Thanks to a strange act of usefulness by a supermarket tabloid, millions of Us Weekly readers this week are being treated to a glimpse, based on actual facts, of what a crude and spiteful individual Sarah Palin actually is. Based on audio recordings and coverage in the Anchorage Daily News that many in the Lower 48 might otherwise have missed, Us Weekly tells its loyal millions about how the governor of Alaska phoned into a radio talk show and giggled as a morning DJ launched into a series of tasteless and puerile attacks on the president of Alaska's state senate.

On the morning of January 15, 2008, Palin phoned into the Bob & Mark Show at KWHL 106.5 in Anchorage. Early in the conversation, DJ Bob Lester referred to state senator Lyda Green as a jealous woman and a cancer. In fact, as Palin was fully aware at the time, Green is a cancer survivor. Rather than suggest that perhaps Lester was going a little too far with his remarks, however, Palin played along as Lester intensified his attack on Green. When Lester questioned Green's motherhood, asking Palin if she thought Green even cared about her own kids, Palin laughed; then laughed again as Lester declared: "Lyda Green is a cancer and a b*tch"; then laughed again as Lester made fun of Green's weight with a reference to Green's "big and cushy" chair in the state senate. In audio, Palin is clearly relaxed and enjoying Lester's jokes at Green's expense, hardly "caught off guard" as she would later claim. Finally, when Lester suggests a visit for himself at the state capital, Palin responds: "I'd be honored to have you."

An editorial in the Anchorage Daily News (Jan. 25, 2008) following Palin's appearance on the Bob & Mark Show clearly stated the paper's opinions of the governor's behavior:

"She came off looking immature herself, almost high-schoolish. It was conduct unbecoming a governor. She should have thought twice about appearing in such a sophomoric venue. Not much good can come of it."

A follow-up piece by Dan Fagan in the Anchorage Daily News (Jan. 27, 2008) took Palin even more harshly to task:

"The governor's appearance on KWHL's 'The Bob and Mark Show' last week is plain and simple one of the most unprofessional, childish and inexcusable performances I've ever seen from a politician.... Anchorage DJ Bob Lester unleashed a vicious, mean-spirited, poisonous attack on Senate President Lyda Green last week while our governor was live on the air with him.... It was conduct unbecoming a human being, never mind a governor."

Following Palin's pick by John McCain as Republican vice-presidential running mate, Alaska state senator Lyda Green - also a Republican - had the following to say to the Anchorage Daily News (Aug. 29, 2008) on Palin's readiness to serve:

"She's not prepared to be governor. How can she be prepared to be vice president or president? Look at what she's done to this state. What would she do to the nation?"

Far from distancing herself from the Bob & Mark Show, meanwhile, Palin appeared again with John McCain on the show Aug. 29.

Audio of Palin's January appearance on the show can be found in its entirety at The Raw Story, with highlights available at Youtube. Everyone should hear this.