Sarah Palin calls Trump 'heroic,' blames the media for McCain spat

Sarah Palin calls Donald Trump &#039;heroic&#039; — (Image credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) isn't taking Donald Trump's side in the public dustup over his comments about Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the man who vaulted Palin onto the national stage by picking her as his running mate in the 2008 election. But she isn't taking McCain's side, either, exactly. "Sen. McCain dedicated his life to serving our country," and he is "heroic" like "all ethical service members," Palin told CNN in an email on Monday, "and Donald Trump is a hero in another arena." What arena is that? Palin:

Everywhere I go, hard-working patriotic Americans — not 'crazies' or 'wacko birds' — ask me to pass on to Mr. Trump encouragement to keep educating the masses about true ramifications of illegal immigration, and in general the real state of our union. [Palin, to CNN]

The problem, Palin suggested, is really with "the Left and lazy media lapdogs," and she encouraged Trump and McCain to make-up and "resolve the media driven wedge between them." If you suspect that Trump is perhaps using the media to his advantage, you probably don't know him as well as Palin does. "I have the good fortune of knowing both John McCain and Donald Trump well," she said. You can read more from the email at CNN.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.