Rumors of Palin Divorce; Palin "Camp" Issues Swift Denial

by Teh Nutroots | The top gossip for today, courtesy of The Alaska Report, is that Todd and Sarah Palin are to divorce.  Akmuckraker at The Mudflats has the story of the story.  Palin's spokespeople who, after all, have access to first-hand information, deny the rumor. 

For what it's worth, the report -- which seems to have originated with this blogger -- is as follows:

A National Enquirer story exposing previous affairs on both sides led to a deterioration of their marriage and the stress from that led to Palin's resignation as governor of Alaska last week.

The Palins were noticeably not speaking to each other for most of last Sunday's resignation speech in Fairbanks. Sarah ditched Todd (MSNBC) right after the speech and left without him. Sarah removed her wedding ring a couple of weeks ago.

Sarah has recently purchased land in Montana and is considering moving the family there. Sarah Palin is originally from Idaho. (The Alaska Report)

I don't actually give a damn either way, but it's the story of the day, and I didn't want to be left out.

Akmuckraker sums it up:

According to The Immoral Minority blog who was the first one out of the chute with this story, and The Alaska Report, known for breaking news on Palin, the Palins’ marriage is on the rocks.  Both outlets stick by their sources in Anchorage and Wasilla.

According to the Immoral Minority’s bombshell post this morning, the Palin’s are calling it quits, she tossed her wedding ring in the lake, she has purchased land in Montana, Todd pulled a gun on Levi Johnston back in the summer of 2008, Levi has given an “explosive” interview to Vanity Fair Magazine, and Sherry Johnston’s court date was pushed up to allow negotiations which were not possible with Palin as governor pressuring for the maximum penalties in her drug case.

Akmuckraker has more specific details in a Huff Post piece:

In addition to the divorce allegations, which state that Palin's wedding ring, conspicuously missing from her finger recently, now resides at the bottom of an unnamed Alaskan lake, IM reports that "explosive" news in the form of a recent Levi Johnston interview with Vanity Fair, is due out in October. Also reported is that Levi Johnston's mother Sherry Johnston, who stands accused of drug charges in Wasilla, had her sentencing moved forward from yesterday's scheduled date to August 19. Although attorney Rex Butler stated the delay was requested to allow for specialized medical treatment plan to manage Johnston's chronic pain from back surgery, the blogger claims the delay will allow negotiations which were not possible under the Palin administration. IM's sources say that Palin as governor was pushing for the maximum possible sentence, and that the new Parnell administration is not.

The Swamp has the blowback:

Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton issued a statement - on Facebook -- blasting the claims as a bunch of bunk from "some so-called journalists." She says there's absolutely no truth to the rumor and reminded everyone that a week ago Palin "asked the media to 'quit making things up.' "

The story, naturally, is getting attention on politics blogs, but nothing has moved on the wires at this hour. This looks like one that will burn up the blogs on the Internet for a few hours but not make it into print outside the tabloids.

CBS News appears to be the only mainstream media weighing in on the issue on its news page online rather than a blog. This story on its politics page (and on web sites of its affiliates) adds a quote from one Palin attorney, who says the divorce story is "categorically false" and another Palin lawyer who says the rumors are "totally untrue."

CBS News goes further to tamp down the rumor by quoting its own political director as saying that Palin often campaigned without her wedding ring. And a CBS News producer who followed Palin on the campaign trail says that the claim that the Palins weren't talking to each other at last weekend's picnics "appears to be untrue." The online story, though, does not note on what basis the producer made that assessment. Was he there last weekend or is he reporting what his sources are telling him?

CBS also says Palin may make a statement herself later today.

Fester at Newshoggers remarks:  "Treat the following as rumor only, but this would explain quite a few things without melting Occam's Razor."

Libby comments at The Impolitic:

[M]ore Alaskan scuttlebutt at the post about the Palin family real life soap opera featuring sex and drugs and firearms. Amusing, even if it isn't true...I'm beginning to think she floated the rumor herself so she could milk it for a news cycle and get some sympathy points from her supporters about how the evil media harasses her..

More blogger reaction at Memeorandum

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