# Why is Sarah Palin complaining so hard about Joe McGinniss? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 1, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508 "2010-06-01T15:45:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/21 "2010-06-01T21:55:56Z")
[Here](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=+1140+W+Parks+Hwy++Wasilla,+AK+99654&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=39.047881,59.589844&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=1140+W+Parks+Hwy,+Wasilla,+Matanuska-Susitna,+Alaska+99654&ll=61.577261,-149.479337&spn=0.00287,0.007274&t=h&z=17) is an aerial view of Sarah Palin’s neighbourhood. Her house is the one on the left with the brown roof. It looks like the neighbouring house (with the gray roof) isn’t all that close really, and there are trees between the two houses, so her complaints are exaggerated at best. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/22 "2010-06-01T22:07:07Z")
There are _trees_? Well. That changes everything. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/23 "2010-06-01T22:44:28Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Do you have anything at all to say about the way she has invaded _his_ privacy, what with the spying photography and nasty accusatory blogging? No, I don’t. If that bothers you in some way, I suggest you report it to someone that moderates this forum. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/24 "2010-06-01T22:45:59Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > No it isn’t. At all. So now you have psychic powers, and know exactly what is on Sarah Palin’s mind? Because otherwise, you have no way of knowing she does not see it the way I said she might. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/25 "2010-06-01T22:47:57Z")
And you have no way of knowing that she does see if the way that you said she might, so … stalemate? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/26 "2010-06-01T22:49:58Z")
> [@Airbeck](#): > > And you have no way of knowing that she does see if the way that you said she might, so … stalemate? If she didn’t think it was invasive of her privacy, I doubt she’d be bitching about it. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/27 "2010-06-01T22:56:49Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > If she didn’t think it was invasive of her privacy, I doubt she’d be bitching about it. She might be bitching about it if she thought such bitching would win her sympathy points from such as you, wouldn"t she? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/28 "2010-06-01T22:58:56Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > She might be bitching about it if she thought such bitching would win her sympathy points from such as you, wouldn"t she? Or maybe because she just likes to bitch. But my suggestion makes a lot more sense. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/29 "2010-06-01T23:07:20Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Or maybe because she just likes to bitch. But my suggestion makes a lot more sense. I thought it was irrefutably established that Palin likes to put herself in the spotlight and likes to seek public sympathy for percieved wrongs. She ain’t exactly the stoic ‘suffer in silence type’ by any stretch. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/30 "2010-06-01T23:25:03Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > I thought it was irrefutably established that Palin likes to put herself in the spotlight and likes to seek public sympathy for percieved wrongs. She ain’t exactly the stoic ‘suffer in silence type’ by any stretch. Well, perceiving a wrong when some writer she’s not cooperating with is doing a story/book/whatever about her, and moves in next door while he’s writing whatever the hell he’s writing, ain’t really a stretch, either. I’d be uncomfortable with that. I think lots of people would. But this particular person is a favorite target around here, so anything the woman does is routinely spun in the worst possible light. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/31 "2010-06-01T23:28:34Z")
> [@Clu-Me-In](#): > > Why would it creep you out that someone writing a book about you was living next door to you? If available, what better place could there be? You need to ask yourself _why_ you think it’s a good place. The problem I see is that while there are definitely ways it could be not creepy, these are _entirely_ dependant on Palin being a willing participant in his writing process. If she’s complaining about him being there, that suggests she’s not a willing participant. Edit: Ninja’d by **Oakminster**. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/32 "2010-06-01T23:34:44Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Actually, this thread seems to be about the baseless _Mcginniss_ bashing done by Palin and her family. Do you have anything at all to say about the way she has invaded _his_ privacy, what with the spying photography and nasty accusatory blogging? The best defense is a good offense. ---
**Author:** ![Clu-Me-In](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/33 "2010-06-01T23:42:25Z")
She doesn’t have to be a willing participant. He has every right to rent a cheap house next to the subject of his book. It is a book he’s writing, correct? He’s not planning a raid on his family. She knows he’s an author. A smart person would go over with cookies and a bottle of wine and welcome him to the neighborhood. Kill him with kindness. She went about this the completely wrong way is what I’m saying. He’s not a child molester or any such thing. He’s a well-known author. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/34 "2010-06-01T23:49:22Z")
> [@Clu-Me-In](#): > > She doesn’t have to be a willing participant. He has every right to rent a cheap house next to the subject of his book. To what purpose? Given that she wants nothing to do with him and his book, what insight can he be trying to gain by living next door, that _doesn’t_ make him a creepy fuck? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/35 "2010-06-01T23:51:19Z")
> [@Clu-Me-In](#): > > A smart person would go over with cookies and a bottle of wine and welcome him to the neighborhood. Kill him with kindness. She went about this the completely wrong way is what I’m saying. He’s not a child molester or any such thing. He’s a well-known author. No, a smart person that did not wish to cooperate with his book would never speak to the guy. No point in giving him anything to quote. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/36 "2010-06-01T23:56:05Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > To what purpose? Given that she wants nothing to do with him and his book, what insight can he be trying to gain by living next door, that _doesn’t_ make him a creepy fuck? He could be trying to gain the insight of paying less for rent. There’s no reason whatsoever to think he actually has or had any desire to spy on her. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/37 "2010-06-01T23:57:19Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > No, a smart person … Wait, I thought we were discussing Sarah Palin. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/38 "2010-06-01T23:59:00Z")
Depends on the frame of reference: My opinion of Mrs. Palin - She is mad that Mr. McGinniss is profiting from her celebrity. My opinion of Mr. McGinniss - Good way to get publicity and make money. Mrs. Palin should be flattered by the imitation. My opinion of privacy and public figures - Even public figures deserve some better level of privacy than their current legal rights entitle them to. Even the one’s I don’t like. My opinion of neighbors - Well, its a roll of the dice whether or not you like your neighbors. Get a bigger piece of property if you don’t want to worry about it. My opinion of this situation - More benefit for two people, to the detriment of everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/39 "2010-06-02T00:03:13Z")
Also, I’d like to add that if someone is constantly doing everything she can to get as much attention as possible and to keep herself in the spotlight as close to every second of every day as she can shouldn’t really complain because, lo and behold, she’s getting some media attention that she doesn’t like, which is exactly what someone writing a book about you is. If you beg for attention, why should you complain because you are getting it? I mean complain all you want, but noone should really care. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508/40 "2010-06-02T00:11:10Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > He could be trying to gain the insight of paying less for rent. > > There’s no reason whatsoever to think he actually has or had any desire to spy on her. It’s certainly possible, but not likely. I mean, it’s a pretty big coincidence to “just happen” to end up living next-door to the person you’re writing a book about. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sarah-palin-complaining-so-hard-about-joe-mcginniss/541508.md?page=3)