., president of Iowans for Tax
Relief and an influential GOP insider, tells Politico. "I found it
really, really odd."
But hang on: did Palin actually ask the
group to pay $100K for her appearance? An IFPC spokesman tells Martin
he's "not personally aware" of a speaker's fee. "There may or may not
be, I don't know," he tells Politico. For their part, the Palin camp
tells NEWSWEEK there's no fee. Meg Stapleton, Palin's spokeswoman,
tells your Gaggler that Palin "has not requested anything" and that she
"does not charge people to campaign for them."
More
-
Holly Bailey
|
Oct 27, 2009 04:01 PM
Remember those rumors that Sarah Palin was asking for an $11 million book advance for her upcoming autobiography? Well, she didn't get that much. According to a newly-filed financial disclosure form, the former Alaska governor was given a $1.25 million advance for Going Rogue.
The disclosure doesn’t list when Palin officially inked the book deal
or when she received the money, but the forms, first reported by the Anchorage Daily News,
cover from January 1 to July 26, 2009, when she officially resigned
from office. How does that compare with what other political hot shots
got for their books? Well, former First Lady Laura Bush reportedly
received $1.6 million for her memoirs. George W. Bush was rumored to
have gotten a $7 million advance for his upcoming book on the toughest decisions he made as president. Hillary Clinton was paid $8 million upfront for her autobiography. Meanwhile, Bill Clinton topped everybody, with a $15 million book advance
for My Life. What do Palin and all of these folks have in common? They
were all repped by Washington power lawyer Bob Barnett in negotiating
their deals.
When Palin left the governor’s office this summer, one reason
circulated was that she needed to make money to pay off her legal fees
related to various ethics complaints. While the forms do not list
Palin’s debts, she does report that she took a loan out on her home “to
fight false allegations while governor.” The amount, however, is not
disclosed. She was paid $73,000 for her final seven and a half months
in office, not including a $6,371 per diem. The First Dude, Todd Palin,
earned $34,086 working at BP and $32,260 from his commercial fishing
operation during the same period. According to the forms, Palin also
founded a marketing business, Pie Spy LLC—though the form lists no
income from the venture.
But what’s life without getting something for free? According to the
disclosure, Palin and her family reported more than $43,000 in gifts
More
-
Holly Bailey
|
Oct 23, 2009 01:46 PM
With just under a month to go before it’s released to the masses, Sarah Palin’s upcoming autobiography, Going Rogue, has already been near the top of Amazon’s bestseller list for weeks. No surprise, considering the enormous amount of interest—both bad and good—the former Alaska governor has generated since John McCain named her as his vice presidential running mate last year. But there may be more to the story: over the past week or so, Amazon has been steadily dropping the price of Palin’s book to compete with other retailers, including Wal-Mart, which offered it for presale at $10. Amazon, which originally listed it at $28.99, is now basically giving the book away for a measly $9. This, as my fellow NEWSWEEKer Sarah Ball notes, is cheaper than buying a copy of Pat the Bunny. Heck, even How to Win Friends and Influence People is priced higher. Of course, it would be absolutely, positively un-American for Wal-Mart to back down from its promise of offering people the absolute lowest price, and now it's reportedly charging $8.98 for the Palin opus. By your Gaggler’s math, that’s a whopping 2 cents a page, or, as we’d describe it, practically free. Will Amazon go even lower? Could there be a buy-one-get-one-free scenario in the offing? Not likely, now that the trade association representing independent bookstores has gotten involved. It has asked the Justice Department to investigate Amazon, Wal-Mart, and Target (a partner with Amazon) for charging below-cost prices for books in order to dominate the bookselling industry. You know what that means: buy your copies now.
-
Howard Fineman
|
Oct 20, 2009 04:15 PM
After its modestly successful way-way-out-of-town tryout in Hong Kong, The Sarah Palin Show is getting ready to hit the U.S.A. next month. To coincide with the release of her ghost-assisted book, Going Rogue, Palin and her advisers are planning a careful TV and Web rollout in mid November, to be followed by paid speeches to business, civic, and college groups. Assembled with the advice of her Washington lawyer, Bob Barnett, and her speech agency, Washington Speakers Bureau, Palin's junket will go light on the free-ranging, traditional hard-news venues and heavy on personality: one major stop will be Oprah.
On speeches, a Palin spokesperson declined to offer details, but other sources tell me that she is asking for $75,000 for a college gig—and three first-class tickets, apparently so she can be accompanied by a press aide and another staffer. Fees for business and corporate groups may be higher. She also is asking that speeches be clustered in one city or other single location so she can do more; two or even three in a day's visit.
-
Holly Bailey
|
Oct 19, 2009 01:02 PM
When Sarah Palin resigned as governor of Alaska last summer, it seemed
she was finally taking the advice of many political professionals and
retreating from the spotlight to rebuild her brand and find her
message. With the exception of a closed-to-the-press speech
last month in Hong Kong, she has not been seen in public. Palin has
turned down interviews and declined to appear at GOP party events.
Aside from the occasional op-ed, like this one published last week by National Review, and messages
posted on her Facebook page, Palin has been laying low, no doubt
preparing for what will unquestionably be a major publicity push when
her autobiography, "Going Rogue," is released next month. But has her
time away from the cameras actually done Palin any good politically?
Two polls released in the last several days suggest Palin might not be
in good shape should she seek the GOP presidential nomination in 2012.
A new Gallup poll
finds that Palin’s approval ratings have taken a serious hit in recent
months. According to Gallup, Palin’s favorability rating is currently
at 40 percent—the lowest number she’s had since John McCain named her
to be his vice presidential running mate in August 2008. After her
nomination speech at the Republican National Convention, Palin had a 53
percent approval rating. By the end of the campaign, after a messy back
and forth between Palin allies and McCain staff over Palin’s “rogue”
behavior, the then-governor had a 42 percent approval rating, and she
still hasn’t recovered. While she continues to do well among
Republicans—69 percent like her, according to Gallup—Palin’s biggest
problem continues to be her ability to woo independent voters.
According to Gallup, only 41 percent of independents have a favorable
view of Palin, while 48 percent don’t. Those numbers were opposite when
she joined the McCain ticket a year ago.
While Palin’s strength has always been her appeal to the GOP base, a second poll raises questions about whether Republicans will actually vote for her
More
-
Katie Connolly
|
Oct 8, 2009 01:26 PM
Levi Johnston, the lad most famous for knocking up his
high-school sweetheart—who also happened to be Sarah Palin's daughter—is
making the most of his fame. He's been made news twice this week already. On
Tuesday, we were chattering about his amusing role in a new commercial
for nuts. Today, the blogosphere lit up with news of his nude shoot for Playgirl, titillating girls and gay men alike.
Apparently Levi has become a work-out machine, toning the love handles he exposed in GQ in preparation for moment in the
female erotica spotlight. If he wasn't a liberal pin-up boy before, he
certainly is now. Surely Levi's 15 minutes are almost up. And yet there he
is again, trending high on Google, and cluttering up gossip blogs. So why the fixation
with this unemployed, hockey-playing, high-school dropout?
Of course, his appeal is partly explained by his looks. The dude
is hot. But he also comes across as remarkably normal given his circumstances. His
starring turns in GQ and Vanity Fair
showed a kid managing to remain relatively
down-to-earth amid his swirling fame and personal tumult. Sure he has
an agent
and talks about landing acting gigs, but one imagines him doing so with
the
same unaffected nonchalance with which he pops a pistachio, or talks
about
shooting moose. He seems playful, as though he's not taking
this whole caper too seriously. He'll chat about his life as long as
people want to listen. And therein lies the secret to his success:
Johnston can pan the one
of the most criticized women in the world without sounding salacious,
nasty, or misogynist.
He's not a screeching critic. He's just a guy bitching about the
in-laws. It's
an entirely unique position in the Palin-sphere. And people love it.
More
-
Holly Bailey
|
Oct 2, 2009 01:03 PM
Looks like there’s at least one high-profile Republican who won’t be
voting for Sarah Palin should she run in 2012. Steve Schmidt, John
McCain’s top political strategist in 2008, told a forum
in Washington today that nominating Palin as the party’s next
presidential nominee would be “catastrophic” for Republicans. “I think
that she has talents, but my honest view is that she would not be a
winning candidate,” Schmidt said. “In fact, were she to be the nominee,
we would have a catastrophic election result.”
The comments
aren’t necessarily surprising—many prominent Republicans privately
share Schmidt’s views. And there’s bad blood between Schmidt and Palin.
As has been widely reported, the two clashed repeatedly during the
campaign. Palin allies have accused Schmidt of leaking unflattering
details about her to reporters. Schmidt allies have accused her of
being a diva and unmanageable. Schmidt is the only member of McCain’s
inner circle to publicly criticize Palin—something that McCain himself
has privately discouraged but seems in no real position to stop any
longer. Asked today how he thought he might be portrayed in Palin’s
upcoming memoir, Going Rogue, Schmidt replied, “I think it may say I was anti-rogue in the running of the campaign.”
But
even with all the drama, the fact that these comments are coming from
Schmidt, who advised McCain to pick Palin as his vice presidential
candidate, can’t be overlooked.
More
-
Katie Connolly
|
Oct 1, 2009 11:40 AM
Looks like Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has finally bitten the bullet
and has submitted papers to register a PAC—usually the first step in
any presidential bid—thus ending the most predictable speculation in
the 2012 race so far. Pawlenty will call his PAC Freedom First,
continuing the GOP trend of corny freedom-themed PAC names. (Mitt
Romney's is called Free and Strong America.) Over at Politico, J-Mart reports
that Pawlenty has been quietly collecting high-profile campaign staff
and supporters, including Vin Weber to co-chair his campaign. Weber, a
former Minnesota congressman and a prominent GOP player, threw his
weight behind Romney in 2008. Pawlenty has wrapped up a few other big
names from the 2008 cycle, including RNC communications director
Alex Conant and McCain campaign manager Terry Nelson, who will be big
assets to his bid.
While anything could happen between now
and the 2012 primaries (remember when Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani
were the presumptive 2008 nominees?), there's no harm in speculating,
right? Pawlenty has a couple of disadvantages going in. He has lower
national name recognition than three of his key rivals—Sarah Palin,
Mitt Romney, and Mike Huckabee. He hasn't run in a presidential
election before, and many Republican strategists will tell you that the
experience of having done it once is enormously advantageous.
(Democrats, on the other hand, are far less supportive of repeat
candidates.) He's also behind in the fundraising stakes, which is a big
challenge when facing the likes of Palin and Romney, both of whom are
fundraising powerhouses.
More
-
Holly Bailey
|
Sep 30, 2009 11:59 AM
Is Sarah Palin having trouble landing speaking gigs? Citing an anonymous “industry expert,” the New York Post’s Page Six reports today
that Palin isn’t attracting much interest on the lecture circuit. The
reason: she’s so polarizing. “The big lecture-buyers in the U.S. are
paralyzed with fear about booking her, basically because she’s a
blithering idiot,” the unnamed source tells Page Six. “Palin is so
uninteresting to so many groups—unless they are interested in moose
hunting … What does she have to say? She can’t even describe what she
reads.” Ouch.
But in Palin’s defense, is she actually trying to
book gigs in the U.S. anyway? It’s worth noting that plenty of current
and former polarizing political types on the lecture circuit usually
make most of their money speaking in other countries—especially their
first year out.
More
-
Holly Bailey
|
Sep 29, 2009 05:44 PM
When it comes to Sarah Palin, there are two big questions that everybody in Washington wants to know. Is she going to run for president in 2012? And who exactly is working for her these days? Since she resigned as governor of Alaska in July, Palin has been uncharacteristically quiet. She’s stayed largely out of the public eye—though she’s been posting messages on her official Facebook page and wrote an op-ed on health care for The Wall Street Journal. Last week she earned her first check as a paid speaker, receiving a reported low six figures for addressing a Hong Kong business group—a speech that was closed to the public. Yesterday, word broke that the publication of Palin’s memoir, Going Rogue, had been pushed up from next spring to this November, just in time for the holidays. According to reports, Palin worked on the book with a ghostwriter, conservative journalist Lynn Vincent. The big mystery, even to those who once worked closely with the former VP candidate: besides Vincent, who is working with Palin to keep her brand alive?
More