Palin a historic choice for vice president, and all but unknown outside of Alaska
Published Friday, August 29, 2008
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Sarah Palin
Presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., announced that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was his choice as vice presidential running mate on Friday, Aug. 29, 2008.
JUNEAU — In two short years, Sarah Palin moved from small-town mayor with a taste for mooseburgers to the governor’s office and now — making history — to John McCain’s side as the first female running mate on a Republican presidential ticket.
She has more experience catching fish as a former commercial fisherwoman than dealing with foreign policy or national affairs.
Talk about a rocketing ascent.
In turning to her, McCain picked an independent figure in his own mold, one who has taken on Alaska’s powerful oil industry and, at age 44, is three years younger than Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and a generation younger than McCain, 72.
Palin’s selection was a jaw-dropper, as McCain passed over many other better known prospects, some of whom had been the subject of intense speculation for weeks or months. She was on the radar but as a distinct long shot.
She brings a strong anti-abortion stance to the ticket and opposes gay marriage — constitutionally banned in Alaska before her time — but exercised a veto that essentially granted benefits to gay state employees and their partners.
Palin lives in Wasilla, a town of 6,500 about 30 miles north of Anchorage, with her husband, Todd, a blue-collar North Slope oil worker who competes in the Iron Dog, a 1,900-mile snowmobile race. He is part Yup’ik Eskimo.
Typically seen walking the Capitol halls in black or red power suits while reading text messages on BlackBerry screens in each hand, Palin made a recent appearance in fashion magazine Vogue.
“At first they had me in a bunch of furs,” she said of the photo shoot. “Yeah, I have furs on my wall, but I don’t wear furs. I had to show them my bunny boots and my North Face clothing.”
Palin’s clean-hands reputation has come into question with an investigation recently launched by a legislative panel into whether she dismissed Alaska’s public safety commissioner because he would not fire her former brother-in-law as a state trooper. Trooper Mike Wooten went through a messy divorce from Palin’s sister.
The governor denied orchestrating the dozens of telephone calls made by her husband and members of her administration to Wooten’s bosses. She says she welcomes the investigation: “Hold me accountable.”
Palin, who led the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at her high school, could help McCain’s standing with social conservatives who have been skeptical of him.
“It’s an absolutely brilliant choice,” said Mathew Staver, dean of Liberty University School of Law and founder of the legal group Liberty Counsel, who has sought to coalesce evangelicals around McCain. “This will absolutely energize McCain’s campaign and energize conservatives.”
Palin is “a woman of faith who has a strong position on life, a consistent opinion on judges,” Staver said. “She’s the complete package.”
But Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York said McCain was taking a “roll of the dice” and declared that Palin’s “lack of experience makes the thought of her assuming the presidency troubling.”
Four months into her most recent pregnancy, Palin learned that the child would have Down syndrome, and she said she never had any doubts about whether she would have the baby.
“We understand that every innocent life has wonderful potential,” Palin told AP earlier this year in describing what she and her husband had confronted.
Alaska’s first female governor arrived at the Capitol in 2006 on an ethics reform platform after defeating two former governors in the primary and general elections.
In the primary, Palin defeated incumbent Gov. Frank Murkowski, who also had 22 years of experience in the U.S. Senate.
Her task didn’t seem any easier in the general election, but she handily beat Tony Knowles, a popular Democrat who had served two earlier terms as governor.
During her first year in office, Palin moved away from the powerful old guard of the state Republican Party and has refused to kowtow to the powerful oil industry, instead presiding over a tax increase on oil company profits that now has the state’s treasury swelling.
Palin also asked Alaska’s congressional delegation to be more selective in seeking earmarks after what came to be known as the “Bridge to Nowhere” turned into a national embarrassment and a symbol of piggish pork-barrel spending — thanks to McCain’s relentless criticism of the now-abandoned project.
Before becoming governor, her political experience consisted of terms as Wasilla’s mayor and councilwoman and a stint as head of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
“Sarah Palin for her entire political career has been underestimated,” said Paulette Simpson of the Alaska Federation of Republican Women. “She’s tough, she’s tenacious. I believe that she does have what it takes to get out there. Again, her ability to connect with voters and make a case is very, very, very strong.”
Palin’s confrontations with the state GOP began when Murkowski named her chairwoman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. There, Palin exposed current Alaska Republican Party Chairman Randy Ruedrich, who was also on the commission, for ethical violations.
In 2005, Palin co-filed an ethics complaint against Murkowski’s longtime aide and then attorney general, Gregg Renkes, for having a financial interest in a company that stood to gain from an international trade deal he was helping craft.
The Palins have five children: Track, 19; Bristol 17; Willow 14; Piper, 7, and Trig, who was born in April.
Track enlisted in the Army in 2007 on the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and has been assigned to Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks.
Palin was born Feb. 11, 1964, in Idaho, but her parents moved to Alaska shortly after her birth to teach. She received a bachelor of science degree in communications-journalism from the University of Idaho in 1987.
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Calvin Woodward reported from Washington.
Community Discussion
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WAY TO GO SARAH! She will be as good for the Untied States as she was for Alaska. We will miss her here but support her whole-heartedly as Vice-president Palin!
Change, Change, Change. I bet there are alot of jaws dropping around Obamaland. After watching her acceptance speech, Joe Biden will have his hands full on debate day. Can't wait to put up my McCain/Palin bumper stickers on all my vehicles. AND YOU CAN BET SHE WILL TAKE CARE OF ALASKANS!!!!!!
I'm glad Dem. Sen. Schumer finds "a lack of experience.... troubling."
Wonder what his thoughts on HIS OWN parties nomination (Obama) are?
Frightening? BRRRRRRRR! SHIVER SHIVER!
Love ya Sarah & Todd!
Peace
OMG You go girl! I am excited for Alaska, for women, and for Republicans! This is not only going to steal Obama's thunder, but put a major thorn in Hillary's side. Yeah, Sarah is young but she takes on challenges like any true Alaskan woman, with courage and determination.
It was a smart choice for McCain right now to steal Obama's thunder but a poor choice if he does get the presidency. I mean, who wants to be President when they have a VP that's more popular than they are.
My only concern is what does this mean for Alaska?
Joe Biden will disembowel Sarah in any debates they engage in.
And did McCain's staffers not do any investigation and learn of the ongoing investigation into wrong doing by the Governor's office?
Most importantly......would YOU want Sarah Palin running the United States of America if John McCain drops dead in office?
I would absolutely be comfortable with Sarah P. as Commander in Chief if something happened to McCain. It will be interesting to hear the debates between Palin and Biden--I believe she will hold her own--don't be stupid and underestimate her. Go Sarah. This is so exciting for Alaska.
....and her experience is where, lagirl? Don't be stupid, you say? I think ANYONE who would vote Republican, especially knowing that McCain would only extend the nightmare of the last eight years is "stupid"!
I strongly think that either Parnell or Palin, probably the former, need to drop out of their current elections right away.
I do not want Attorney General Talis Coburg to become an appointed governor.
congratulations sarah!!! this is just what the usa needs...a great women from alaska...not born with a silverspoon in her mouth, it's about time!!!! no doubt in my mind this will be good for all americans. sarah u r awesome!!
Oh Patrick that hurt! Try not to get too personal. I didn't say that I thought you were stupid for believing in the crap that Obama is spouting. Where is Obama's expierence? It seemse to me that she has more expierence in executive power than he does and he is the DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANIDATE. Do you really believe that Obama can fix it all? Health care, war in Iraq, social security, etc...he is going to make a mess out of things. Look at Iraq and how long it is taking us to change the way a society works... you think that Obama is going to be able to just change things..maybe but at what price?
I AM A DISPLACED 47 YEAR RESIDENT OF FAIRBANKS NOW LIVING IN PENNSYLVANIA, AND I HAVE FOLLOWED SHARA'S PROGRESS SINCE HER ELECTION AS GOVERNOR. THIS WOMEN HAS HER FEET FIRMLY PLANTED ON THE GROUND AND WILL DO THIS COUNTRY AND ALASKA PROUD. I HAVE LEANED DEMOCRAT ALL MY LIFE, BUT LIKE JIM WHITAKER, I ALSO AM JUMPING PARTY LINES AND WILL BE SUPPORTING JOHN & SHARA IN NOVEMBER. YOU GO GIRL. GOOD LUCK FROM HUNTINGDON, PA.
Hey - Kerber:
So in order to be the person who could be the President, you have to spend years and years wrapped up in the Washington beaucracy. I guess once you have been forced into submission by the "good-ole boy" networks, then you become a viable candidate.
The answer to your question is YES.
Sarah would be a great choice as the 1st female President of the United States.
Its about time that we had someone who has smarts, common sense, and isn't tainted by Washington politics.
Who would you suggest - Nancy Pelosi?
Mr. Kerber
Please name one meaningful thing that Mr. Obama has done in his time as a Senator for the State of Illinois.
Now compare that with what Governor Palin has done in a very short time for the State of Alaska.
I feel that you shouldn't underestimate Sarah Palin's ability to run this country. After all the presidents all surround themselves with advisers and they are constantly briefed on everything pertinent.
Furthermore Mr. Patrick Kerber to call someone stupid just because you don't agree with them is ignorant. I don't agree with many things that have been done on the Republican side of politics lately but I sure as heck haven't seen any good coming from the Democrats who are the majority in power right now either. Until I see something on the Democratic side that turns me on I'll have to stick to casting the majority of my votes to the folks with an R with their name.
The Muslim in disguise talks about change, maybe McCain and Palin are the true change that you and I both want?
Slip of the fingers in my earlier comment. I stand corrected on the spelling of the next Vice president of the United States to read SARAH and not SHARA.
I saw this movie once, "Always" and it kinda applies here. Palin the political flash-fire...bright and hot, but burns out quickly, Stevens, the long slow burn smoldering flame, but the fire burns for a long time. Take it as you will.
Palin a political flash-fire? Have to wait and see on that one, but there is no doubt Stevens is a long-smouldering mess; kind of like a burning pile of old tires stinking up the place...
The bigger picture is that for the first time in a long time, a common, everyday type of person has proven you can start at a local level and raise to a national level in politics. You don't have to be a millionaire, a member of a political family dynasty, or have special interest groups funding your campaign. There may be hope in the future for a new breed of politician in this country.
Kerber- I have more confidence in Palin as Commander in Chief than I do in Obama. As a Marine infantry veteran I would be proud to serve and fight once again if it was under McCain and Palin.
Republican Presidents and Democratic Congresses are what this nation needs in order to continue to be the Greatest Nation on Earth.
How much experience do you need to know right from wrong?
Common sense is what is needed. I have seen too many intelligent and “experienced” people who were not smart enough to get out of the way of a bus. They stand there thinking about it (good, bad, right, wrong, how will it affect me) until they get run over. I think Sarah is smart enough and has the “right stuff” to stand up to anyone or anything and do the right thing. She does not have her head in the clouds and knows what real life is truly like
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