That's Howie Kurtz's view of a book he hasn't even read. And why should he? Like every other MSM reporter (think Mike Allen's immediate dismissal of the book before reading a word of it), he knows already there is nothing in it, because it has anonymous sources and dares to write about the nitty-gritty reality of one of the biggest phonies in American political history. Yes, the Beltway is suddenly complaining about anonymous sources!
Of course, the only serious justification for such anonymity is if those sources could face retribution 
– the whistle-blower excuse. You will find on any given day countless examples of anonymous sources in Politico or the WaPo that have no such justification. But McGinniss's citations did. Much of Politico's unnamed sources have power and influence. None of McGinniss's sources did. They live in small towns in a demographically small state and the Palins are demonstrably powerful and vindictive people, capable of using their influence to destroy their foes (ask Trooper Wooten). The fear one gets from reading emails from people in Wasilla is remarkable. And when you read "The Rogue" – which no one on the CNN panel did! – you will be able to assess the reasons for such anonymity. And make your own mind up – instead of parroting uninformed crap like the august guests for "Reliable Sources." Like, for example, Todd Palin's claim that McGinniss was some sort of creepy pervert – which was reiterated on the show without comment, while none of McGinniss's serious claims were! (And if you read the book, you realize just how preposterous Todd Palin's victimhood bulllshit is.)
The most irritating response is from Ramesh Ponnuru who questions the book's "relevance". It's all so yesterday (although Palin could still announce a candidacy tomorrow). But it remains, in my view, deeply relevant to this country's institutions that we fully investigate and understand how a delusional, unstable, ignorant, vicious unknown came to be selected by a tiny group of people with no serious vetting to be potentially one heart beat away from the presidency of the US. The magnitude of that error should make anyone who cares about this democracy worry. Palin is different – less qualified than anyone in history, shielded from press scrutiny, able to get away with constant lies and absurd stories because of a cowed press, terrified of being called "liberal."
Did any MSM journalists question the insane claims – "Big laughs. More contractions" – in "Going Rogue" itself – a book, unlike "The Rogue," that went through no apparent fact-checking? Have they yet shown that a single claim in the McGinniss book is false? And how many of these journalists with "reputations" spent four months in Alaska trying to get to the bottom of the Palin myth? Zero. How many of them know Alaska and is culture as well as McGinniss? Zero. How many even began to investigate the bizarre story about Palin's fifth alleged pregnancy? Zero. What they do is pontificate about journalism, while making sure to avoiding committing too much of it.
I urge you to read the book and make up your own minds. Yes, there's salacious stuff in there. There's also a vast world of reality that the MSM never bothered to report or understand. Because, you see, they have reputations. And you don't get them in DC journalism by really seeking the truth if it embarrasses and humiliates an establishment that created Palin and now wants to run as fast away from her as possible.
The Dish 