The same people who consider themselves the guardians of reason, continue to offer up one Big Foot-like urban legend after another about Governor Palin. Before the Down syndrome baby-switch conspiracy theory and its subsequent demise, there was the "she supported Pat Buchanan for president" X-File. This too has been demolished, courtesy of David Bernstein at the Volokh Conspiracy:
Palin and Buchanan, II ("Timeline"):July 17, 1999: AP reports on Pat Buchanan visit to Wasilla, AK. The reporter notes that "among those sporting Buchanan buttons were Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin and state Sen. Jerry Ward, R-Anchorage."
July 26, 1999, letter to the editor of the Anchorage Daily News by Sarah Palin:
As mayor of Wasilla, I am proud to welcome all presidential candidates to our city. This is true regardless of their party, or the latest odds of their winning. When presidential candidates visit our community, I am always happy to meet them. I'll even put on their button when handed one as a polite gesture of respect.
Though no reporter interviewed me for the Associated Press article on the recent visit by a presidential candidate (Metro, July 17), the article may have left your readers with the perception that I am endorsing this candidate, as opposed to welcoming his visit to Wasilla. As mayor, I will welcome all the candidates in Wasilla.
August 7, 1999: AP reports on Steve Forbes' campaign in Alaska. "Joining the Fairbanks Republican on the leadership committee will be Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin, and former state GOP chairman Pete Hallgren, who will serve as co-chairs."
This information is all available on Lexis. Anyone who continues to push the "Sarah Palin supported Pat Buchanan in 2000" line is either willfully ignorant or lying. And there is no evidence thus far except a recollection from Pat Buchanan, contradicted by his sister and campaign manager (see previous post), that she supported him in 1995.
Related Posts (on one page):
- Palin and Buchanan, II ("Timeline"):
- Palin and Pat Buchanan:
This is starting to feel more and more like a Wellstone funeral.
Comments (4)
Frank, you know that all that happened was reporters were quoting Buchanan. If you have a beef with anyone it should be with him for lying to the press.
The real story behind all of these revelations (real and imagined) about Gov. Palin is that McCain did no serious vetting before making this selection. That is an indication of his sober judgment, and at the end of the day the election is about the presidential candidates, not the VP.
Posted by Step2 | September 1, 2008 10:47 PM
How about that she was Buchanan's 1996 state director?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pnninli6o8
Might be true in light of this:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/members-of-frin.html
Posted by obi juan | September 1, 2008 11:35 PM
Obi. Pat Buchanan does not say anything in the video, and so what if she belonged to this party in 1996. I was a Democrat and left the party in 1984 because my political ideas and beliefs changed. How do you know if hers didn't change as well?
Of course, if you want to play the guilt by association game, then Ayers and Wright will be fair game as well. Perhaps McCain is setting a trap, one from which Obama will not be able to extricate himself if he lets his soldiers continue disseminating this stuff. After all, Obama was a tithing a member of Wright's church for over 20 years and was inspired by his sermon to write "The Audacity of Hope." Obama's connection to Ayers seems to be much more intimate than Palin's connection to the AIP. Of course, none of us really knows for sure. But that's what it seems to me.
This is the problem with guilt-by-association game. It can get very ugly. But if you want to play that game, be my guest. I suspect that most Americans are less bothered by Pat Buchanan than they are by Ayers and Wright.
Posted by Francis Beckwith | September 2, 2008 12:01 AM
Well, Americans certainly *should* be a lot "less bothered by Pat Buchanan than they are by Ayers and Wright."
Sheesh.
Posted by steve burton | September 2, 2008 9:21 PM