Palin family dramas shake political clout

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By Andrea Billups

Teen pregnancy, drug charges, burglary arrests. Appearances on the "Tyra Banks Show" that resembled a Jerry Springer segment. Charges of being publicity hounds and not paying for the diapers.

The family foibles continue to play out in tabloid fashion for Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, adding unwelcome public drama for the former vice-presidential nominee as she seeks to solidify her clout within a Republican Party that is smarting from the November election and sorely in need of a leader.

While analysts from outside the political world agree that tabloid feuding is not the way to stay in the headlines, they say the publicity could either turn Mrs. Palin into a politically irrelevant Tina Fey punch line or prompt a backlash from her supporters who'd see class prejudice at play.

"It's been an embarrassing week for [Mrs. Palin] and seems like a train wreck in slow motion," said Robert Watson, a professor of American Studies and presidential historian at Florida's Lynn University. "In politics, perception is reality ... and all of this feeds into the very ugly caricature of her on 'Saturday Night Live,' which has been exploited and will continue to be. It seems to me that if it doesn't stop soon, I think it could eventually turn into a major political liability."

Allison Kasic of the Independent Women's Forum agreed that Mrs. Palin's family issues are distractions but said they will have little long-term impact on her political credibility.

"In the digital age, in the 24-hour news cycle, pretty much all politicians have a lot of dirty laundry aired, and now we get to see it all," she said. "Certainly, a politician having dramatic family issues is not new. And I think for every snide comment out there in the media, you often see this have a reverse effect. The more people tend to criticize her, the more people tend to like her and rally behind her."

But when The Washington Times contacted leading Republican Party officials and campaign strategists for comment on how Mrs. Palin's family troubles might affect her political fortunes, none was willing to be quoted on the subject.

"This isn't something we want to comment on," said one in a deadpan manner.

The latest round in the Sarah Palin political celebrity saga began last week. The former fiance of Mrs. Palin's daughter Bristol, Levi Johnston, along with his mother and sister, exceeded some people's bounds of candor and taste when they discussed his sexual relationship with Miss Palin on "The Tyra Banks Show."

The details included Mr. Johnston's assertion - quickly denounced as untrue - that Mrs. Palin allowed him to live at her home and knew that he was sexually involved with Miss Palin, who gave birth to their son, Tripp, on Dec. 27. Mr. Johnston, 19, and Miss Palin, 18, called off their engagement last month, and the details of their split were confirmed in headlines.