# Why so little infiormation about Sarah Palin's childhood and teen years? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 7, 2008, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-infiormation-about-sarah-palins-childhood-and-teen-years/466920 "2008-10-07T23:21:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-infiormation-about-sarah-palins-childhood-and-teen-years/466920/1 "2008-10-07T23:21:49Z")
I’ve seen extensive coverage in the press and on television about Barack Obama’s and John McCain’s childhood, teen years and early adult life. I’ve seen a bit about Joe Biden’s early years as well. As for Sarah Palin, well … there’s almost nothing. Beauty contest, some college-hopping, and that’s about it. No prom or yearbook photos, stories from classmates in elementary and high school, no tales from ex-boyfriends, no nothing. Why not? ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-infiormation-about-sarah-palins-childhood-and-teen-years/466920/2 "2008-10-07T23:34:41Z")
Mods: feel free to move this to GD is you think it’s more appropriate there. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-infiormation-about-sarah-palins-childhood-and-teen-years/466920/3 "2008-10-07T23:59:01Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > I’ve seen extensive coverage in the press and on television about Barack Obama’s and John McCain’s childhood, teen years and early adult life. I’ve seen a bit about Joe Biden’s early years as well. As for Sarah Palin, well … there’s almost nothing. Beauty contest, some college-hopping, and that’s about it. No prom or yearbook photos, stories from classmates in elementary and high school, no tales from ex-boyfriends, no nothing. Why not? Not enough time. There have been[several ex-peers](http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/09/04/a-letter-about-sarah-palin-from-anne-kilkenny/)indicating she was incredibly manipulative in high school, but also a hard worker. ```php Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah. They call her “Sarah Barracuda” because of her unbridled ambition and predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah’s mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-infiormation-about-sarah-palins-childhood-and-teen-years/466920/4 "2008-10-08T03:36:22Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Mods: feel free to move this to GD is you think it’s more appropriate there. Probably a good idea, since it will end up there eventually. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-infiormation-about-sarah-palins-childhood-and-teen-years/466920/5 "2008-10-08T07:26:03Z")
From the little I read on the subject, it’s a bit [like this](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0126886/). ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-infiormation-about-sarah-palins-childhood-and-teen-years/466920/6 "2008-10-08T10:08:52Z")
Here’s a slightly strange [commentary](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ann-handley/sarah-and-me-junior-high_b_132630.html) from a junior high school classmate. Sarah Palin stole her parka! ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-infiormation-about-sarah-palins-childhood-and-teen-years/466920/7 "2008-10-08T10:35:06Z")
> [@Darryl\_Lict](#): > > Here’s a slightly strange [commentary](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ann-handley/sarah-and-me-junior-high_b_132630.html) from a junior high school classmate. Sarah Palin stole her parka! I can’t tell whether that’s actually about Sarah Palin, or about a girl the author knew who had the exact same personality, but I’m fairly sure it’s the latter. Why in the world would Sarah Palin go by ‘Pam’ in junior high, but be back to ‘Sarah’ in high school? Especially considering Pamela is not one of her two middle names. (The second of which is her maiden name.) She’s saying that we all ‘went to school with Sarah Palin’. Remember that mean girl from middle school that was still very popular and charming? That’s her. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-infiormation-about-sarah-palins-childhood-and-teen-years/466920/8 "2008-10-08T11:39:52Z")
> [@Jman](#): > > I can’t tell whether that’s actually about Sarah Palin, or about a girl the author knew who had the exact same personality, but I’m fairly sure it’s the latter. I can, and it is. This is about why the author doesn’t connect with Sarah Palin, not about Sarah Palin’s background. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-infiormation-about-sarah-palins-childhood-and-teen-years/466920/9 "2008-10-08T12:14:22Z")
Sarah thinks she’s Regina George, but she’s really Karen Smith. See the movie _Mean Girls_-I’m sure that could be her autobiography. Just add some moose hunting. ---
**Author:** ![Dolukhanova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c68b51/32.png) [@Dolukhanova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dolukhanova)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-infiormation-about-sarah-palins-childhood-and-teen-years/466920/10 "2008-10-08T14:22:44Z")
Was this the sort of thing you’re looking for? [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/01/AR2008100103437.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/01/AR2008100103437.html) ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-infiormation-about-sarah-palins-childhood-and-teen-years/466920/11 "2008-10-08T14:38:54Z")
First off, both McCain and Obama have written autobiographies: that tends to get that sort of information into the public consciousness. I don’t recall whether there are any biographies (auto or otherwise) about Biden, but he has been a senator for 36 years and a presidential hopeful in at least three election. It is hardly surprising that we have more biographical information about the three gentlemen than the lady. (I really hope that the OP was an expression of curiosity and not an expression of suspicion.) At any rate, I do not find stories about candidates that explore their early childhoods or even their high school years all that illuminating regarding their candidacy. (I realize that that means I automatically dismiss about a quarter of the recent _Rolling Stone_ piece on McCain, but so it goes. (I’m not too impressed by the rest of the _Rolling Stone_ piece, either, but I dismiss all the early stuff as nothing more than curious anecdotes.) ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-infiormation-about-sarah-palins-childhood-and-teen-years/466920/12 "2008-10-08T14:52:18Z")
I thought CNN did a one hour documentary bio special on each candidate. I found it interesting how many minutes were spent in each show on childhood versus adult life and career accomplishments. For example, much of the Biden show talked about his failed Presidential bids and the Bork hearings. Let’s just say they spent an awful lot of time on the play-by-play of Palin’s high school basketball championship and how she showed true grit and character playing with a sore ankle, etc. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-little-infiormation-about-sarah-palins-childhood-and-teen-years/466920/13 "2008-10-08T15:01:34Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > No prom or yearbook photos, stories from classmates in elementary and high school, no tales from ex-boyfriends, no nothing. Why not? Because she was grown fully-formed in a government lab.