Going Rogue: An American Life

There are many kinds of truth. There are truths based on facts, truths based on faith, and truths based on something that sounds as if it should be true (truthiness). Then there's the kind of truth we find in Sarah's book: stories and concepts that become truths simply because she states them. She's a lot like our Lord and Savior, Glen Beck, in that respect.

Sometimes, she states truths that would be considered ludicrous if uttered by someone else. Her claim that the McCain campaign forced her to spend $150,000 in RNC funds to dress her family in designer clothes is one example of that. Although it might be easier to believe that she acted like a trailer park Zsa Zsa who'd found a credit card left behind at a possum feed, she blames McCain staffers. That's good enough for us, because we have faith; we want to believe her truths.

But the book isn't perfect. As much as I enjoyed the few short paragraphs in which Mrs Palin laid out her policy objectives, she could have condensed it all into one sentence: "I'm going to grab an Oxo Good Grips Stainless Serving Spatula and go all mavericky on your non-white, non-Christian and non-heterosexual butts."

The book also fails to expose Mrs. Palin's intellectual brilliance and keen grasp of foreign policy issues. Why wasn't the text of her recent speech in Hong Kong included? Although it remains secret, it's rumored that she viciously rebuked the Vietcong king for his assault on the Empire State Building. That's a speech we've been waiting for nearly 75 years to hear. It's big news and should have been included.

As you read other reviews of this book, please remember that Mrs. Palin has many enemies who are eager to pan her work. The Palin family's most potent nemesis, Levi's johnston, is no dpubt fully erect and ready to spew globs of misfortune upon them for a third time. And reason-adoring intellectuals are certain to point out that an interview on Good Morning Topeka doesn't qualify as a policy summit in the Far East.

But a few bad reviews won't stop her. She's seen much worse from her kitchen window. It can't be pleasant to gaze upon Antichristograd every morning as you brew your coffee.

My review isn't complete, but I think I'll quit anyway, because writing reviews, like governing, is just too darned hard to finish.

Prior to reading this book, I knew little about either Sarah Palin or Alaska and I was interested to learn more about both, especially the book's author. Although famous in America, Sarah Palin could go just about anywhere in Britain completely anonymously as long as she didn't meet any Americans along the way. Frankly, Brits normally only take any notice of American politicians if they become president. There are exceptions such as Al Gore and Hillary Clinton, but they are rare. Contrast the number of reviews of this book posted in Amazon USA with the number posted in Amazon UK for confirmation of the lack of British interest.

I realized early on in this book that I was going to enjoy reading it because Mrs Palin's story is both interesting and well-written. She makes summer in Alaska sound wonderful, although acknowledging that the winters are long and harsh. She discusses many aspects of her life and it is clear that she has strong views on a number of issues.

Although not directly relevant to her political career, perhaps the most intriguing question about her beliefs concerns her stance on the origin of species. At first glance, Mrs Palin appears to be a full-blooded creationist, but she denies this. Apparently, she accepts what she calls microevolution, in which species change and evolve over time, but not that people are related to apes or monkeys. Her stance is interesting, but I prefer to accept Darwin's theory, despite the proof of it still being incomplete.

Not having studied the American political scene closely, I'll leave others to judge the accuracy of the main story, but the politics as described here is explosive stuff. Corruption in Alaska, tales of in-fighting within the Republican party and dirty tricks played by some Democrats - all rather sad, but I'll say straight away that similar things happen elsewhere in the world including Britain. Hey, the summer of 2009 was dominated by the expenses scandal at Westminster, while all British political parties of any significance have had their internal fights at one time or another, in between playing dirty tricks on each other. So in one form or another, most of the political stuff here doesn't surprise me, but some of it is shocking nevertheless.

An unconventional politician in many ways, Mrs Palin nevertheless appears to have brought about significant changes in a number of areas in her home state of Alaska, which may seem to many people (especially in my country) like a frozen wasteland, but which is rich in natural resources and occupies a vast land area, approximately equivalent to France, Spain, Italy and the UK combined. So being governor of Alaska is not equivalent to running a small local council in Britain even though it is sparsely populated (fewer people live there than in the county of Leicestershire in which I live). I suspect that the position of state governor may be equivalent to being leader of the Welsh assembly. The biggest Alaskan story by far in my adult lifetime was the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, which Mrs Palin covers briefly; she later had plenty of political fights with the oil companies (including BP as well as ExxonMobil and others) in her time as state governor.

Mrs Palin has drawn plenty of criticism from a variety of sources and uses the opportunity that this book affords to hit back at those critics, often explaining how things have been distorted by the media. Having had my own relatively minor experience of being in British national newspapers, I have sympathy with victims of media distortion, so I don't blame Mrs Palin for hitting back via this book, but I can see that others will react badly. At least my story was a one-day wonder with no lasting consequences, but things are different for those who go into politics, sport or showbiz.

Mrs Palin clearly isn't impressed by the way the Republican presidential campaign was handled, and clearly feels that she wasn't able to contribute effectively to the campaign, but the aftermath was even worse. While some Republicans were happy to cast her as the scapegoat, some Democrats launched a sustained campaign against her that exploited freedom of information laws. Ultimately, this created problems for the legislative process as well as personal difficulties for the Palin family, all described in detail, causing Mrs Palin to decide that she had to quit as governor with a year still to run, even though she was never found guilty of anything. As she acknowledges, that decision to quit may kill her political career, but Mrs Palin says that she did what she felt was right for Alaska. Inevitably in such situations, people will believe whatever they choose to.

I expect Mrs Palin will return to public life in some capacity eventually. That might be as a presidential candidate, but it might alternatively be as champion of a cause dear to her heart. Her vice-presidential campaign generated enormous hope among disabled people, while her love of Alaska makes her passionate about environmental issues. So there's two obvious issues, but I'm sure there are others.

Would I vote for Mrs Palin, given the chance? I don't know because I'd need to know more about issues not discussed in this book, but I'd like the option.

I can see why this book - and the author - are so controversial. Fans of Mrs Palin will love this book, while critics will be furious. Both are likely to have their opinions reinforced by reading this book. Coming from a position of ignorance, I'll just say that I found this book to be compulsive reading.

I am a big fan of politicians who are, well, for the lack of a better phrase, not born with a silver spoon in her/his mouth. When you have to work to pay for little things others take for granted, e.g. your own education, you have a true sense of what it takes to reach your goals in life. For this reason, I admire people like Pres. Clinton and Gov. Palin greatly. Clinton's "My Life" is one of my all-time favorite autobiographies.

As I read through this book, it became clear to me, much like Pres. Clinton, Mrs. Palin is far from a perfect human being and she has not been without fault. To her credit, she did not try to hide everything in the book. She admitted to many of the mistakes she made during the campaign and her life in general, and she tried to give a hindsight review of what went wrong and how she should/would have done differently, although I wish she had played less of the blame game in the book overall. As a political moderate, I can't say I always agree with Gov. Palin's opinions and stances on different issues, but I respect her because she formed them based on her own personal beliefs and experiences and did not blindedly follow "party leaders". The book also was Gov. Palin's first fair chance to explain some of the controversies that plagued her VP campaign, including the Troopergate, the Couric interview, the pregnancies (both herself and Bristol) and many more stories we never heard. Whether or not you want to take her words with a grain of salt, it at least is her side of the story that the media never presented us.

All in all, a very good read that took us from her childhood days in Alaska as a tomboy who loved sports and outdoors, to her struggles in early adulthood with her husband and children, and eventually to her glamorous appearance along side Sen. McCain on the campaign trails. Whether you agree with her politics, I think this book presents much we could learn from her life.

This is my honest review of the book and how much I enjoyed it, not the person or her political positions. I pre-ordered on Kindle and finished in a little less than two days.

As of today, Sarah Palin's official Facebook page has over 1.1 million "fans." She was just another American face in the political crowd days prior to her infamous 03 September 2008 Vice Presidential nominee speech delivered at the Republican National Convention. Over a year later, she is viewed as one of the most pivotal--and controversial--figures in American politics. She identifies herself as a Christian and a Republican, though as the title of her book indicates, she has many times gone "rogue" from the GOP in her positions and actions throughout her career.

At 413 pages, Going Rogue: An American Life is a thoughtful and insightful description of Palin's life and of the principles upon which the greatest nation is history was founded. The book opens with her annual visit to the Alaska State Fair. Palin is playing the role of Mom and Political Figure concurrently. She is enjoying the day with her children and visiting comfortably with Alaskans as their governor and fellow statesman. This is the day she received the call from Senator McCain, asking her if she "wanted to help him change history."

Palin's book dives into a brief history of the state of Alaska and the values upon which it was founded and continues to prosper. She is candid in the tenor of local and state politics and her vision for Alaska in the both national and international arenas.

Going Rogue starts with this brief, recent history and then retreats to Palin's childhood and family life. Her childhood framework offers great insight into her adult persona. Though born in Idaho, Palin's family relocated to Alaska when she was just three months old. Her tales of childhood adventures and family lessons resonated with me. My husband started the book after I was finished it and commented how much Sarah Palin's childhood sounded like the stories from my own upbringing. Only after he made that comment did I realize why so many Americans (including me) are drawn to her and her story--she IS an American Life, "unpackaged" and not "overproduced" (taken from the book jacket). The majority of hard-working, middle class Americans identify with her story, because her story is also theirs.

Going Rogue has a collection of personal photos that include Palin's family, friends and political adventures. In her book, she describes the Elite 6, her group of lifelong girlfriends. She emphasizes their importance in her life and in keeping her grounded. Interestingly, she describes them as a mix of Republicans, Democrats and one "who still hasn't said what she is."

Whether one agrees with her politics or not, one has to appreciate the dedication and focus Sarah Palin has for doing what she believes to be right. She does not sugar coat anything, and she is respectful of opinions different from her own. Known for working with Democrats, Republicans and Independents while in office, she walks her talk by embracing a myriad of minds and views in the political decision-making process. Her demeanor and delivery are crisp, down-to-earth and authentic, and it is for these reasons that the political and media elite despise her. She does not attempt to bedazzle and awe by using political jargon, predetermined delivery lines and buzzwords, and it is for these additional reasons that she has been demonized and mocked by the political and media elite. She is known for speaking with few notes (if any), candidly and electrically; and for that reason criticism is created because the political and media elite cannot legitimately condemn such talent. Sarah Palin addresses how she was treated by the political and media elite throughout Going Rogue and has not let it shake her belief in the founding values of America. This is refreshing in a political climate of backroom, shady deals that change daily with the flow of our tax dollars.

Without exception, Sarah Palin is complimentary and respectful of Senator John McCain and Cindy McCain throughout her book. She is forthcoming in her frustrations with how she was handled as the VP candidate within the campaign, as well as some decisions made, but even her assessments of the shortcomings are done respectfully. Rightfully, she uses the campaign experience as a life lesson.

Carrying Going Rogue around in public is a great way to get attention and start an electrifying discussion. Single guys and gals should consider this strategy, to start a conversation with an attractive stranger. Why does Sarah Palin get so much attention? The answer is simple: She is arguably the most controversial current political figure on American soil. I am curious why, when Sarah Palin is mentioned in a conversation I am having with someone "less conservative" than me, people respond with such hatred for her. I am MORE curious why these same friends cannot answer this simple question I ask them: What is it about her that you dislike so much? Inevitably there is a long pause, and strained facial expression, and I get this response (or one very much like it): I just think she's an idiot. OK, I think the same thing about some people, so tell me WHY. (Laugh)... (Pause)... She just is. This lack of logic and reasoning is frightening. On the other hand, I believe Sarah Palin has helped ignite a political movement among those who embrace Conservative principles, a movement that has helped fuel Tea Parties and the like.

What the book does not have are scandalous tales and misplaced blame for her failures.

Regardless of one's political leanings, I whole-heartedly believe every woman (and man) in America should read her book. Simply, she is a leading example of the founding principles of our country and all that we are capable of accomplishing. She demonstrates that faith in God, hard work, strong family values and perseverance are the core ingredients to becoming whatever, and whoever, one believes one can be. Sarah Palin is unabashedly American.

Sarah Palin's new book, "Going Rogue," gets its title from an expression McCain staffers made about Palin during last year's presidential campaign, referring to her unscripted interviews with the media. The book is both about her time on the campaign and an autobiography. It provides a revealing look at the real Palin, off the cuff and delivering straight talk. Ironically, after the Senator known for straight talk chose her to be his Vice-Presidential running mate, his staffers tried to stifle her straight talk on the campaign.

The book reads quickly. Written in Palin's no holds barred, colorfully descriptive manner, you can hear her speaking as you're reading it. She writes candidly and caringly about her five children, particularly the very special Trig. She holds nothing back, describing in explicit detail the specifics of hunting and fishing and raising babies. There is a good dose of humor spread throughout the book, such as Palin's response to criticisms of her teenage daughter becoming pregnant. "I was amazed at how many liberal pundits seemed floored by a pregnant teenager, as if they'd all snuck out and had traditional-values transplants." Palin is tremendously proud of Alaska, where she grew up, and provides a unique glimpse into the state most Americans in the "Outside" (Alaskans' name for the lower 48 states) never knew anything about. Her husband Todd is descended from Alaskan Eskimos, and due to that heritage cares deeply about respecting and caring for the environment. Although it is not a politically correct environmentalism, but one that that pragmatically includes fishing and hunting and using our natural resources like oil and natural gas.

Palin is not from a wealthy family, and is an incredibly hard worker. In high school, she cleaned an office building by herself once a week, picked strawberries, and performed other jobs. She put herself through college, working seasonally in the fishing industry with her husband Todd, a job that continued years afterwards. As Mayor and Governor, she stuck to that hard work ethic, refusing to accept many of the perks that came with political office. She ran for Mayor of Wasila on a platform that included decreasing the Mayor's salary and did. She eliminated the governor's cook and would not accept most of the Governor's per diem.

The list of conservative accomplishments Palin achieved in a short period of time while Mayor of Wasila and Governor of Alaska is impressive, more so than virtually any other Republican Mayor or Governor around the country the past few years. It is outrageous the mainstream media virtually ignored her record. Appropriately, she attaches as the last chapter in the book an email written by Dewey Whetsell, a fire chief in Cordova, Alaska, which lists her accomplishments and dares the reader to find anyone who can match them. From cutting government to taking on and beating Big Oil, it is clear why many consider Palin the next Ronald Reagan.

The biggest expose of the book comes when she calls out her opponents and antagonists, some who, like the McCain staffers, should have been working with her, not against her. She names several McCain staffers who retaliated against her speaking unscripted to the media by leaking negative stories about her to the media. During the campaign, McCain staffers restricted what topics she could speak on, prohibiting her from speaking about any of Obama's anti-American associates, such as the Reverend Jeremiah Wright or William Ayers. One is left wondering whether McCain could have won if the team had addressed them. Perhaps his staffers were afraid that if Palin addressed anything substantial, her popularity would eclipse McCain's. At a rally in Florida which took place at the retirement community The Villages, 50,000-60,000 people showed up, more than the few thousand that were showing up at rallies featuring only McCain. Only 10,000-12,000 were expected to show up for a Vice-Presidential candidate.

Ultimately, Palin has nothing negative to say about McCain, reserving her expose for mostly unnamed staffers. What she is too polite to say, but what most people intimately involved in campaigns are aware of, is that McCain could have stopped the exclusive leaks to Fox News reporter Carl Cameron coming from his staffers, but chose not to. The McCain people were looking to save face, and instead of admitting that perhaps the campaign was tanking because McCain was not the best choice for the Republican Party presidential candidate, they decided to scapegoat Palin.

Palin explains why she appeared to do poorly in certain media interviews. The infamous interview with Katie Couric actually took place over a series of several interviews, and Couric cut out portions of each interview in order to make Palin look bad. When Couric asked Palin what news publications she read regularly, Palin had just finished a major campaign appearance and was irritated by Couric's condescension. Palin had submitted an op-ed earlier that year to the New York Times and thought Couric was badgering her. Couric asked her 12 questions about abortion and the morning after pill. Palin says the repeated badgering made her feel like she was in the movie Groundhog Day. Couric made fun of Palin for saying she could see Russia from Alaska, but after the show aired several Alaskans sent Palin pictures of themselves standing on the beach in Alaska with Russia visible behind them.

Palin contrasts this with an interview by Couric of Palin's opponent Joe Biden around the same time. Biden said two clearly ignorant things about history during his interview, but Couric failed to call him on them, then or later. "When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about, you know, the princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened.'" Most politicos know or would have found out later when editing the show that FDR wasn't president in 1929, and that television had barely been invented. Palin laments, "What used to be called 'mainstream' national media are, in many respects, worthless as a source of factual information anymore."

The area where Palin is most vulnerable to attack - whether by McCain staffers or the media - is her style of speaking. She hasn't refined her speaking skills to the expected level of clever soundbites and quick comebacks. She explains, "I liked my simpler style, because it meant I never had to spin, I never had to B.S., and good or bad, I never had to struggle to remember what I said last time." Most politicians who reach her level on the political foodchain develop an ability to deliver canned, catchy one-liners. Palin has stubbornly held out, preferring to give honest, from the heart answers. Only time will tell whether this hurts her future political aspirations. If anyone had any doubts as to her overall intelligence, though, this book will firmly put those concerns to rest. Her level of accomplishments could have been attained by very few.

Palin provides a thorough and realistic explanation of why she decided to resign as Governor soon after the presidential campaign ended. Not only were bogus ethics charges beginning to pile up, due to her national stardom - she presents a real threat to the left - but in Alaska the governor and executive staff are required to pay for their own defense against ethics complaints, even the most frivolous. Palin was spending all of her time defending against these charges, instead of running the state, and could not justify continuing to put her staff through it as well. Palin identified the left's assault against her as methods from Saul Alinksy's "Rules for Radicals."

Palin includes a lengthy section at thee end of the book laying out her conservative principles and a critique of the Obama administration. It reads like a campaign platform, and very likely was placed in there for strategic reasons. She never denies being interested in higher office, but instead is open to whatever God would like her to do. In her resignation speech, she cryptically said, "In the words of General MacArthur, 'We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.'" Palin's dad described it this way, "Sarah's not retreating; she's reloading!"

Ever the strong Christian, and "roguely" not caring what politically correct people think about her, Palin concludes the book with a plea to accept the Lord into your life. With this book, Palin has redefined "going rogue" as giving the Republican base the meat and potatoes of conservatism they crave.

[...]Going Rogue: An American Life