Anchorage says goodby to Governor Palin - a photo essay.

[Blue_In_AK]

Yesterday Anchorage celebrated the second of former Governor Palin's "screendoor parties," a/k/a "governor's picnic." I got there a bit late, so I missed her little two-minute comment (apparently she spared Anchorage the agony of a full-blown "speech"), and I didn't feel like standing in line for two hours just to be served a hamburger by Her Highness, but I did manage to take some photos for your viewing pleasure.

Walking from my car to the park, I followed these two. I wondered if they were being ironic.


Here we have the new Governor Sean Parnell and his quitter predecessor serving up hotdogs and hamburgers to the huddling masses.


I felt much safer knowing that my Second Amendment rights were being protected by these guys. (Not.)


A young trooper surveys the scene impassively.


I've been told that's Sarah's security in the dark sunglasses. I don't know who the blonde is.


A bitter clinger. He must be so proud.


As I scanned the crowd, I wondered what people were thinking.






There's money to be made!


This dear lady said that she just wanted to let visiting tourists know that not ALL of us in Alaska love the former governor.


A certain nationally known progressive Alaskan blogger seems to be having a spirited conversation with four young men amidst the crowd. It was reported she was warned in an e-mail to wear a bullet-proof vest if she planned to attend.


No explanation needed.


Good point.


But Army wives are not amused.


The end.



I have many more photos of the diva herself, but I found these other people much more interesting, and I thought maybe you would, also, too.

[Skittles]

1. great pictures

I'm wondering what exactly vets want to quit?

[Blue_In_AK]

2. Probably a lot of things.

I should have asked him for some clarity, I guess. I admired him for even being there with a sign and an Obama T-shirt, given the composition of the crowd. Most of the infiltrators -- myself included -- were pretty much under cover because of all the gun nuts around, but this guy stood his ground. I've got to give him credit.

[ColbertWatcher]

10. Maybe he's just pointing out that SOME people don't have the luxury of quitting? n/t

[Skittles]

11. I'm assuming he means military vets?

what exactly would military vets be quitting?

Also, his sign sounds like he's making a dig at the so-called "liberal media"

[ColbertWatcher]

12. I still think it's a dig at Palin quitting.

She did say she was quitting because of some bad things that were said about her.

[Skittles]

13. ooh

mmmmmm....could be

[Ken Burch]

3. I'm thinking most of the folks in the last four or five pictures were just there for the free food

Can't blame 'em. A lot of 'em looked unemployed or even possibly homeless. That burger's all they've got to show for the last two and a half years.

[d_b]

4. damn blue

talk about taking one for the team. no way could i handle being around those clowns.

[Joe the Liberal]

5. Excellent pics....

I don't think I could stand being around all those idiots, the stupidity would be off the scale and too much to handle.

Little do they all realize that Palin is only leaving because she only cares about enriching herself more and could give a shit less about the people of Alaska, typical repub/repub voters.

Anyways thanks for the pics.

[Bravo Zulu]

6. Thanks for the report!

Keep us informed on what SP is up to?

[rsmith6621]

7. marked

[dipsydoodle]

8. Well I like the last picture

of the two black guys - really cool that.

[ccharles000]

9. k/r

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Thanks and it looks like you are having better weather too

[zbdent]

15. and how many of those Palin worshippers

are employed by the Govt? Probably a lot ...

welfare queens, many of them ...

[AndyA]

16. Thanks for posting the great pictures.

It's pretty easy to see what kind of people support Palin. Thank goodness they are in the minority.

I couldn't help but notice the mom pushing the stroller smoking a cigarette. No worries about second hand smoke, I guess. She's probably as worried about her kid's health as she is the environment, wildlife, equality for all, etc.

I'll bet you felt like you needed to take a long, hot shower afterwards, I know I do after venturing into enemy territory.

[cwydro]

17. What terrific pictures!

I laughed out loud at your comment on the first two perhaps being ironic.

[peekaloo]

18. No dunk tank? Rats!

I saw a snippet of "news" last night and she seemed a tad annoyed while explaining her reason for quitting. She loves Alaska so much and why waste her time being a lame duck blah, blah, blah....ended the sentence with a terse "Sir".

Selling pictures of herself or were they being given away for home pest control?

[malaise]

19. Thanks Blue_In_AK

Lovely pix
K & R

[Obamanaut]

20. Even with dial-up, this was good. Thanks. N/T

[Mira]

21. K&R Thank you very much for these great visuals. How did you stand it?

I don't scare easily, but here are some folks that scare me more than some of my deep South neighbors.

[Celebration]

22. Great pictures!!

I really LOL at "Go Sarah" Heh.

[lunatica]

23. the moran with the vet sign

raises more questions than he settles. Is he still fighting the Vietnam war when the soldiers got the bad press? Or, like us are the vets just like us and sick of the bad press, or is the press mean? Do they want to quit because of the bad press or is it the cause of bad press that they don't like?

[Hutzpa]

24. Is it Wild Wild West????

or was it a gun show event???

[Blue_In_AK]

25. There was a whole group of these guys and gals...

Probably 15 or so of them (including "bitter clinger" guy) hanging out together, with their weapons prominently visible. I was speaking briefly with Linda Kellen-Biegel (Celtic Diva http://divasblueoasis.com / ), who told me that she knew of several people who had come to the picnic with protest signs, but upon seeing so many gun nuts decided it was probably wise to leave them in the car. As I mentioned, Shannyn Moore was advised by anonymous email that she'd better wear kevlar if she was planning to attend. Shannyn was there but seemed to be a bit nervous since the governor had painted a big red target on her back over the "rumors" issue a few weeks ago.

This morning I am thankful for a new day in Alaska. Hopefully, we can put the past 2-1/2 years behind us now and finally begin dealing with the real and serious issues the state faces. We have a long way to go.

[Hutzpa]

33. So I take it,

it's legal to walk around in public with your gun then, what where the police doing?
oh! wait, don't tell me - profiling a Black man or an Hispanic....

That state needs an influx of brains.....

[Blue_In_AK]

34. There was a lot of security

but I didn't see them hassling anybody, other than shuffling people who were trying to take pictures of Sarah out of the condiments line.

[Stephanie]

26. I wish you had carried screen doors to the party

Thanks for the photos - please post the SP pix too. Gawd she needs to get over herself, she's unbearable. Anyway very happy for all of you in AK, Congratulations!

[spanone]

27. looks like alaskans are eating well

[Blue_In_AK]

30. "We eat, therefore we hunt," doncha know?

What a load of bullshit. She acts like we don't have supermarkets here.

[MisterP]

31. "We eat* ..." * Offer void in inland areas starved of Juneau subsidies. n/t

[spanone]

37. i truly think she's insane. here's what she patterned herself after.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qff098NCNDE

[janx]

28. Wow...

[Inuca]

29. I guess congratulations are in order

I heard a bit of the good bye speech this morning whilr driving to work. Hearing that woman speak makes me reach for another hypertension controlling pill. She stands for at least 60% (I am trying to be truthful, there are faluts she does NOT have after all)of what I find despicable. That arrogant superficiality, "it's never me, it's the others' fault" attitude, that nonsensical blathering (the media should show their respect for the troops by no longer attacking HER)....

[Kadie]

32. Thanks for posting.

Great pics!

[sonias]

35. Go Sarah - no really, please go!

If she drops back into obscurity that will be fine by me.




Sonia

[Diane R]

36. Fabulous pics. Can I asked what camera and lense you used? DOF is great.

[Blue_In_AK]

40. Thanks, Diane.

I have Canons. I had the 24-70 on the 5D and the 70-200 on the 50D.

[gratuitous]

38. What are they thinking? In the 8th picture

I'm guessing that the shared thought balloon is "We're just here to make double dog sure you're leaving like you said you would." Sort of like following the guest who's overstayed her welcome out the front door, to her car, and making sure she gets in, since she's popped back in twice already, forgetting something "important" or wanting to tell you "just one more thing."

[Blue_In_AK]

41. Yeah, they didn't look too impressed, did they?

That one especially made me laugh.

[SoCalDem]

39. Truth Justice & the American way.. Sarah thinks she's "SuperGirl"

[Tangerine LaBamba]

42. GREAT photos -

but you KNOW that wonderful woman with the walker gets my vote.

She's got brass ones, and GOOD FOR HER!!

Thank you for these, Blue.........

[babylonsister]

43. Thanks, Blue! Great pix. nt

[Tindalos]

44. Thanks Blue

You're very brave to go there. OTOH, it looks like a lot of the people there will be glad to see the back of Palin. Are those her supporters hiding behind their guns?

[Iggo]

45. Those are good shots!

Them Army wives look like they wanna scrap...lol.

[JeffR]

46. Was worried this would sink, which would have been a shame.

My humble rec now added to all the others.

Great stuff, my friend.