Why I think the Palin-affair story is a trap

[GoesTo11]

The National Enquirer cover doesn't say she had an affair. It says "The affair that almost ruined her career."

Bear with me.

There's been speculation that maybe this was an affair she had with Scott Richter, her husband's business partner. Scott was married to Debbie Richter. The Richters and the Palins have a lot of shared interests, and Debbie was in charge of Palin's governor campaign finances. Debbie had an affair with John Bitney, and eventually divorced Scott and married John. Then John was fired from a state job, with various fingerprints that suggest possible abuse of power by Palin.

Now the punchline, I think.

The "affair that almost ruined her career" was the affair between Debbie Richter and John Bitney. It almost ruined Palin's career because of this improper firing and how that came back to her.

The Enquirer headline would be correct even if Sarah Palin herself did not have an affair at all. The headline's just a tease, making it sound like there's more to it than there is. The immediate umbrage of McCain-Palin, and the entire echo chamber, may have been choreographed around it, or may just have been their own over-reaction to this tease. Best to leave this one alone and let the Enquirer do whatever they feel like.

[gateley]

1. I think you may be on to something.

It's best we leave it alone until/unless some proof comes to light.

[grasswire]

2. interesting

I hope someone will sort this all out. You may be right. It is very carefully parsed.

[Bread and Circus]

3. dang...you just might be right... my head spins with all the soap opera crap...

[melody]

4. Obama isn't focusing there n/t

[HooptieWagon]

5. Nice catch - Good reading between the lines.

But Scott Richter just filed to have his divorce case records sealed, so hmmm

I'm guessing there's all kinds of skeletons rattling around up in Alaska.

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. He would want those sealed because the NE was snooping in them

And they no doubt revealed the details of the affair (between his wife and Bitney).

[Duer 157099]

6. I think you are probaby correct

Just fyi, here are some court records -- looks like that affair actually ended the marriages of both parties in nearly identical time frames, but I think the firing issue is how Palin will be involved in it.

She doesn't strike me as the affair type -- too self absorbed and busy with her career.


3AN-07-08295CI In the Matter of: Bitney, John Woodrow and Bitney, Barbara JoAnn
06/29/2007 Decree of Dissolution Granted 08/06/2007

3PA-07-01581CI In the Matter of: Richter, Scott Alan and Richter, Deborah Marie
07/24/2007 Decree of Dissolution Granted 09/18/2007

[GimmeDANEger]

8. this just makes sense...

They didn't sweat the story until now because Sarah never had an affair herself. They assumed (like us) that it was an allegation of her having an affair. Once they realized it was about Bitney, she took the first flight. It makes sense.

[Stand and Fight]

9. I disagree. Have the Enquirer right here.

And I quote from the September 15, 2008 edition of National Enquirer:

"Another incredible allegation emerging from the family war is that Palin, a mother of five, had an affair with a former business associate of her fisherman husband, Todd."

"Todd discovered the affair and quickly dissolved his friendship and his business associations with the guy, " charges an enemy. "Many people in Alaska are talking about the rumor and say Todd swept it under the rug."

This is what it says in the article within the magazine. You're reading into the cover far too much. The lines that I quoted above from the room leave no room for the kind of ambiguity you're suggesting.

[Duer 157099]

12. OK well that was quick

I guess it's not just the innuendo.

So that makes the other thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6943840&mesg_id=6943840

perhaps incredibly relevent

(on the other thread there's a link to court papers showing that Scott filed a motion yesterday to have his divorce file sealed, but the motion was denied today. Guess there is something in there he wants to hide.

And now to go completely paranoid conspiratorial: in June of this year (2 months after Trig was born) he filed a Will with the court.

People often do that when they have a new heir to consider. Or, if they want some sort of information disclosed only upon their death. Or protection of some sort maybe - sort of like life insurance. :shrug: just a bunch of WAGes

The scandals surrounding this crazy lady sure keep springing up don't they?

[Cosmocat]

27. TOO much smoke - WAY too much ...

There is something there, quanity and quality.

[dkf]

13. Its out? You have a copy?

[Zuiderelle]

30. Oh, well, that changes things.

[Ichingcarpenter]

10. Interesting and plausible, however

It really doesn't matter because it hits 'low information' voters anyway where they stand in the line
for their groceries

The ones that may be leaning one way or another and read headlines to get their information
but might buy or not the magazine anyway.

The Edwards thing sorta of made them accurate again.

The innuendo is as devastating as the truth sometimes.


Don't fricking get so ......... hand wringing again please?
I won't respect you again, like I did before
that time ......... well......... you know.....but, I saw your writings and suspected
but ....... you know....... don't we?

See what I mean?


Now........... What about Michael Vicks' Pit Bulls and her claiming she is one?
She said that! She said she was a Pit Bull

Get it shit head?

[L. Coyote]

11. The best way to figure this out is to

count the number of posts by the people pushing the rumor.
The mongoloid baby crap had a bunch of 13 post proponents,
and that was all I needed to know! Those proponents are tombstoned.

[FrenchieCat]

14. Yep.....

We can't be tempted.

This election is too important.

[Ichingcarpenter]

15. Alas

Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite
jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath bore me on his back a
thousand times, and now how abhorr'd in my imagination it is!
My gorge rises at it.

[democracy1st]

16. thanks K & R

[rufus dog]

17. Agree

Stay away from it, let it play out while focusing on victory.

[live love laugh]

18. Agree. They want people to keep speculating to distract from their lack of substance. nt

[mhatrw]

19. Of course it's a trap. So just don't fall for it. n/t

[eridani]

20. Agreed. The NE is all lawyered up and knows what kind of scandal will sell

They'll do better at it than we would, and they hit the low information voters.

[samuraiguppy]

21. can we call for

DNA testing of the baby? It is in her best interests--because it would put to rest some of the scandals, lies, rumors....

This is what happens when you don't vet someone....very sad

[Patiod]

22. WE don't need to do a thing - tabloid MSM will do it

they have the appetite for it

[bunkerbuster1]

23. oh yeah.

One teensy-weensy thing we have going for us is that the tabloid press has finally decided it's ok to shit on Republicans as well as Democrats. Let the Enquirer dig up and use what they want, and we can express genuine public sorrow about the toll it takes on the Palin family (hey, I'm genuine, I don't think the kids asked for this!) while enjoying McCain squirm.

[WinkyDink]

24. I think you're right. But it's not a "trap". Indeed, corruption by Palin is worse!

[a kennedy]

25. Gawd I love DU, how smart and brilliant is this train of thought.

Thanks GoesTo11!!! :applause:

[Blue Meany]

26. There were rumors of an affair when she was mayor..

She mentioned in an interview that she got calls asking her if she was going to resign since she had been spotted having an affair on a train (!).

[seabeyond]

28. thanks for advice, but no one is missing with it.....

:shrug:

[Zuiderelle]

29. I think you are correct, no... now I change my mind.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6944579&mesg_id=6944654

[FlaDem83]

31. Agreed. BUT - still hits her where it (should) hurt

...more corruption, more abuse of power, more of the same.