Five days out: What they’re saying about Palin

As the New York Times reports that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s vetting by Sen. John McCain’s team began within a few days of his Friday announcement, the media and bloggers have begun their own vetting in earnest. Among the results: Palin’s small town secured big federal funds (Washington Post), few Alaskans say they were asked questions about Palin (Anchorage Daily News) before Friday’s announcement, and Palin was not vetted by the FBI as had been reported earlier.

According to the Times, “[the McCain team] didn’t seriously consider her until four or five days from the time she was picked, before she was asked, maybe the Thursday or Friday before,” said a Republican close to the campaign. “This was really kind of rushed at the end, because John didn’t get what he wanted. He wanted to do Joe [Lieberman] or [Tom] Ridge.”

Here is a selection of this week’s news stories and commentary about Palin and her background.

Anchorage Daily News: "Attorney challenges Monegan firing inquiry"

Anchorage Daily News: “Questions surround Palin's background check”

The New York Times: “Disclosures on Palin Raise Questions on Vetting Process”

Associated Press: “McCain says Palin thoroughly checked”

Washington Post: “Palin's Small Alaska Town Secured Big Federal Funds”

Time magazine: “Mayor Palin: A Rough Record”

TimesOnline (London): “Sarah Palin: She came from nowhere”

Huffington Post: “McCain camp didn’t search Palin’s hometown paper archives”

Politico.com: “Palin is thrown into media major league”

The Miami Herald: “Sarah Palin's future son-in-law says he's an Alaska ‘redneck’ ”

Los Angeles Times: “With Palin revelations, McCain's gamble is clearer

Huffington Post: "Palin's church may have shaped controversial worldview"

The Atlantic.com: “Palin and the FBI background check - updated”

Guardian.co.uk (London) commentary: “Palin was member of party calling for vote on Alaskan secession from US”

Townhall.com commentary: “Palin Changes the 2008 Election Parameters”

Bloomberg.com commentary: “McCain's Palin Choice a Profile in Cynicism”