Sarah Palin Blasts McCain Camp, Media in New Book

Nov. 13, 2009 — -- Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin takes aim at running mate John McCain's staffers and big media names in her new book, "Going Rogue: An American Life," which is already at the top of Amazon.com though it won't be released until Nov. 17.

The Associated Press was able to buy a copy of the 413-page book, which takes its title from words spoken by presidential candidate John McCain's staff whenever the former Alaskan governor went against McCain camp strategy. It's a friction between the two camps the book spotlights in earnest.

Palin writes about jaded campaign aides who kept her "bottled up" and away from reporters, according to The Associated Press. And Palin details the events of election night, when she was informed by McCain staffers that she would not be permitted to give her own concession speech.

Click here for more on the two speeches Palin never gave on election night.

According to the AP, Palin claims in the book that the campaign later charged her $50,000, what it cost to vet her as a vice presidential candidate. Trevor Potter, general counsel for the McCain campaign, told the AP that Palin was never asked to pay a legal bill.

"To my knowledge, the campaign never billed Gov. Palin for any legal expenses related to her vetting and I am not aware of her ever asking the campaign to pay legal expenses that her own lawyers incurred for the vetting process," Potter said.

Palin also writes that she did not like how the campaign revealed that her teenage daughter, Bristol, was pregnant. She believed the campaign's statement glamorized and endorsed the pregnancy, the AP reported.

The former VP candidate didn't mention the baby's father, Levi Johnston, in her book but she told Oprah Winfrey, in an interview scheduled to air Monday, that he is "part of the family" despite the apparently strained relationship.

"It's lovely to think that he would ever even consider such a thing, because of course you want -- he's part of the family," Palin said. "I think he needs to know that he is loved and he has the most beautiful child and this can all work out for good. It really can. We don't have to keep going down this road of controversy and drama all the time."

Tune In: Barbara Walters sits down with former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin for a five-part series which will begin airing on "Good Morning America" Nov. 17.

Palin on Couric: 'I Knew It Was a Bad Interview'

Palin also criticizes major names in the news media, including CBS News anchor Katie Couric and ABC News anchor Charles Gibson for interviews that Palin said appeared not sufficiently substantive, the AP reported.

Palin writes that a McCain campaign aide first proposed doing the interview with Couric, saying tthat Couric liked and admired Palin. The aide told Palin Couric suffered from low self-esteem and Palin replied that she began to "feel sorry" for the CBS anchor.

But Palin writes that Couric was "biased" and badgering during the interview in which Palin stumbled on questions about McCain's record in the Commerce Committee and what newspapers she reads.

Palin told Oprah she did not agree with the campaign's positive reaction to the interview.

"The campaign said, 'Right on. Good. You're showing your independence. This is what America needs to see and it was a good interview,'" Palin said. "And of course I'm thinking, if you thought that was a good interview, I don't know what a bad interview is because I knew it was a bad interview."

In the book, Palin reportedly compares Gibson to a disapproving principal who "peered skeptically" at her during their interview. She writes that he did not seem interested in "substantive issues."

But not all of the book is about her political campaign. The AP reports that the book, described as having a "folksy" and "homespun" tone, also discusses her upbringing in Alaska and when she met her husband, Todd Palin, in 1982.

Palin's book tour is set to criss-cross the nation's heartland, avoiding major cities and hitting lots of political battlegrounds.

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