Sarah Palin's Never-Heard Victory, Concession Speeches

Nov. 4, 2009 — -- One year ago Sarah Palin stood back stage on election night, clutching pages in her hand and preparing to hit the stage once the election results were announced, despite Sen. John McCain's staffers repeatedly telling her she would not be allowed to speak.

A McCain speechwriter had suggested days before that the former vice-presidential candidate prepare two speeches just in case they were needed that night. One was a concession speech that praised Barack Obama and one a victory speech in which she planned to say her husband "will now be the first guy ever to become the 'Second Dude.'"

The contents of those never-heard speeches, and the controversy surrounding Palin's last planned public appearance on election night, are featured in a new book entitled "Sarah From Alaska" by Scott Conroy and Shushannah Walshe.

"I think it's pretty clear she wanted one last chance to be in the spotlight," Conroy told "Good Morning America." "She really wanted to say McCain was a hero and [she was] proud to run a great campaign with him, but she also wanted to get out there and get a few more words in."

ABC News verified the authenticity of the speeches independently.

In the never-delivered concession speech, Palin planned to say that if Obama governs with "the skill and grace we have often seen... we're going to be just fine."

But the prepared concession speech also contained this dig on Obama: "It would be a happier night if elections were a test of valor and merit alone, but that is not for us to question now," Palin would've said.

And she wanted to make a joke.

"I told my husband Todd to look at the upside: Now, at least, he can clear his schedule, and get ready for championship title number five in the Iron Dog snow machine race!"

CLICK HERE to read the two speeches.

Palin was happy with how the speeches were written and thought it would be appropriate for her to take the stage to praise both McCain and Obama and then introduce her running mate. But in the moments after it became clear Obama would be victorious, there was a mad scramble behind the scenes at the Biltmore Hotel in Scottsdale, Ariz.

New Election Night Palin Details

The new book details how Palin was told by several staffers loyal to McCain that it would be appropriate for only McCain to deliver remarks. But Palin persisted.

According to the book, Palin told one of her aides, "I've got the remarks. Figure it out."

In the end, it was McCain himself who pulled the plug.

After conferring with the senator, McCain speechwriter Mark Salter told Palin: "You're not speaking… John has decided it's unprecedented."

That was the explanation given to the gathered press that night, that it would be unprecedented for a vice presidential nominee to speak on election night.

But in fact, other vice presidential nominees have delivered such speeches. In 2004, John Edwards spoke and introduced losing candidate John Kerry. And Dan Quayle spoke in 1992.

Palin and Her Family Return to the Stage

In the end, McCain spoke and Palin stood nearby. Afterwards, he headed home.

Later that night, reporters were startled to see Palin and her extended family approaching the stage again. Her family wanted to take some souveneir photos before heading back to Alaska.

McCain staffers were concerned that Palin might once again try to speak to the assembled—and now bitter and disappointed—crowd of supporters who lingered in the courtyard, drinking away their blues.

"McCain staffers were so worried she was going to give this speech, they turned the lights off on her. They were worried and thought she would try to embarrass John McCain," Walshe said.

In fact, a top McCain staffer, Steve Schmidt, told the staff to literally "Take the set down… Unplug it."

"Come on, this is ridiculous," one of Palin's aides told the authors she said to a McCain loyalist.

"It's remarkable. This is their candidate on the last night and they were afraid she was going to go up there and undermine McCain," said Walshe.

According to the book, another McCain aide, who had already left for a bar, called someone on site and yelled into the phone, "Get control of her! Get her a-- off the stage!"

Author: Palin is 'Complex'

The book's authors also talked for the first time to New York stylist Lisa Kline who was in charge of buying clothing for Palin.

"She hadn't spoken before, and she really wanted to because she felt that Sarah Palin had gotten a raw deal in this instance," Walshe told ABC.

"Kline told us that Palin said this was too expensive or 'look at these price tags,' so much so that Klein and one of Palin's assistants took off the price tag, so she wouldn't see it… Several staffers told us it was because she felt self conscious of her image, unlike (in) Alaska. But now she was going to fundraisers and very rich Republican woman would compliment her on her shoes and her clothes and she did become more self-conscious and image conscious," Walshe said.

After a year spent researching for the book, Conroy and Walshe said they learned how misunderstood Sarah Palin is.

"I think people tend to project their own preconceptions onto Sarah Palin," Conroy said. "She is not someone you can pigeon hole and say she is this or that. She is a complex person just like anyone."

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