As we noted yesterday, hacks raced to peddle Palin’s tale about the way she “fired” that state chef, “saying, I can make sandwiches for my own kids.” (We’re quoting the way John Fund told the tale. See THE DAILY HOWLER, 9/8/08.) Today, the Post offers a new perspective on such claims, reporting a fairly remarkable fact: Palin requests and receives “per diem” pay from the state of Alaska on the many days she lives at home rather than in Juneau, the capital. In typical press corps fashion, the Post fails to state the size of the stipend—and it offers confusing, seemingly self-contradictory statements. Judging from a paragraph about Todd Palin, it seems that Sarah Palin may request and receive roughly $54 per day when she works at home.
That should help a hockey-mom make a whole sh*t-load of sandwiches. On the other hand, the Post’s reporting is confusing and quite hard to parse. Compare paragraph 1 with this later statement: “Palin rarely sought reimbursement for meals while staying in Anchorage or Wasilla, the reports show.” Does this mean she accepts a lodging fee rather than money for meals? The Post’s reporting is typically hapless.
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