The truth behind Sarah Palin's "stalker."

A number of you voiced your doubt that the story about Kristen Cole and Palin having to swear out a restraining order to protect themselves against a dangerous lunatic was on the up and up, and as usual you were correct.

From The Times-Tribune:

Mr. Christy and his family say things aren't as they seem.

Father Craig Christy said the matter began when Shawn, without his parents' knowledge, left home, boarded a Greyhound bus and headed to Washington, D.C., in November 2008.

Mr. Christy ran out of money and had nowhere to go but said he felt safe around the White House and decided to hang out there, his father said. Eventually, he drew the attention of the Secret Service and was questioned by agents but not arrested.

That December, Mr. Christy said his cell phone started clicking and making strange noises. Also, when he used a public computer at a library in Tamaqua, it started malfunctioning. He said he began to call the Secret Service to see if the agency had somehow altered his phone and the computer.

After getting no response, Mr. Christy said he tried to reach Mr. McCain and Mrs. Palin and left repeated messages. Still with no response, he began to send them threats, thinking that would get him the attention he needed to get his phone fixed. He also called the White House for action but said people who spoke to him began laughing at and antagonizing him.

Mr. Christy claims he turned himself into authorities in Washington for the threatening message but was never charged. Soon, his parents were involved, and Secret Service agents visited the family at their home and interviewed Mr. Christy on June 18. He still wasn't charged with a crime but was ordered to undergo a psychological review, according to his father, though Shawn was found to have no problems.

Mr. Christy said he admitted making threats to Mr. McCain, Mrs. Palin and President Barack Obama. He also admitted to trying to contact Mrs. Palin through Ms. Cole, Mrs. Palin's family, her attorney and the Alaska governor's office. He said he found the numbers by looking them up in online phone directories. Shawn also said he called Mrs. Palin's office in 2008 because he was a supporter and wanted to know more about her views. When explaining how he contacted Ms. Cole from a phone with an Alaska area code, Mr. Christy said he purchased a pay-by-the-minute phone for which he could select the number and area code. He said he called Mrs. Palin's mother from the same number in an effort to reach the politician.

Mr. Christy said Wasilla police called him and read the protective orders over the phone to him, and his father said the family received hard copies of the documents, which were delivered by McAdoo police Tuesday.

McAdoo police declined comment Wednesday.

Craig Christy said his son was never in Alaska. Mr. Christy said he purchased a one-way ticket this spring, but never went on the trip because he couldn't afford a return ticket.

Mr. Christy said he sent Mrs. Palin receipts for a gun but that it wasn't intended as a threat. Rather, he sent the receipt from when he sold the gun to a gun shop in Tamaqua in April to let Mrs. Palin know that he wasn't going to shoot her. He claims he didn't contact Mrs. Palin, Cole or anyone else after July 3; according to court documents, he did contact Cole again.

Mr. Christy said the religious talk mentioned in the court orders was misconstrued. He said when he referred to being evil, he meant that all humans are considered sinners by God. He said he was raised Christian and wouldn't actually hurt someone.

Karen Christy is now concerned for her family's safety, and claims they've been the targets of threats.

"I wish honestly, I could go back and it didn't happen," Mr. Christy said.

Palin and Cole have requested a long-term protective order. A hearing on that request is scheduled for 10 a.m. Oct. 13 before Anchorage Master John E. Duggan, according to the Frontiersman.

Craig said the family, all of whom receive treatment related to Lyme disease, can't afford to hire an attorney or fly to Alaska for the hearing, so Shawn will have to participate by phone.

The 20-day protective order prohibits Mr. Christy from following, approaching, confronting, watching or otherwise staking or threatening to stalk or assault Mrs. Palin.

If Mr. Christy violates the order, he can be arrested without a warrant.

I will admit that Mr. Christy's behaviors were more than just a little bizarre, and that both Kristen Cole and Palin had every right to be a little freaked out by his attention.  I also believe they were within their rights to get a restraining order, even though Christy claims he did not contact either Palin or Cole after July 3.

However what Sarah Palin should NEVER have done is go to the press and blow this thing so far out of proportion.  She could have quietly filed this restraining order with the court, and instructed her attorney to simply say the matter was taken care of and they had no further comment, and left it at that.  The kid was never going to be a real threat and he did NOT need to have his life, and that of his family, turned upside down by Sarah Palin's need to play the victim.

She completely overreacted to this JUST like she overrated to Joe McGinniss moving in next door, to David Letterman making a joke about her daughter, and to the audience of DWTS booing her! 

She cannot do anything quietly and out of the media spotlight.  Every single thing has to be this giant drama filled episode where she plays the poor damsel in distress while the hapless protagonist is portrayed as evil, deviant, and dangerous. (And yes I speak from experience.)

It absolutely boggles my mind that there are actually people in our country who believe THIS WOMAN would make a good President of the United States.