Todd Palin's DUI charge in '86

Posted: Monday, September 01, 2008 12:27 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Sarah Palin

From NBC's Mark Murray
Just asking, but with everyone focused on other news today, is the McCain camp trying to dump a lot of negative Palin news? Here's an exclusive from the Christian Broadcasting Network's David Brody:

"Sources close to Sarah Palin tell The Brody File that the husband of the GOP Vice-presidential choice, Todd Palin, was arrested and charged with Driving under the Influence of alcohol back in 1986. He was 22 years old at the time. He was driving in a truck with some friends in the small southwestern Alaska town of Dillingham when he was pulled over for the DUI. As is customary, he was taken to jail briefly. Sarah and Todd Palin were high school sweethearts so they were dating at the time. The Brody File can also report that there was no accident or injuries."

"Sources close to Sarah Palin also tell The Brody File that Todd Palin has been 'forthcoming about the situation and has indicated that it was a lesson learned from when he was younger.'"

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Comments

Sarah Palin as Vice President or President IS the Alaskan bridge to nowhere...

Martin, San Antonio TX (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:33 PM)

People that went to high school with Obama say he was a heavy drug user and well known for it in High School. Why not focus on him since he is running for the high office.

Bob in Va. (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:33 PM)

.
CNN Poll: Obama 49, McCain 48...

ZOGBY:

McCain/Palin 47%
Obama/Biden 45%...

------------------------------------------------------------
GALLUP DAILY: OBAMA UP BY 6...
------------------------------------------------------------

Obama Convention Bounce ???

McCain's Bounce ! (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:34 PM)

Yikes - teen sex, drunk driving. Good choice, Rush, um, I mean McCain.

I will never vote for a man who is too much of a wimp to stand up to Limbaugh.

McOwnyour failure (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:35 PM)

I am ecstatic you guys are uncovering this stuff! This family has NOT been properly vetted by McCain and his staffers. All this proves that McCain was desperate when he picked her. Too many problems with her and her family... Now, Why not dig up where Cindy McCain's money came from: the Meyer Lansky crime organization through her father Jim Hensley, Meyer Lansky's crony! - That is even better a story to tell!!!

John Goodspeed (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:35 PM)

Can hardly wait for the press to do its job vetting this Veep choice. These leaks from McSame's camp will barely scratch the surface of this story. They call it "controlled disaster." But Palin will be McSame's disaster and his downfall. Evangelicals in and of themselves are fine people, but if they don't stop supporting these dunderhead politicians, they will leave a lasting impression of fanatical stupidity in the annals of history, providing anyone is left to record our history after the likes of McSame live in the White House for another 4 years.

Sees Through This Dude McIdiot and His Loudmouthed Babe (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:35 PM)

Let's agree that whether on the right or the left THIS bit is truly NON-APPILICABLE.

Libratine (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:36 PM)

Gustav does have the headlines so any bad VP news can float right under the radar.

When you use your Maverick gut instincts and pick your VP after a brief phone interview you get what you deserve.

Dollbaby, Baltimore, Md (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:37 PM)

YES!

NEW WASILLA MAYOR ASKS CITY'S MANAGERS TO RESIGN IN LOYALTY TEST

Author: S.J. Komarnitsky
Daily News Reporter

Staff
Date: October 26, 1996
Publication: Anchorage Daily News (AK)
Page: D4

Word count: 388

The newly elected mayor of Wasilla has asked all of the city's top managers to resign in order to test their loyalty to her administration. Mayor Sarah Palin sent the resignation requests Thursday to Police Chief Irl Stambaugh, public works director Jack Felton, finance director Duane Dvorak and Mary Ellen Emmons, the head of libraries. A fifth director -- John Cooper, who oversaw the city museum -- resigned earlier this month after Palin eliminated his position.

http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=list&p_topdoc=31

pz (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:37 PM)

Never mind Todd Palin. The issue should be JOE BIDEN?

In 1987, Joe Biden ran as a Democratic presidential candidate. When the campaign began, Biden was considered a potentially strong candidate. In September 1987, the campaign ran into trouble when he plagiarized a political speech by the then-leader of the British Labour Party. It was also alleged that, during his time as a law student at Syracuse, Biden had plagiarized a law review article. Biden said it was inadvertent due to his not knowing the proper rules of legal citation, and Biden was permitted to retake the course after having received a Failing grade.

When questioned by a New Hampshire resident about his grades in law school, Biden had inaccurately recollected graduating in the "top half" of his class when he actually graduated at the bottom of his class, 76th from 85. Biden also claimed that he had attended on a full scholarship, and had received three degrees. In fact, he had two majors, History and Political Science, and received a single B.A. degree, and had received a half-scholarship based on financial need. When confronted with these revelations, Biden withdrew from the nomination race on September 23, 1987. (Source - Wikipedia.org)

WHO IS JOE BIDEN? WILL THE REAL JOE BIDEN PLEASE STAND UP?

Does old history count ??? (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:37 PM)

Dump problematic news during the storm and when the focus is OFF the convention! Mark, yes THAT in itself IS news.

Libratine (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:38 PM)

No family is perfect. Living up to a made up "image" is impossible. I'd be a dead duck after 24 hours if I were a candidate for anything, what with 8 brothers and sisters, 35 cousins, all growing up in the late 1960's, early 1970's. The memories are great, even hilarious and I wouldn't change or dismiss any of it for the world. However, their mistakes would most definitely be my mistakes in the eyes of the media. That's how it works these days.

No, I wouldn't last 24 hours. lol.

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:38 PM)

Such wonderful family values the palin family has.

Inebreated driving on icy Alaskan roads, underage premarital unprotected sex...

Grand Ole Party, indeed...

Matt, Idaho (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:38 PM)

Don't be distracted by the petty negative Palin stories. There's plenty more real things....such as those relating to POLICY.

...ie.... Check out the QUOTES in Alaskan newspapers where Palin states that the Bridge to Nowhere HAD to be cancelled...as the funding did NOT come through from Washington. She did NOT say 'no thanks'. She held her hand out and indicated that she WELCOMED *any* porkbarrel money that came her way.

...ie....Her history of abusing her political power for her own benefit.

JMP, northern MN (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:38 PM)

Chill, people. It's in his past--when he was young and foolish. I would bet that there are tons of Americans out there who have this blight in their past. More than what anyone would like to admit.

K. Warren (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:39 PM)

Well at least they're human.

Kathy, Simi Valley CA (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:39 PM)

KEEP CHECKING

SHE HAS A TON OF BAGGAGE

And HILLARY IS PISSED that she had THE GALL to try to take over her campaign. Anyone who supported Hill should FEEL THE SAME.
Rove and McShame think this is class and gender warfare. They think this is DISNEY.

People better wake up to what they are doing. It is quite disgusting and VERY DANGEROUS

Nj (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:42 PM)

OK, a DUI from 22 years ago isn't 'breaking news', but the dump of all this Palin baggage (especially about the pregnant daughter) makes me wonder if McCain is trying to find a scapegoat in case he loses...He can blame it all on Mrs. Palin if Obama wins, and take credit for a bold move if he wins.

Michelle, South Gate, CA (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:42 PM)

NOW they are vetting her. LOL. What else is coming during the storm?

Libratine (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:43 PM)

Ahhh?...We the American People deserve the Whole Picture...and things are not looking good..

Palin explains her actions in Ruedrich case

Author: RICHARD MAUER
Anchorage Daily News

Staff
Date: September 19, 2004
Publication: Anchorage Daily News (AK)
Page: A1

Word count: 5695

Sarah Palin never thought of herself as an investigator. Yet there she was, hacking uncomfortably into Randy Ruedrich's computer, looking for evidence that the state Republican Party boss had broken the state ethics law while a member of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.

http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AS&p_theme=as&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_text_search-0=palin&s_dispstring=palin%20AND%20date(all)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=_rank_:D&xcal_ranksort=4&xcal_useweights=yes

soldier (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:44 PM)

Teen daughter pregnant, ties to big oil, the infamous bridge to nowhere, lack of any substantive experience, forcing others to resign.....ha! This Palin choice looks like gold in retrospect.

Obama/Biden '08!

Jon, Reno, NV (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:45 PM)

Hopefully, nobody will care about this triviality. The interesting thing is the pace of releases, with the much more impactful pregnancy of the daughter coming shortly before this youthful indescretion.

Sometimes, with the Repubs, it really feels like everything is stage-managed and scripted... Palin will undergo the most compressed vetting of a major party candidate in history, so there's going to be limited time to respond to each piece before the next one comes.

At some point in the Right's ideology do words and deeds collide? Holding up Palin as a paragon of modern motherhood is fine, but what are the obligations to performance there, other than saying that you are one? Should be interesting.

Gary from Dallas (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:46 PM)

Once Sarah Palin parking metre expired, yes it is true and he 2nd cousin got a speeding ticket once.

Ted Kennedy killed a girl in a car accident that he reported 9 hours later. So she is no Ted Kennedy all his relatives were later charged with murder and rape, but having a relative in Alaska that had a DUI so what.

Nancy Sandpoint Idaho (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:46 PM)

No Beauty & the Beast ticket

We deserve better!!!

Obama/Biden 08 & 12

We deserve better!!! (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:47 PM)

Wow! That was 22 years ago and wasn't Sarah Palin. How is that relevant or even newsworthy?

Charlotte (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:48 PM)

Can Anyone say Dan Quayle or Ferraro
This is an exact the kind of stuff that was brought to into the light during their campaigns.
It also show how McCain makes a decision Off the Cuff
Someone send him a Google for dummies book.
Is this the kind of man we want making important national security and domistic decisions?????

Jill Reno (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:50 PM)

The Palins were proud to announce that Bristol and the baby's father will be getting married.

Conservatives and NRA members are especially proud that Sarah herself will be holding the shotgun.

McWhitewedding (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:50 PM)

I don't really care about a DUI from a 22-year old. There but for the grace of God go I. What I DO care about however is Palin's links to the Alaska Independent Party, an organization wanting to secede from the U.S. Palin cannot be VP of 1 state only.

fortuna, Houston, TX (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:50 PM)

John McCain must have really hated Romney to "knowlingly" select such an inappropriate candidate for Vice President. Did he think women would identify with the teen pregnancy issue or perhaps a mother whose focus was on herself and not on her children. Gustav isn't the only thing dumping rain on this parade. I am disgusted with this choice, this woman and this candidate for president. signed ..an embarassed American

P. Hamilton, Newport RI (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:52 PM)

Todd Palin had a dui over twenty years ago-so what? Joe Biden's son Hunter had a car crash while he was drunk, but papa covered it up. Hunter needed money to purchase a hedge fund company, and one of Papa's major donors (a well connected lobbyist) put up the funds, so we know that Joe owed that lobbyist, big time. It's all out there, but nobody report on it.

I'm more worried about the Obama, myself. I DO NOT hold him responsible for the endorsement of Rev. Farakhan; I'm sure he neither sought nor welcomed it. I AM worried about the Hama endorsement. While Obama neither sought nor welcomed that one, it tells me something that a terrorist group would favor his election-as in, they think he will be firendly to their agenda. It OUGHT to trouble all Obama supporters, but they ignore things that disturb their vision of "The One".

Donna, Lincroft, NJ (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:52 PM)

You ain't seen nothin yet no babay you aint' seen nothing yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1st major decision, 1st major disasterous decision!!
Bet we here he never picked her next week on some tv new station probably fox but I don't those liars so please someone else report it, Keith Olberman you better have a field day with all the crap gonna be coming out and I so look forward to it!!!!!!!!!!

Voter in Pa (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:53 PM)

Lucky no one is dead. Drunk driving is no joke.

Lucky no one is dead. Unprotected sex is no joke.

If you can not manage to raise a daughter to meake better decisions. What kind of decisions are you making? This is not a dadge of honor. Our children need better role models.

I hope the joke is not on us.

Real Family Values, Please.

John Lemaster (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:53 PM)

You know, I understand the temptation to be critical of the Palin family for the choices they have made. After all, the conservative nut wing of the Republican party (of which Palin is clearly a member.) have a long history of shaking their fingers in everyone else's face and lecturing about morality, and how their morality exceeds anyone else's. They even made an attempt to impeach a sitting President over morality, and got in a lot of trouble over it. Hypocrisy always comes back to bite you.

The issue is this woman's total unsuitability for the office of VP. There are Republican woman who would have been far better choices, with far more experience. This must make any rational person question John McCain's ability to make sound and reasonable decisions as POTUS.

sotiredofignorance (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:53 PM)

I think this is no big deal BUT do believe it proves what I have been reading that Sarah Palin was never properly vetted by McCain campaign.

goodwin, arizona (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:53 PM)

Every day more revelations on the criminal behavior of the "Dysfunctional" Palin family. I think the big question of the week is will she last the week before being dumped by "PlayBoy" McCain? Will the repugnant one's party be willing to self destruct with their Mommy Dearest VP candidate? Will the evangelical christian lunatic fringe really support such a family values basket case?

I so can't wait for Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert to be all over this antifeminist nutcase tomorrow night and this week. Just when I thought the Golden Age of Liberal Comedy couldn't get any better along comes the gift of a lifetime. I can't wait for Bill Maher on Friday night on HBO to rip this false feminist to shreds.

I'm still waiting to hear about the academic achievements, or lack thereof, to come out. Considering that I only have heard about her love of guns, religion and sports I'm sure that there's nothing to report academically. Yes, "Dunce" Palin - one of the misleading minds of the 21st century B.C.!

Mark Murray thanks for the laughs on this one! Keep up the good work and tell us of her academic background so we can keep on laughing.

Yep the Dumb and Dumber ticket are looking more clulesss and dishonest by the day and they're the joke that keeps on giving!

Only Obama/Biden will bring honesty and integrity back to the White House!

Go Oama/Biden 08/12!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:55 PM)

Yeah, I think she is absolutely a disaster for the country, but her husband's 22 year old DUI isn't the reason.

The fact that the campaign obviously didn't vet her is a huge problem, as is the fact that she either callously put her unborn child at risk by flying home from Texas after going into labor (with her 5th child!!!) rather than going to the hospital like anyone else, or she lied and the kid is really her kid's...

Regardless of which of these things is actually fact, she is a nightmare waiting to happen.

Veronica, CA (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:55 PM)

Idiot, it was brought up about Joe Biden I guess you don't watch 60 minutes that the rest of the country heard the answer!!! He admitted his mistake too!!!
You are so grasping at straws

Obama/Biden

Brenda (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:55 PM)

Well let's see our current President has a DUI on his record and still beat the best the democrats could scrape from the bottom of the "he's just like JFK" barrel.

Dave, Tn (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:56 PM)

Gee if only Barack had been so forthcoming about his friendship with terrorist Ummm he does give a good speech though. Ayers and his intimate ties with the racist Wright.

Truthteller (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:56 PM)

To tell you the truth, I feel very sorry for Palin. She was chosen for what reasons I am not sure but she will be torn up by the media. She may be a nice person although from what I have read, maybe not. She will be McCains downfall but he allowed it.

Nancy Henry. Banner Elk, NC (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:56 PM)

I wonder why the MSM was so quick to air this story when it sat for months on the John Edwards story.

Roberta (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:56 PM)

Palin's daugther is pregnant and she is advocating for abstinence and no sexual education in schools.

Liz (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:57 PM)

Boy there sure are a lot of attacks about a 17 year old getting pregnant. Like this hasn't happened before. Bristol is marrying the father and having their baby so what's the negative?

EscapedFromNY (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:58 PM)

90210
or Jerry Springer
or Twilight Zone..
what TV show works here..?

BJ, CA (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:58 PM)

All joking aside, this is a serious issue. I've read several newspaper articles, viewed several videos, and read many blogs today. Some are just full of jokes. But, please believe me when I tell you this is a VERY serious matter.

There are, in this country, many pockets of extremists who believe that the country is full of conspirators, against a woman's right to choose for any reason, believe the world is approximately 6,000 years old, do not want their children vaccinated, believe only in creation, and do NOT under ANY circumstances want their children exposed to worldly knowledge.

This is the type of person who is rejoicing at the nomination of Sarah Palin and this is the type of person that will do everything they can do in order to see that the McCain/Palin ticket is put in the White House.

To be perfectly honest, it frightens me. You see, if they are successful, I will also have to suffer the consequences. Worse than that, my children, grandchildren and my one great-grandchild will also suffer. This country stands on the brink of disaster and this election is far too important for jokes. It is FAR too important to take any choices of the Republicans lightly.

God save us from ignorance - - and God protect Senator Obama.

mrs j - illinois (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:58 PM)

He was twenty-two years old in living in a small town in Alaska. Is this shocking? Who cares?

Wilson, Seattle (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:58 PM)

Do you mean she is not mother of the year like the GOP has told us? I wonder if she was a better mom to her daughter would this had happen. She cares more about her political future than she does her family!

Capt. Smash Salt Lake City, Utah (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:58 PM)

Let's agree that whether on the right or the left THIS bit is truly NON-APPILICABLE.
Libratine (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:36 PM)
***************************************************
You are absolutely right!

Let be Fair (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:58 PM)

The McTwilight Zone..

BJ, CA (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 12:59 PM)

With a hurricane in the gulf, residents in peril and lives at risk, MSNBC decides to spend its time on smear campaign. Pregancy and DUI's have NOTHING to do with the political issues, or anyone's ability to lead. I used to watch MSNBC fairly regularly, but this is the final straw for me. Is the Obama campaign fueling your fire?? Either way, your journalistic integrity has gone down the sewer and it's disgusting.

Kacy M (Sent Monday, September 01, 2008 1:01 PM)

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