Archives of Alaska Papers Reveal Disturbing -- And Goofy -- Details from Palin's Past

[DogPoundPup]

By Greg Mitchell

Published: September 03, 2008 2:10 PM ET

NEW YORK The McCain team may not have vetted Sarah Palin with boots on the ground in Alaska, but the Democrats sure did -- two years ago when she ran for governor. The oppo-research, compiled in a 62-page document with countless summaries or direct quotes, largely from local newspapers, covers all of the important issues you would expect to see, from her views on abortion and abstinence to tangled oil pipeline questions.

But it also gets into some quirky, if revealing, areas as well, such as Palin founding a company called "Rouge Cru" -- what she called a "classy" way to say redneck -- in case her political career didn't work out a few years ago.

Politico.com obtained a copy and printed merely a handful of the hundreds of findings on Tuesday. These included serious matters such as her use of the mayor's office in political campaigns. But it also posted a PDF of the entire document which few have probably examined. Here some of the more outrageous, or surprising, revelations -- strictly from newspaper clips. They are posted here under their heading in the document. Note: The Frontiersman is the local paper in Wasilla.

DEATH PENALTY

Palin Said "Hang 'Em Up" When Asked About the Death Penalty. Asked about the death penalty, in extreme cases such as the murder of a child, Palin said, "My goodness, hang 'em up, yeah."

RELIGION

Palin wrote a Letter to the Editor saying only, "San Francisco judges forbidding our Pledge of Allegiance? They will take the phrase 'under God' away from me when my cold, dead lips can no longer utter those words. God bless America."

WALMART

Palin Presided Over a Wedding at a Walmart. He worked in the pets department. She was a cashier. A romance blossomed. And when it came time to say ''I do,'' they chose -- where else? -- an aisle next to menswear. Sandwiched between racks of cotton pants and surrounded by ''Back-to-School Specials'' signs, Jake McCowan and Rosalyn Ryan exchanged vows last week at the place where they met, work and fell in love: the Wasilla Wal-Mart. A crowd of 200, including passengers from a tour bus and several dozen curious shoppers, watched the two employees tie the knot in an afternoon ceremony officiated by Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin. ''It was so sweet,'' said Palin, who fought back tears during the nuptials. "It was so Wasilla."

Palin Delivered "Non-Answers" On Expanding Health Care Coverage and Walmart. "Asked about expanding health care coverage and about Wal-Mart's corporate conduct, she delivered non-answers with a disarming smile."

USED PUBLIC FUNDS FOR POLITICAL GAIN

In her 2002 Lt. Governor bid, Mayor Palin used city employees, telephones, computers, fax machines for campaign fundraising and literature. On her candidate registration form, she used her City Hall fax number, and her mayoral e-mail address. Records show that Wasilla city property was used to contact supporters, donors, media contacts, and media purchasing.


GENDER CARD

Stambaugh Sued for Gender Discrimination After Palin Said She Was Intimidated by His Size. After Palin fired Irl Stambaugh, the police chief, he sued the city in part based on gender discrimination. The Frontiersman wrote, "The gender discrimination issues stem from statements Palin allegedly made to others that she was intimidated by Stambaugh's size. He stands over 6-feet tall and weighs more than 200 pounds, which, the lawsuit said, is attributed to his gender."

Palin Went to See Ivana Trump at Costco, Saying Alaska was So Desperate for "Any Semblance of Glamour and Culture". "Sarah Palin, a commercial fisherman from Wasilla, told her husband on Tuesday she was driving to Anchorage to shop at Costco. Instead, she headed straight for Ivana. And there, at J.C. Penney's cosmetic department, was Ivana, the former Mrs. Donald Trump, sitting at a table next to a photograph of herself. She wore a light-colored pantsuit and pink fingernail polish. Her blonde hair was coiffed in a bouffant French twist. 'We want to see Ivana,' said Palin, who admittedly smells like salmon for a large part of the summer, 'because we are so desperate in Alaska for any semblance of glamour and culture.'"

Palin Explained that She Couldn't Run for Senate Because Then She Couldn't Be the "Team Mom." "A hockey mom and a former standout athlete herself, Palin said she understood her son's concerns. 'How could I be the team mom if I was a U.S. senator?' she said."

LYING

Palin Exaggerated Work Experience for Mayoral Campaign. In 1997, Frontiersman columnist Paul Stuart wrote that after Palin had criticized her opponent for using City Hall resources for political gain, "when Palin was asked back then (by me) why the lodge where she claimed, in her campaign, to have gained her management experience, had no record of a borough business license or of paying any bed tax, she paused and said it might have been because the place had no clients for a year or so." In an article describing the possibility of recalling Palin, the Frontiersman wrote the "reasons include Palin's alleged falsification of her credentials during the campaign last fall."

Frontiersman Editorial Said Palin Made Statements That Were "Patently Untrue," Said She Had Shown "Unrepentant Backpedaling and Incessant Whining." A Frontiersman editorial wrote, "Wasilla residents have been subjected to attempts to unlawfully appoint council members, statements that have been shown to be patently untrue, unrepentant backpedaling, and incessant whining that her only enemies are the press and a few disgruntled supporters of former Mayor John Stein."

Frontiersman Editorial: Palin Doesn't Grasp the Truth. A Frontiersman editorial wrote, "Mayor Palin fails to have a firm grasp of something very simple: the truth."

PERSONAL

Palin's Brother-In-Law Appeared on Reality Dating Show. Lt. Gov. candidate Sarah Palin thought it might help her campaign when brother-in-law Jack McCann showed up as a desirable catch on the new "reality" TV show, "Looking for Love: Bachelorettes in Alaska." That hope lasted until she actually saw an episode of the series, which turns out to be your basic meat market twitch & grin. "Oh Lord," she said. "My sisters and I watched it in horror." Jack, who is scheduled to appear again even though he crashed a mountain bike in the first episode, is pretty cute and has a sense of humor, Sarah reports. "He described his occupation . . . as an office environment consultant," she said.
"He sells furniture."

Palin told The Associated Press that she and her husband, Todd, made a bet on whether Murkowski would run. If the governor says he'll enter the race, Palin has to get the Big Dipper tattooed on her ankle. If Murkowski says no, Todd gets a wedding ring inked on his finger.

*

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003845449

[DangerDave921]

1. Other than official misconduct allegations,

the rest is fluff. Marriage in WalMart? Who cares. And hey -- I advocate the death penalty for child murderers too.

All this junk wasn't apparently enough to keep her down in her previous races. I doubt it will make much difference here either. May even make her more homey. Americans do love their "aw shucks she's one of us" people. Like how they'd rather have a beer with Bush than Gore.

[anigbrowl]

4. Hmm, sort of. It depends on demographics

The 'pubs 'Country First' slogan and selection of Palin suggest to me that they've given up on the urban vote. They want to win with rural and small-town voter, and are gambling that there are more willing voters in rural areas than in urban ones. It's a 'turn the map red' strategy, and even if they lose they'll still wave red maps with little blue dots around to make their point.

Obama and Biden need to do a lot of farm appearances this fall.

[madmax]

2. The right wing will only like her more. n/t

[kestrel91316]

3. Somebody please tell me this is from The Onion.........

Jesus.

"....After Palin fired Irl Stambaugh, the police chief, he sued the city in part based on gender discrimination. The Frontiersman wrote, "The gender discrimination issues stem from statements Palin allegedly made to others that she was intimidated by Stambaugh's size. He stands over 6-feet tall and weighs more than 200 pounds, which, the lawsuit said, is attributed to his gender." ...........I hope he WON!

".....In 1997, Frontiersman columnist Paul Stuart wrote that after Palin had criticized her opponent for using City Hall resources for political gain, "when Palin was asked back then (by me) why the lodge where she claimed, in her campaign, to have gained her management experience, had no record of a borough business license or of paying any bed tax, she paused and said it might have been because the place had no clients for a year or so." In an article describing the possibility of recalling Palin, the Frontiersman wrote the "reasons include Palin's alleged falsification of her credentials during the campaign last fall."

[symbolman]

5. Kick!

Anyone notice the proof that Todd fucks around? Maybe that last baby AIN'T HIS...

[anakie]

6. question for symbolman

what is the final word on whether Palin was a member of the AIP or just a supporter? Or is it still in dispute?

[symbolman]

7. I don't buy my sister folding

she's NEVER folded in her entire life, and I mean with Death staring her in the face, with me at her side unbelieving..

Doesn't matter I guess, her hubby was REGISTERED up to 2002, and she attended meetings, I'd say she's FOR it, others may disagree..

We'll see who bites I guess.. I think some McCain lawyer got to her, real good..

[anakie]

8. thanks mate

Undoubtedly she is for the AIP, why would she speak at their conventions if she didn't. She may not have signed registration papers so they technically may be correct.

However, Republican sop's say that she had no sway over her husband, but if Michelle had have been to a Black Panthers or somesuch meeting even as long ago as 20 years (DUI conviction anyone) both she and Obama would have been raked over the coals.

Anyway, none of this should matter after Nov 5th (in Australia); Nov 4th for you guys.


Peace

[DeschutesRiver]

9. John McCain is NOT fit to be CIC, given that his decision making abiltity is impaired.

I mean, this kind of thing just can't be real, ie that a major national nominee, from EITHER SIDE, could do something this low rent and shabby to his or her country, picking someone like this for one of our highest offices.