BOOK REVIEW: News Media Takes a Beating from Palin in 'Going Rogue'
Much of It Is On Target
Reviewed By David M. Kinchen
Huntingtonnews.net Book Critic
Originally, I didn't intend to review Sarah Palin's Going Rogue: An American Life (Harper, a HarperCollins imprint, 432 pages, illustrations, $28.99). For one thing, the folks at HarperCollins didn't send me a review copy. I bought the book as a gift for two very good friends who are big Palin fans and decided to read it before delivering it in person later this week in New Orleans.
Thanks to the wordslinging -- a word I love that was suggested to me by Tom H. Hastings of the Oregon Peace Institute -- of ghostwriter Lynn Vincent, Going Rogue is quite readable. And don't get upset about my use of the word "ghostwriter." I doubt that the late Ted Kennedy's memoir, "True Compass", which I reviewed on this site, was written by the senator alone. The same goes for memoirs by Hillary and Bill Clinton and just about everybody else. Writing is hard work and rich people -- or people like Palin who want to be rich -- hire others to do the heavy lifting in their lives.
I decided to concentrate in this review on Palin's treatment by the news media, of which I've been a participant since January 1966 on five daily newspapers including the conservative Milwaukee Sentinel and liberal Los Angeles Times and -- since 2004 -- as editor of Huntington News Network. She writes that she was attacked by the mainstream media for appearing with her family at the GOP convention. She rightly points out no similar media onslaughts were forthcoming for Barack and Michelle Obama and their "lovely" (Palin's words) daughters Malia and Sasha. Nobody made a big point about the appearances of the Biden and McCain families, either. Good point, Sarah. She's proud of her family, probably one reason why the book has an initial print run of 2.5 million and is attracting enthusiastic support from her core audience -- a "family values" group if ever there was one.
I learned early on that the so-called objectivity of mainstream media is a good idea that never has been fully implemented. Journalists, like everybody else, bring their biases with them to work. The important thing is to be objective in covering news stories, not wear your biases on your sleeve as you type up the story. Get all sides to an issue and in the words of "The Great Communicator," Ronald Reagan, "trust but verify." Better yet, just plain verify; it's better not to trust anyone. Palin, in the acknowledgments section, mentions by first name the members of the media who are truly fair and balanced, in her view. Many of them work for Fox, but not all.
The Associated Press put on a full-court press (pardon the pun) with an 11-member "truth squad" to check out Palin's book. Yes, this is the same AP that is currently shedding correspondents and bureau chiefs like leaves in the fall. Palin points out that her election in 2006 was a successful challenge to a fellow Republican, incumbent Gov. Frank Murkowski, who she says was the centerpiece of a good old boys network that included both Democrats and Republicans. (Speaking of Democrats, I wish Palin/Vincent had used the proper adjective: It's not the "Democrat" party, which is used throughout the book; the proper adjective is "Democratic").
While I'm on a nit-picking expedition, the lack of an index is a major shortcoming in the book. I've said it a thousand times (OK, maybe a hundred!) before: Every nonfiction book needs an index. It's not a major expense in the whole scheme of publishing a book and can even be done at low cost by outsourcing it to India. Just kidding, I think; I've noticed that many operations of publishing, including publicity, have been outsourced to both domestic and global providers.
The much publicized Katie Couric interviews are discussed and I have to admit I missed them. I'm not a big Couric fan. I think she's basically an entertainer, not a journalist. I was surprised by Palin's praise of Gwen Ifill's role as moderator of the Palin-Biden vice presidential debates in St. Louis. Palin, a journalism graduate herself, says the PBS newscaster was a thorough professional. I am an Ifill fan, so I was pleased to see Palin give credit where due. And Palin has a lot of fun with her lookalike, Tina Fey, and Palin's appearance on "Saturday Night Live."
She discusses the David Letterman "joke" about her teen-age daughter Willow being "knocked up" in the seventh inning of a Yankee's game by 34-year-old Yankee infielder Alex Rodriguez. I think she's right to be outraged at this comment, especially from a glass house dweller like Letterman. I wonder what the reaction would have been if Letterman had made it about an Obama daughter.
Palin notes, as I did, about the silence of many women's rights groups about the Letterman comment. Let's face it, many of these groups don't give a damn about scurrilous comments about conservatives and their families. And I'm speaking as a defiant independent, who finds fault in all the parties.
Palin's resignation last summer as governor is covered, including a conversation between Palin and her son Track who urged by cell phone from Army duty in Iraq that she stick it out to the end of her term. On July 3, 2009, Palin announced she would not seek reelection as governor and that she was resigning, effective July 26, 2009, eighteen months before the completion of her first term. She said that a barrage of frivolous ethics complaints filed after she was chosen as running mate to McCain had affected her ability to govern the state. Sounds like the "death by a thousand cuts" to me. She says unjustified attacks and frivolous charges will keep good people from seeking political office. Cynics might say politicians have to develop thick skins, but I'd say she makes a good argument.
Would I recommend reading Going Rogue? Yes, definitely, regardless of your political point of view. Liberals, conservatives and independents should read everything by office seekers of the past -- and, maybe, the future.
Publisher's web site: www.harpercollins.com