Hockey Moms Break Out Their Canceling Sticks Over Us Weekly's Sarah Palin Cover

Us Magazine

(Sept. 5) -- Sarah Palin not only won over the hockey moms with her Republican National convention speech -- she won over the tabloid reading crowd. Subscribers of Us Weekly, who somehow are not yet familiar with the tabloid's record of taste and accuracy, are canceling their subscriptions en masse after this week's Sarah Palin cover story with the blaring headline "Babies, Lies & Scandal."

MSNBC's Scoop is reporting that the magazine "is said to have lost thousands of subscribers in just the first 24 hours following the printing of the issue." A well-placed industry source told MSNBC that he or she is "hearing it's 5,000, maybe more" cancellations, while another said it may be closer to 10,000.

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Sarah Palin Pics

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., greets the crowd as he arrives at a rally with his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (not pictured), Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008, in Fairfax, Va. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., accompanied by his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, her husband Todd, and his wife Cindy, takes part in a rally in Fairfax, Va. Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A polar bear and two cubs are seen on the Beaufort Sea coast within the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in this undated file handout photograph provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Alaska Governor and Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin has opposed the listing of the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act because that status could hamper expanded drilling in remote regions. To match feature USA-POLITICS/ALASKA-ENVIRONMENT REUTERS/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Handout (UNITED STATES). FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.

Reuters

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., flanked by his running-mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, left, and his wife Cindy, gestures during a rally in Fairfax, Va. Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is introduced to speak at a rally with his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008, in Fairfax, Va. At left is Palin's husband Todd Palin, and behind McCain is his wife Cindy. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

US Republican vice presidential candidate Alaska Governor Sarah Palin waves as she leaves Republican campaign meetings at McCain campaign headquarters in Arlington, Virginia on September 10, 2008. It was her first visit to Republican campaign headquarters. At far right is her husband Todd Palin. AFP PHOTO Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

US Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin waves as she leaves Republican campaign headquarters in Arlington, Virginia on September 10, 2008. AFP PHOTO Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin waves as she leaves Republican campaign headquarters, in Arlington, Virginia on September 10, 2008. At right is her husband Todd Palin. AFP PHOTO/Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Republican presidential candidate Arizona Senator John McCain listens as his running mate Alaska Governor Sarah Palin addresses the crowd at a campaign event in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on September 9, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama late September 9 hurled an acidic attack at his Republican White House rivals' reformist credentials, likening their promise of change to putting "lipstick on a pig." AFP PHOTO Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Republican presidential candidate Arizona Senator John McCain and his running mate Alaska Governor Sarah Palin stand on stage at a campaign event in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on September 9, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama late September 9 hurled an acidic attack at his Republican White House rivals' reformist credentials, likening their promise of change to putting "lipstick on a pig." AFP PHOTO Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

A spokesperson for Wenner Media, who publishes Us, said "it is completely false that we are losing 10,000 subscribers," and also denied the 5,000 cancellation rumor.

What US likely didn't expect was a complete 180 by Palin and the McCain campaign. "When Us went to print Monday night, it looked like the ticket was falling apart," an unnamed magazine editor said. "They went to print thinking Palin was dead in the water."