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Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin: A Memoir of Our Tumultuous Years
This explosive, up-close view of Sarah Palin comes from an inner-circle confidant who shares surprising information about how Sarah dealt with staff and perceived “enemies,” and the discrepancy between what she said and what she did.
383 pages, Hardcover
First published May 17, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
January 3, 2016
Even though I believed it from the time I watched that infamous Katie Couric interview, after reading this book I am soooooooo relieved that our country chose not to have Sarah Palin in the position of being a heartbeat away from the presidency. Especially considering the fact the would-be president was 72, a cancer survivor and had spent five years in a POW camp. Even as governor of a state with only 700,000 residents, the woman was way over her head.
Author Frank Bailey describes what it was like inside the Palin inner circle, first as a campaign aid for her 2006 run for governor and then as a Director of Boards and Commissions in her administration. He went in believing she was a breath of fresh air, changing "business as usual" attitude in his state. He believed Palin would clean up Juneau and get rid of the corruption and secrecy of the old boy network that had been in power for decades.
"We'll hold ourselves to a higher standard," was their motto. And he threw himself into his quest, as one of the original "rag tags," running their grassroots campaign on a shoestring where paying $362 for a half page ad in a local newspaper was a strain on the budget.
But early on he found himself fighting Palin's personal battles, from combating the negative comments of talk radio hosts to his role as "Troopergate Guy" when, as directed by the Palins, he tried to get Sarah Palin's ex brother-in-law fired from his job as a state trooper. Those around Palin were subject to her mood swings, relying on the phone calls from her husband Todd warning them of her potential rages.
Yes, the author is a disgruntled employee, writing another tell-all to make money. But there is the ring of truth and redemption to this book, at least for Frank Bailey. And although the book is written in first person, unlike his former boss, he does not pretend to have written it himself. Ken Morris and Jeanne Devond have their names on the front cover as contributors. (Devon is the editor of the wonderful blog http://www.themudflats.net about Alaska politics which I highly recommend.)
Bailey has many apologies in this book, especially for his wife and children who were essentially deserted for four years. He explains how he got sucked into it this way:
"The process is seductive, the game addictive and the feeling of power can end up devastating lives, much like a river of ice..."
I'm sure Frank Bailey and I would disagree on many political issues. But I believe he's a good man who learned a painful lesson.
Author Frank Bailey describes what it was like inside the Palin inner circle, first as a campaign aid for her 2006 run for governor and then as a Director of Boards and Commissions in her administration. He went in believing she was a breath of fresh air, changing "business as usual" attitude in his state. He believed Palin would clean up Juneau and get rid of the corruption and secrecy of the old boy network that had been in power for decades.
"We'll hold ourselves to a higher standard," was their motto. And he threw himself into his quest, as one of the original "rag tags," running their grassroots campaign on a shoestring where paying $362 for a half page ad in a local newspaper was a strain on the budget.
But early on he found himself fighting Palin's personal battles, from combating the negative comments of talk radio hosts to his role as "Troopergate Guy" when, as directed by the Palins, he tried to get Sarah Palin's ex brother-in-law fired from his job as a state trooper. Those around Palin were subject to her mood swings, relying on the phone calls from her husband Todd warning them of her potential rages.
Yes, the author is a disgruntled employee, writing another tell-all to make money. But there is the ring of truth and redemption to this book, at least for Frank Bailey. And although the book is written in first person, unlike his former boss, he does not pretend to have written it himself. Ken Morris and Jeanne Devond have their names on the front cover as contributors. (Devon is the editor of the wonderful blog http://www.themudflats.net about Alaska politics which I highly recommend.)
Bailey has many apologies in this book, especially for his wife and children who were essentially deserted for four years. He explains how he got sucked into it this way:
"The process is seductive, the game addictive and the feeling of power can end up devastating lives, much like a river of ice..."
I'm sure Frank Bailey and I would disagree on many political issues. But I believe he's a good man who learned a painful lesson.
May 26, 2011
I read this book in a day, not so much because it was hugely compelling but more because I started it and wanted to finish it and it's not intellectually challenging. Written by Frank Bailey, the "Troopergate" fellow, the entire story left me scratching my head at the lack of judgment by all Palin staffers on mulitple occasions. They rigged opinion polls, issued false statements about opponents and generally skirted ethical, if not legal issues, from early in the governor's campaign.
Much of the Palin vendetta information is not new, but it is told from an insider perspective. I was hoping for more information on the Presidential campaign, but Frank had already been frozen out by the Palins by then. At least for the first time.
What I find the hardest to reconcile is Sarah's apparently devote faith in God with her ability to lie, cheat, and treat people horribly.
Same with the author. While asking Jesus for help one minute, Frank was more than willing to rig an opinion poll in Sarah's favor or start a smear campaign against someone who had dared speak against her.
If I had it to do over again, I'd wait for the Joe McGuinness book, due out this fall.
Much of the Palin vendetta information is not new, but it is told from an insider perspective. I was hoping for more information on the Presidential campaign, but Frank had already been frozen out by the Palins by then. At least for the first time.
What I find the hardest to reconcile is Sarah's apparently devote faith in God with her ability to lie, cheat, and treat people horribly.
Same with the author. While asking Jesus for help one minute, Frank was more than willing to rig an opinion poll in Sarah's favor or start a smear campaign against someone who had dared speak against her.
If I had it to do over again, I'd wait for the Joe McGuinness book, due out this fall.
June 6, 2011
This book is epic. If you have ever wanted to see how Sarah Palin thinks and formulates her ideas via email, at least skim this book. Her abysmal level of grammar is not surprising, but I absolutely enjoyed how she would end her emails frequently with "Sheeeeeeeeeesh," or "DangIttttttttt." This books mostly concerns itself with Palin's epic failure as a leader in Alaskan politics. This realm might be too specific for those who are not political junkies, but nevertheless, what is revealed in this book is horrifying. Sarah Palin is a fraud and a crook. Frank Bailey gave up almost everything to join a small little campaign for governor of Alaska. He was once so loyal to Palin that he noted he would "take a bullet" for her. He ignored his family working 100+ hour work weeks. Now that he has fallen out of the ranks with Sarah, he teamed up with two writers to publish this book. I am more than happy to support Frank and his family. I am actually certain that this book will prevent Sarah from ever holding a position of higher office (not that her horrible credentials would do this already).
May 31, 2011
Hmmm. She cheats, gets caught, looks her accuser in the eye, then points her finger and calls him a "bald faced lier"! This doesn't happen once or twice but is a pattern that defines her. Very interesting. Sad but interesting. I'm always fascinated by what makes people tick. Especially those who seem to believe that God is behind them 100%.
June 2, 2011
I am baffled by this book. The amount of emails in this book from this woman is mind boggling. The accusations of poll fixing, unethical decisions in office and the complete lack of morale in this woman has me completely disgusted by her and her husband. If this woman runs for President I will find a way to strongly help to campaign against her. She makes me fearful for the future of the conservative movement and America.
July 5, 2011
I formed my opinion of Sarah Palin after watching her perform and reading Game Change, but Frank Bailey's insider information put a different and sometimes shocking look at the woman who could have been our 47th Vice President.
Frank Bailey tells his story starting when he first met Sarah during her run for Alaska governor. He decided to help her in her race after being disenchanted with the then-governor Frank Murkowski and the corruption that many Alaskans felt permeated the state. Sarah was saying the right things, talking about changing government by rooting out the corruption and making sure that the voice of Alaskans were being heard. From the beginning, Bailey talked about how he was devoted to her and believed that she was the right choice to lead the state. He was so devoted to her that he sacrificed time with his family, low pay, and as you will see later in the book, his reputation and self-respect.
The author shows the reader the Sarah Palin that we already knew: not very intellectually curious, lazy, borderline incompetent. But what we didn't know is that Sarah Palin can be very self-absorbed, vindictive and thin-skinned. She doesn't like any form of criticism, and those that do will see themselves so marginalized from the Palin inner circle that they just leave.
The story of Troopergate is probably the most bizarre. After spending a good chunk of the term putting out Sarah's self-inflicted political fires, Bailey was given the task of trying to get her sister's ex-husband fired from his state trooper job. The subsequent calls and questionably obtained information he received from Todd Palin led to the Legislature to investigate Palin and her office and give Frank Bailey a damaging reprimand. And of course, the Palins moved to ostracize him from the inner circle.
After reading the book, a part of me felt bad for Bailey. His reputation has been tarnished, his family relationship was strained, and he was used and manipulated by the Palins. On the other hand, he was a part of a machine that used the power of government to get revenge on those that Palin did not like. It seems like this book was a part of his healing process, since he came across as remorseful for his actions.
Overall, I recommend it. Parts of it can be a bit of a drag, but a good read.
Frank Bailey tells his story starting when he first met Sarah during her run for Alaska governor. He decided to help her in her race after being disenchanted with the then-governor Frank Murkowski and the corruption that many Alaskans felt permeated the state. Sarah was saying the right things, talking about changing government by rooting out the corruption and making sure that the voice of Alaskans were being heard. From the beginning, Bailey talked about how he was devoted to her and believed that she was the right choice to lead the state. He was so devoted to her that he sacrificed time with his family, low pay, and as you will see later in the book, his reputation and self-respect.
The author shows the reader the Sarah Palin that we already knew: not very intellectually curious, lazy, borderline incompetent. But what we didn't know is that Sarah Palin can be very self-absorbed, vindictive and thin-skinned. She doesn't like any form of criticism, and those that do will see themselves so marginalized from the Palin inner circle that they just leave.
The story of Troopergate is probably the most bizarre. After spending a good chunk of the term putting out Sarah's self-inflicted political fires, Bailey was given the task of trying to get her sister's ex-husband fired from his state trooper job. The subsequent calls and questionably obtained information he received from Todd Palin led to the Legislature to investigate Palin and her office and give Frank Bailey a damaging reprimand. And of course, the Palins moved to ostracize him from the inner circle.
After reading the book, a part of me felt bad for Bailey. His reputation has been tarnished, his family relationship was strained, and he was used and manipulated by the Palins. On the other hand, he was a part of a machine that used the power of government to get revenge on those that Palin did not like. It seems like this book was a part of his healing process, since he came across as remorseful for his actions.
Overall, I recommend it. Parts of it can be a bit of a drag, but a good read.
June 7, 2011
Palin's recent comment that Paul Revere "warned the British" that we were armed "by ringing bells" continue to shock, even though this book should prepare me for it.
One favorite bit from the book regarding her inexperience and lack of knowledge; "In early 2006 a bill that became known as the 'no More Sarah Palin Bill' (sponsored by an Alaskan Republican) was introduced as a means of insuring that in the future nobody with so little knowledge on energy issues as Sarah Palin could serve on the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (AOCGCC) again."
The book is fine - I gave it an "okay" because it is not an award-winning bio, it is a confessional from Bailey who I think wants to clear his name and himself of guilt. But there is enough here about the self-serving motivation and the questionable emotional stability of Palin to give fascinating insight. This woman should not be allowed anywhere near public office.
One favorite bit from the book regarding her inexperience and lack of knowledge; "In early 2006 a bill that became known as the 'no More Sarah Palin Bill' (sponsored by an Alaskan Republican) was introduced as a means of insuring that in the future nobody with so little knowledge on energy issues as Sarah Palin could serve on the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (AOCGCC) again."
The book is fine - I gave it an "okay" because it is not an award-winning bio, it is a confessional from Bailey who I think wants to clear his name and himself of guilt. But there is enough here about the self-serving motivation and the questionable emotional stability of Palin to give fascinating insight. This woman should not be allowed anywhere near public office.
June 14, 2011
I'm one of the world's least political people, but, like so many others, I've been a bit fascinated by Sarah Palin. I found myself thoroughly engrossed in this book. If even a third of the things Frank Bailey tells us about her character and ability to govern are true, I'm even more convinced that this woman should NEVER be allowed to hold office again, and most definitely should not be within ten miles of the red telephone. Charismatic though she may be, she is also petty, vindictive, corrupt, and emotionally unstable.
I found the book very easy to read, and encourage all to read it.
I found the book very easy to read, and encourage all to read it.
May 31, 2011
Everyone needs to read this now!
July 3, 2011
While reading this book my heart was nearly beating out of my chest with anger at what this "power couple" Todd and Sarah Palin have gotten away with. So I'm going to keep my review to a few lines rather than the long tirade I would otherwise kill my keyboard with.
While there isn't much to admire about Mr. Bailey while doing the Palin's dirty work I do admire the fact that he didn't just put a book out there throwing around accusations without proof. He has the emails between he, the Palins and their staffers to back him up. Also, he never denied his part in any of it. He admitted throughout the book that he was right there with them- rigging polls and elections, committing character assassinations, lying and denying throughout numerous scandals and that some were his own ideas, not just the Palin's. And last, while some people seek redemption and forgiveness from everyone after being threatened or "caught," Mr. Bailey only asked forgiveness from his family and his God and did so after he (albeit slowly) came to the realization that his idol Sarah Palin was not the person she tried to portray, but was yet another person -and one of the worst kind- trying to fool the world. It took a lot of time and hard times for Mr. Bailey to finally realize... she is not worthy.
One last thing- did anyone else find it ironic that the Foreward by Ken Morris starts out crying about a dirty trick Author Joe McGinniss pulled on them? Gee, sounds like something straight out of the Palin/Bailey playbook.
While there isn't much to admire about Mr. Bailey while doing the Palin's dirty work I do admire the fact that he didn't just put a book out there throwing around accusations without proof. He has the emails between he, the Palins and their staffers to back him up. Also, he never denied his part in any of it. He admitted throughout the book that he was right there with them- rigging polls and elections, committing character assassinations, lying and denying throughout numerous scandals and that some were his own ideas, not just the Palin's. And last, while some people seek redemption and forgiveness from everyone after being threatened or "caught," Mr. Bailey only asked forgiveness from his family and his God and did so after he (albeit slowly) came to the realization that his idol Sarah Palin was not the person she tried to portray, but was yet another person -and one of the worst kind- trying to fool the world. It took a lot of time and hard times for Mr. Bailey to finally realize... she is not worthy.
One last thing- did anyone else find it ironic that the Foreward by Ken Morris starts out crying about a dirty trick Author Joe McGinniss pulled on them? Gee, sounds like something straight out of the Palin/Bailey playbook.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
June 26, 2011Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin, by Frank Bailey, Ken Morris, Jeanne Devon, narrated by Holter Graham, produced by Simon and Schuster Audio, downloaded from audible.com.
Frank Dailley is the main writer of this book with material added by the other two named authors. The book is a fascinating look at a woman who rose to instant stardom status when she was picked to run as John McCain’s running mate. At first she appeared to be a breath of fresh air, and she inspired slavish loyalty from her staff and followers as well. On a shoestring budget they got Sarah elected as Alaska’s governor. She promised to turn things around-not to have politics as usual in Alaska. The book is about the ever-growing disillusionment of her staff and of her Alaskan government. The only thing that saves this book from being one of those whiney books put together by a victim of politics who should have known better, is Frank Dailley’s taking the total responsibility for his actions, stating several times that he had plenty of warnings about what a treacherous person he was dealing with, and his continuing to look the other way out of loyalty to Sarah, until he finally reached the end of his rope. A very intriguing book written by a man who still considers himself a conservative favoring all the things that Sarah seemed to stand for.
Frank Dailley is the main writer of this book with material added by the other two named authors. The book is a fascinating look at a woman who rose to instant stardom status when she was picked to run as John McCain’s running mate. At first she appeared to be a breath of fresh air, and she inspired slavish loyalty from her staff and followers as well. On a shoestring budget they got Sarah elected as Alaska’s governor. She promised to turn things around-not to have politics as usual in Alaska. The book is about the ever-growing disillusionment of her staff and of her Alaskan government. The only thing that saves this book from being one of those whiney books put together by a victim of politics who should have known better, is Frank Dailley’s taking the total responsibility for his actions, stating several times that he had plenty of warnings about what a treacherous person he was dealing with, and his continuing to look the other way out of loyalty to Sarah, until he finally reached the end of his rope. A very intriguing book written by a man who still considers himself a conservative favoring all the things that Sarah seemed to stand for.
July 7, 2011
While it's no secret I have little respect for the ex-governor of Alaska,an interview with Mr. Bailey compelled me to read this. He came off as sincerely wanting to right some of the wrongs he committed while in his service and set the record straight. Throughout the book, he maintains that sincerity and I actually liked him and understood how he got sucked into Sarah & Todd's web of vengeance. Strong point of the book is about the "Troopergate" situation and how several times Sarah mentions how she hates governing. No surprise then that she bailed on Alaska to seek fame and fortune. Even if you're a Palin fan, I suggest reading this book. It's not sour grapes, but a sincere look at an influential figure who is hardly the "good Christian" she presents herself to be. She is vindictive, nasty, assumes no personal responsibility for anything, and has the professionalism of a junior high schooler.
July 4, 2011
I do not usually read political tell-alls, but my aunt sent me this one and insisted I read it. If you're like me and not a fan of Sarah Palin, you probably won't find much here that is surprising. I already went into this knowing that Palin is manipulative and willing to step on whoever she needs to in order to get ahead. Bailey's book just supports this. Parts of the book get a bit dull, especially when Bailey goes into too much detail about various scandals Palin has been involved in. At times it just reads like a tired rant about a psychotic former boss. I know he probably wrote this book as a way to come to terms with his role in Palin's rise to fame, so I do admire his effort to accept responsibility for his part and to move on with his life.
June 21, 2011
It was hard to rate this book with "liked it," because that doesn't exactly reflect my feelings. I did "like" it in that I enjoyed reading it because I felt that my opinions of Sarah Palin were being vindicated by someone who should be somewhat unbiased. This book is written by a former insider, and is supported by actual emails written by and between the author and Palin (which seem less innocuous than those recently released by the state of Alaska to the press). I did particularly like a later chapter where the author, after having resigned, goes on a humanitarian mission and finds himself again. I thought it was poignant. Warning: It is poorly proofread.
May 29, 2011
People who start out as volunteers for a woman to run as Governor of Alaska become political insiders doing what ever she wants without a care in the world. I feel even after all that he went through the author would do it all again because he was for once he was with the cool popular kids who held all the power on the playground. He would get abused by Palin get upset ready to leave and than return after she said "sorry" to accept more abuse.
July 28, 2011
Mr. Bailey delineates his relationship with Sarah Palin from the time she became a candidate for
the governorship of Alaska to the period after her failed attempt at the vicepresidency.Throughout he
found that as one lie proceeded another,his loyalty was tested to the point that the strain caused him
to end the relationship. Thus, he finally quit serving Palin and returned to his former ethical self.
July 12, 2011
So glad she wasn't elected! This is one crazy and vindictive woman. No surprise - she is all about money and fame. Lots of talk about honesty and family values but the evidence and her emails show otherwise. Not a great book but enlightening.
July 19, 2011
Felt sorry for the author to have endured so much time with her. He now realizes she was not worth the effort. Sort of sorry I read this one--skimmed is a better word.
August 9, 2011
This was very engrossing and fascinating. Frank Bailey is purging his sins, so to speak, and revealing a lot about a very unbalanced woman.
June 9, 2011
Now I just think she's more pathetic.
July 9, 2015
I'm not fond of reviews that rehash plots, but for those who are reading this review and are curious about the book, here goes:
Author falls for Palin completely as soon as she announces for Governor in 2005, becoming essentially an indentured servant on her behalf from that point until she leaves Juneau. Writing the book in hindsight, he goes over the many flags he ... overlooked, being always loyal, even when she froze him out, to take him back later when she needed him (or more likely realized he knew too much). This pattern gets old quickly, but I was kept motivated by her increasingly erratic (shall we say) behavior.
At about halfway through the book, that aspect is driven home in a lengthy account of Troopergate, wherein we learn about Todd's obsession with Trooper Wooten (ex of Sarah's sister); Mr. Palin spends whole days badgering his wife's staff to have the guy fired. Bailey takes the fall for Saint Sarah at the point where the "undue influence" issue comes to a head. Other personal/political issues of the Palins take up Bailey and his colleagues' state time, until she's tapped for Bigger Things.
After her return to the job, things in the Executive Department go from bad to worse, with many examples of her poor judgement. When she finally quits citing "distractions", it wasn't so much that she was using the term as a convenient excuse, but that the distractions were pretty much all her own doing!
I listened to the audio - the narrator was quite good at investing us in Bailey's inability to handle the frustration of the experience. Much of Palin's dialogue comes from Twitter-ish memo-like emails, making her sound even more ... odd than when I've seen her speaking in complete sentences (not her strong point). I did feel the authors jumped around in time a bit, which may not have been so bad in reading the print version, but proved a bit confusing for the listener.
Definitely recommended, even though things did drag in a couple of places for me.
Author falls for Palin completely as soon as she announces for Governor in 2005, becoming essentially an indentured servant on her behalf from that point until she leaves Juneau. Writing the book in hindsight, he goes over the many flags he ... overlooked, being always loyal, even when she froze him out, to take him back later when she needed him (or more likely realized he knew too much). This pattern gets old quickly, but I was kept motivated by her increasingly erratic (shall we say) behavior.
At about halfway through the book, that aspect is driven home in a lengthy account of Troopergate, wherein we learn about Todd's obsession with Trooper Wooten (ex of Sarah's sister); Mr. Palin spends whole days badgering his wife's staff to have the guy fired. Bailey takes the fall for Saint Sarah at the point where the "undue influence" issue comes to a head. Other personal/political issues of the Palins take up Bailey and his colleagues' state time, until she's tapped for Bigger Things.
After her return to the job, things in the Executive Department go from bad to worse, with many examples of her poor judgement. When she finally quits citing "distractions", it wasn't so much that she was using the term as a convenient excuse, but that the distractions were pretty much all her own doing!
I listened to the audio - the narrator was quite good at investing us in Bailey's inability to handle the frustration of the experience. Much of Palin's dialogue comes from Twitter-ish memo-like emails, making her sound even more ... odd than when I've seen her speaking in complete sentences (not her strong point). I did feel the authors jumped around in time a bit, which may not have been so bad in reading the print version, but proved a bit confusing for the listener.
Definitely recommended, even though things did drag in a couple of places for me.
April 11, 2012
Some say this author is a jilted ex-employee with credibility issues and a motive to smear the Palin family. Some say that his involvement in the seedier sides of the Palin administration proves that he is a dishonest opportunist without a moral compass.
It seems to me that Frank Bailey's central message is that he whole-heartedly takes responsibility for his mistakes, including his naive and unquestioning loyalty to Sarah Palin and his own descent into dishonesty and reprehensible behavior. While the content of this book can accurately be termed as "scathing" because of its harsh truths, what surprised me most is that Mr. Bailey doesn't at all strike me as an angry or vindictive person. If anything, the book felt more like an authentic confessional turned cautionary tale written by a human, flawed as any other.
As time goes on and more people speak about their experiences of Sarah Palin, Frank Bailey's assertions are less shocking and more on target with what I would expect to hear from any "insider." Still, this book captivated me and left me wanting more information about this fascinating woman and her public service.
It seems to me that Frank Bailey's central message is that he whole-heartedly takes responsibility for his mistakes, including his naive and unquestioning loyalty to Sarah Palin and his own descent into dishonesty and reprehensible behavior. While the content of this book can accurately be termed as "scathing" because of its harsh truths, what surprised me most is that Mr. Bailey doesn't at all strike me as an angry or vindictive person. If anything, the book felt more like an authentic confessional turned cautionary tale written by a human, flawed as any other.
As time goes on and more people speak about their experiences of Sarah Palin, Frank Bailey's assertions are less shocking and more on target with what I would expect to hear from any "insider." Still, this book captivated me and left me wanting more information about this fascinating woman and her public service.
April 5, 2012
This book by a long-time Sarah Palin aide—by her side from the launch of her run for governor until after she resigned following her unsuccessful run for vice president—doesn't ignore any opportunity to make Palin look bad. She gives him plenty of material, going full out for revenge after any slight, real or imagined; disinterested in actual governing; and being a poor parent to boot. It's an incredibly damning portrait, so much so that it appears to lack any effort at fair reporting. Bailey's account is completely believable, but one wonders why he worked in such a dedicated and close fashion for so many years if there weren't any redeeming characteristics to Palin. Some effort in showing Palin's appeal would have made this book a better book overall, if not simply for the reason that the endless waves of misbehavior by Palin become repetitive by the end. Despite this criticism, for political junkies the book is as fascinating as watching a tornado tear through a city. You know you're seeing a swath of destruction and yet you can't turn away.
March 18, 2015
I wanted to read this book because I too was a political assistant to someone I admired whole-heartedly only to be disillusioned in the most shocking ways over the years spent observing his ruthlessness and deception. I wanted to see how someone else handled the anguish of witnessing a hero slowly becoming a monster.
However the local Alaskan politics in Blind Allegiance simply could not hold my interest, and the writing itself, although clearly heartfelt, was very amateurish. I ended up skimming it. Frank Bailey seems like a good guy and I wish him well, but cannot really recommend the book - except perhaps to residents of Alaska who are still interested in their former governor who quit before serving her full term.
However the local Alaskan politics in Blind Allegiance simply could not hold my interest, and the writing itself, although clearly heartfelt, was very amateurish. I ended up skimming it. Frank Bailey seems like a good guy and I wish him well, but cannot really recommend the book - except perhaps to residents of Alaska who are still interested in their former governor who quit before serving her full term.
September 14, 2011
I know, I know, reading a book about Sarah Palin!! What am I thinking? But this one is actually about Frank Bailey who helped her get elected as Alaska governor. Bailey is a Moody Bible Institute grad of all things. Got into politics only because he was taken with Palin but ended up totally disillusioned with her and her family and the process of winning elections. Lots of embarrassing stuff about the Palin family and in many ways it's embarrassing for Bailey to even remember it and put it into a book. Bottom line: he says she should NEVER be elected as President. She would be a disaster. You could figure that out without this book but it confirms all your fears about her.
September 12, 2012
Cautionary tale of what can happen if you believe so strongly in the message that you ignore the actions of the person delivering the message. Whether you like or loath Sarah Palin this book shows her to be driven to achieve her goals at all costs. The cult-like followers of Sarah are true believers even as she abandons them for the unknown riches outside Alaska. Ms Palin comes across as just one more politician more interested in making a buck than in helping her constituents. The only surprise to me was how viciously she attacked those who disagreed with her or were in her way.
June 7, 2011
Much of this book comes as no surprise to me, but I like to have facts to back up my opinions of people. Sarah Palin is NOT the person she claims to be and Mr. Bailey points that out definitively. I definitely do not agree with much of Mr. Bailey's politics, but his narrative about the rise and "fall" of Sarah Palin and her ethics is quite enlightening.
June 17, 2011
Republican equivalent of The Politician, but no sex. Bailey works on the governor's race for Palin and gets involved in cover ups and dirty works. Once she is no longer governor or VP candidate, he sees the light and feels stupid about for her. This book is barely OK slightly more dull than the Politician, but, then, again, no affair to cover up. Don't bother
August 14, 2011
This book did not live up to what was promised. Per Mr Bailey, he was much put upon and Sarah was manipulative.
The identical approach was taken by John Edwards' right hand man, who authored a similar screed. Perhaps books by insiders who hope to destroy their bosses always suffer from a predictable "my former boss had no good attributes at all and I suffered many indignities" syndrome.
The identical approach was taken by John Edwards' right hand man, who authored a similar screed. Perhaps books by insiders who hope to destroy their bosses always suffer from a predictable "my former boss had no good attributes at all and I suffered many indignities" syndrome.
August 1, 2011
Can't believe I forgot to put this on my Goodreads. This was a crazy book. Clearly Sarah Palin looks like a nut, as does her husband. But the author looks at least as bad. Why was he so devoted to this person? Within the first few pages--early on--it's clear who and what she is...why did he stick around so long?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews