Sarah Palin Was a 'Little Shop of Horrors' for McCain Campaign

Republican Vice Presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin addresses supporters during a campaign stop October 27, 2008 in Leesburg, Virginia at J.R.?s Festival Lakes. With just over a week remaining, candidates from both parties are campaigning heavily in key battleground states such as Virginia. (Getty Images)more pics »Vanity Fair's latest issue offers a blistering look at Sarah Palin, her meteoric rise to national prominence and her fall back to the cold hard Alaskan earth.

VF writer Todd Purdum talked to John McCain insiders, Alaskan politicians and as many sources as he could possibly find who were willing to talk all kinds of smack about the Alaska governor for the August issue. The results are totally entertaining even if they are brutally slanted. It's the most damning look at Palin we've had probably since her disastrous Katie Couric interview.

In perhaps the defining portion of the article, Purdum relates a tale from McCain aide and Palin handler Tucker Eskew:
Palin maintained only the barest level of civil discourse with Tucker Eskew, the veteran G.O.P. operative who had been made her chief minder. A third party had to shuttle between them to convey even the most rudimentary messages. “She started to hedge her bets,” the same McCain friend says. “Frequently, she would be concerned about how something would play in Alaska. What? You’re worried about your backside in Alaska when there are hundreds of millions of dollars being spent?” One longtime McCain friend and frequent companion on the trail was heard to refer to Palin as “Little Shop of Horrors.” And he's not the only one freaked out by Palin's antics. One of Purdum's anonymous sources describes what it was like being near the VP candidate.
"I guess it's sort of shifted," he said. "I always wanted to tell myself the best-case story about her." Even now, he said, "I don't want to get too negative." Then he added, "I think, as I've evaluated it, I think some of my worst fears … the after-election events have confirmed that her more negative aspects may have been there … " His voice trailed off. "I saw her as a raw talent. Raw, but a talent. I hoped she could become better." So yeah obviously the whole thing is kind of a hit piece and it gives Palin an excuse to rail against the "liberal media elite," but at least it's entertaining.

Of course, I'm sure Palin will have the last laugh when she defeats Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential race. *nervous chuckle*

Sarah Palin Attends Autism Awareness Walk And Fundraiser

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