August 2, 2009: Alaska ex-governor Sarah Palin denies divorce rumors

by Jeffrey Cottrill

JUNEAU, AK -- The media can't get enough of former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, and she can't stand it.

After her resignation from the governorship of Alaska last week, Palin's farewell speech alone resulted in endless public confusion and criticism, ranging from Vanity Fair's detailed edit of the manuscript to William Shatner's hilarious reading of it as poetry. And now, there's been speculation of a divorce -- strongly denied by Palin's camp.

The independent Alaska blog The Immoral Minority, by an anonymous political journalist identified only as Gryphen, reported the alleged split yesterday. "According to my source," the blog entry read, "Sarah is finished with Todd and has decided to end their marriage... She has purchased land in Montana... and may be considering moving herself and the children as far away from Alaska as she can get."

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When the story reached the mainstream media later yesterday, Palin's spokesperson was the first to publicly deny its veracity. "There is no truth to the recent 'story'... that the Palins are divorcing," Meg Stapleton posted on Palin's Facebook page. "The Palins remain married [and] committed to each other and their family."

Palin herself told right-wing blogger Robert Stacy McCain, "Divorce Todd? Have you seen Todd? I may be just a renegade hockey mom, but I'm not blind!"

And her lawyer, Thomas Van Flein, told CBS that reports of Palin's divorce were "categorically false".

Despite the quick denials, the divorce rumor picked up strength with the public. According to the Chicago Tribune, "sarah palin divorce" was the most popular search term on Google yesterday.

Sarah Palin, 45, took office as Alaska's 11th Governor in December 2006. Last year, she was Republican candidate John McCain's running mate in the presidential election.