From an article by Tim Nudd from People:
Joe McGinniss, the writer who's being labeled a stalker for moving next door to Sarah Palin's home in Alaska while researching a book about her, says he's not harassing the Palins. Quite the opposite, in fact.In my opinion, Palin has launched a libelous and slanderous campaign against the author by claiming he is there to do all sorts of nefarious acts.
"If I lived here and did something creepy, if I did what Sarah Palin is suggesting, that would be creepy," McGinniss, 67, said Tuesday on NBC's Today show. "I'm not observing them at all. I don't care what they do in the privacy of their own home. I'm here to talk to people who have known them for 40 years in Wasilla."
McGinniss claims he simply got a good deal on the Wasilla rental, which abuts the Palins' property. "The fact is, I would be living in this house if Sarah Palin lived on the moon," he says. "Fifteen hundred bucks a month for a house in Wasilla."
McGinniss denies he's trying to drum up publicity for the book, claiming he told no one outside his family about where he was living. "Then Sarah hysterically puts up this Facebook page with all sorts of ugly innuendo, which frankly is revolting," he says. "She has created all the publicity."
“She has pushed a button and unleashed the hounds of hell, and now they’re out there slavering and barking and growling,” McGinniss said. “That’s the same kind of tactic — and I’m not calling her a Nazi — but that’s the same kind of tactic that that the Nazi troopers used in Germany in the ’30s, and I don’t think there’s any place for it in America.”
Palin, who majored in journalism, fails to understand what a journalist actually does. While she made baseless accusations that McGinniss was some pervert who was going to peak into Piper's bedroom window, McGinniss had stated what exactly he is there to do, and spying on Palin's children is not one of the things.
“I don’t care how they behave in their backyard, I don’t care what they do in the privacy of their own home and I don’t care what their children do. I care about what my children do. I couldn’t care less about her kids,” McGinniss said.
“I’m not observing them at all,” he continued. “I’m here to talk to people who’ve known them for 40 years in Wasilla ... My work is not to sit in this house. I need to be out and talking to people. That’s why I’m in Wasilla. I’m in Wasilla because the people who know the Palins best and who can trace the evolution of the phenomenon of what Sarah Palin is — 80 percent of them live here.”
Palin seems to have reluctantly stepped back from her initial outrage, stating that McGinniss "has a right to pursue his subject, I suppose, and certainly has a right to live wherever he wants, but my family also has a right to expect privacy, and hopefully to enjoy peace this summer. Good fences do make for good neighbors. The fence is now up, and I hope that we can enjoy peace." Her statement still sounds as if she believes McGinniss is up to no good and it makes no difference what the celebrity entertainers says now - the damage has already been done.
Palin seems to have reluctantly stepped back from her initial outrage, stating that McGinniss "has a right to pursue his subject, I suppose, and certainly has a right to live wherever he wants, but my family also has a right to expect privacy, and hopefully to enjoy peace this summer. Good fences do make for good neighbors. The fence is now up, and I hope that we can enjoy peace." Her statement still sounds as if she believes McGinniss is up to no good and it makes no difference what the celebrity entertainers says now - the damage has already been done.
McGinniss has already gotten threats against his life, with postings on Craigslist insinuating that the author will be left for dead in the woods or even an editorial from a local newspaper, The Frontiersman, which wrote that "those who are fond of Joe McGinniss might remind him (if he doesn't already know) that Alaska has a law that allows the use of deadly force in protection of life and property."
The Frontiersman article was discussing how they didn't really care about this newest Palin drama, but they sided with Palin, using her "fences have been known to make good neighbors" sentiment ignoring the fact that it was Palin that turned this into the media storm that it became so why throw in a line about the use of deadly force against McGinniss?
What has McGinniss done to deserve all this negative attention? If you ask me, Palin had seriously overstepped her boundaries and had abused the national media to launch an attack on a journalist. I thought Palin loved the Constitution, so where is that same love for the freedom of the press?
Essentially, Sarah Palin is an egotistic fanatic. Someone left a comment on an article regarding McGinniss and they used a Winston Churchill quote to make an argument against what they called "Palin-haters."
"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject" said Churchill. Sounds like Palin is having a hard time talking about things other then herself...
So Joe is not spying on Palin at all. He is just there to write a hit piece on her and profit from that action. It just happens that the only rental property in the area happens to be 15 feet from Palin's home.
ReplyDeleteWhat a load of crap.
He was offered the property at a reasonable price. He was writing this book on the former half-term governor and would have had to go to Alaska to do his research. I'm sure living next door in such close proximity to Palin could be educational and helpful in the book, after all, there is an element of investigative journalism involved in writing a book.
ReplyDeletePalin immediately jumped to conclusions that McGinniss was going to peer through her daughter's window, making the man sound like some kind of pervert.
If she can't stand the heat, she should get of the kitchen.
She is the one who whittled away at her privacy by trying to become a national celebrity entertainer, and now she is upset that a author moved next door for the summer?
I wonder what Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt think about this, considering they can't even go to the store without a busload of paparazzi in tow...
I am curious in what more lies Palin is spouting. From looking at pictures of the two houses Joe would not be able to peer in to her daughters room considering the top floor of Joe's house barely allows him to "peer" into the 1st floor kitchen windows.
ReplyDeleteI also question whether or not her daughter actually has a room on that side of the house. For all we know those windows are located in hallways or closets (like my 2nd story closet).
@jds
Joe stated that the owner of the house contacted him (knowing he was planning on writing a book) and gave him a great deal (she evenr efused more expensive offers from gossip rags). Who could refuse an offer to live in the source town (he will mostly be investigating townspeople) of Wasilla for such a bargain ($1500 or less per month).