The New York Times, in a long and very unflattering profile yesterday of Republican Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin's work as governor of Alaska and, previously, mayor of Wasilla, concluded that there's more to the "book-banning" story than the campaign of Presidential candidate John McCain will let on. 

(The campaign, in a statement, said Palin's questions of Wasilla Public Library director Mary Ellen Emmons were "rhetorical" and did not address specific books.)

While the former director doesn't recall specific books targeted and a journalist believes one was Pastor, I Am Gay (though he got the name wrong at first), the Times gets more information from Palin's first campaign manager, Laura Chase, and John Stein, the former mayor:

But in 1995, Ms. Palin, then a city councilwoman, told colleagues that she had noticed the book Daddy’s Roommate on the shelves and that it did not belong there, according to Chase and Stein. Ms. Chase read the book, which helps children understand homosexuality, and said it was inoffensive; she suggested that Ms. Palin read it.

“Sarah said she didn’t need to read that stuff,” Ms. Chase said. “It was disturbing that someone would be willing to remove a book from the library and she didn’t even read it.”

“I’m still proud of Sarah,” she added, “but she scares the bejeebers out of me.”