Free Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin by Frank Bailey Page B

Sarah discovered anyone shielding her from information—even if, as Todd suggested, it was for her own good—her reaction to my sign-ordering fiasco would have looked like a high-society double-cheeked kiss.
    Similarly, Sarah phoned on at least three occasions and said, “Todd talks to lots of people. Be careful to tell him only what he needs to know.” Once, in the presence of Todd, Kris Perry, and me, and without an ounce of sarcasm, she spoke wearily of trust. “Yep, our circle of trust is just that much smaller. There are only two people in this room I can trust.” She then pointed to Todd and finished by saying, “And it’s not him.” Kris, a senior staffer who’d known the Palins far longer than I had, privately worried that anyone stroking Todd’s ego mightpull his talking string. And when Todd spoke, he sometimes volunteered information that was embarrassing.

    At one point, Todd actually put the campaign at risk. Jerry Mackie, a lobbyist and part-owner of the Alaska Aces, slipped Todd several sets of free hockey tickets during the campaign. If Todd failed to report these, this would be a campaign violation. When I pointed out to Todd that if unreported, these were inappropriate gifts, he tried to explain them away by suggesting what a “coup” it was, being able attend a game at the packed Sullivan Arena where he and Sarah could hand out Sarah buttons and conduct free campaigning in front of 6,600 people.
    Similarly, when the Alaska State Snowmobile Association (ASSA) sent the campaign a questionnaire with intentions of publishing our responses in an issue of its official publication, the
Alaska SnowRiders
, as well as on the association’s website, Todd took a personal interest in assigning this task to me and John Bitney, then the issue coordinator and opposition researcher. He copied others as well, to make certain that this was a high priority. As with the receipt of unreported gifts, Todd had little compunction about marshaling resources toward Palin family interests.
    There are groups out there that want to lock up Alaska’s lands from motorized recreational use. We have a cabin in Petersville on Safari Lake. Our property taxes increase every year, while we continue to have limited parking all up and down Petersville road. . . . Can someone complete this questionnaire please.
    From this message, it was clear how Todd wished us to answer the survey: let’s get more parking near Safari Lake and open up the entire state, please, to motorized recreational vehicles. Dropping everything else on my lengthy to-do list, I lit a fire under sluggish John Bitney, and we got the survey completed as per Mr. Palin’s urgent request.
    In distrust for rules, Sarah mirrored Todd. For Sarah, less governmentextended to liquor, gun, helmet, cigarette, and even seat belt laws (telling me, “Heck, I don’t even agree with Click-it or Ticket seat belt laws, and I filmed the damn commercial for ’em”). Because they were kindred spirits, the issue surrounding Todd was not his opinions but his lack of discretion in mouth management. His dearth of interview face time was an intelligently managed tactic.
    Anxiety over Todd’s ability to remain discreet, however, did not preclude Sarah from protecting his back, particularly when criticism reflected poorly on her image. For example, when a letter to the editor on the website AlaskaReport stated that “her husband is in charge of production at a field on the North Slope” and suggested that he resign to avoid a conflict of interest, she circulated the following:
    oh please! what is that guy yakking about?
    Todd is a production hand on the slope, he began his job in Prudhoe Bay 18 years ago, he’s not in management (he actually works!) and doesn’t call any shots for BP, he just does his job separating oil, gas and water in one of the Slope facilities. He’s blue collar,