Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has posted a note called Governor Palin’s Reading List:

Fascist writer Westbrook Pegler, an avowed racist who Sarah Palin approvingly quoted in her acceptance speech for the moral superiority of small town values, expressed his fervent hope about my father, Robert F. Kennedy, as he contemplated his own run for the presidency in 1965, that “some white patriot of the Southern tier will spatter his spoonful of brains in public premises before the snow flies.”

It might be worth asking Governor Palin for a tally of the other favorites from her reading list.

I agree. Who else does she follow? From where does she gather her teachings and philosophy?

In a similar vein, Seth Colter Walls reports “Palestinian Attack In Israel Part of God’s Judgment, Said Recent Guest At Palin’s Church”. Would she also say that 9/11 was God’s Judgment on America, like Fred Phelps, the homophobic and arguably insane fundamentalist from Kansas? Even Phelps has some redeeming qualities, but he has become an embarrassment to his home state and America. His personal vendetta style of preaching sounds very familiar. Tell me again the basis of Troopergate — vendetta? Is this what her followers identify with?

She referenced Pegler as a source of inspiration, even though he was a racist and anti-semitic American who is best known for his advocacy of violence and his attacks on “Commies”. Wikipedia points out Pelger had “nostalgia for the Third Reich” and believed there were “advantages in such fascism”.

While Pegler claimed to be a populist whose mission was to warn the nation that dangerous leaders were in power, he was a man whose views were so radical that even the notorious John Birch Society kicked him out in 1964 for being too antisemitic.

Is this the type of man Palin looks up to and wants America to emulate and learn from? It seems the answer is yes, as explained in the NYT:

Palin’s use of a quote from “once powerful right-wing Hearst columnist Westbrook Pegler” was intended to send a subtle but unmistakable signal to far right wing supporters.