Palin Throws Alaska Under the Bus

[Blue_In_AK]

http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/09/17/palin-throws-alaska-under-the-bus

GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is effectively turning over questions about her record as Alaska’s governor to John McCain’s political campaign, part of an ambitious Republican strategy to limit embarrassing disclosures and carefully shape her image for voters in the rest of the country.

That’s the lead in from the Anchorage Daily News story about the latest GOP strong-arm tactics to perform what many Alaskans feel is an outside political takeover of the state’s Troopergate investigation. A pack of high-powered east coast lawyers are the new artisans of the Palin “image”. If anyone has a question about Palin’s 20 months as governor, ask the McCain campaign, because apparently no one else can give you the answers.

This is not going over well in Alaska. I’ll use my usual caveat that there are lots of Alaskans who happily subscribe to the “Sarah right or wrong” mentality, and will continue to do so. However, the progressive take on this whole latest mess is only slightly short of taking torches and pitchforks and surrounding the Attorney General’s office, demanding an end to the stonewalling. I’ve watched Alaskan progressives that I personally know go from saying, “Wow! I can’t believe I voted for a Republican!” to, “She’s doing OK. I don’t agree with everything, but I don’t regret my vote” to being so furiously seething angry they just can’t say anything.

This means that there’s a shift, and shifts tend to bring along all people to a certain degree. If there’s one way to tick off Alaskans it’s by bringing in ‘outsiders’ to try to control state affairs. Imagine if you will how a small independant nation would feel being invaded by the superpower next door. It’s like that.

I’ve even lived to see the day that Republican State Senate President Lyda Green (often vilified by Democrats over the years) agreed to do an interview on the local progressive talk radio station, and was practically hailed as a hero. Why? For simply stating the investigation should and will move forward despite the fact that the Attorney General, under the influence of McCain lawyers, said that state employees would defy their subpoenas. “Nothing has changed,” she said. “Our job is to find the truth.” Real integrity coming from either side of the aisle is what Alaskans want. It’s in desperately short supply these days.

And again, and again, I hear Alaskans quoting that now infamous promise of our governor (who is still our governor by the way) to run the state with “ethical, open and transparent” government.

It remains to be seen how effective the so-called “Truth Squad” is in ’shaping her image’ in the rest of the country, but they are not doing her any favors here at home. I’ve never heard so many people say they can’t wait to see her new approval ratings.

Meanwhile, the opposing side, not to be outdone by a goofy name, has come up with ”Alaska Mythbusters,” a nod to the popular television show. This white hat version of the Orwellian “Truth Squad” is made up mostly of elected officials who have opposed or know Palin and who criticize her work.

So what does the Attorney General Talis Colberg have to say for himself? I know a couple people who know Colberg, and respected him deeply until recently. I heard from a friend of his that this whole thing is really taking a toll on him. “He’s really a decent guy,” says my bewildered friend. So, what say you sir? Hello? Are you there?

Oh. Talis Colberg just went ”on vacation” to Kansas. You can’t make this stuff up.

Beware of tornadoes, falling houses, and flying monkeys! Nothing would surprise me any more.

[begin_within]

1. She can't even answer questions on her own? What sort of executive can't answer questions?

I guess the kind that "could not be reached for comment."

[Blue_In_AK]

2. She can answer questions on her own.

McCain's goons won't let her. This whole thing has been so carefully scripted. It was obvious from the tone of her convention speech that she had been co-opted. We never ever heard that kind of partisan sneering from her before August 29. It's truly sickening.

[Supersedeas]

3. some show of confidence, eh?

[begin_within]

4. I think people can see right through the scripting. People can tell immediately

when someone's giving a canned answer or they're speaking from their heart or their own beliefs. They'd probably do a lot better with her if they just let her speak her mind, since she subscribes to their core beliefs.

[Blue_In_AK]

7. You're absolutely correct.

Actually, it works to our benefit nationally that they have decided to script Sarah in this way. I was concerned when I first heard that McCain had picked her because there's a reason why she had an 80% approval rating here. She had presented herself as personable and down-to-earth in the past two years, very approachable, and more than willing to work across party lines to accomplish her goals. Ironically, Hollis French had been one of her biggest allies in the senate in getting the gasline inducement act passed. She had not tried to seriously push her conservative social agenda, and generally we were all fairly happy with her.

The tone she has been taking on the campaign trail and the stonewalling on the investigation is not only making her look bad on the national stage, but is destroying her here in Alaska. Like Mudflats, I'm dying to see some new approval ratings from Alaska. I think those 80% days are past.

[Ichingcarpenter]

9. Who did the last approval rating? Maybe you could

find out when the next one is? I would be interested in that too

[Blue_In_AK]

10. I think it was local pollster Ivan Moore.

I'd be surprised if he doesn't come out with a new one soon. I'll be sure to post it when I see it.

[livetohike]

5. Seems she has put her personal ambition ahead of her

integrity - just like McCain.

[eshfemme]

6. Wow... so the whole Alaska First mentality actually worked AGAINST Sarah Palin here.

:rofl:

[tanyev]

8. Those new approval ratings probably won't show up until after November 4.