I did not know you'd want to publicize my e-mail to you, but that is your prerogative.

I apologize if I've taken too long to respond, but after receiving your response wherein you asserted that no corrections are warranted, I did not want to waste your time getting into a tit-for-tat dialogue. I acknowledge that you own the ink.

I would ask again, though, that you check facts before running any stories, and request that you get input from administration officials when writing about issues that involve state government.

Further, I believe the public's desire is to have confidence that you have fact-checked your columnists' pieces. It certainly seems to many of us that they go unchecked. I respect that editorial page content is for opinion, but find it tough to respect any practice that allows for unsubstantiated allegations. With such limited amounts of hard news in your recently streamlined paper, I believe it's more important than ever to make sure what you print is truthful and accurate.

I'm expressing a quite simple and fundamental desire for accuracy in your paper. But having said that, I again acknowledge that it is your paper and you own the ink, and we evidently are agreeing to disagree on the need for the corrections/clarifications I requested.

A quick correction regarding your allegation that I claimed in our press release that you "failed to correct errors." Please re-read the presser. The mention of the ADN was in reference to your ridiculous pursuit of the "Who's Trig's Real Mother . . ." angle. You say you have not "received any cooperation . . . from the parties who, in (your) judgment, stood to benefit most from the story, namely (me and my family)."
Pat, we have cooperated. I told you I gave birth to Trig. My family and I were interviewed by local and national press on this, as was my doctor. We released my medical summary to national press. How much more "cooperation" can we provide before that line of questioning ends? And to read your comment that the recent rounds of questions regarding Trig may still not be the end of the story is a bit unbelievable. Surely you have more to report on than that sensational rumor. At this point, I do not blame my doctor for not wanting to comment further, and I join her in saying enough is enough, I will no longer continue to try to prove that Trig is my son. . . unless you offer to pay for a DNA test that can finally kill the most asinine story I have ever been asked to comment on. (I'm only half-joking!)

Thank you for your patience in awaiting my response. I do hope for nothing but the best for our local newspaper in these trying economic times that have hit your parent company.

Sarah

To: Gov. Palin
Subject: New Year's Eve email
(Monday afternoon, Jan.12)