On the other side of the Atlantic, tomorrows news stories are already out by early evening in the U.S. And Friday's papers are talking about a release of documents about Troopergate that purportedly show Sarah Palin herself wasn't involved in continual pressure on Alaska's public safety commissioner Walter Monegan to fire Palin's former brother-in-law, Alaska State Trooper Mike Wooten. But her husband, First Dude Todd Palin, hounded police chiefs to get Wooten fired, according to the documents.
Rupert Murdoch's flagship tabloid, The Sun, with over 6 million readers daily, has the story, and so too (in more unflattering detail) does ITN News:
A report on the case, which made international headlines after Mrs Palin's surprise selection as the Republican vice presidential nominee, will be released on Friday.
It could reveal the extent of the Alaska governor's husband's involvement in her administration.
Affidavits filed with investigators suggest Mrs Palin was not involved while her husband Todd repeatedly met with her aides about family affairs.
Mr Palin said: "I have heard criticism that I am too involved in my wife's administration. My wife and I are very close. We are each other's best friend. I have helped her in her career the best I can, and she has helped me."
He told the governor's top aides emotional stories about Mr Wooten threatening and emotionally abusing his family.
He said he talked to anyone who would listen. He gave them photos and documents, which they forwarded to others in the administration, and he questioned how Mr Wooten kept his job.
But Mr Palin said he never pressured anyone, including his wife, and said that after repeatedly talking about the matter with her, she finally told him to "drop it".
"Anyone who knows Sarah knows she is the governor and she calls the shots," he wrote.
"I make no apologies for wanting to protect my family and wanting to publicise the injustice of a violent trooper keeping his badge."
Even Mrs Palin's special assistant, Ivy Frye, said she was distraught when she was told about the situation.
The question now, of course, is whether these affidavits were deliberately designed to take the heat off Sarah, and whether Todd was designated to 'take one for the team." What do you think?
Would it help to make your mind up if you knew that these documents were part of a report issued pre-emptively by the Palin camp to try to head off the official report and clear herself in advance?
I thought it might.
Crossposted from Newshoggers
