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Sarah Palin made her debut this past week on the international stage amid complaints from journalists about an unprecedented level of restricted access to the candidate. On the campaign plane, she and her staff are sequestered behind a grey curtain. The campaign has allowed photo opportunities but banned journalists who might ask questions. Reporters have been puzzling over the silent, smiling woman who is shuttled from meeting to meeting, seems easily rattled, and appears to be unwilling--or unable--to answer any questions. Often McCain press aids intervene or physically impose themselves between Sarah and reporters.
"This isn't the Sarah I know,"- said a local Wasilla resident. "She was always shoutin' and hollarin' and real outspoken. I'm worried about her."-
More concern was voiced following a recent interview with CBS news anchor Katie Couric--one of only two interviews the candidate gave before McCain's staff had her cloistered and closely monitored. During the interview Sarah appeared visibly shaken and at one point seemed to be signaling to Katie Couric. Afterwards Sarah slipped a small, folded sheet of paper to the CBS anchor. It simply said: "Help me. They have my children."-
Strange as it may seem, sources now believe that a breakaway faction within the Republican Party has kidnapped the small-town Alaskan governor. They appear to be holding her children at a separate location to coerce her cooperation in securing the presidency for Senator John McCain. Sarah is a big hit in larger rallies, where crowds spontaneously chant, "Drill, baby, drill!"- when she takes the stage, but then fall silent when McCain emerges. "She's our only hope,"- an insider confided. "McCain can't afford to let her go."-
It is not clear whether the campaign initially kidnapped the governor or simply detained her when she began evincing second thoughts. Experts say that Sarah may be suffering from Stockholm syndrome: a psychological response often seen in brutalized hostages, in which they begin to identify with their captors. In fact, Sarah may not be the only American suffering from this disorder.
Sarah's plight has attracted the attention of human-rights watchdog groups such as Amnesty International and the Red Cross, who say they are attempting to negotiate with the campaign for a meeting with Sarah, outside the presence of McCain staffers, to make sure she is being treated well.
Concerned citizens should contact the McCain campaign at 708-418-2008 or online at http://www.johnmccain.com/Contact/ and let them know we won't be held hostage and we won't put up with this kind of treatment. Tell Senator McCain to let Sarah Palin go free!
