Some things you didn't know about Sarah Palin

by smintheus

Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 05:04:30 PM PDT

Sarah Palin was had political experience only as a small town mayor until less than two years ago. What we don't know about her could fill a book. Here are a few things we're learning about Palin.

Sarah Palin left the finances of her town Wasilla in tatters when she moved on in 2002 (h/t xgz). She wanted a legacy as mayor, it seems, and pushed hard for the town to build a hyper-expensive sports complex. But Palin screwed the process up badly. Instead of buying the land for the complex when it was offered, her administration allowed a developer named Gary Lundgren to snap it up. Then Wasilla tried to seize the land from Lundgren through eminent domain. In the end, what with court costs Wasilla paid at least $ 1.7 million for land it could have bought for less than one tenth that sum - if the purchase had been handled properly. For this incompetence, Wasilla is still paying a steep price: higher taxes and cutbacks in services. In other words Palin is about as efficient as Michael Brown, onetime head of FEMA.

Diarist loyalson, a resident of Wasilla, has more to say about the damage Palin did to his town while she was mayor.

On the single most debated issue of our times, the Iraq war, Sarah Palin similarly was out to lunch until as recently as last spring. Shortly after becoming governor, she was asked her views on the surge (h/t LizzyPop):

Alaska Business Monthly: We've lost a lot of Alaska's military members to the war in Iraq. How do you feel about sending more troops into battle, as President Bush is suggesting?

Palin: I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq. I heard on the news about the new deployments, and while I support our president, Condoleezza Rice and the administration, I want to know that we have an exit plan in place; I want assurances that we are doing all we can to keep our troops safe. Every life lost is such a tragedy.

John McCain would have us believe that Iraq is the central battle in the war on terror, and yet he selects as his running mate somebody who was paying almost no attention to the Iraq war for 4 long years after the invasion.

So what was Palin focused on?

Alaska Business Monthly: It's extremely early to ask this, but when your tenure as governor is over, what would you like to have accomplished? How would you like to be remembered?

Palin: I want people to remember me as having always conducted the state's business in an upright and honest manner. I want them to understand that I put Alaska first in every decision I made.

Try to square that with the troopergate scandal, in which Palin allegedly misused her power as governor by bringing inappropriate pressure for two employees to be fired. What's perhaps most interesting is that Palin appears to have begun misusing power almost as soon as she got any real power.

Speaking of inconsistencies, earlier this month Palin praised Barack Obama's energy plan (h/t Excelscior1). Here is the cached version of the press release that had been posted at the Governor's website. The original document has been scrubbed sometime during the last day (since Aug. 28). I wonder if that could have anything to do with McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate?

From DailyKos.

If something was to happen to McCain if he became president, I don't trust that woman to run the country. I didn't even know her name until today.

I'm finding all of this hypocracy very humorous. She is actually more experienced than the TOP of the democratic ticket, Obama. Even if she was never governor, running a city of 9,000 is considered more executive experience than Obama has ever achieved. Not to mention that she ran her own business, giving her the mindset of small business. This will undoubtably help the country with its largest employers. By the way she is the highest approved governor in the entire nation according the her approval ratings. So she is not only an executive with experience, but she is a very successful one. I will give you that Obama has been a national law maker for 3 years, but can anyone name an accomplishment that he has netted?

Obama was virtually unknown until 2007. It is quite common for a VP nom to be unknown, but not very common for the pres. nom not to be known. (Jimmy Carter being an exception)

One of the main reasons McCain picked her was to have a fresh "outsider" view point on Washington. I do not think the republicans expected anyone from the Obama camp to question her experience because it is laughable for the pot to call the kettle black. There is a drastic difference between a presidential nominee versues a VP nom to have a thin resume!

Just funny to me.

Edited August 30, 200817 yr by Casey008

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/29/a...a_n_122517.html

I personally feel this says a tremendous amount about John McCain's judgement, and the judgement of people around him. I mean......

She may have been bandied about in conservative circles for months, but when you hear people say "Who?!" that is alarming.

And.......did his staff vet this Governor properly? Why is all of this information about her coming up?

If nothing else, she's making it a little interesting on the Republican side. Now they all get to pretend that she's the greatest possible choice ever for a potential president after flapping their jaws about inexperience. They now have to change their convention theme from blasting Obama's inexperience and they have to rewrite their speeches to extol the virtues of fighting corruption in Alaska. I'm more than amused that the population is less than most cities in California so she's making LA's mayor look like he's running a couple of states.

I also think it's terribly ironic that one of their evangelists asked everyone to pray for rain on Obama's outdoor speech and that didn't happen. I guess God elected not to listen to such shallow foolishness. Now the Republicans have to tap dance around Katrina's anniversary and go all out to make sure they look like they're dealing with Gustav in better fashion.

The story is already flipping back to either Obama's speech or her record, and more and more information is coming out about her.

There are reports there are Republican operatives who are just stunned he picked her. It now seems he didn't let anyone know what he was thinking.

And I heard Joe Watkins on MSNBC tyhis morning, and he really couldn't make a good argument for going this outside the box.

I personally feel this says a tremendous amount about John McCain's judgement, and the judgement of people around him. I mean......

She may have been bandied about in conservative circles for months, but when you hear people say "Who?!" that is alarming.

Pretty much!

I'm finding all of this hypocracy very humorous. She is actually more experienced than the TOP of the democratic ticket, Obama. Even if she was never governor, running a city of 9,000 is considered more executive experience than Obama has ever achieved. Not to mention that she ran her own business, giving her the mindset of small business. This will undoubtably help the country with its largest employers. By the way she is the highest approved governor in the entire nation according the her approval ratings. So she is not only an executive with experience, but she is a very successful one. I will give you that Obama has been a national law maker for 3 years, but can anyone name an accomplishment that he has netted?

Obama was virtually unknown until 2007. It is quit common for a VP nom to be unknown, but not very common for the pres. nom not to be known. (Jimmy Carter being an exception)

One of the main reasons picked her was to have a fresh "outsider" view point on Washington. I do not think the republicans expected anyone from the Obama camp to question her experience because it is laughable for the pot to call the kettle black. There is a drastic difference between a presidential nominee versues a VP nom to have a thin resume!

Just funny to me.

Ok lets get it straight for a minute. If you are going to point out the fact that she has more executive experience than Obama, say the same about Mccain, because she has more then him too. Barack has lesser experience than his VP Joe Biden, who will keep him in line and educate him, and God forbid anything happen to Barack , Biden has it covered. Now, God forbid something happen to McCain, were in trouble.

Yeah and we all know when Mccain was opening the envelope behind the podium, he said to himself as he read Sarah Palin, "who the hell is this guy?" I doubt this was Mccain. It's dumb snubbing Mitt Romney, Tom Ridge, Pawlenty, and people who would be better than her, even stupid for MCcain. Unless he was lying about putting the country first, because it seems like it with this choice. He is playing Hillary supporters for fools and it will be his downfall.

Ok lets get it straight for a minute. If you are going to point out the fact that she has more executive experience than Obama, say the same about Mccain, because she has more then him too. Barack has lesser experience than his VP Joe Biden, who will keep him in line and educate him, and God forbid anything happen to Barack , Biden has it covered. Now, God forbid something happen to McCain, were in trouble.

She does have more executive experience than McCain, Obama, and Biden. So the republicans are the only ticket that can claim executive experience.

Personally, I would rather have the Candidate at the TOP of the ticket with the most national experience and having the educating going from top to bottom rather than vice versa.

Democrats seem to be more trusting of their VP nom.'s experience than pres. nom!

It seems now that experience has become very important to the democrats. Why then is Obama your top man? Should you guys push for Biden to now be the presidential nominee?

Edited August 30, 200817 yr by Casey008

Yeah and we all know when Mccain was opening the envelope behind the podium, he said to himself as he read Sarah Palin, "who the hell is this guy?" I doubt this was Mccain. It's dumb snubbing Mitt Romney, Tom Ridge, Pawlenty, and people who would be better than her, even stupid for MCcain. Unless he was lying about putting the country first, because it seems like it with this choice. He is playing Hillary supporters for fools and it will be his downfall.

I think Obama's snubbing of Hillary will be more damaging and lead to his downfall. I know polls are not accurate much of the time, but he took a HUGE hit when he named Biden.

McCain at least is acknowleding the achievements of women.

Edited August 30, 200817 yr by Casey008

I think Obama's snubbing of Hillary will be more damaging than McCain at least partially acknowleding the achievements of women.

Obama didnt snub Hillary. Her and Bill's loyalty didnt come for free. I know that and i'm sure other dems get it too. Barack knows what an asset she is. There is something in it for her. I'm thinking Supreme Court.

She does have more executive experience than McCain, Obama, and Biden. So the republicans are the only ticket that can claim executive experience.

Personally, I would rather have the Candidate at the TOP of the ticket with the national experience and having the educating going from top to bottom rather than vice versa.

Democrats seem to be more trusting of their VP nom.'s experience than pres. nom!

It seems now that experience has become very important to the democrats. Why then is Obama your top man? Should you guys push for Biden to now be the presidential nominee?

Barack has passed the test of whether Americans think he is ready to be President. Joe Biden backing him adds on to peoples faith in him. We arent more trusting of our VP. We are trusting of our ticket.

And how about Palin's Bachelor in communications vs. Obama's Law Degree from Harvard?

Edited August 30, 200817 yr by Dr. Jay S.W.

I'm wondering if JM put pictures on a dart board, stood back, threw the dart, and whichever picture it landed on THAT PERSON would be his V.P. pick.

He's met her once?! He talks about having personal releationships with the people who serve you, and he met this Governor once?!

Obama didnt snub Hillary. Her and Bill's loyalty didnt come for free. I know that and i'm sure other dems get it too. Barack knows what an asset she is. There is something in it for her. I'm thinking Supreme Court.

Barack has passed the test of whether Americans think he is ready to be President. Joe Biden backing him adds on to peoples faith in him. We arent more trusting of our VP. We are trusting of our ticket.

Anything less than VP was a snub to her supporters. You cant guarantee a Supreme Court Nomination, someone has to retire or die. Obama has no way of knowing if this will occur.

And how about Palin's Bachelor in communications vs. Obama's Law Degree from Harvard?

Good point, BUT Obama is running against John McCain.

Barack has passed the test of whether Americans think he is ready to be President. Joe Biden backing him adds on to peoples faith in him. We arent more trusting of our VP. We are trusting of our ticket.

What are you basing his "passing of a test" on. I am an American and I do not think he is ready to be president. The real test is on November 4. We will see then if he has past the test.

Obama didnt snub Hillary. Her and Bill's loyalty didnt come for free. I know that and i'm sure other dems get it too. Barack knows what an asset she is. There is something in it for her. I'm thinking Supreme Court.

Barack has passed the test of whether Americans think he is ready to be President. Joe Biden backing him adds on to peoples faith in him. We arent more trusting of our VP. We are trusting of our ticket.

IA, and now the Republicans will have to introduce and vet her this week. She was for the BTN before she was against it, on top of everything else that has and is coming out.

This is just......

interesting.