Governor Sarah Palin Sarah Heath Palin (IPA: /ˈpeɪlɨn/; born February 11, 1964) is the governor of Alaska and thepresumptive Republican vice presidential nominee for the 2008 United States presidential election. Palin was elected 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. She gained attention for publicizing ethical violations by state Republican Party leaders. Before becoming governor, Palin served two terms on the Wasilla, Alaska, City Council from 1992 to 1996, was elected and re-elected mayor of Wasilla for two three-year terms in 1996 and 1999. She also ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 2002. Palin holds a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from the University of Idaho. On August 29, 2008, Republican presidential candidate John McCain chose Palin to serve as his running mate,[2][3][4] making her the first female vice presidential candidate of the Republican Party and the second female vice presidential candidate representing a major political party. She will also be the first politician from Alaska to run on a national ticket for president or vice president. Palin was born Sarah Louise Heath in Sandpoint, Idaho, the daughter of Sarah (née Sheeran), a school secretary, and Charles R. Heath, ascience teacher and track coach.[5][6] She has English, Irish, and German ancestry.[5] Her family moved to Alaska when she was an infant.[6]The Heaths were avid outdoors enthusiasts; Sarah and her father would sometimes wake at 3 a.m. to hunt moose before school, and the family regularly ran 5 km and 10 km races.[6] At Wasilla High School in Wasilla, Alaska, Palin was the head of the school Fellowship of Christian Athletes.[6] She was the point guard and captain for the basketball team. She helped the team win the Alaska small-school championship in 1982, hitting a critical free throw in the last seconds, despite a stress fracture in her ankle.[6] She earned the nickname "Sarah Barracuda" because of her intense play,[6] and was the leader of team prayer before games.[6] In 1984, Palin won the Miss Wasilla contest earlier, then finished second in the Miss Alaska beauty pageant,[7] which won her a scholarship to help pay her way through college.[6] In the Wasilla pageant, she played the flute and also won Miss Congeniality.[8][9] Palin holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Idaho, where she also minored in political science.[10] She married Todd Palin, her boyfriend since high school, on August 29, 1988. She then briefly worked as a sports reporter for local Anchorage television stations while also working as a commercial fisherwoman with her husband.[6] Palin served two terms on the Wasilla City Council from 1992 to 1996. In 1996, she challenged and defeated the incumbent mayor, criticizing wasteful spending and high taxes.[6] The ex-mayor and sheriff tried to organize a recall campaign, but failed.[6] Palin followed through on her campaign promises to reduce her own salary, and to reduce property taxes by 60%.[6] She ran for reelection against the former mayor in 1999, winning by an even larger margin.[6][11] Palin was also elected president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors.[12] In 2002, Palin made an unsuccessful bid for Lieutenant Governor, coming in second to Loren Leman in a five-way race in the Republican primary. After Frank Murkowski resigned from his long-held U.S. Senate seat in mid-term to become governor, Palin interviewed to be his possible successor. Murkowski appointed his daughter, then-Alaska State Representative Lisa Murkowski.[6] Governor Murkowski appointed Palin Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission,[13] where she served from 2003 to 2004 until resigning in protest over what she called the "lack of ethics" of fellow Alaskan Republican leaders, who ignored her whistleblowing complaints of legal violations and conflicts of interest.[14][6] After she resigned, she exposed the state Republican Party's chairman, Randy Ruedrich, one of her fellow Oil & Gas commissioners, who was accused of doing work for the party on public time, and supplying a lobbyist with a sensitive e-mail.[15] Palin filed formal complaints against both Ruedrich and former Alaska Attorney General Gregg Renkes, who both resigned; Ruedrich paid a record $12,000 fine.[6] Running on a clean-government campaign in 2006, Palin upset then-Governor Murkowski in the Republican gubernatorial primary.[6] In August, she declared that education, public safety, and transportation would be three cornerstones of her administration.[16] Despite the lack of support from party leaders and being outspent by her Democratic opponent, she won the general election in November, defeating former Governor Tony Knowles.[6] Palin became the first woman to be Alaska's governor, and at 42, the youngest in Alaskan history. Palin was also the first Alaskan governor born after Alaska achieved U.S. statehood and the first not to be inaugurated in Juneau, instead choosing to hold her inauguration ceremony in Fairbanks. She took office on December 4, 2006. Highlights of Governor Palin's tenure include a successful push for an ethics bill, and also shelving pork-barrel projects supported by fellow Republicans. After federal funding for the Gravina Island Bridge project that had become a nationwide symbol of wasteful earmark spending was lost, Palin decided against filling the over $200 million gap with state money.[17][18] "Alaska needs to be self-sufficient, she says, instead of relying heavily on 'federal dollars,' as the state does today."[19] She has challenged the state's Republican leaders, helping to launch a campaign by Lieutenant GovernorSean Parnell to unseat U.S. Congressman Don Young[20] and publicly challenging Senator Ted Stevens to come clean about the federal investigation into his financial dealings.[17] Palin frequently had an approval rating above 90% in 2007.[19] A poll published by Hays Research on July 28, 2008 showed Palin's approval rating at 80%,[21] while another Ivan Moore poll showed it at 76%, a drop which the pollsters attributed to the controversial firing of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan.[22] Palin has strongly promoted oil resource development in Alaska, but also helped pass a tax increase on oil company profits.[17][19] Palin has announced plans to create a new sub-cabinet group of advisors, to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions within Alaska.[23] Shortly after taking office, Palin rescinded thirty-five appointments made by Murkowski in the last hours of his administration, including the that of his former chief of staff James "Jim" Clark to the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority.[24][25] Clark later pled guilty to conspiring with a defunct oil-field-services company to channel money into Frank Murkowski's re-election campaign.[26] In March 2007, Palin presented the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA) as the new legal vehicle for building a natural gas pipeline from the state's North Slope.[27] This negated a deal by the previous governor to grant the contract to a coalition including BP (her husband's seasonal employer). Only one legislator, Representative Ralph Samuels, voted against the measure,[28] and in June Palin signed it into law.[29][30] On January 5, 2008, Palin announced that a Canadian company, TransCanada Corp., was the sole AGIA-compliant applicant.[31][32] In August of 2008 Palin signed a bill into law giving the state of Alaska authority to award TransCanada Pipelines a license to build and operate the $26-billion-dollar pipeline to ship natural gas from the North Slope to the Lower 48, through Canada.[33] In response to high oil and gas prices, and in response to the resulting state government budget surplus, Palin proposed giving Alaskans $100-a-month energy debit cards. She also proposed providing grants to electrical utilities so that they would reduce customers' rates.[34] She subsequently dropped the debit card proposal, and in its place she proposed to send Alaskans $1,200 directly and eliminate the gas tax.[35] In May 2008, Palin objected to the decision of Dirk Kempthorne, the Republican United States Secretary of the Interior, to list polar bears as anendangered species, at the time threatening a lawsuit to stop the naming. She as asserted that the administration does not believe that listing them as an endangered species is premature and not the appropriate management tool for their welfare at this point. [36] Palin is pro-life, pro-contraception, and a prominent member of Feminists for Life.[37][38][39][40] While running for Governor of Alaska, Palin supported the open debate of creationism alongside evolution in schools;[41] however, she noted that "creationism doesn't have to be part of the curriculum" and that she would not use "religion as a litmus test, or anybody's personal opinion on evolution or creationism" as criteria for selection to the school board.[41] She opposes same-sex marriage, but she has stated that she has gay friends and is receptive to gay and lesbianconcerns about discrimination.[16] Palin complied with an Alaskan state Supreme Court order and signed an implementation of same-sex benefits into law under protest, stating that legal options to avoid doing so had run out.[42][43] She supported a non-binding referendum on whether there should be a constitutional amendment on the matter.[44] Alaska was one of the first U.S. states to pass a constitutional ban on gay marriage, in 1998, along with Hawaii.[45] Palin has stated that she supported the 1998 constitutional amendment.[16] Palin's first veto was used to block legislation that would have barred the state from granting benefits to the partners of gay state employees. In effect, her veto granted State of Alaska benefits to same-sex couples. The veto occurred after Palin consulted with Alaska's attorney general on the constitutionality of the legislation.[43] In the first days of her administration, Palin followed through on a campaign promise to sell the Westwind II jet purchased (on a state government credit account) by the Murkowski administration. The state placed the jet for sale on eBay three times. In August 2007, the jet was sold for $2.1 million.[46] Shortly after becoming governor, Palin cancelled a contract for the construction of an 11-mile (18-kilometer) gravel road outside Juneau to a mine. This reversed a decision made in the closing days of the Murkowski Administration.[47] In June 2007, Palin signed into law a $6.6 billion operating budget—the largest in Alaska's history.[48] At the same time, she used her veto power to make the second-largest cuts of the construction budget in state history. The $237 million in cuts represented over 300 local projects, and reduced the construction budget to nearly $1.6 billion.[49] As of August 29, 2008, Palin is being investigated by an independent investigator hired by the legislature[50] to determine whether she abused her power when she fired Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan.[51][52] On July 11, 2008, Palin dismissed Monegan and instead offered him a position as executive director of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, which he turned down.[53][54] Her power to fire him is not in dispute. But Monegan alleged that his dismissal may have been an abuse of power tied to his reluctance to fire Palin's former brother-in law, an Alaska State Trooper, Mike Wooten, who had been involved in a divorce and child custody battle with Palin's sister, Molly McCann.[55] In 2006, before Palin was governor, Wooten was suspended for 10 days for threatening to kill McCann's (and Palin's) father, tasering his 11-year-old stepson, drinking beer in his squad car, and violating game laws. After aunion protest, the suspension was reduced to five days.[56] Palin replaced Monegan with Chuck Kopp. Kopp had been previously suspended and investigated for sexual harrassment of an employee. At the time, Palin said she believed that the investigation had cleared him, but a letter of reprimand later emerged.[57][58] Palin said that her dismissal of Monegan was unrelated to the fact that he had not fired Wooten, and said that Monegan was instead dismissed for not adequately filling state trooper vacancies, and because he "did not turn out to be a team player on budgeting issues."[59] Monegan claims that the two most-recent trooper graduating classes had the most recruits in years, and that Palin stated the audit Monegan provided made the administration look like it did not support the troopers.[60] Palin acknowledged that there were a number of calls from her office on the matter, and that in one of these Frank Bailey, a member of her administration, mentioned "a family tie with the Governor there" and said "we don't know why this guy is still working." Both Palin and Bailey say that happened without her knowledge and was unrelated to her dismissal of Monegan,[59] and Bailey was put on leave for two months for acting outside the scope of his authority as the Director of Boards and Commissions. Commissioner Monegan received no severance pay, though at the same time another dismissed Commissioner, Charles Kopp (who served only 11 days) received $10,000.[61] In August 2008, the Alaska Legislature hired Steve Branchflower to investigate Palin and her staff for possible abuse of power surrounding the dismissal. Democratic State Senator Hollis French, who is overseeing the investigation, says that the Palin administration has been cooperating and that subpoenas are unnecessary.[62] The Palin administration itself was the first to release an audiotape of Bailey making inquiries about the status of the Wooten investigation.[59][63] Palin later admitted that members of her staff had made about two dozen contacts with public safety officials about the trooper, including at least one conversation that could appear to be an attempt to pressure the commissioner. She said that her staff's contacts with the commission were not directed by her and she had little knowledge of them.[64] When on June 6, 2007, the Alaska Creamery Board recommended closing Matanuska Maid Dairy, an unprofitable state-owned business, Palin objected, citing concern for the impact on dairy farmers and the fact that the dairy had just received $600,000 in state money. When Palin realized that the Board of Agriculture and Conservation appoints Creamery Board members, she simply replaced the entire membership of the Board of Agriculture and Conservation.[19][65] The new board, led by businesswoman Kristan Cole, reversed the decision to close the dairy.[65]The new board approved milk price increases offered by the dairy in an attempt to control fiscal losses, even though milk from Washington was already offered in Alaskan stores at lower prices.[66] In the end, the dairy was forced to close, and the state tried to sell the assets to pay off its debts but received no bids.[67][68] On August 29, 2008, Palin was announced as presumptive Republican presidential candidate John McCain's vice-presidential candidate, or running mate.[69] Palin's selection surprised many Republican officials, several of whom had speculated about other candidates[70][71] such asMinnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, United States Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, and former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge.[72] A month previously, Palin had refused to speculate about the job, saying, "[A]s for that V.P. talk all the time, I’ll tell you, I still can’t answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the V.P. does every day? I’m used to being very productive and working real hard in an administration. We want to make sure that that V.P. slot would be a fruitful type of position, especially for Alaskans and for the things that we’re trying to accomplish up here for the rest of the U.S., before I can even start addressing that question."[73] Palin is considered to have similar policy positions to John McCain in most respects. One major exception is drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), which Palin strongly supports and McCain has opposed.[74] She has praised aspects of Senator Obama's energy plan, although opposing Senator Obama's proposal for a windfall profits tax on oil companies, while she still believes in taxing them.[75].[17][19] Although a major consideration in Palin's selection was her appeal to former Clinton supporters in the contentious Democratic primary[76]. Palin, when asked about Senator Clinton's coverage by the press, said "that doesn't do us any good, women in politics, women in general, wanting to progress this country...when I hear a statement like that from from any woman, I think that there is a Perceived Whine," in a Newsweekinterview. [77] Palin is the second U.S. woman to run on a major party ticket, after Geraldine Ferraro, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee of former vice-president Walter Mondale in 1984.[69] Palin's husband, Todd Palin,[78] works for BP energy corporation at an oil field on Alaska's North Slope[79] and works as a fisherman in his hometown in the summers. Todd is a champion snowmobiler, winning the 2,000-mile (3,200 km) "Iron Dog" race four times.[6] Todd is one-eighth Yup'ik. The two eloped shortly after Palin graduated from college; when they learned they needed witnesses for the civil ceremony, they recruited two residents from the old-age home down the street.[6] The Palin family lives in Wasilla, about 40 miles (64 km) north of Anchorage. On September 11, 2007, the Palins' then eighteen-year-old son Track, eldest of five, joined the Army.[80] He now serves in an infantry brigade and will be deployed to Iraq on September 11, 2008.[81] She also has three daughters: Bristol, Willow and Piper.[12] On April 18, 2008, while in office as governor, Palin gave birth to her second son and fifth child, Trig Paxson Van Palin, who prenatal genetic testing showed would have Down syndrome.[82] She returned to the office three days after giving birth.[17] Her decision to have the baby was applauded by the pro-life community.[83][84] Details of Palin's personal life have contributed to her political image. She hunts, eats moose hamburger, ice fishes, rides snowmobiles, and owns a float plane.[19][85] Palin holds a lifetime membership with the National Rifle Association. She admits that she used marijuana at a time when the state had legalized possession of small amounts (though possession was still illegal under federal law). She says that she did not like it.[16] In December 2007, Palin posed for a photo spread in the fashion magazine Vogue.[86] Palin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article contains information about one or more candidates in an upcoming or ongoingelection.
Content may change as the election approaches.
Incumbent Assumed office
December 4, 2006Lieutenant Sean Parnell Preceded by Frank Murkowski Born February 11 1964
Sandpoint, Idaho, United StatesPolitical party Republican Spouse Todd Palin (m. 1988) Residence Wasilla, Alaska Alma mater University of Idaho Profession Journalist / Politician Religion Christian: Assemblies of God[1] Contents
[hide]Early life
Pre-gubernatorial political experience
Governorship
Energy policies
Polar bears
Social issues
Budget
Public Safety Commissioner dismissal
Matanuska Maid Dairy closure
2008 vice-presidential candidacy
Family and personal life
Electoral history
Election results
2006 Gubernatorial Election, Alaska Party Candidate Votes % ±% Republican Sarah Palin 114,697 48.33 -7.6 Democratic Tony Knowles 97,238 40.97 +0.3 Independent Andrew Halcro 22,443 9.46 n/a Alaskan Independence Don Wright 1,285 0.54 -0.4 Libertarian Billy Toien 682 0.29 -0.2 Green David Massie 593 0.25 -1.0 Write-ins 384 0.16 +0.1 Majority 17,459 7.36 Turnout 238,307 51.1 Republican hold Swing 4.0 Alaska Republican Gubernatorial Primary Election, 2006 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Republican Sarah Palin 51,443 50.59 n/a Republican John Binkley 30,349 29.84 n/a Republican Frank Murkowski, Incumbent 19,412 19.09 n/a Republican Gerald Heikes 280 0.28 n/a Republican Merica Hlatcu 211 0.21 n/a Majority 21,094 20.75 n/a Turnout 101,695 n/a n/a 2002 race for Lieutenant Governor (primary)[87] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Republican Loren Leman 21,076 29% n/a Republican Sarah Palin 19,114 27% n/a Republican Robin Taylor 16,053 22% n/a Republican Gail Phillips 13,804 19% n/a Republican Paul Wieler 1,777 2% n/a 1999 race for Mayor of Wasilla[88] Party Candidate Votes % ±% n/a Sarah Palin 909 73% n/a n/a John Stein 292 24% n/a n/a Cliff Silvers 32 3% n/a References
External links
Political offices Preceded by
Frank MurkowskiGovernor of Alaska
2006 – presentIncumbent Party political offices Preceded by
Dick CheneyRepublican Party vice presidential candidate
(presumptive)
2008[show] [show] [show] [show]
Friday, 29 August 2008
Sarah Palin
11th Governor of Alaska
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Governors of Alaska
United States Republican Party Vice Presidential Nominees
Current governors of states and territories of the United States
2008 United States presidential election
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