Sarah Palin, Vanity Fair, and 2012
What the controversy surrounding a biting Vanity Fair article on Palin says about her presidential prospects
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Todd Purdum’s new “hard-hitting" Vanity Fair article on Sarah Palin has reignited a high-profile “Republican family feud,” said Jonathan Martin in Politico. GOP pundit Bill Kristol accused McCain campaign manager Steve Schmidt of feeding Purdum anonymous quotes about Palin’s “mental state” and possible post-partum depression; Schmidt accused Kristol of libel. This “blistering” rehash of 2008 could be a preview of an insider feud over Palin in 2012.
That’s why Purdum’s “lurid” article is more than a 2008 “post-mortem,” said Chris Good in The Atlantic. Sarah Palin ties with Mike Huckabee as the most popular politician among Republicans, so her “political fortunes are still very much alive.” The question now is whether she can expand her base. Her 2008 national debut was probably a mixed blessing, but the “aftermath is now hers.”
In that sense, Purdum’s “nasty little hit piece” could be good news for Sarah Palin, said Carol Platt Liebau in Townhall. One explanation for his article is that his audience—liberal “coastal elites”—are “afraid of Palin as a potential candidate.” If so, Purdum’s ”contempt and condescension” will just push normal Americans—not just Republicans—to drop any “lingering doubts” about Palin.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Purdum goes out of his way to not count Sarah Palin "out of the political game,” said Dave Cook in The Christian Science Monitor, but Republicans might want to listen to his description of her as “at once the sexiest and the riskiest brand in the Republican Party” before they decide if 2012 is the year they get their luck back.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
Seasonal attire
Cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
The daily gossip: Sophie Turner sues Joe Jonas for 'immediate return' of their kids, 'Euphoria' star Angus Cloud's cause of death revealed, and more
The daily gossip: September 21, 2023
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
Romney's seat
Cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
Trump surrenders in Georgia election subversion case
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries chosen to succeed Pelosi as leader of House Democrats
Speed Read
By Brigid Kennedy Published
-
GOP leader Kevin McCarthy's bid for House speaker may really be in peril
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Are China's protests a real threat for Beijing?
opinion The sharpest opinions on the debate from around the web
By Harold Maass Published
-
Who is Nick Fuentes, the white nationalist who dined with Trump and Kanye?
Speed Read From Charlottesville to Mar-a-Lago in just five years
By Rafi Schwartz Published
-
Jury convicts Oath Keepers Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs of seditious conspiracy in landmark Jan. 6 verdict
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
A look at the White House's festive and homey holiday decor
Speed Read
By Brigid Kennedy Published
-
Bob Iger addresses 'Don't Say Gay' bill, says inclusion is part of Disney's values
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published