Mutual Pal Pushed Palin to Court Clintons

A Maryland lawyer who is a sometime adviser to Sarah Palin urged her to forge an alliance with Hillary Clinton, reports Politico. John Coale, aka Greta Van Susteren's hubby, suggested that Palin donate funds from her political action committee to help Clinton retire campaign debt. Palin was open to reaching out to Clinton, said an aide, but hardcore donors “would be crushed” if she passed along their money.

Coale, a Hillary backer who went GOP in the general election, was hoping to help improve Palin’s image. “He thought the Clintons could rein in some of the Democratic firepower aimed at her,” says a Republican. Palin allies see the incident as representative of general problems: The Alaska governor, lacking savvy staff to help guide her, has had to rely on amateurs instead. (More Sarah Palin stories.)