Welcome to Wasilla, Joe!

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The journalist and�a halfbaked�governor, cont'd

Dave Weigel writes on Sarah Palin's anger at finding a biographer next door:

But assuming he's rented the house near the Palins for some period of time, assuming the Palins know he's there and that he's writing a book, then what, exactly, is wrong with this?

Politicians don't have veto power over who gets to write about them, or how they research their stories, as long as they're within the bounds of the law. It's incredibly irresponsible for them to sic their fans on journalists they don't like. And that's what Palin is doing here -- she has already inspired Glenn Beck to accuse McGinniss of "stalking" Palin and issuing a threat to boycott his publisher.

This is really the ultimate example of the way Palin manipulates the press and inverts the relationship between reporters and politicians, turning the former into "stalkers," and the latter -- as long as they're Republicans or members of her family -- into saints whom no one can criticize. No one in the media should reward Palin for this irresponsible and pathetic bullying.

I'm the last one to criticize a reporter for trying to get close to his subject, but at the same time, I don't see why criticizing reporters should be off limits, or why Palin shouldn't be unhappy about an unauthorized biographer's porch overlooking her backyard. The house isn't just nearby -- as the photo above (from an anti-Palin blog) shows, it's next door.

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"I don't think anyone is complaining about the fact there is another Palin book coming out from a source who's not been favorable to her in the past - nothing new there as a new one pops on the shelf every six months," emails the aide. "The issue here is a pattern of unethical and manipulative behavior and a total invasion of privacy -- I think no matter what side of the aisle you fall on, we can all agree this behavior is wrong and outside the norm -- and any decent publisher would reign this guy in."

I think I'd come down in the middle here: McGinniss has a right to rent the house, peer into the backyard, and intrude where he can. It's the American way. Palin has a right to hate that, to complain volubly, and to rally her followers against his publisher. Also the American way. Read More

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Author Joe McGinniss Now Stalking Sarah Palin From Neighboring House; McGinniss' Son Suggests (Somewhat Humorously) That McGinniss is Obsessed and Deranged

I doubt that Joe McGinnis, Jr.� (a novelist) was fully on-the-level here..

Here's Palin, giving McGinniss a little advanced publicity for his stalker's journal, though she doesn't have much choice, given she is a public figure.

Spring has sprung in Alaska, and with this beautiful season comes the news today that the Palins have a new neighbor! Welcome, Joe McGinniss!

Yes, that Joe McGinniss. Here he is – about 15 feet away on the neighbor’s rented deck overlooking my children’s play area and my kitchen window. Maybe we’ll welcome him with a homemade blueberry pie tomorrow so he’ll know how friendly Alaskans are.

We found out the good news today. Upon my family’s return this morning from endorsement rallies and speeches in the Lower 48 states, I finally got the chance to tackle my garden and lawn this evening! So, putting on the shorts and tank top to catch that too-brief northern summer sun and placing a giddy Trig in his toddler backpack for a lawn-mowing adventure, I looked up in surprise to see a “new neighbor” overlooking my property just a stone’s throw away. Needless to say, our outdoor adventure ended quickly after Todd went to introduce himself to the stranger who was peering in...

Joe announced to Todd that he’s moved in right next door to us. He’s rented the place for the next five months or so. He moved up all the way from Massachusetts to live right next to us – while he writes a book about me. Knowing of his many other scathing pieces of “journalism” (including the bizarre anti-Palin administration oil development pieces that resulted in my Department of Natural Resources announcing that his work is the most twisted energy-related yellow journalism they’d ever encountered), we’re sure to have a doozey to look forward to with this treasure he’s penning. Wonder what kind of material he’ll gather while overlooking Piper’s bedroom, my little garden, and the family’s swimming hole?

Politico contacted McGinniss' son, who offered this response:

Sadly, she's right. We tried our best to intervene, but alas, the heart wants what it wants. We can only pray for him now. He's convinced that Todd will step aside and when the time is right, he'll be there, right next door, to pick up the pieces.

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Summer in Wasilla... Is gonna be HOT

Santana's song SMOOTH is what comes to mind. Is�Joe McGinnis�thinking Give me Your Heart - Make it Real�-Or Else Forget About It!

Joe, remember, she's a barracuda and a rogue, but, she's smooth!

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Smooth

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Comments

[Syrin from Wasilla]

Mr. McGinniss has been in contact with several Alaskans through the year. We expected that he was going to be around to actively pursue facts and details on Sarah's year of living dangerously. This is what he sent me the night before Sarah, starving for even more publicity, turned this into something perverted..

Greetings

Been living here since Saturday. Todd came over at about 5:30 today. I told him I would use my proximity as a buffer zone for the Palin family, assuring that no paparazzi could peer over the fence to take their pictures. Fifteen minutes later, Track Palin runs into their back yard to take this dumb shot of me. So much for mutual respect. I wanted to be a good neighbor. I still do. But I'm not sure I want to eat that blueberry pie.

[ken]

oh,theres nothing wrong or creepy about this,by the way i just bought the house next to you,is that your garbage can in the back yard..............

[Syrin from Wasilla]

You did?

Ken, that won't creep me out, come on over and say hello. Don't worry I won't put up a fence. No fence necessary, I have nothing to hide. No garbage can in my yard, but, we do have some cardboard on the firepit ready to burn...

[Inside_Passage]

Actually, while it doesn't strike me as stalkerish or dangerous, it does strike me as extremely creepy. This isn't something journalists normally do, to my understanding, and quite frankly the expense of buying a house JUST to research someone and write a book makes me wonder who is bankrolling him.

It's like a freak show, with Palin and her flake supporter Beck on one side, with the journalist from hell on the other.

[c]

Ever since the dinner on EBay, I knew this guy was a WINNER. He is doing what many of us would have done...in a heartbeat. Stalker? You got to be kidding me. He moved in to BUG THE LIVING SHIT OUTTA PALIN. And it's working.

[Syrin from Wasilla]

Mr. McGinniss is just renting the house.

Google Joe McGinnis, if you don't know his work.

His m.o. is to get as close as he can to have a first hand account of who or what he's writing about. I think that's the more accurate perspective, if you can do it as a journalist. That was the norm when writers were actually writing their own books..

[Syrin from Wasilla]

Welcome.. Thanks for your comment.. It's truly a beautiful thing from my perspective....

[sjohnson]

I think it is pretty creepy that Princess keeps making sexual innuendos regarding her daughters.  How disturbing is that coming from the mother?  Makes me wonder what has happened in her life to fixate her on the sexual scenarios.  Get some therapy, Princess.

[Syrin from Wasilla]

[this is good] Believe it or not, I got a chance to talk about this with another person who lives here in Wasilla, teacher/
censes taker
. She made my day... She commented that Joe had to have been just excited when he signed that lease, knowing only he had the knowledge he'd be moving in next door to those crazy Palins.. Wouldn't it have been nice to have been there to see the look on their face. They put a fence up real quick. BTW it doesn't follow Wasilla building code, it exceeds the height restrictions. http://theimmoralminority.blogspot.com/2010/05/yep-sarah-built-dang-fence.html

[Syrin from Wasilla]

Check out what Palins did in a matter of a day. There is something wrong with them. Sarah, buck up! Having media interested in you it what you get the BIG buck for! Besides, you're a neighbor from hell! It could be that is why the house was vacant and for rent in the first place.

http://gretawire.blogs.foxnews.com/files/2010/05/l_2048_1536_BB639D22-46A5-4424-8603-CC4CF1C2C1B6.jpeg

What an eye sore!!! Someone did a very bad job.. Just sayin

[sjohnson]

Yes, it is a fugly fence; goes with her fugly personality.  BTW, what is all that garbage in their backyard?  Both  houses seem to have a lot of crap in back.  I guess they give the definition of Valley Trash.  Just wait until the first big wind comes.  Will the building department enforce the code?

[Syrin from Wasilla]

Trash is all over it appears..  Mr. McGinniss is forced to suspend his email account indefinitely. As a result of hate mail generated by supporters of Sarah Palin flooding his email account.

Isn't great that we live in a FREE Country!!!

[INTERNATIONAL]

[this is good]

I`ve had the pleasure of meeting Joe McGinniss on several occasions and a more congenial.engaging,interesting,smart and humorous man I have yet to meet.When I first read all about this,I found it amusing and had a good little laugh to myself;now it`s truly hillarious! It was on Fox news last night and they had

[INTERNATIONAL]

cont.....their panties in a bunch the size of a mooses head. Genius McGinniss! Stay strong Joe!

[sjohnson]

I guess Joe wasn' t interested in the view from under Sarah's bus.  Have they really built a fence on top of an existing fence?  Also, what's this about the "family watering hole"?  Are the Palin's claiming the entire dead lake as their own personal pool?  they must be the neighbors from hell.

[KaJo]

So now background information about the history of "the house next door" before Joe McGinniss rented it reveals...ta, DA!...that the housed "used to be

[KaJo]

(previous post truncated)So now background information about the history of "the house next door" before Joe McGinniss rented it reveals...ta, DA!...that the house "used to be an Oxford House from 2005 until 2008.  The tenants were men recently released from prison who were recovering addicts."   http://directory.intherooms.com/Treatment-Centers/Oxford-House---Lake-Lucille-/11798 Is there any record that the Palins objected to ex-felons and recovering addicts living next to them and their nubile daughters?   No, just like there's no record of them filing a complaint against the alleged e-mail threateners of their nubile daughters when the family briefly lived in the Governor's Mansion in Juneau in 2007.

[Syrin from Wasilla]

I heard something so sickning this morning... While listening to a local talk show on 650KENI Huckabee came on and commented that Obama got something right! He continued to remind us that Obama said that you should leave the children of politicians alone. He than went into a rant about professionalism and jouranlists and finished off accusing Mr. McGinniss of stalking, peering into the Palin's teenage girls bedroom.. The pervertion of the mind set by the Palins is very scary to me..

[Syrin from Wasilla]

[this is good] From
Politico
:

Sarah Palin's next-door neighbor sought out author Joe McGinniss as a tenant, McGinniss's son said.

[FlynnD]

Santana?! That's kinda goin' back in time ain't it?

Nevertheless, you've great taste, Syrin.

[FlynnD]

Speaking of a HOT summer!!

Bathing suits are optional...

[Syrin from Wasilla]

The landlord of this house, meanwhile, offered it to McGinniss for $1,500 per month after a friend of the author recommended him as a solid alternative to the other people asking about the property.

"She was talking to this mutual friend of ours and said, 'I've got to find someone we're comfortable with,' " McGinniss said Friday evening from the deck of the house -- a deck that became famous after Palin posted a photo of it on Facebook this week. " 'My biggest concern is the Palins' privacy, especially the children.'

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/right-now/2010/05/exclusive_joe_mcginniss_talks.html

[Syrin from Wasilla]

Thanks for recognizing my
good taste
! I have lots more great music to share...