The Vanity Fair piece and surrounding controversy shows Palin needs to find her own staff

I am completely shocked at the lengths people will go to tear each other down. Vanity Fair is running a hit piece on Palin, which is not anything new or unexpected. But I'm shocked at how the piece is reverberating throughout MSM, Beltway insiders, conservative bloggers and right-leaning media groups.

The Vanity Fair story says that McCain advisors, or someone within the McCain campaign might be alleging that Palin had postpartum depression during the campaign last year.

I don't think there were any doctors on the campaign who could have diagnosed her but if there were, I don't think any doctor would have leaked that information. So it had to be a campaign employee - and who of them would be fit to make such a diagnosis?? None of them. And it's atrocious that a magazine that allegedly supports women would try to tear down a female VP candidate by saying she had postpartum - I would think a pro-woman magazine would want to shoot down those stereotypes not engage in them. But hey, according to Vanity Fair now, if you had a baby recently, you're not fit for public office!

All of that ridiculousness aside, the story brings to light again that McCain has/had campaign advisors who are leaking information and attacking Palin anonymously.

Politico ran an article "Palin story sparks GOP family feud," that explained how the McCain campaign group and others inside the Beltway have been fighting over these leaks for months. All these "elite" Republican RINOs are losing their heads over Palin and are fighting in the sandbox.

This just proves that Palin can't trust anyone inside Washington. She can't hire the campaign managers that candidates traditionally use. She's a whole new animal. She needs to get her OWN people to run her campaign.

Some have accused her of not being organized enough to run a campaign. Well, she's not your typical candidate. She can't trust these people who are going tear her down from the inside. That's why it appears that she's still trying to gain her footing. She needs to find the right people who have the experience to run a campaign but also she can trust.

As for all this in-fighting in the GOP, all fingers can point to McCain. He's done so much damage to this party. His campaign people have brought Washington to a whole new low, attacking our own former VP candidate anonymously while McCain just turns a blind eye. Reading the Politico article, you can see how many careers McCain has influenced and we would just be a whole lot better off without RINOs like them.

According to Twitter, Palin is in Germany

She's in Germany visiting wounded soldiers. Here is her twitter status:

LtGen Campbell & I now n Germany=visit wounded warriors
seek to do more to help these deserving patriots than mere visit
they sacrifice much

When I find more pics and articles I'll post them.

Palin visits the Alaska National Guard Troops in Kosovo

Palin is in Kosovo this weekend on a tour to visit Alaska National Guard troops in Kosovo. From her website:

A part of Governor Palin’s duties while she is in country is to inspect the troops and ascertain how the experience in Kosovo will better prepare these service members for missions within Alaska and future deployments overseas.

“As commander-in-chief, Governor Palin is the one we look to for leadership and inspiration while serving and defending the sovereign boundaries of Alaska,” said Lt. Gen. (AK) Craig E. Campbell, Adjutant General of the Alaska National Guard. “We thank the commanding general of the Multi-National Task Force East for the invitation to visit and for his hospitality while in country.”

I love that. As commander-in-chief, Palin oversees the National Guard troops for her state. That's what's great about Governors, they have commander-in-chief experience they can use when they're POTUS.

The trip is supposed to last through the weekend, where she'll also visit other troops in other countries. Stay tuned for details.

Katie Couric is sinking CBS, ratings fall to record low on CBS Evening News

I'm sorry I feel a little good about this. MSM is facing the music that when their darlings trash Palin, they end up alienating the general public. No matter how many awards from the MSM elite Couric won for her interview with Palin, the general public saw through the hit job that it was. And guess what? They still don't like Couric. They didn't much like her before the interview and certainly not now.

Couric received the all time lowest ratings ever in the history of CBS Evening News.

Couric, whose show had languished in third place since her CBS debut in September 2006, appeared to be poised for a renaissance [after the Palin interview].

...

But it hasn't panned out that way. While Couric's show has picked up more viewers, the Palin interview proved to be a high-water mark, a shooting star, for the nightly newscast.

...

Last week, only 4.9 million people tuned into the "CBS Evening News," marking the first time on record that the network recorded fewer than 5 million viewers.

The DNC Alaska Blogger

I'm aware of the latest thing the DNC's Alaska Blogger did. I've avoided mentioning her name, her blog and her actions, here on my blog. She's done several despicable things to the Palin family since the DNC charged her to join their cause of destroying Palin's life.

I will not describe the latest thing she did except to say that it was horrid. I don't want to give her any attention or clicks so I'm just ignoring and I hope others will follow. She feeds on negative enery and attention and I will not give her one ounce. Other Palin support sites have devoted mass amounts of time and energy writing about this woman and in my opinion that is just empowering her to do more destructive acts. This woman does more than just write a blog. She actually engages in real world actions that hurt Palin and in my opinion, that is sociopathic.

I just wanted to let you know that I am aware of her, but I will not mention her actions here. I'm ignoring her in hopes that she will stop. If something changes where I need to talk about her I will, but my current course of action is to ignore.

Sarah and Todd visited the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier last Monday

Here are some photos from their visit; all of them are from ADN.

Palin offers support to Sanford

On her Facebook status she wrote (8:45pm CST):

"My heart and prayers are with Governor Sanford and especially his family during this difficult time." - Gov. Sarah Palin

Mark Sanford admits affair, Jerry Taylor needs a hug

Mark Sanford admitted today to having an affair with woman from Argentina he's known for eight years as a "dear friend."

The odd events surrounding this admission, and the lies and coverups associated with it have completely and utterly destroyed his chances of running for president in 2012. Handled differently, this could have been a blip on the radar or a minor speed bump.

First there was the report that he was missing and not answering phones or emails. Then there was his wife saying that she didn't know where he was but wasn't concerned. Then his staff said he was hiking in the Appalachian Mountains because he wanted to take a break from the "tough" legislative session that just ended. Then the FBI spotted him in the Atlanta airport boarding a flight to Buenos Aires.

No governor should disappear like that for a week and without anyone able to contact him. No governor should express that a simple legislative session was so tough that he needed to disappear for a week. What would happen if he were president and an enemy threatened war? Would he head to the beach for a week to think about it? So, this was so much more than an affair announcement. Today's announcement was the culmination of some very odd and disturbing events.

This is a huge, huge story for the GOP and our nominee for 2012. There was a large contingent hanging their hats on Sanford. He had a phenomenal fiscal conservative record in South Carolina. He has an engaging personality and could have had mass appeal as a nominee. He embraced the far right and didn't show RINO tendencies. I thought he could be a good VP pick for Palin, his only fallback being that he (nor Palin) didn't have a strong foreign policy record.

I think our friend Jerry Taylor needs a hug today. During my email exchange with him in February, he said that Mark Sanford was his "hero." Poor, poor Jerry Taylor - he always used Sanford as the example for how Palin should be - who will he have to do that now?

Speculation on Palin's future

I previously wrote that I think Palin will run in 2012 and gave a list of reasons, or "clues" I probably should say, as to why.

This week, the MSM is also speculating on Palin's future and they too think she will run. Some say she won't even run for re-election as governor in 2010 in order to free up time and money for the 2012 bid, taking a nod from Minnesota's Tim Pawlenty. Certainly, Mark Sanford's recent choices will make an impact on this decision as well since he was previously considered a frontrunner.

Palin Likely Prepping for 2012 Presidential Run
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 2:29 PM
Newsmax
By: David A. Patten

Beltway tongues are starting to wag that Sarah Palin is likely to opt out of a 2010 bid for re-election as Alaska's governor, in order to free herself for a presumed run on the national GOP ticket in 2012.

“There is nothing that she has done that leads me to believe she will seek reelection,” a prominent former GOP state legislator, Andrew Halcro, told Politico's Andy Barr. “If you’re Palin, once you’ve flown first class, you don’t go back to coach. She’s been to the show and certainly seemed to like it there,” he adds.

Politico also quotes a DC-based Democratic strategist who concludes, "We don't think she's running."

If Palin does bow out, it would free up her time to organize a broader campaign for national office. In so doing, she would appear to be following the course set by conservative GOP Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a frequently touted presidential hopeful.

According to the Alaska Public Offices Commission, no candidate, including Palin, has yet to file the paperwork to toss their hat in the political ring for the Alaska governorship.

Politico quotes a former Palin staff member who estimates there's a 50-50 chance Palin will shoot for another term as governor.

"If Sarah Palin has proven anything in her career, it's that she is full of surprises," the source says.

Palin has consistently deflected media inquiries into her future political plans.

Political pundits expect Palin will wait as long as possible – probably until next spring -- to announce her intentions.

continued...

Reports are coming in of an earthquake near Anchorage

5.4 quake rocks Southcentral
Posted: June 22, 2009 02:39 PM CDT
Updated: June 22, 2009 04:31 PM CDT
By Channel 2 News staff
Monday, June 22, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- An earthquake rocked Southcentral at about 11:30 a.m. Monday.

The 5.41 magnitude quake occurred about 33 miles southwest of Talkeetna, according to preliminary data from the Alaska Earthquake Information Center.

There is no tsunami expected, the Alaska Tsunami Warning Center said. An initial report from the center put the magnitude at 5.3. It was later revised by AEIC.

Palin could be at the heart of a pop culture shift

After the dust has settled on the Letterman issue, it's revealed that Palin can fight against pop culture and win, something many conservatives in the past haven't been able to do.

Gary Bauer at Human Events wrote a fantastic article covering this subject. It's a great read and he shows how remarkable it is that Palin came out on top after Letterman's insults. Here is an excerpt of his article published today, along with my comments.

Letterman has enjoyed a temporary ratings boost, but there’s deeper meaning in the incident. The cultural left lampoons Palin because her values and life are completely foreign to them. They find it bizarre that she hunts, prays and says things like “you betcha.’” They can’t fathom that she brought a child with Down syndrome to term and that she didn’t pressure her daughter into aborting an unexpected pregnancy.

Letterman may not know anyone who would vote for Palin or a family that looks like hers. But his Palin joke backfired in part because scores of millions of Americans are living lives that more closely resemble Palin’s life than Letterman’s. Like Palin, they pray in churches, hunt and fish and raise imperfect families with unconditional love. They are more than uneasy about the culture’s sexualization of children and its infantilization of adults.

The cultural left mocks Palin’s values, but its taunts often fail to gain traction, because Palin’s politics and principles are much more main-stream than those of her critics. Sarah Palin is a false target for the popular culture. It can’t resist the temptation to ridicule and lampoon her, but she offers too much common sense and inspiration to make for good jokes.

"Sarah Palin is a false target for popular culture." So true. This could be the beginning of a huge cultural shift.

Before there was always a divide between the politicians and the regular citizens. The politicians were the men and women in suits who did the "arduous" task of representing the citizens in government, creating policy and voting on it. These politicians on both the right and left were largely very wealthy career politicians who placed themselves above the public. Two types of people - either you're in politics or you're one of the regular people, and never the twain shall meet. The liberal media could make jokes at politicians and get laughs because there was so much distance between politicians and regular folks. Even jokes made at the expense of Republicans could get big laughs from mainstream America because they couldn't really identify with them on a personal level either.

Bill Clinton in my memory was probably one of the first to break down the wall between politics and pop culture. Before Lewinsky, he integrated himself into pop culture by showing his personal side - playing the saxophone, going on comedy shows, joking, smiling, laughing, being sociable, showing a laid-back and at ease personality. There was very little compartmentalization with him. He was considered very "cool" but his life circumstances and extreme Leftist politics still separated him from mainstream Americans.

With Palin we have a completely different scenario. We have someone who the majority of Americans can instantly identify with. Now when the largely liberal media makes "jokes" about her, the public instantly feels like the joke is on them because she is just like them. She therefore empowers people to say no, I don't need to watch Letterman tell tasteless jokes. With her, the liberal media can't make "jokes" about politicians anymore because there is no more divide between politician and a real person - here is one who is both. What happens next is that what's popular and what makes money for comedians, movie makers, musicians and others in pop culture starts to slowly shift right. When more people feel empowered by that, more "real" politicians like Sarah Palin will start to emerge. Then we could potentially be in a place where our forefathers wanted us to be, with real everyday citizens running the country. The pop culture shift reinforces the political shift to the right and vice versa, and Sarah Palin is at the heart of it.

Why I think Sarah will run in 2012

After the 2008 election, Palin went back to work immediately to Alaska. The legislature was in session and she focused completely on her work as governor. She did not make any national appearances save for the John Ziegler interview for Media Malpractice: How Obama Got Elected.

It was a cold few months where we didn't really have anything to report except for her accomplishments in Alaska, and I was a little worried that she just wanted to maybe run for governor again, but that was it. No presidential run. After getting burned so badly personally by MSM and the McCain staffers, it seemed like she was kind of forgetting about the national scene for awhile.

But ever since the legislative session ended, she's been setting the world on fire. It's pretty clear that she strictly wanted to do her job well and was completely focused on that. Now that the session's over she has the time to do other things and she's been using that time wisely and effectively.

She has yet to comment on her political aspirations, either as running for re-election as governor or president. But I think she will run in 2012 based on a few things.

Below is a list of the reasons *I* think Palin will run - in no particular order - and my thoughts behind them.

*She signed a book deal for a political memoir that will be released in late 2010/2011. A perfect opportunity to express her views in her own words so people can get to know her better before the election. A great opportunity to show her foreign policy expertise and de-bunk the stupid MSM lies about her.

*She uses Facebook and Twitter, and has two Blackberries. She's showing everyone that she's not a "chillbilly hick from Alaska;" she's adept at all the different forms of digital communication and filtering information. She updates them regularly and appropriately.

*She makes articulate statements on national issues that are not related to Alaska, but would give voters a chance to know "what does Sarah think about this?" For instance she made statements on George Tiller and William Long. In these situations I see Palin acting as the party leader. I want Michael Steele and our popular Republican Senators and Governors making statements like this where they can steer the party, in a way. So far, not many leaders have stepped up to bat and it looks like Palin is taking it upon herself to do so.

*She used Letterman's "joke" as an opportunity to improve how women are treated on a national level. She put the spotlight on how young teens and women's sexuality are still fair game for comedic fodder and her eloquent points convinced a lot of people that Letterman was wrong. She could have not responded at all, but she did and actually went beyond that by making it a national issue - testing the waters if you will. She also sent a strong message to those who attack her children, that she will not back down as they want her to. She fights back.

*During her speech introducing Michael Reagan, she discussed her naysayers at length. I urge you listen to that audio if you haven't already. She made this statement without hesitation, almost as if she had been waiting years to say it: "Those are the folks who want to tell me, they want to tell you, to sit down and shut up. We will not do that. I just can't, because I love my state. I love my country." After everything hurled at her this is what she says "I will not sit down and shut up." She is one strong woman who loves a challenge, loves to fight for what is right and doesn't let anyone walk all over her. I think she sent a strong message to the Democrats and to her "fans" if you will by saying that. She's going to run.

*During the Hannity interview she repeated the line that she will not sit down and shut up.

*She's been going on national TV shows, radio and cable shows, expressing her views without fear, without hesitation, with a TON of great information and political views. She went on Hannity (which wasn't a hard-hitting interview I realize, but still) and hammered out her opinions one by one in an intelligent manner. There was no "uh, uh, uh," there was no teleprompter. She went on the Today show and just cut Matt Lauer to pieces and told him point blank he was naive. She has a platform and she uses it well. She doesn't do the typical politician response of not really answering any question. She's putting herself out there as a real person, not a skeevy politician just trying to get votes.

*The "elite" RINOesque front runners, Huckabee, Romney and Mitch Daniels (Gov. of Indiana), have been given massive airtime from MSM and "elite" right-leaning media - and have pretty much epically failed. Romney posts on The Corner almost every other week, writes op-eds for various newspapers, and rarely says anything of substance. Huckabee has his own show that I don't think anyone watches. Mitch Daniels is the latest person they're telling us is the best thing since sliced bread and was given the cover on a recent issue of National Review. From what I read he seems like kind of a typical politician.

The problem with them is that they're all so entirely "meh" and forgettable. I'm sure they would be great presidents, but I'm really not enthusiastic about them in the least. Palin on the other hand, everyone knows from the campaign and can't get enough of her. She's the opposite of those guys when it comes to charisma and public speaking ability. 20,000 people showed up to Founder's Day in NY to hear her speak. She's getting people so excited about 2012 they literally can't wait to vote for her. Supporters are giving tons of money to her PAC so she'll have enough capital to run. She doesn't even have to ask, they just do it. So among the "leaders" she's miles ahead of them.

And finally...

*Her faith. She has faith in God's plan for her, that God is protecting her family. I know it sounds kind of cheesy, but her faith seems to guide her in a way that gives her the strength to fight these battles and people who are constantly trying to take her down. I don't know how else to explain it.

*Her love of her country. She has obviously said many times how much she loves her country. She loves freedom. She appreciates the sacrifices made in order to preserve freedom and she said she does what she can to maintain our freedom. She uses her unique gifts to serve her country in her way.

Letterman apologizes for real

He apologized a second time, and it was sincere. Palin accepted it. I don't think he'll ever make a joke about it again. Let's move on.

What's funny to me is that in all the articles I've read about this ordeal, MSM refers to Bristol as an "unwed mother." Which of course, she is. But they use it as a justification for Letterman's joke. Like - "see, she's an unwed mother; it was appropriate. The Palins are overreacting!" They couldn't just say her name, Bristol. They had to put the unwed mother thing in there, too.

What the MSM doesn't want to admit is that's one of the reasons why people were outraged. Bristol was in a committed 3-year relationship with the father and they were engaged. Are all women who have a baby in their over 3-year relationships with their significant other allowed to be called "sluts" and be the subject of sexual jokes involving spreading their legs for Alex Rodriguez during a baseball game? I know it would have been better if they got married, and that everyone got married before having kids. But sometimes it just doesn't happen and the woman in question shouldn't be called a slut because of it. I just don't think that's slutty behavior, in my opinion.

Anyway, it's over now. I'm sure Letterman won't be making those kinds of jokes ever again and we can all move on now.

Article posted on Sarah's facebook

Here's a great article that was posted on Sarah's facebook page today. It doesn't have a byline so I don't know who wrote it. It was just in the "notes" section. I don't exactly know how to link facebook articles, but here it is copied below.

Face of a GOP Serious About Good Policy? How About Sarah Palin?
So, Republicans, you're looking for people who can serve as faces of a party on the upswing. What qualities would we want to see in such people?

Maybe these:

* They've served in public office and have actually governed effectively.
* Rather than just talking about fiscal responsibility, they've made it happen under their watch.
* When possible, they've made sure the private sector would take the lead in crucial initiatives.
* They've taken on corrupt, entrenched interests to make government more responsive to the people it serves, even when those interests were fellow Republicans.
* They pull no punches in criticizing Democrats, but they do so with a positive outlook and a pleasant demeanor.
* They're not intimidated by the inevitable crap they will catch from the media, celebrities and whomever else.
* They have an enthusiastic following upon which to build.
* Finally, if you've got all of the above, it can't hurt if you also look fantastic.

Republicans, would you like people with some or most of these qualities to be the faces of a resurgent political party? Damn right you would. Guess what. There's one person who possesses all eight.

Sarah Palin.

The Alaska governor was once again in the news this week for a silly reason – her recent public spat with David Letterman. But she deserves to be in the news for a substantive reason: The way she governs Alaska represents a principled, serious approach that is missing in the conduct of far too many Republican officeholders. What's more, the way she talks about the excesses of the Obama Administration shows that she not only sees the problems we are creating for ourselves, but understands the alternatives we should be championing.

Once she found herself back in the national spotlight thanks to Letterman's idiocy, she shined in national broadcast interviews with her discussion of the coming Alaska pipeline project, of the perils of excess federal spending and even of events in the Middle East.

Palin knows her stuff, backs it up with action and expresses herself with the perfect mix of substance and agreeable style.

I am not writing this column to tout Palin as a presidential candidate. Unlike most who write about her, I do not view everything she does through the prism of presidential aspirations she may or may not have. This column is about the importance of prominent Republicans who are serious about good governance and can serve as the face of a party that represents such ideals.

Republicans should embrace everyone they can find whose track record in public office – and in the public eye – demonstrates the best of Republican governance. And no one fits the bill better than Palin.

But do you know about Palin? The real Palin?

Certain Republicans fear Palin's prominence because their image of her is based on Tina Fey routines and background turkey slaughters. Others are obsessed with inside baseball like the nonsense concerning her invite/non-invite/acceptance/non-acceptance of a speaking role at a recent GOP fundraising dinner.

If you read substance-challenged media like Politico, you think it's all about unnamed GOP operatives grumbling about the way her scheduler works, or GOP senators (who refuse to put their names on the record) finding her annoying.

Have you ever listened to Palin talk about policy? Have you examined her record in Alaska? Do you know the political courage she has demonstrated achieving crucial goals there?

It's especially important to listen to Palin's discussion of policy matters now, as compared with during the presidential campaign, because then she was hamstrung by the need to tout the McCain campaign's discombobulated message. Now that she is free to craft her own message, and can base it on her own record, she is exponentially more compelling.

Unlike their Washington counterparts, there are Republicans around the country who have done well in state and local positions, and they deserve to be the party's new stars. Wherever you can find them, put them in the spotlight. No need to take sides. You like Bobby Jindal? Mark Sanford? Mitch Daniels? Awesome. The more, the better.

But start with Sarah Palin. It's about her record, her vision, her message and her sincere appeal. They are all top-notch, if you don't realize that, it's because you've been focused on nonsense instead of what really matters.

Make her the nominee for president? I don't really care, and I'm not sure she cares as much as you think she does. But by all means, make her a star, because the Republican Party doesn't have anyone who comes even close to fitting the bill like she does.

Historic Agreement Moves AGIA Forward

As I've mentioned before, this is something that the people of Alaska have talked about doing for 30 years. It took Sarah two years to do it. She fought tooth and nail and moved this project forward at lightning speed. Go Sarah!!

Historic Agreement Moves AGIA Forward
Governor Applauds Private-Sector Alignment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 09-145

Historic Agreement Moves AGIA Forward Governor Applauds Private-Sector Alignment

June 11, 2009, Dallas, Texas - TransCanada Corporation and ExxonMobil announced today they have reached terms on a gas pipeline development agreement. TransCanada and ExxonMobil have agreed to work together to progress the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA) Gas Pipeline Project.

AGIA was created as a commercial vehicle for advancing the Alaska gas pipeline project through the first stages of development of what will be the largest private energy project in the world. "In a volatile world with growing energy needs, the time is now to develop Alaska's valuable resource for the environment, economy and national security,” Governor Palin said. She further described this historic announcement as “very encouraging and exciting, but certainly no surprise, because AGIA was crafted to allow just this type of commercial alignment to take place.”

For the State of Alaska and Alaskans, the owners of the North Slope’s world-class hydrocarbon resources, this event represents progress on this long lead-time project. Once construction begins, Alaska will experience economic growth not seen in over a generation, including potentially thousands of jobs created through construction of an open-access pipeline, as well as significant revenues generated from the production and sale of the gas.

Governor Palin said, “The Legislature voted in support of AGIA and subsequently supported issuing TransCanada the AGIA License because the legislators recognized the importance of this investment to our state’s economic future. AGIA and its ‘must haves’ protect the value of the resources that belong to all Alaskans. Of course, we recognize that this step is not the end of the AGIA process, but it is the natural evolution for a project of this magnitude.” Wednesday in Dallas, Governor Palin met with Hal Kvisle, TransCanada president, and Rich Kruger, president of ExxonMobil Production Company, to discuss the proposed alignment. Governor Palin said, “The meeting not only confirmed TransCanada’s commitment to the AGIA License, but also ExxonMobil’s commitment to continue to advance the Alaska Gasline project with TransCanada, including as additional alignments are reached with other stakeholders.” For TransCanada and ExxonMobil, the alignment provides a mutual benefit by bringing together the key skills of two world-class companies to effectively advance a project of maximum value and mutual benefit. For other producer and explorer companies, this project ensures their discovered resources can be transported to market, and at the lowest reasonable transportation cost. For America, this announcement means an affordable and clean source of energy is on its way and that, as a nation, we are much closer to domestic energy independence. “ExxonMobil recognizes that the State of Alaska has set a course for commercializing the North Slope’s trillions of cubic feet of known natural gas reserves,” the governor said. “By recognizing the value of Alaska’s relationship with TransCanada, ExxonMobil has made a strategic decision that I believe makes good sense. Alaskans will also be pleased to know that TransCanada’s obligations to the state as the AGIA licensee are 100 percent intact and unaltered by this alignment with ExxonMobil,” a fact that was echoed by Kvisle. AGIA involved an open and competitive bidding process and resulted in granting a license to TransCanada to move the project forward through one or more Open Seasons and eventual FERC certification. By providing matching funds during the risky development phase of this project, the state has secured commitments from TransCanada to conduct an Open Season by 2010.

The mandated commercial provisions of the AGIA License also protect the long-term interests of the state by ensuring that pipeline transportation tariffs will remain low. This will protect the “net back” value of the state’s natural gas, which will provide Alaska’s economic base for future generations. These same provisions guarantee that new gas discoveries will be provided access to the pipeline and that any expansions of the pipeline will not result in tariffs that unduly burden new explorers for gas. The next major milestone in the AGIA process is the 2010 Open Season, slated to begin sometime in the second quarter of 2010. The regulatory, design, engineering and cost work leading up to this, and the feedback received in the form of commitments made, will play an important role in continuing the progress made to date.

AGIA Facts:

*Governor Palin introduced Alaskans to AGIA in January 2007, promising swift movement to get Alaska's gas to market.
*Alaska legislators passed AGIA 58 to 1 in May 2007.
*Five entities expressed interest in applying for the AGIA license to proceed with specific commitments from the State of Alaska.
*Private-sector competition created by AGIA encouraged another pipeline project, Denali, to begin down another path to bring Alaska's gas to market.
*Alaska legislators awarded the AGIA license to TC Alaska in August 2008.
*TransCanada pre-filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in May 2009.
*When built, the natural gas pipeline is expected to carry roughly 4 bcf/day, supplying up to 8 percent of the United States' annual consumption.
*TransCanada is a leader in developing and operating energy infrastructure in North America.
*ExxonMobil is the largest publicly traded international oil and gas company.

Check out this picture of Piper

I found this photo of the Palin girls while reading those stories about Sarah's trip to New York. This picture was taken in December 2006, when the Palins moved into the Alaska Governors Mansion and saw it for the first time. I just love the way Piper is standing and the serious look on her face.

She looks like she's surveying the room like an interior designer, mentally checking what should go where, what should be moved, and what needs to be changed before she moves in. I love the way she has hands on her hips like she's getting ready to do some serious work on the look of that room. It echoes the way Sarah has her hand on her hip, too. What a cutie that girl is!

Responses from Letterman's "joke" and non-apology

First, Todd and Sarah issued statements regarding Letterman's "jokes" and his pathetic "apology."

Todd: "Any ‘jokes’ about raping my 14-year-old are despicable. Alaskans know it, and I believe the rest of the world knows it, too."

Sarah (through her facebook page): "Concerning Letterman's comments about my young daughter (and I doubt he'd ever dare make such comments about anyone else's daughter): 'Laughter incited by sexually-perverted comments made by a 62-year-old male celebrity aimed at a 14-year-old girl is not only disgusting, but it reminds us some Hollywood/NY entertainers have a long way to go in understanding what the rest of America understands - that acceptance of inappropriate sexual comments about an underage girl, who could be anyone's daughter, contribute to the atrociously high rate of sexual exploitation of minors by older men who use and abuse others.'"

Also, Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill spoke out: "Letterman jokes about Palin's daughter. Way over the line. If it were my daughters I'd be furious. He should seriously apologize."

And finally, after Dave's non-apology and invitation to appear on his show Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton issued this statement: "The Palins have no intention of providing a rating's boost for David Letterman by appearing on his show. Plus, it would be wise to keep Willow away from David Letterman."

And I loved Victor Davis Hanson's smackdown of Letterman's apology on the Corner today.

A Boor and a Coward [Victor Davis Hanson]

Smug, hip David Letterman offered a smirky non-apology about his ongoing class and sexist slurs against the Palins, his apparent social inferiors.

"We were, as we often do, making jokes about people in the news and we made some jokes about Sarah Palin and her daughter, the 18-year-old girl, who is — her name is Bristol, that's right, and so, then, now they're upset with me . . ."

"These are not jokes made about her 14-year-old daughter. I would never, never make jokes about raping or having sex of any description with a 14-year-old girl. I mean, look at my record. It has never happened. I don't think it's funny. I would never think it was funny. I wouldn't put it in a joke..."

Examine the logic. First, Letterman makes a gutter joke about Palin and her unnamed 14-year-old daughter attending a NY Yankees game. Then when a bit of outrage follows, he apparently claims he really meant to slur the other 18-year-old daughter who, back in Alaska, of course did not attend the game but was not named by Letterman. That would be okay, you see.

Second, then he evokes the now common straw man "they" who are apparently "upset" with him, hoping to play the victim card. Then he dribbles out something about his "last show" as if we are to weep that some mob is out to silence him. (But the reason he picked the Palins, and not the Obamas, Gores, Bidens, or Kerrys, was precisely because he knew it would not equate to his "last show").

Third, he strangely amplifies his joke by confessing it really was about "raping" and "having sex of any description," but just not with a "14-year-old girl," suggesting it would have been okay had he just been more explicit and named Bristol, the 18-year-old. In Letterman's world, because Bristol is 18, she is a year past most statuary rape clauses and thus the joke would have only been about "raping or having sex of any description with a [18-year-old] girl."

Nothing offered about his slurs against airline attendants and Governor Palin herself, when he sneered that she had a "slutty flight-attendant look," or his remark that Palin "was keeping Eliot Spitzer away from her daughter."

The self-serving, creepy apology was as bad as the initial slur. Letterman is emblematic of an aging, baby-boomer culture, that dresses up street vulgarity with a tie and coat. The only thing that saves him is his care to do this with the Palins from Alaska who don't figure into the usual no-go race/class/gender paradigm.

06/11 11:21 AM Share

David Letterman is a bitter, angry, misogynistic, unfunny piece of trash

On his show Monday night Letterman made his top ten list about Sarah Palin and her trip to New York. He called her slutty, a hooker, drug addict, among other things - but the absolute worst was when he made a "joke" about Willow being "knocked up" by Alex Rodriguez. I can barely contain my seething white-hot rage. That was completely WRONG, sexist, perverted, cruel and ruthless attack on a child of a political figure - a 14-year-old girl!! In his mind it's okay to say those things about Palin and her family because he disagrees with her politically and she's a conservative. It's also perfectly okay to call a 45-year-old mother of 5 a slut. What a SICK man.

The other reason he did this was to give her a little taste of what's to come if and when she runs for POTUS. He's basically saying "I will attack your children if you run, and you can't do anything about it."

Palin was a guest on the brand new John Ziegler radio show yesterday and he asked her about Letterman's show.

“What a commentary there,” Palin said of the comment during an interview on conservative host John Ziegler’s Los Angeles-based radio show. “That’s pretty pathetic, good ole David Letterman.”

“It’s very sad to not recognize what this trip was all about,” Palin said, pointing to the autism event she participated in during a stop in Westchester, New York.

Ziegler asked her a question she was never before asked and that was "is it all worth it?" She said that she spoke with someone from the AP recently who seemed to relish in the fact that so many negative things were said about her and the AP reporter asked Sarah if she was having a rough week, and Palin responded that she had a great week because she got to speak to her son and her son is okay. Talk about some perspective! She also said this:

There are some rough days, but it's worth it. I don't want anybody who has a message of this love for America, this desire to help our country, to ever be told and to believe that they need to sit down and shut up. I cannot sit down and shut up. I'm speaking for the state of Alaska, for energy independence, for national security, for a stronger economy, for a better America. I will continue to do that and just keep taking shots, and yes I know what I'm in for. But we will continue to fight because we've got our young men and women fighting for us and our freedom to do such every single day in Iraq and at home.

I never watched Letterman anyway but now I never will. Let's boycott his show. He always seemed extremely bitter that Leno got the Tonight Show over him. His recent comments on Conan O'Brien being the new host revealed to me that he's never gotten over it. Just an angry bitter man, pathetic indeed.

Palin attended, but didn't speak at GOP fundraiser

Palin ended up attending the NRSC/NRCC fundraiser in Washington DC last night amidst the confusion over her role in the event. From the outside, it looked like neither Palin's camp nor the GOP had any clue about who was speaking and/or attending. This WaPo article leads us to believe that the GOP offered her a keynote slot, and then rescinded it for Newt instead. That's unbelievably tacky if true - to invite someone to give a keynote and then rescind? Who knows if that really happened, though. We'll never know.

But Palin did attend, giving her and Todd's RSVP hours prior. It appears that Newt still weilds a lot of power in the GOP.

Despite Questions About Her Appearance, Palin Welcomed at GOP Dinner
By Perry Bacon Jr.
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, June 8, 2009; 10:48 PM

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was warmly welcomed Monday night to a major GOP fundraiser dinner, a development that was surprising only because her appearance came after a bizarre, weeks-long saga that had party leaders questioning whether she would show up.

Palin had originally been announced as the keynote speaker for the fundraiser, a dinner benefiting the Republican congressional campaign committees at the Washington Convention Center. But her office then said that she had never confirmed her attendance. Palin's office asked last week if she would speak at the dinner, and party leaders told her she could. Later, though, they rescinded the speaking invitation in deference to the man who had accepted the keynote slot in her place, former House speaker Newt Gingrich.

Without a speaking slot, Palin declined to commit to appearing until hours before the event. But after assurances she would be publicly introduced at the event, the former vice presidential nominee and her husband strode across the stage with Gingrich and his wife as the event started, getting applause from the crowd of more than 2,000 Republicans.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), chairman of the National Senatorial Campaign Committee, praised Palin for her "leadership." The brief mention of the Alaska governor drew more applause from the crowd. Palin herself did not speak at the event.

Despite the controversy, Republicans raised more than $14 million at the event for the committees that help elect House and Senate GOP candidates. The dinner is annually one of the largest party fundraisers of the year.

More highlights from Palin's NY visit

Sisters touched by Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's visit to Auburn
by Scott Rapp / The Post-Standard Monday June 08, 2009, 9:28 PM

For sisters Mary Anne Cooper and Sue VanHoltz, the lengthy wait to see Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Saturday proved to be well worth the hours spent.

Cooper and VanHoltz had positioned themselves at the Memorial City Hall parking lot since early morning in hopes of persuading Palin to sign their copies of a biography on the Alaska governor.

"I have a special needs grandson and I want to give him the book," VanHoltz, of Auburn, said shortly before Palin's parade car came to rest in the heavily guarded parking lot.

"Sarah, Sarah, please sign our books," the sisters yelled several times to Palin as she stepped out of a red Cadillac convertible some 30 yards away. Palin glanced at the women, smiled and gave them a thumbs-up sign.

Within five minutes, a Palin staff person collected the women's books and returned to City Hall. He re-emerged from the building moments later with the autographed copies in hand and gave them to Cooper and VanHoltz.

"I can't tell you how much this means to me. I can't put it into words," a tearful VanHoltz said.

Palin touched many during the Founders Day event and parade, which this year celebrated Auburn's historical ties to Alaska.

During her 10-minute speech at City Hall after the parade, Palin saluted Susan-Kealoha Capone, whose son Army Pfc. Patrick DeVoe II was killed in a roadside bomb attack in Afghanistan in March.

"Our hearts go out to you, God bless you, God bless you for your son's courage," Palin said to loud applause.

"And Auburn join me in promising Susan that her soldier son's ... fighting effort was not in vain. But let us resolve to keep up the fight for America, for our freedom," she said.

There were plenty of lighter moments, too, especially on the parade route where an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 people swarmed East Genesee and South streets to catch a glimpse of Palin.

On East Genesee Street, Bill Oberkoetter, of Rochester, drew laughs from the crowd when he darted into the street flashing a sign that said, "Hey Alaska, Wanna Swap Governors?"

Afterward, Oberkoetter said -- with tongue in cheek -- that he thinks Alaska residents are too smart to go for the trade. He called himself a Palin supporter. "We think she's a breath of fresh air. She's not political and she's down to earth," Oberkoetter said.

Speaking of governors, many in the large crowd at City Hall booed loudly when state Sen. David Valesky, D-Oneida, said in his welcoming remarks to Palin that Gov. David Paterson was unable to attend the event.

While many soaked in the opportunity to see and hear Palin, the day proved to be bittersweet for Navy veteran James Spinelli, of Auburn, who served on the USS Iowa during the Korean War.

Palin's visit coincided with the 65th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. His brother John, a combat engineer, was killed in the battle.

"The wars are still going on. Some day people have got to learn to live together," Spinelli said.

Asked if he thinks that will ever happen, Spinelli replied, "Not in our lifetime."

Video of Hannity interview

Who says she needs to "rehab her image?" Who says she can't do an interview? Who says she's dumb?? Palin says more in this 10 minute off-the-cuff interview than any of Obama's prepared teleprompter speeches, and is a billion times more eloquent than anyone in Washington. She speaks the truth and is intelligent and articulate. All those people who think she can't hold her own need to watch this. Go Sarah!

Sarah on Hannity tonight

This was on Drudge's front page. There are some excerpts from tonight's interview and it looks great.

Sarah on Hannity - Fox News at 9pm EST.

NY loves Palin!

I found some more links from Palin's visit in New York last weekend. The local press loved her! All the reports were surprisingly positive, and they also recognized that she has a huge following in New York. The local press even stated that she hadn't been out of Alaska since the campaign - they didn't repeat the tired lie that she's not focused on Alaska, which even her own state legislature is spewing.

I watched this video of a local news report and the crowd was FIRED UP at her speech! The biggest applause line was when she said we love our country, we're proud of it and we don't have to apologize for it. Go Sarah! Someone held a sign that said "hey Alaska, want to swap governors?" Loved it.

She also attended a Yankees game and spoke at an Autism Awareness event. Here are some photos!

Palin's visit to NY

I had a busy weekend and didn't have time to read about Palin's New York visit. I ripped this video from Ace, so if you already saw it there I apologize.

Gov. Sarah Palin Leads Auburn’s Founders Day Parade

Palin's warning validated by US Energy Dept

Palin warned for months about the strings attached to accepting federal stimulus money. None of the legislators listened to her, they openly criticized her and vehemently opposed her in the media. Not a single one, not even the Republicans, could turn down the money. They couldn't even muster the energy to think about their constituency and what those people would want - you know, the people who voted Republican and thought those views would be represented in the biggest US government power grab in history.

What are those legislators going to say now, now that the US Energy Department stated that there are strings attached. These strings attached are going to hurt the citizens of the states that accept the money. That's what Palin has been saying ever since the stimulus was passed. Thank goodness Palin vetoed the energy-related stimulus money. But it goes to show you how the rest of it will have strings, too.

US Energy Dept Reveals Strings Attached
Energy Department Reveals Strings Attached, Asks States to Comment
SarahPAC

June 5, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) confirmed today there are strings attached to stimulus package funds. DOE is now inviting states to comment on a draft document that they developed for measuring and demonstrating compliance with those strings attached to universal building code provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Last month, Governor Sarah Palin vetoed the $28.6 million in federal stimulus funds tied to adoption of building codes by municipalities.

DOE has repeatedly stated some energy funds are directly tied to the statewide adoption of new federal energy-efficiency codes. [Section 410(a)(2); March 12, 2009, DOE Guidance Manual, p.8, p.10, 25-26, p.33-34, Attachment 3; April 24, 2009, DOE Guidance Manual, p.8, p.10, p.25-26, p.33-34.] The codes in question are the 2009 International Conservation Code for residences and the 2007 American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers’ code for commercial buildings throughout the state.

As there is no statewide energy code, compliance by all local jurisdictions would include even Alaska’s 114 second-class and mostly rural communities. Full compliance with the strict new codes, which regulate even the type of lighting that can be installed, would cost Alaskans thousands of dollars per new home or renovation.

"We took issue with Washington's universal building codes mandate and said they were unacceptable for Alaska," Governor Palin said. "Eventually, bureaucrats at DOE admitted the requirements were ‘not appropriate’ and offered funding if I would just push the codes on all our communities. I believe in local control, so I said no. Now, in the most recently issued statement on the subject by DOE, the requirements are back, clearer than ever."

continued...

Reaganesque Palin

I just listened to Palin's speech tonight as she was the opening act introducing Michael Reagan, who was in Anchorage to give a talk titled: "What would Ronald Reagan do today?"

I didn't get to hear Michael Reagan's speech, but I have a feeling this could be one of those times where the opening act was more entertaining than the headliner. I admit this wasn't one of Palin's best-delivered speeches. I didn't see video, but it appeared to be an "off the cuff" type speech, that kind of meandered a bit here and there. It wasn't completely polished. But wow, was I riveted at the content.

Palin discussed many things from her love of our country, to the ridiculous federal stimulus, to national security, to the ethics complaints filed against her. She also spoke pretty openly about her critics and her decision to stay in the spotlight.

"Those are the folks who want to tell me, they want to tell you, to sit down and shut up. We will not do that. I just can't, because I love my state. I love my country."

and

"I want to encourage you, don't just hang in there to get a long - stand up and speak up, and be bold and demand that Washington be prudent with our public monies, and prioritize America's security."

Listening to it gave me chills. She is someone who will not be broken, no matter how hard her critics try. She truly loves freedom, is proud of our history and what America stands for. Talk about someone inspiring Hope! She does, in spades. I feel like the world has gone mad while reading about what Obama is doing in Cairo. But when I listen to her I feel hope again that we can turn this around.

She discussed her admiration of Ronald Reagan and how he handled the Cold War. She equated it to the terrorist attacks we face. She said that Reagan always said "We win, they lose." and how that should still be our mentality. She talked about how political correctness made our words ineffective and meaningless and she was not afraid to recognize evil and call it out when she sees it.

She talked about the dangers of big government, out of control spending and how it could escalate to make a terrible situation worse.

"Since when can you get out of huge national debt by creating trillions of dollars of new debt?"

"We need to be aware of the creation of a fearful population, and fearful lawmakers, being led to believe that big government is the answer, to bail out the private sector, because then government gets to get in there and control it. And mark my words, this is going to be next, I fear, bail out next debt-ridden states."

The audio is here, at Real Clear Politics. Please listen to it if you have time.

Palin was right to reject energy stimulus funds

This surprised me. The ADN actually ran a positive story about Palin. They ran this piece by David Moore, who is an architect, according to the byline. So...none of their trained journalists on staff could bring themselves to report any type of positive or objective viewpoints. They decided to bring in a guest columnist, someone who lives and works in the real world, to write something that was apparently very painful to them - actually admitting Palin is doing something good for Alaska. Way to go, ADN! You're a shining example to newspapers everywhere. Keep up the good work and maybe you'll go bankrupt like the rest of them. David Moore, though, gets major props for this.

Palin right to reject energy stimulus funds
BY DAVID MOORE
Published: June 3rd, 2009 05:28 PM
Last Modified: June 3rd, 2009 05:29 PM

Governor Palin is right to reject energy stimulus funds with strings attached.

The federal stimulus act mandates state adoption of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) or related ASHRAE standards and that the state verify 90% compliance statewide. This would expand the state fire marshal's plan review department to include residential construction.

It would require the fire marshal's office to expand its duties beyond issuing building permits to include inspections to verify compliance. Alaskans would pay for these added duties and authority. Over the next 10 years this would cost us much more than the $29 million available in stimulus money. MOA's plan review and inspection department budget alone is over $9 million. Expand this type of enforcement statewide, add travel cost for inspections, and imagine the total cost.

Adoption of this code for commercial construction would have very little effect toward reducing fuel consumption statewide. Anchorage and Fairbanks already have adopted this code. In commercial construction statewide, most buildings comply with this code and ASHRAE standards already. In residential construction, even in the bush, many of the requirements are exceeded simply because we live in a cold place. We've been building energy efficient buildings here for longer than rest of the country by necessity.

So what this amounts to is solely a new regulatory requirement to verify compliance. It does little beyond what we are already doing to save fuel, but does a lot to grow government. We each have an inherent benefit in reducing our utility bills. I doubt that a government mandate to do so is better motivation than our own pocketbooks.

continued...

Stupid ethics complaint dismissed

It's like a broken record around here with all the dismissed ethics complaints. Well, I never get tired of seeing these ankle-biters' dreams get crushed. The latest complaint dismissed was the most insane yet. It was the one that alleged Palin violated ethics rules by wearing a jacket with Todd's sponsor on it during the Iron Dog snowmobile competition.

Complaint alleging Palin's wardrobe at Iron Dog race was conflict dismissed
Associated Press - June 3, 2009 10:14 PM ET
KTUU.com

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - An Anchorage blogger says she was "extremely disappointed" to hear that her ethics complaint against Gov. Sarah Palin was dismissed.

An investigator for the Alaska Personnel Board this week dismissed the complaint by Linda Kellen Biegel, who alleged Palin violated ethics law in February when she acted as the official starter in the Tesoro Iron Dog snowmobile race while wearing a jacket promoting the sponsor of her husband's team.

The personnel board's independent investigator, Thomas Daniel, says there was no evidence Palin used her position for personal gain by wearing the jacket at the start and finish of the race.

Biegel disagrees that Palin has no personal gain in wearing a jacket promoting the sponsor of her husband's race team and says it could translate to "some type of benefit" for the Palins in the future.

Biegel says she is now weighing her legal options on a possible follow-up to the matter.

Palin in NY for Founders Day June 6

Sarah will be in Auburn, New York this weekend to celebrate Founders Day. This is the innagural event that celebrates the various connections between New York and Alaska, and planners are hoping to make it a tradition.

This year Palin will be in attendance for a fundraiser at the Seward House, and a parade. William Seward was the SoS who was instrumental in the purchase of Alaska, and who lived most of his life in Auburn.

Palin will appear in parade
By The Citizen staff report
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 11:35 PM EDT

Founders Day visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Saturday will have plenty of opportunities beyond the fundraiser being held at the Seward House on Saturday afternoon.

The Auburn Founders Day Committee confirmed Wednesday that the former Republican vice presidential nominee will also be taking part in the parade that kicks off the daylong celebration of Auburn history and its connections with the state of Alaska. In addition, Palin will offer brief remarks at a ceremony following the parade outside Auburn's Memorial City Hall on South Street.

The parade itself kicks off at 11 a.m. at East Genesee and Fulton streets, and the procession will move down East Genesee, turn onto South Street and end at city hall. The estimated time for the city hall event is from noon to 12:30 p.m.

The committee said Palin's remarks at that event will be brief. The majority of her public speaking will take place at the Seward House fundraiser, with 2 p.m. the estimated time.

The Seward House said tickets are still available for the garden party fundraiser. Tickets selling for $100 for the event, which starts at 12:30 p.m., can be purchased by calling the museum at 252-1283 or by visiting www.sewardhouse.org. The $250 tickets that included a personal introduction and photograph with Palin are sold out.

Iowa may be key for 2012

I found this interesting article from the AP regarding how important winning the state of Iowa is in presidential elections. Some prominent members of the GOP are visiting there this weekend, already signalling the start of the political campaigning.

Iowa presidential campaigning returns
By MIKE GLOVER

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — It's been six months since voters handed Barack Obama the White House, and in the minds of a lot of Iowa activists that means only one thing: It's time to start the campaign again.

2012 already?

Yes, 2 1/2 years before Iowans gather for their first-in-the-nation precinct caucuses, early presidential campaigning has begun.

"We had a brief pause for two or three months when people went somewhere warm, and then it starts again," said Richard Schwarm, a Lake Mills lawyer and former state Republican Party chairman. "Most of the old war horses hear the bell and start responding again."

Potential Republican candidates who have visited the state include Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who won the GOP caucuses in 2008. More politicians have trips planned, starting with Nevada Sen. John Ensign on Monday, followed by Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and another appearance by Huckabee.

Several other high-profile Republicans thought to be considering presidential runs, including Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, haven't visited Iowa since the election.

Of course, politicians typically say their stops in Iowa aren't related to any presidential ambitions.

Ensign, for example, will speak as part of a conservative lecture series designed to define the Republican Party heading into next year's congressional elections. Huckabee will be the draw at a fundraiser for Bob Vander Plaats, a likely candidate for governor.

Phil Roeder, chief spokesman for the Iowa Democratic Party during the 1988 election cycle, said there's a long tradition of politicians traveling to Iowa to help others.

"It's the smoke screen," Roeder said. "Every candidate has to keep the expectations in check and at the same time it's a great way to make friends in Iowa. If you're here to help others and not just help yourself, it gives you a good list to go back to when it's your turn."

Or as Eric Woolson, a GOP strategist who headed Huckabee's successful Iowa campaign, put it, "That's the nature of Iowa and the political schedule."

Campaigning for the caucuses begins earlier with each presidential election cycle, but interest among Republicans could be especially strong this time because of last year's example. That's when an underdog first-term senator from Illinois patiently built a huge network of supporters in Iowa, then was propelled by a surprising caucus victory toward the Democratic nomination and ultimately the White House.

"We only have to look at somebody named President Barack Obama to realize that if you do well in Iowa a lot of other pieces fall into place," said Republican strategist Bob Haus. "They take their role very seriously, so candidates take Iowa very seriously."

continued...

Breaking: Minn. Gov. Tim Pawlenty is not seeking re-election in 2010

I just read at the Corner that Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty will not run for re-election as Governor in 2010.

Pawlenty was a favorite to be McCain's running mate, and is a possible 2012 contender. I don't know if his decision has any reflection on his 2012 ambitions. We'll have to wait and see.

Tim Pawlenty [Kathryn Jean Lopez]

is not running for reelection as governor.

UPDATE: More:

NEW YORK (AP) — Sources close to Tim Pawlenty say the Minnesota governor won't seek a third term.

The Republican is expected to make that announcement later Tuesday.

But the sources say that he won't address the future. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as an announcement was pending. They say Pawlenty won't rule anything in or out during a planned news conference. That will certainly stoke speculation that Pawlenty is gearing up for a 2012 presidential run.

He was a top surrogate for John McCain's presidential campaign in 2008 and was among those considered for the vice presidential slot on the GOP ticket.

06/02 12:05 PM Share

North Korea

You would think that the recent developments in North Korea would prompt the president to act swiftly and recognize the grave threat we now face. Unfortunately, he seems to be more interested in talking about healthcare and North Korea has become a "distraction" to his domestic agenda.

I would feel better if he didn't allow us to forget about North Korea. Palin made a statement to bring his attention back to the issue of National Security and hopefully he'll listen.

Palin wants missile defense funding restored
The Associated Press
Published: May 30th, 2009 12:49 AM
Last Modified: May 30th, 2009 12:49 AM

Gov. Sarah Palin is calling for President Obama to take a firm stance against North Korea and defend the states and territories of the United States and allies on the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea fired a short-range missile on Friday -- the sixth this week. Military experts believe a long-range missile could reach Alaska, where part of the nation's missile defense system is located.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates will tour the missile defense site at Fort Greely, near Fairbanks, on Monday.

The Defense Department is not recommending moving forward with a planned expansion of the missile defense system at Fort Greely in its latest budget.

"The United Nations sanctions have failed to stop North Korea's development of nuclear weapons, and the Obama Administration cannot afford to be playing catch-up to an irrational dictator like Kim Jong-Il," Palin said in a written statement.

"Missile Defense Agency funding must be fully restored in the federal budget to guarantee our protective measures remain the best in the world. Fort Greely plays a crucial role in the nation's security."

Palin releases statement on George Tiller's murder

From SarahPAC:

Governor Palin Statement on George Tiller

"I feel sorrow for the Tiller family. I respect the sanctity of life and the tragedy that took place today in Kansas clearly violates respect for life. This murder also damages the positive message of life, for the unborn, and for those living. Ask yourself, 'What will those who have not yet decided personally where they stand on this issue take away from today's event in Kansas?'

Regardless of my strong objection to Dr. Tiller's abortion practices, violence is never an answer in advancing the pro-life message."

Governor Sarah Palin