How Sarah Palin Was Unmasked

MarketWatch Columnist Jon Friedman Talks With Time Magazine's Nathan Thornburgh, Who Got The Big Story

(MarketWatch)  This column was written by MarketWatch's Jon Friedman.

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Time magazine senior writer Nathan Thornburgh was in the right place at the right time on Aug. 29.

That's when John McCain stunned the world by tapping Sarah Palin, the obscure Alaska governor, to be his running mate. Thornburgh, 33, happened to be on assignment in Seattle, working on an unrelated piece. He smelled a big story and jumped on it.

As soon as he heard the news, he made two calls in swift succession, to his editor and his travel agent. Within hours, he was touching down at the Anchorage airport and ready to dive into the Palin story.

"I booked my ticket before my editor even got back to me," Thornburgh said with a laugh when we recently talked about his Palin stories. By getting to Alaska before his rivals at magazines and newspapers, he had an advantage that helped him lock up sources before the competition and be among the first journalists equipped to give Alaska's point of view about Palin.

Thornburgh realizes that timing played a big part in his coverage. "Most of the news media were ensconced in St. Paul," at the Republican Convention he said. "I was basically alone on the first day."

He was surprised -- and thrilled -- that his competitors weren't conspicuous at the outset. "The media were so slow," he mused. "They were getting on McCain's case about vetting (Palin), yet by the following Monday, I still felt alone up there."

Things played out to Thornburgh's advantage in Wasilla, Alaska, Palin's hometown. "The Best Western turned out to be 50 yards from her home!" he said.

He recognized immediately that Palinmania was spreading through the nation.

"I was thinking first, this story is going to have a life of its own," he recalled. "I have to file right away. I have to find out what's happening right away."

To Thornburgh's credit, he hasn't stopped yet. He took two week-and-a-half trips to Alaska, and his stories have boosted Time's results. For instance, a recent story on Palin, which appeared Oct. 11, "What the Troopergate Report Really Says," drew 508,980 page views, according to Time spokesman Daniel Kile.

That was the second-highest viewed article on Time.com so far this month, an impressive showing considering that the competition for page views has been stiff. Remember, Wall Street has been collapsing and the seemingly endless presidential election is finally heading toward the clubhouse turn.

Thornburgh was impressed by the celebratory atmosphere he encountered in Alaska after local hero Palin hit the national stage.

"What I found was something that was almost like a state holiday," he said.

He learned about how much local people thought Palin had begun to change. "The Sarah Palin they knew as a governor was a centrist and a populist," Thornburgh marvels. "There was none of this red-meat mentality."

Then he paused and laughed knowingly. "That, she had done as mayor."

Another surprise was when Thornburgh started to become better known in the media. He noted that he had been in Alaska for only three days when he read in print that he was being called "'the suddenly ubiquitous Nathan Thornburg.'"

Sensation

Sarah Palin became a media sensation for many reasons. Her overnight emergence on the national scene, her small town roots, her gender, her rustic charms and her complex family life all contributed to the mania. Shortly after Palin had been named by McCain, she confirmed that her 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, was pregnant.

Thornburgh has connected with Americans who wanted to know all about her.

A blog called GetReligion.org published a reader's comment that said: "Of all the stories I've seen about Bristol Palin's pregnancy, one stood out as particularly good. Time's Nathan Thornburgh reported on the story from Wasilla, Alaska, and the trip there seemed to have affected him -- in a good way."

"I'm not sure where they're coming from with that (observation)," Thornburgh said. "I do take it all with a grain of salt."

Thornburgh certainly has strong views on Palin, such as:

"She always had a hard-driving ambition for 'the next thing,'" tracing her rise from the city council to mayor of Wasilla and then governor of Alaska, before joining McCain's ticket.

"I was surprised to see her flounder in interviews" with ABC's Charles Gibson and CBS' Katie Couric. "She just didn't seem to have the composure that I expected her to have."

"I think she might want to run for the (presidency) herself. If that doesn't work, maybe the U.S. Senate from Alaska (or) she can have a long and fruitful life on the speaking tour."

Empathy

Perhaps it was easier for Thornburgh than most journalists to understand Palin. If she could be called the classic outsider in big-time politics, he could be regarded as something of an outsider in journalism.

Thornburgh didn't grow up with a burning desire to be a reporter. He taught English in Latvia for a few months after graduating from Stanford, but his first love was music. He played sax in a salsa band, which performed in Cuba, among other places.

Then he started writing jazz reviews for The Stranger, an alternative weekly in Seattle. He also started stringing for the Moscow Times, an English-language paper in Russia. He ultimately moved to Boston as a Time stringer and joined the staff in 2004.

Fair enough. Now, when can we all look forward to reading Thornburgh's inevitable book on the Palin phenomenon?

Not so fast.

"There is no book," he shrugged. "I'm a weekly news magazine writer. I'm waiting for the next great story to come along."

[abahrj]

This news organization is fostering class warfare and unfounded hatred. Like cancer this will eat away at our society until our economy shuts down. Stop the hate. Don%u2019t kill the American dream.

[abahrj]

Stop hating. I bet most people reading this automatically feel anger swell in their throat when they hear the word republican. Why is that? If you anser "because they are"... then you are nothing but a bitter hater. I bet that if someone you were told was a republican told you a truck was about to hit you from behind, you''d put your fingers in your ears and start yelling "la la la, I cant hear you".
Well there is a truck coming and its manufactured by Obama. Just go to fox news and watch the economic analysis with historical references to the great depression WITH AN OPEN MIND. If cbs, nbc, cnbc, cnn, all broadcasted 75% negative articles on Mickey mouse, I bet you''d all boycott the Mickey Mouse club.

[dibs977]

2002

Frank Murkowski leaves the Senate to become governor and names Palin chairwoman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission--This was when she was only mayor of a small town--then she upsets him in a run for Governor. No loyalty.
Vote Obama

[dibs977]

For all you right wing bloggers, Heaven and Hell are not places---they are states of mind---and we are in heaven right now--or Hell--as we choose. Republicans have led us to Hell. Vote Obama. You can see that he has a good heart and strength. We can have a beautiful world. It is possible. Vote Obama.

[dibs977]

Bad men flourish when good men do nothing. Speak out! The Republicans are killin''us folks. They are corrupt and out for the few rich. Obama has served in the state legislature and has a law degree--where he was top of his class at a top school. Obama has the ability and desire and purity of heart to lead us to prosperity and peace.

[noloyalisti]

On the side of McSame: Palin, totally unqualified to be President and Joe the (not even real) plumber.

At Obama''s side, Al Gore winner of a nobel peace prize. Whose judgement do you trust.

P.S. I agree that HK4U demonstrated the definition of a lying moron (aka a Republicon).

[notfooled]

keela11,

Vote for Osama and all of the rights that you currently enjoy are history. Next thing you know and you''ll be praying to Allah, sending your kids to the mall with bombs tied to their chest and stoning your wife for looking at another man. Welcome to the stone age. May god of mercy on us coming November 5th
Posted by HK4U at 11:24 AM : Nov 01, 2008

Idiotic desperate rantings of a true whacko-nutjob.

Did the doctor drop you on your head in the delivery room?

I think you and all sheeple-like followers of the Bush/Cheney/McSame crime syndicate are suffering from

"Beaten Dog Syndrome."

You''ve been stomped on, abused, and lied to for so long, that you no longer even hope or wish for better and have accepted the criminality of your leaders as normal.

How sad and pathetic.

[fbla1805]

Sarah''s doin'' "trickle down" economics, by spendin lavishly on herself:

$4,716.49 on hair & makeup just through September,

$22,800. on makeup and hair Oct. 1-15,

$5,102.71 at Bloomingdale%u2019s New York,

$9,447.71 at Macy%u2019s in Minneapolis,

$49,425.74 at Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York

$75,062.63 in a whoppin spending spree at Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis (doggone it, she''s goin'' upscale on us real fast!).

Then there''s the $21,012. for her three daughters 64 one-way and 12 round-trip commercial flights since taking office as Gov. in Dec. 2006 (that bill was thankfully paid by the state of Alaska, admirably provin Palin''s credentials as an equal-opportunity biller!).

Republicans used to belittle former Sen. John Edwards $400 haircut - compared to Palin that was chump change!

[fbla1805]

A good reason to vote for Obama/Biden and not for McCain/Palin?

How about affordable health care for working middle class families?

John McCain%u2019s health care plans will destroy employer-based health insurance (says the US Chamber of Commerce!).

For the millions of Americans that have it, that insurance is worth about $12,000. a year!

After destroying this, McCain will offer instead $5,000. in tax credits!

That%u2019s $7,000. per year that McCain%u2019s plan will steal from each American working family.

Worse, McCain%u2019s plan will throw us out of group insurance rates, forcing us onto the market as individuals, with no market power, up against the powerful, unregulated health-insurance industry giants.

And anyone with a precondition will not get any insurance at all, as is the case today.

[mikael71]

"Be real" should think before complaining about Sarah Palin''s intellect, as his grammar is seriously at fault. However, my own contribution as a "Limey" from Yorkshire, England, is to contrast Palin''s real, tested experience in local and state politics with that of Obama. He hasn''t even completed one term as a senator. Nor has he ever had substantial experience in drafting or proposing legislation in Illinois. What experience has he had in running a business? Sarah Palin has so much more on her C.V., plus raising a family at the edge of civilization.

But, then, we in Britain have got used to inflated gas-bags posing as politicians, such as Comrade Brown. Note, too, - I say "Comrade Brown", for socialism is a blood brother of Marxism. Beware!

[windmaster12]

Palin Loves to call Obama a Socialist Redistributor

Yet Lines up to accept her Alaskan Tax rebate Check Fueled by Oil Co. Profits-
Along with the rest of Alaskan''s

She''''s the only Candidate to accept Socialized Redistribution of tax revenue
Direct From the oil Co''''s to people


It turns out she''s the real Socialist!!!!!

I don''t see her lining up to advocate giving the money back to the oil co''s.

Dumbya Bush just oversaw The Nationalization
Of Freddie and Fannie
A Commie Chavez Move
And Control of many of our Largest Financials
VOTE GOP
THE NEW RED COMMUNISTS!!!

The RepugnantCon''s have Sunk to Mccarthyistic, Goebbells style, Sterotyping Propaganda--
The truth is they are Woefully incompetent-
That they''ve proved these last 8 years.

[shochikibo]

HK4U, what''s the difference between any of the horrifyingly numerous pathological god delusions that allow religious-sponsored abuse and hatred to flourish? Imagine no religion, it''s easy if you try. Perhaps you can get over your own hatred. May you receive all the blessings you wish for others.

[iceqwene]

Election 2008 Obama McCain Spread
National 50.2 43.8 Obama +6.4

Battlegrounds Obama McCain Spread
Colorado 51.0 44.4 Obama 6.6
Nevada 50.3 43.3 Obama 7.0
Michigan 53.7 39.0 Obama 14.7
Ohio 49.2 43.4 Obama 5.8
Pennsylvania 51.8 43.3 Obama 8.5
Florida 48.5 45.0 Obama 3.5
Virginia 51.0 44.5 Obama 6.5

Obama/Biden 08 - get used to it!

[hitoyou1]

Sarah Palin is not the crook. Obama is the crook. Sarah just has a press that wont tell the real truth about Obama and lies about her.

[abahrj]

Shame on anyone who hates. Even if you disagree with something someone stands for it is not a reason to spread hatred about them. Elections are part of our democratic system and happen every 4 years. You all should be used to it by now. Please remember that you only learn what you are told and shown. When you continue to hate, you teach hate. We dont need hate, we need understanding. By the way. If you only listen to one viewpoint, you will not understand.

[be_real]

We all know by now, Sarah Palin ain''t to bright. That said, I question McCain judgement or motive in choosing Palin for VP. If Palin is the republican future star this party is not going to last.

[keela11]

Americans need to listen and understand that the national contempt for Sarah Palin is for her in particular, not because she is Republican, not because of geographic, cultural or class issues.

As a Montanan, hunting, fishing, gun ownership, private land rights - these are all critical issues but they are part of our daily lives here in the west, Alaska included. A large percentage of Montanans live a very similar lifestyle to the Palins. But we are voting for Senator Obama!

Sarah Palin time and again has shown herself to be of little intellect, short on knowledge, lacking in understanding of history, international culture, social issues; for heaven''s sake, she isn''t even a strong mentor to her own children or her soon to be son in law, if he goes through with the shotgun wedding - encouraging or at least approving of a young man dropping out of high school a year before graduation!

The outrage against Palin is not because of anything other than her arrogance, hate mongering, small mindedness and total lack of judgment.

There was any number of highly respected, learned, experienced Republican women that John McCain could have chosen for VP running mate. His limp choice of Palin not only shows his lack of judgment, but visits upon all of us, all Americans, Republican and Democratic, the very real possibility of a political and social nightmare.

[americanvot1]

Is Sarah Palin Good for Women:

http://think.mtv.com/044FDFFFF0098A08300170099502A/

[mh4cbs1]

VOTE McCAIN!!

FOUR More Years of Republican Prosperity!!

More Huge Tax Cut wealth redistribution to the Super Rich!!

More Massive Spending on Needless-War-based-on-Lies in Iraq to help our Economy!!

More Corporate Welfare!

More Deregulation of the Financial Industry so they can continue to thrive!

Privatize Social Security! Invest your retirement safety net in the market!

AND Get a Hocky Mom Vice President - just think, someone just like your next door neighbor could get to be President. WOW!!!

[targaray-2009]

How was Sarah Palin Unmasked? Layer-by-Layer...
- NotVettedGate
- TrooperGate
- WitchDoctorGate
- NoMediaQuestionsGate
- AbuseofPowerGate
- $150KClothingGate
- NotReadytoBePresidentGate
- NoMedicalRecordsGate