Palin and the culture of political corruption

Over at Ace of Spades, there are several discussions of Obama turning a blind eye during his career to the rampant political corruption in Illinois, as well as his alleged involvement. With a state so entrenched in the culture of corruption it's difficult to untangle who is who, who's scratching who's back, and who is on what side. Or should it be "whom?" It seems like everyone has been paid off in some way, including spouses who aren't directly involved in the political process at all.

Palin faced the culture of corruption in Alaska. Instead of turning a blind eye, or participating, she rolled up her sleeves and fought it. She clearly stated what side she was on; there was absolutely no guessing. The people of Alaska wanted her as their Governor, instead of the corrupt political machine that was hurting Alaska - unfortunately several of them were in the Republican Party. But Palin isn't there to make friends or scratch anyone's back. She is there to serve the people and she takes her job very seriously.

In Ace's post, he wittingly compares how she faced corruption compared with Obama:

Obama did rouse himself to speak out forcefully against government corruption... in Kenya. Bear in mind, of course, Sarah Palin was a moron for taking on the less-spectacularly corrupt Alaskan political machine. See, if she had been as brilliant as Obama, she wouldn't have needed to respond with crude measures like fighting corruption and defeating corrupt politicians; she could have employed nuance and smarts to finesse around it, and even profit from it.

From the 12/11/08 post: The Media's "Almost Willful" Fantasy That Obama Is
Untouched By Chicago Corruption
—Ace