Fox News' Greta Van Susteren and Todd Palin attend the White House Corresspondents' Dinner in Washington. (Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images)
by Rebecca Cole
Once again, that wacky Washingtonian power couple, Fox News' Greta Van Susteren and her husband John Coale, are making news with their efforts to stage-mother-manage Sarah Palin and her presumed presidential run in 2012.
Meddling with the Alaska governors' strategy seems to be par for the course for the duo. Earlier this year, Van Susteren and Coale were at the center of a dustup over Palin's seemingly incoherent ability to maintain the momentum and enormous popularity gained from her failed vice presidential bid last year.
But it just keeps getting weirder.
This time, as Politico reports, Coale, a longtime Beltway insider and trial lawyer, is working hard behind the scenes to forge an alliance between Palin and...wait for it...Bill and Hillary Clinton.
Before endorsing Sen. John McCain, Coale was a prominent supporter of then-Sen. Clinton, even stumping for her during the 2008 campaign. Seemingly working both sides of the fence, Coale urged Palin to "use her political action committee to help retire the presidential campaign debt of Hillary Clinton.
From Politico: "...Coale made his case to Palin at the Iron Dog snowmachine competition in Fairbanks, where Todd Palin was competing over Valentine's Day weekend. His broader aim, say Palin camp insiders, was to help Palin develop a relationship with the former first family that he thought could bolster the polarizing governor's standing with Democrats and independents."
After Palin declined, saying it "wasn't a prudent use of the money," Coale continued to press her on the idea, even though a warm and cozy relationship with the Clintons, a couple the GOP loves to hate, wasn't looking too good.
Coale tried to warm the Clintons up to the idea of an alliance as well, Politico reports, using a "friendly call" Bill Clinton made to Palin after the election as "an opportunity to play matchmaker."
To his credit (or maybe to his wife's), the former president also declined a get-together with Palin.
Another odd side-note to the never-ending saga of the Palins, Van Susteren and Coale: When the Alaska governor had to nix attending the White House correspondent's dinner last weekend due to flooding in her home state, husband Todd did attend...with Van Susteren.
Some may say Alaskan politics are strange, but nothing beats the Beltway at its incestuous best.
Comments
Girrrl power? How about lady power? I don't see the Clinton's hooking up with Sarah; not even Bill.
Posted by: Flo | May 19, 2009 1:50 PM
Why oh why the adoration of the Palins? Do you think both these couples are swingers?
Posted by: lochnessmonster | May 19, 2009 2:19 PM
Palin's "star power" is sinking like a rock. That's why she wants to ride the coattails of a winner: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Posted by: BC | May 19, 2009 4:14 PM
Oh, we can only dream. A team that represents the work-class Americans the DNC has thrown overboard in favor of Poverty Tsars, Industry-Killing Unions and government workers with ties to organized crime, and who the GOP has not formerly paid the time of day to.
Yeah, I'll go for it. Clinton/Palin 2012-2020; Palin 2021-2030. Somebody has sort out the country after two hundred fifty years of pissing contests.
Posted by: Claire | May 20, 2009 1:01 PM
BC her star power not sinking as much as you would like to think so. She gets stronger everyday and now that she is expressing her views without a teleprompter I might add. O has gotten us into a deep mess but she can get us out and don't throw Bush into this he might have started it but o owns this mess. Gov banks and car companies when are you kool aid drinkers going to wake up that started with Hitler and Lenin just improved on it. Go Sarah I think I am going to donate more money to the pac today
Posted by: Badger | May 20, 2009 2:10 PM