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Rogue Fact: Palin attacks "Democrat lawmaker" who's actually a Republican

November 14, 2009 4:10 pm ET — 22 Comments

In her memoir, Going Rogue: An American Life, Sarah Palin mocks the "political buckshot" her "critics fired" at her, pointing to a "Democrat lawmaker" in Alaska who "complained that I wasn't as 'sparky' " after the 2008 election. Palin appeared to be referring to a January 31 Associated Press article that quoted Republican Alaska state Sen. Bert Stedman describing Palin as "[n]ot so sparky."

Palin: "[O]ne Democrat lawmaker complained that I wasn't as 'sparky' as before"

From Page 344 of Going Rogue:

It was almost funny, certainly ridiculous, the political buckshot critics fired our way. Nationally, pundits and reporters would criticize me for focusing on Alaska and not attending the celebrity-packed events we were invited to Outside; locally, the opposition would criticize me for focusing on national issues -- as if I suddenly needed to become parochial and think of Alaska's issues as irrelevant to the nation. In Juneau, one Democrat lawmaker complained that I wasn't as "sparky" as before and that Piper and I no longer brought around bagels like we used to. The few times I hustled out of the state to attend, for instance, a fund-raiser for kids with special needs, my Juneau critics said that they were being abandoned.

AP: Senator calling Palin "[n]ot so sparky" is a Republican

From a January 31 Associated Press article:

Some say she appears more tense than the vice presidential candidate who delivered sly jokes and incendiary speeches to packed rallies across the Lower 48.

"Not so sparky," said Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, who wonders if the distractions of her newfound celebrity will keep Palin from devoting her full attention to Alaska's looming budget shortfall.

Others grumble that she didn't seem to reach out to the nearly 60 lawmakers assembled before her.

"I think her speech was not directed to us but right over our heads to a national audience," said Rep. David Guttenberg, D-Fairbanks, who remembers a much different Palin from just six months ago.

"There were days when she walked around the building with (her daughter) Piper handing out bagels. I think those days are gone," he added with a touch of wistfulness.

Stedman's Alaska state legislature profile -- which identifies him as a Republican -- can be viewed here.

— S.S.M.
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    • Author by fantagor (November 14, 2009 4:50 pm ET)
      12  
      I don't see her claim as errant but a reflection of her distorted worldview, that by attacking her, Stedman is the equivalent of a "Democrat," that anyone who disagrees with her is just a "Democrat."

      If liberal is derogatory to her, so is Democrat.

      Randy
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Bad News (November 14, 2009 6:43 pm ET)
           
        Why Proof Read when you didn't actually Write the Book?
        I'm sure if Sarah Palin is asked about this it will be her Publisher that is on the Hook.
        Ms. Palin has proven when the going gets Tough she doesn't "Dither" she Quits.
        She Quit her job as Governor of Alaska to help America? I thought she was keeping an Eye on the Russians? Or was it all a Cheap Trick?

        Speak truth to power.


        Mr. News
        Report Abuse
    • Author by MickD (November 14, 2009 8:46 pm ET)
      13  
      What is really funny is she used the pejorative "Democrat" instead of Democratic like a good little Heritage Foundation-funded self delusional robot and still gets burned.

      It will be interesting to see how the celeb obsessed mainstream media whores worship at her altar with so many book errors.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by jstephens005 (November 15, 2009 12:15 am ET)
        16
      Who gives a crap? This is pitiful. Is this the best you can do? An assumption as to what she was saying? Your kidding, right?
      Report Abuse
      • Author by SLRTX (November 15, 2009 1:00 am ET)
        13  
        jstephens005 --

        "Who gives a crap? This is pitiful. Is this the best you can do?"

        Y'know, that's EXACTLY what I said when McCain picked that bubble-headed dufus for VP.

        I hope she wins the presidential primary as the Republican candidate. Try to put lipstick on THAT pig & sell it to the country. ;-)
        Report Abuse
        • Author by caels (November 15, 2009 1:52 am ET)
          4  
          I believe that would be the completion of the intellectual collapse of the conservative movement. In other words, I think it's pretty likely she does become their nominee.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by drhunt1 (November 15, 2009 10:35 am ET)
            2
          Did MediaMatters vette the comments that Biden made during the VP debate, or after, as closely as their authors are scrutinizing Palin's book? No way. Think Palin knows how many States there are in the USA? You betcha!
          Report Abuse
          • Author by political_left-religious_right (November 17, 2009 1:51 pm ET)
            1  
            And another doofus who hasn't read the MMFA mission statement chimes in.
            Report Abuse
          • Author by LagalLeft (November 17, 2009 3:37 pm ET)
               
            The typical response when Palin (or any other right wingnut) is called out for misrepresentation of the facts, is to try to change the subject. We're not talking about the POTUS or the VPOUS. As to
            whether Palin knows how many states there are in the US, she hails from ''that other America''. That implies that she thinks there are TWO Americas. It could be assumed then that SP thinks that there at least 100 states.
            Report Abuse
      • Author by n'est-ce pas (November 15, 2009 3:04 am ET)
        5  
        I'm wondering if your orthodoxy has degraded your reading comprehension. From the book:
        In Juneau, one Democrat lawmaker complained that I wasn't as "sparky" as before and that Piper and I no longer brought around bagels like we used to.

        From the AP article:
        "Not so sparky," said Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka....
        and
        "There were days when she walked around the building with (her daughter) Piper handing out bagels. I think those days are gone," he added with a touch of wistfulness.

        The correspondence between the two texts is sort of unequivocable (that means it's not an assumption).
        Report Abuse
        • Author by jstephens005 (November 16, 2009 5:50 pm ET)
            3
          Wrong. It is not unequivocable, its a good assumption. I have read the article, and am capable of drawing the same conclusion...but to base an entire article on an assumption is pitiful. You, nor the author of this article, know for sure which reference she referred to.

          While I agree that its most likely this reference...my point was...WHO CARES? Its still an assumption (she did not name an individual), and it is not condescending, inflamatory, derogatory, etc...She said a Dem complained. BIG DAMN DEAL!

          Let's focus on her beliefs, values, and vision. While I'm not convinced she is the best voice for the conservative movement, I can't sit idly and watch the libs mock for something as stupid as this.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by political_left-religious_right (November 17, 2009 1:54 pm ET)
            3  
            Let's focus on her beliefs, values, and vision.

            I'd rather focus on her experience, her abilities, and her flexibility with facts. Strike three, in other words.
            Report Abuse
          • Author by n'est-ce pas (November 17, 2009 3:45 pm ET)
            1  
            But, you see, it's not stupid. It's indicative of the ideological entrenchment that's characterized Palin and her ilk for the past decade. Sarah Palin appeals to the stupidity and cupidity of the right-wing base. As simplification is the chief occupation of the moron, so Palin, her peers and her followers reduce the world into a scintillating pallet of black and white, us and them. This is the message to be taken from her mislabeling of an unfriendly (and let's be honest, that's pretty mild criticism) voice in the dark wilderness of Sarah Palin's worldview: Republican good; Democrat bad.
            Report Abuse
      • Author by roundhouse (November 15, 2009 11:04 am ET)
        3  
        This may not be the best jstephens, but it is just the beginning.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by The_Cat (November 15, 2009 11:49 am ET)
        5  
        Oh, jstephens005, haven't you read the 'About us' tab?
        Media Matters for America is a Web-based, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.


        Now, this quote from Palin's book is a typical piece of conservative misinformation. The running gag is that only Democrats and other evil libruls attack Sarah Palin, whether during the campaign or after. She remembered an 'attack', forgot it was uttered by a Republican, was too lazy to research it, and blamed it on a Democrat. There is no 'best' when it comes to the lies and half-truths spread so ubiquitously by conservatives in the media. We just catch as many as we can, and point and laugh. Ha-ha!
        Report Abuse
        • Author by jstephens005 (November 16, 2009 5:46 pm ET)
             
          It's hardly misinformation. It may be a mistake, but again...who cares? It wasn't derogatory, inflamatory... I mean, come on. It was an assumption by this articles author...she COULD have had some other reference in mind. Either way...WHO CARES? Its not exactly a lie like, oh..."I did not have sexual relations with that girl" :)
          Report Abuse
      • Author by lee6805 (November 15, 2009 12:22 pm ET)
           
        Well, here's more for you to chew on.
        http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_PALIN_BOOK_FACT_CHECK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
        Report Abuse
    • Author by Eric_Arthur_Blair (November 15, 2009 2:09 am ET)
      3  
      Remiscent of all the times Fux News puts a "D" in front of Republican miscreants like Foley and Craig.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by TadekKorn (November 15, 2009 2:26 am ET)
      6  
      This article was especially worth reading as it leads to a link where O'Reilly announces that he and Beck are going to do a road show in January and are calling in the BoldFreshTour. Or BF Tour for short! I guess with the infectious success of Glenn's Teabaggers' parties, it's only natural that O'Reilly wants to join the BF movement. The two are becoming fast friends. Will they soon be joining Log Cabin Republicans? Wouldn't that be interesting?
      Report Abuse
      • Author by princeofwheels (November 15, 2009 11:38 am ET)
        5  
        I heard that they are considering changing the name to simply the Bold Movement..BM for short and because of its diarrhetic tone.

        Speaking of Palin, let's not..she speaks for herself. She makes her son-in-law by injection look like a genius.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by FranDavey (November 15, 2009 10:28 am ET)
      1  
      This incident (as it actually happened and not as Palin recalls it) points to the fact that Palin used to have bipartisan support in Alaska. It seems that by the end of Palin's stint as governor, she had lost a lot of support from both parties.
      Report Abuse