Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the GOP’s Newest Star
Fox News
JUNEAU, Alaska
The wipeout in the 2006 election left Republicans in such a state of dejection that they’ve overlooked the one shining victory in which a Republican star was born.
The triumph came in Alaska where Sarah Palin, a politician of eye-popping integrity, was elected governor. She is now the most popular governor in America, with an approval rating in the 90s, and probably the most popular public official in any state.
Her rise is a great (and rare) story of how adherence to principle–especially to transparency and accountability in government–can produce political success. And by the way, Palin is a conservative who only last month vetoed 13 percent of the state’s proposed budget for capital projects. The cuts, the Anchorage Daily News said, “may be the biggest single-year line-item veto total in state history.”
As recently as last year, Palin (pronounced pale-in) was a political outcast. She resigned in January 2004 as head of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission after complaining to the office of Governor Frank Murkowski and to state Attorney General Gregg Renkes about ethical violations by another commissioner, Randy Ruedrich, who was also Republican state chairman.
State law barred Palin from speaking out publicly about ethical violations and corruption. But she was vindicated later in 2004 when Ruedrich, who’d been reconfirmed as state chairman, agreed to pay a $12,000 fine for breaking state ethics laws. She became a hero in the eyes of the public and the press, and the bane of Republican leaders.
In 2005, she continued to take on the Republican establishment by joining Eric Croft, a Democrat, in lodging an ethics complaint against Renkes, who was not only attorney general but also a long-time adviser and campaign manager for Murkowski. The governor reprimanded Renkes and said the case was closed. It wasn’t. Renkes resigned a few weeks later, and Palin was again hailed as a hero.
Palin, 43, the mother of four, passed up a chance to challenge Republican senator Lisa Murkowski, the then-governor’s daughter, in 2004. She endorsed another candidate in the primary, but Murkowski won and was reelected. Palin said then that her 14-year-old son talked her out of running, though it’s doubtful that was the sole reason.
In 2006, she didn’t hesitate.
She ran against Gov. Murkowski, who was seeking a second term despite sagging poll ratings, in the Republican primary. In a three-way race, Palin captured 51 percent and won in a landslide. She defeated former Democratic governor Tony Knowles in the general election, 49 percent to 41 percent. She was one of the few Republicans anywhere in the country to perform above expectations in 2006, an overwhelmingly Democratic year. Palin is unabashedly pro life.
With her emphasis on ethics and openness in government, “it turned out Palin caught the temper of the times perfectly,” wrote Tom Kizzia of the Anchorage Daily News. She was also lucky. News broke of an FBI investigation of corruption by legislators between the primary and general elections. So far, three legislators have been indicted.
In the roughly three years since she quit as the state’s chief regulator of the oil industry, Palin has crushed the Republican hierarchy (virtually all male) and nearly every other foe or critic. Political analysts in Alaska refer to the “body count” of Palin’s rivals.
“The landscape is littered with the bodies of those who crossed Sarah,” says pollster Dave Dittman, who worked for her gubernatorial campaign. It includes Ruedrich, Renkes, Murkowski, gubernatorial contenders John Binkley and Andrew Halcro, the three big oil companies in Alaska, and a section of the Daily News called “Voice of the Times,” which was highly critical of Palin and is now defunct.
One of her first acts as governor was to fire the Alaska Board of Agriculture. Her ultimate target was the state Creamery Board, which has been marketing the products of Alaska dairy farmers for 71 years and wanted to close down after receiving $600,000 from the state. “You don’t just close your doors and walk away,” Palin told me. She discovered she lacked the power to fire the Creamery Board. Only the board of agriculture had that authority. So Palin replaced the agriculture board, which appointed a new creamery board, which has rescinded the plan to shut down.
In preserving support for dairy farmers, Palin exhibited a kind of Alaskan chauvinism. She came to the state as an infant, making her practically a native. And she is eager to keep Alaska free from domination by oil companies or from reliance on cruise lines whose ships bring thousands of tourists to the state.
“She’s as Alaskan as you can get,” says Dan Fagan, an Anchorage radio talk show host. “She’s a hockey mom, she lives on a lake, she ice fishes, she snowmobiles, she hunts, she’s an NRA member, she has a float plane, and her husband works for BP on the North Slope,” Fagan says. Todd Palin, her high school sweetheart, is a three-time winner of the 2,000-mile Iron Dog snowmobile race from Wasilla to Nome to Fairbanks. It’s the world’s longest snowmobile race.
Gov. Palin grew up in Wasilla, where as star of her high school basketball team she got the nickname “Sarah Barracuda”
Some more about Sarah Palin:
She beats awful Condi Rice out of the ballpark too.
Check this poll out:Who would be a better VP runningmate for John McCain?
Palin says Alaska will sue over polar bear listing
STORY HERE
The State of Alaska will sue to challenge the recent listing of polar bears as a threatened species, Gov. Sarah Palin said Wednesday.
She and other Alaska elected officials fear a listing will cripple oil and gas development in prime polar bear habitat off the state’s northern and northwestern coasts.
Sarah and her husband and their precious baby.
Source:Breitbart
Alaska governor sees ‘perfection’ in son with Down syndrome
The results of Gov. Sarah Palin’s prenatal testing were in, and the doctor’s tone was ominous: “You need to come to the office so we can talk about it.”
Palin, known for a resolve that quickly launched her from suburban hockey mom to a player on the national political stage, said, “No, go ahead and tell me over the phone.”
The physician replied, “Down syndrome,” stunning the Republican governor, who had just completed what many political analysts called a startling first year in office.
The doctor’s announcement in December, when Palin was four months pregnant, presented her with a possible life- and career-changing development.
“I’ve never had problems with my other pregnancies, so I was shocked,” said Palin, a mother of four other children.
Once her husband got the news, he told her: “We shouldn’t be asking, ‘Why us?’ We should be saying, ‘Well, why not us?'”
There was never any doubt the Palins would have the child, and on April 18 she gave birth to Trig Paxon Van Palin.
“We’ve both been very vocal about being pro-life,” Palin said. “We understand that every innocent life has wonderful potential.”
Wild Thing’s comment………
Just looking to see what conservatives are out there if McCain would even pick one.
I got this in an email from a Nam Vet Max, a few months ago that lives in Alaska, it is intersting:
“Speaking as an Alaskan – and someone who actually knows Sarah through my job – don’t take her away! lol
Yes, she is a conservative, but an Alaskan conservative, which means that she has her own mind about some things. Up here, conservative leans toward libertarian… and even the Democrats run for office on a pro-gun, pro-hunting platform. I’d like to see her stay a term or two and continue to do what she’s doing. Then she can run for president.”
….Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Ladies and Gentlemen Please Meet Alaska Gov. Sarah…
Bookmarked your post over at Blog Bookmarker.com!
This sure is a woman to look up to.
With all she has going on and to have a child with
Downs Syndrome, she has to be made of iron!
She would make a very fine running mate because she sees things a bit different than McCain, even though they’re on the same side. And with Downs, no one really knows what kind of future the child will have until later in childhood anyway. You just treat the child as normally as you can and hope and pray for the best. Teach it to read, to tie its shoes–everything you would with your child. God blessed the Palins with a precious child because he knew they would not be afraid.
We need to keep her and Bobby Jindal, Governor of Louisiana, away from McCain. They seem to be good Conservatives and we don’t need them being corrupted by McCain’s left leading policies.
Alaska has been known for it’s corrupt Republicans such as Sen Ted Stevens, who may lose his sat this election. Glad to see such a real honest Conservative as Gov Sarah Palin. This is the first I have heard of her. What great news. Not a RINO!
Maybe she could be a presidential candidate in 2012. By then the country may be really wanting a true conservative after 4 years of Obama or McCain.
BobF has a valid point. But what if we had a Palin-Jindal ticket in 2012, or a Bolton-Palin ticket.
What a breath of fresh air. I’d support Palin in a heartbeat. I lived in Alaska and know what Alaska politicians are all about, she’s all American. Tony Knowles former Anchorage maypr was like Dennis Kucinich and was a disaster for the State as was Ted Stevens and his corrupt ties to corrupt contractors in the state.
There had been a long standing tradition of ‘carpetbaggers’ heading for Alaska before statehood to avoid prosecution in the lower 48, some of them got into power, like Al Capone they had legitimate fronts but were corrupt to the core. Beware of their offspiring (Kennedy Klan ???)too. Excellent idea Bob and Tom. Thanks Mark and Chrissie.
BobF is correct that Sarah Palin and Bobby Jindal should be kept as far away from John Mcain as possible. McCain would exploit their conservative credentials to pimp out his RINO policies ruining them for future national office.
I commented on this in the morning but it did not go through, lost connection. I applaud her and her husband on going through with the birth of their son. My son is 32, Down Syndrome. We did not do any test to see the sex and I don’t recall any tests for Down Syndrome. Glad we did not. His Dr.’s suspected at birth but it wasn’t until after having chromosone tests done that we got a definitive answer that he was Down Syndrome. It does not have to be a burden but can be a real joy. He still lives at home with us and if God forbid anything happens my daughter (10 years older) will take the house and continue with him at home. I am pro-life but have to be honest. If my daughter or granddaughters were pregnant and decided on an abortion I would stand behind them with that decision even though I disagree. Thank God that has never happened but it may explain Romney’s and Julioni’s change of their position, and may not. Hypocritical maybe, honest yes.
Bob A
Lynn, I agree, it may not be good timing for now, but it gives us hope she could run later or even take Pelosi’s job one day. heh heh
BobF, that is what Nicholas said too. Keep her away from McCain so she is not tarnished with the connection and hope she runs later.
Tom yes either of those would be great……gosh I love thinking about this one especially….. Bolton-Palin ticket.
Jack thank you so much for sharing about living there. One truly has to have lived in a place to know what the political scene is like, much better then reading articles in a paper.
I have a 32 year old son with Down Syndrome, Chrissie knows more. It can be a blessing and not a burden. He still lives at home.
I’m not made of iron.
Bob A.
Les yes I agree and being associated with McCain is not going to help anyone that is a conservative in their political future.
Bob, both your comments show up perfectly (I am so glad) and thank you so much for sharing about your son.
Yes it can be a blessing like you said, but also I thank you for your honesty too.
Here’s an important piece of advice: If it looks like it’s going to be McCain/Palin anyway (and that should be a “no brainer” for Team McCain), McCain should announce NOW or VERY SOON, rather than later towards the convention. There’s currently a growing chorus for Obama/Hillary (as VP) ticket (in fact the Dems are likely aware of the Palin phenomenon). If the GOP waits while movement for Hillary as VP grows — even worse until after it is solidified that Hillary will/could be VP pick — selecting Palin will be portrayed by Dems/liberal media more as a reaction by GOP selecting its own female (overshawdoing Palin’s own remarkable assets), rather than McCain taking the lead on this. Selecting Palin now or early (contrary to the punditocracy) will mean McCain will be seen as driving the course of this campaign overwhelmingly, and the DEMS will be seen as merely reacting. And, there’s absoultely no down-side to this because even if Hillary is a no-go as VP for Obama, the GOP gains by acting early. McCain the maverick. Palin the maverick. Do it now!
There’s no reason, and actually substantial negative, in McCain waiting to see what the Dems do first insofar as his picking Palin as VP, because, no matter who Obama picks, Palin is by far (and I mean far) the best pick for McCain and the GOP, especially in this time of GOP woes. The GOP can be seen as the party of real ‘change’ (albeit I hate that mantra, change, change, bla bla), while not really having to change from GOP core conservative values, which Palin more than represents.
In light of the current oil/energy situation, as well as the disaffected female Hillary voters situation, and growing focus on McCain’s age and health, Palin is more than perfect — now.
(Perhaps Team McCain is already on to this.)
Thank you, Chrissie. I know that I sent you an e-mail a while ago more in depth (sometimes I get lonely) say HI to Nick for me. My daughter has worked for the past 16-17 years at the Devereaux Foundation working with Mentally and Physically challenged people. If it weren’t for her he would not be in a program with Devereaux. Thank you for all of your kindness and more. Thank all of your commenters and posters also.
Everyone excuse me for spelling Rudy’s name wrong.
I will be posting some pictures that my dad sent back from WWII. He was a medic in the CBI theater and actually I think his tour was a cakewalk compared to what most others went through. He was attached to the Flying Tigers. I do think even with that the conditions at GITMO are better than what he had.
Bob, I am glad you have your blog.I look forward to seeing your post about your Dad.
This Frontier Babe is hotter than the gals at the Great Alaskan Bush Company! Grrreat crew rest days (80’s) at Elmendorf when the sun never… shined!! $emper Per Diem…
Mmmmm… let’s see. She was on the city council and mayor of Wasilla (population 5,469 in 2000), an Alaska Oil and Gas Commissioner for 9 months, and now Governor of Alaska for a little over a year.
National experience and expertise? None.
International experience? None.
If the GOP is looking at Sarah as a VP candidate, they are really desperate.
Palin is a tax and spend liberal. Frequently referred to as “Sarah Chavez” in Alaska, she proposed and pushed through the largest socialistic tax increase in the history of the world. She supports the idea that the State can seize the property of private industry (aka oil producers) in Alaska if they don’t do what she wants. She has attacked almost the entire Republican majority in the house and senate. She recently tried to oust the Republican Party chair at the annual convention. She stood by and giggled when a radio shock jock called the Republican President of the Senate a “bitch” and “a cancer”. She threatened to support Democrats running against Republicans if they did not support her tax and spend policies.
She would be a disaster as VP. She has already proved herself to be a disaster for Alaska and our economy.