Who Is Sarah Palin, Alaska’s Gen X Governor Who Appeared in Vogue?
NOTE on 9/6/08: Since writing this original post on 8/29/08, we have all found out Sarah Palin’s 17 year old daughter, Bristol, is 5 months pregnant with her 18 year old boyfriend, Levi Johnston. More proof that Palin’s stance on only preaching abstinence in school, and not teaching about birth control, doesn’t work very well.
FunnyorDie.com did a pretty funny spoof of his MySpace page. The Republicans had his page taken down quickly (yes, they really had it removed because the guy is a total embarrassment…not even close to a clean-cut, Ivy League type that I’m sure the GOP was hoping for).Â
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HI All,
I’m sure you have heard the big news on the Republican side of the Presidential race. John McCain announced his running mate, but no one seems to know who Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is. I know I sure didn’t, so I did some quick research today…just like millions of other curious (perplexed?) people did.
Here’s what I know about her personally: She’s 44, so on the cusp of being considered an old Gen Xer and young Boomer. And she is married with 5 children. Her husband’s name is Todd Mitchell Palin, and he is the 4 time champion of the Tesoro Iron Dog race.
Their kids’ names are: Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper and Trig. Her oldest son, Track, enlisted in the United States Army on September 11, 2007.
And in 1984 she placed second in the Miss Alaska Beauty Pageant. Just last year she was also featured in Vogue Magazine. Here is a link but I don’t know if this is the real cover or not. I searched a lot and this is all I could find right now.
In terms of her political background and education, here is what I found: Palin was elected Alaska’s governor in 2006 after defeating incumbent governor Frank Murkowski in the Republican primary and former Democratic governor Tony Knowles in the general election. She was the youngest person, and the first woman, to be elected governor of Alaska. Before becoming governor, Palin served two terms on the Wasilla, Alaska, City Council from 1992 to 1996, and was elected and re-elected mayor of Wasilla for two three-year terms in 1996 and 1999. She also ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor of Alaska in 2002.
Palin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Idaho. That is a very typical major of beauty contestants. But I’d hope for a bit more from the Vice President of the United States of America. I received a Bachelor’s in Advertising from San Jose State so I can tell you getting that type of degree doesn’t require brilliance.
Perhaps her attempt as a pageant queen was to optimize her Journalism degree to become a reporter? But when that didn’t work out she decided to become a politician?
And although Al Gore didn’t complete his Law Degree from Vanderbilt, he at least managed to get his undergraduate degree from Harvard, serve 16 years in Congress before becoming Vice President, and then he went on to invent the Internet (remember when he proclaimed that? Oh, Al, you silly guy). But after leaving office, he went on to accomplish REALLY big things like winning a: Nobel Peace Prize, Emmy Award and Academy Award.
Even “Where in the world is Dick Cheney” got a Masters Degree from the University of Wyoming. Hey, as you’ll soon read, Palin is a hunter so maybe she can help Cheney NOT shoot his friends when out hunting together? But his 2 DWI’s may shed some light on that. And, really, where in the world is Dick?
One thing that will be all over the news is that Governor Palin is currently under investigation for “improper use of her office”. The link is to an article in the Wall Street Journal from July 31, 2008. And although she denied any wrong-doing (as ANY good politician does), she was forced to back peddle when incriminating audio files recently surfaced. Click here for current details.
In terms of her political views, she’s (no big shock) conservative. Governor Palin is pro-life, however has been described as being “pro contraception”. And she is against gay marriage stating, “Marriage should only be between a man and woman”. I’m not thrilled with either of those stances.
She is also an AK National Rifle Association Lifetime Member so we have some insight to her stance on gun control. Click here and scroll down the page to see her holding up the antlers on the head of an elk (or whatever) that she just proudly had a part of killing (oh, I mean hunting, because she needs to feed her 5 children). This is certainly something our white guys in the midwest will find appealing. A beauty queen AND a hunter? Schwiiinnngggg!!! The chick likes to wear lipstick and kill animals. I’m not real thrilled with that, either. And, no, not because she’s Republican. I’m just not into killing animals for sport.
According to Wikipedia: Palin is considered to have similar policy positions to John McCain in most respects. One exception is drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), which Palin strongly supports and McCain has opposed. She has supported aspects of Democratic nominee Barack Obama’s energy plan.
And her stance on Iraq? Well, hard to tell. There doesn’t seem to be any media coverage since she took office that states her definitive stance on the Iraq War one way or the other. According to one article in her home state’s publication, Alaska Business Monthly, it said: After she took office in 2007, Palin was asked about the upcoming surge. She said she hadn’t thought about it. “I’ve been so focused on state government, I haven’t really focused much on the war in Iraq,” she said. “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.”
Seven months into the surge, she still either had not formed any opinion on the surge or the war or just wasn’t sharing. “I’m not here to judge the idea of withdrawing, or the timeline,” she said in a teleconference interview with reporters during a July 2007 visit with Alaska National Guard troops stationed in Kuwait. “I’m not going to judge even the surge. I’m here to find out what Alaskans need of me as their governor.”
I came across that story on Salon.com’s War Room section. To read Alex Koppelman’s entire article about this, click here (it was written today). Alex went on to say he thought her “vague” (not Vogue!) stance on Iraq was a bit odd considering her son is an infantry soldier and could be deployed there at any moment.
Click here to read more details about her life, political history, and political views!
I’ll be back on track with more business-related postings soon (now that the Olympics are over!), but I had to put out some info about this (unusual? unknown? unqualified??) running mate McCain has chosen.
Is this a lame attempt to attract the Hillary Clinton supporters just because she is a woman?? I can say that if McCain did win, and he croaked, I’d be uncomfortable with someone with Palin’s lack of experience running our country. But, then again, she clearly knows how to shoot a rifle so maybe she can find Osama bin Laden and take him out…since Bush couldn’t find the Oval Office if he didn’t drop bread crumbs.
Bye for now!
Lisa
Lisa Orrell is The Generation Relations Expert, and has appeared on ABC, MSNBC and NPR (to name a few). She is a speaker, consultant, and author of the book "Millennials Incorporated" (on Amazon). Based on her expertise, Lisa is an in-demand expert who educates well-known companies (such as Cisco Systems, Paul Mitchell, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield) about effectively attracting, recruiting, managing and retaining Millennials (Generation Y). She also conducts popular seminars on how to improve generation relations within the workforce – thus improving communication, productivity and revenue. MEDIA: Contact Lisa for an interesting interview!
August 30th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Well Ms. Lisa, this is a subject I can talk all day about. Thank you for all of the information on the Governor from Alaska. My first reaction was a bellowing laugh out loud that he made such a blunder. I saw Obama in my head laughing as well and wiping the sweat off of his forehead as he knew he had nothing to worry about now. Not that many people think Obama has anything to worry about, but I’ve watched is twenty point lead drop down to four since Hillary has been out of the picture and to be candid I am nervous. My worry increased as I watched john McCain on the Tonight Show for the 12th time. The guy is likeable. Bottom line. That, coupled with the memory of this country voting Bush into office for a second term and you realize that literally….anything is possible. Back to my Palin reactions. After my laugh was over, I watched her speech. My ears were steaming at the mention of Hillary and women in the country “finally breaking through that ceiling once and for all” . I was both offended and nervous, as I know that some people (who do not pay attention to the news or details) will see this ticket and just think “cool, a woman on a ticket!”. I asked a few Republicans what they thought and there was a mixed reaction. The scary thing was the female Rep. I asked thought it was a positive move on McCain’s part. She also confessed she doesn’t pay much attention to the news but liked that a woman was on the ticket. Oy. By the end of the day I deducted that McCain will win the votes from Republicans but not get many of the Hillary left overs.
I have to admit that I am still a “bitter Betty” about Hillary not winning the nomination or being asked to be VP. But, like she said in her UNBELIEVABLE speech at the convention, we have one goal and it must be achieved. So, I am behin Obama no matter what. I do think he cares and I do think he will make a good pres. I tell myself that Hillary didn’t want the VP spot and that her day has not come yet (to help me with the bitter part). I have faith that when Biden rips up Palin in the first debate that Hillary will be sitting in her living room smiling and knowing Palin has underestimated the talents needed to be one step from the presidency.
September 1st, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Being a gun shooter, hockey mom really does not impress me nor does it play to her being a regular American (maybe in Alaska and the square states) I have a husband, an uncle, two sons and a son in law in the armed services and she has no opinion on the war. Not my candidate of choice.
I am not an Obama supporter, but I am left with no other choice if McCain feels he needs to get votes by playing politics with my family’s future. He is 72 years old, has had two bout with cancer. His choice for VP was crucial for him and he squandered it. Is he trying to throw the race?
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:34 am
Dear Concerned Republican,
Thanks for saying hello. It is very interesting you pose the question about him “throwing the race”, because I had several other friends say that same thing over the weekend…even before we all found out her 17 year-old daughter, Bristol, was pregnant.
But that new info seems to be helping Palin with the evangelical crowd so maybe it will help her ratings.
This whole race is a bit surreal. It will be interesting to see what happens. Something new seems to pop-up each day of late so we’ll see how things are by the end of the week!
But if McCain is trying to throw the race it would mean a vast majority of big time Republicans are also on board because he’s not making these decisions on his own. So, the question would be “why”? What benefit is it to the Republican party to be out of the White House?
Curious to know your thoughts on this, or anyone else’s. The people I know who made the comment about him throwing the race didn’t have answers to support their comment, but just said it “seemed like it” with his recent actions/choices. But, again, I’d be curious to hear feedback on “why” he might be doing this.
Lisa
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:10 am
it’s continually fascinating that people think anything going on with palin is nearly as bad as rev wright, ayers, rezko, etc.
wonder why most people don’t realize that 2 years as governor makes her far more experienced than any junior senator.
and then there’s the whole socialism doesn’t ever work out thing……um…..
September 3rd, 2008 at 6:04 pm
I AM NOT SO HAPPY THAT THE GOVERNOR REALLY IS SO FREE ON KILLING ANIMALS. I CAN’T SUPPORT SOMEONE SO HEARTLESS
September 6th, 2008 at 10:15 am
No REAL experience
A true LIAR using ebay as a backbone
Never agreed to meet with the NAACP since she’s been in office
No moral values
Cut funding for special needs children, now she has one
No law degree
Need I go on? Is this someone you want to run our country? You republicans are a joke! If you detest his choice in a running mate, why do you continue to back him just because you’re a republican for life?
And how about that squeaky voice?
OBAMA ALL THE WAY-MARK YOU WORD
September 6th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Hi Jaycee,
Thanks for dropping by and saying hello. And then a few a days after I wrote my blog about Sarah Palin, we all found out her 17 year-old daughter, Bristol, was 5 months pregnant with her boyfriend, Levi Johnston’s, baby. Not that this does not happen all over the country daily in other families, but it sure doesn’t reflect well on her staunch stance about NOT teaching sex ed in schools and only preaching abstinence. Doesn’t she know that stats show teen pregnancy is higher in communities where only abstinence is taught as a form of birth control??
His MySpace page was taken down very fast. LOL It was loaded with really deep things like “I’m a fucking redneck who likes to drink beer”. I’m sure the GOP about croaked when they saw things like that on his page. But I’m sure he’s getting paid some serious dough to marry her and “put on a happy family face”.
The guy is really screwed if McCain and Palin win! The Republican powers-that-be won’t let them divorce until her mom is out of the office. And we know how successful marriages between 17 & 18 year olds are.
This whole thing is like watching a sitcom. Weird characters and plot lines keep showing up.
Lisa
September 12th, 2008 at 6:36 am
Yellow Journalism! You guys claiming to know more than Sarah Palin better show it; it’s ridiculous to see your “whimpy” arguments. Get rid of the “Obama Drama” and get real.
September 13th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Hi Pam,
Most any of the comments posted here were opinions of things that are fact: Like she hunts for sport. Some people will like that, some won’t.
Although I did watch Palin’s interview on 20/20 last night with Charles Gibson and must say I was not happy with 2 main stances that came from HER mouth, so it’s not yellow journalism:
1. Palin is against abortion unless it’s needed to save the mother’s life. So she doesn’t support a woman’s right to choose, and I quote, “Not even in cases of rape or incest”. So, if your 14 year old daughter is raped by Uncle Fred she thinks your daughter should have the baby and then consider adoption. That, in my opinion, is insane.
And as a 44 year old woman myself, if I was raped by some sick wacko, and got pregnant, the last thing I’d want to do is carry that baby to term. I don’t want another child and I sure as hell don’t want one by rape.
2. She said she supports stem cell research but not embryonic stem cell research. Just like Bush. Considering EVERY scientific researcher on the planet says the most useful research can’t be done without using embryos.
I am free to my opinion, as you are. But those are 2 FACTS that she shared that I, as a voter, don’t agree with.
Lisa
September 10th, 2009 at 5:02 am
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.