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Indicted Hometown Senator Poses Problem for Sarah Palin
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ShareAugust 31, 2008 5:15 PM
ABC News' John Berman and Ursula Fahy Report: It’s clear who Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will be supporting when it comes to the presidential race, after all she is on the ticket. The bigger question is who will she vote for in the Senate race in her home state. Embattled Republican Sen. Ted Stevens faces a tight race against popular Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich. And as of now, McCain campaign aides will not guarantee that she will endorse the senior Senator. Of course, perhaps more telling is that they won’t promise she won’t endorse him either.though the antithesis of reform, is an icon in Alaska politics.
So what is the problem? After all Stevens is her fellow Republican. Well, the problem is Ted Stevens is under indictment. Stevens, a Senator for 40 years, has come to embody Washington’s love for pork-barrel politics. And this July he was indicted for allegedly lying about gifts he received.
The endorsement issue highlights Palin's complicated, and not always acrimonious relationship with her state’s controversial senior Senator.
At the time of Steven’s indictment, Palin, who likes to wear the mantle of a reformer, said, "News such as this rocks the foundation of our state." But she continued, "Senator Ted Stevens has dedicated his life to the betterment of Alaska. I share Alaskans' concern and dismay at this turn of events."
In that one statement you can see the opposing political forces at work. Palin wants to be a reformer, but seems to have a hard time distancing herself too much from Stevens who,
Palin has not been shy about bucking at least some of the GOP establishment in Alaska. Remember, she unseated a Republican governor in a primary fight. And in the recent congressional primary she endorsed the opponent of longtime Republican congressman Don Young. But all that only highlights her seeming unwillingness to buck Ted Stevens too much. She pointedly did not endorse any of Stevens recent opponents in his Republican primary. It is impossible to know whether an endorsement from Palin would have swung the election one way or the other. Stevens won easily, while in the race where Palin did fight the establishment, they are still counting ballots.
More complicated history: in Palin's 2006 race for governor, after she ousted Governor and former U.S. Senator Frank Murkowski in the Republican primary, Stevens withheld his support for Palin. But Palin was locked in what looked like a tight race in the general election, and three weeks before the election, Palin welcomed a Stevens endorsement, even releasing a campaign commercial of the event, featuring Stevens offering support of Palin, with Palin smiling mightily in the background.
One other bit of telling video: in July of this year, Stevens and Palin held a joint news conference, denying that there was any political distance between them. This was at a time before the indictment, but after an FBI raid on Stevens home, and after the scope of the investigation of Stevens was clear.
Earlier, Palin had called on Stevens to be more open about the details surrounding the investigation, but at this joint news conference she said:
"I have great respect for the Senator. He needs to be heard across America. His voice, his experience, his passion needs to be heard across America so that Alaska can contribute more."
When asked about specifically about whether Palin would back Stevens in upcoming race, Ben Porritt, a spokesman for the McCain campaign said, "Governor Palin has a record of reform. It was one of her signature issues when she ran for office. And she has a record of accomplishment in office."
Indeed, Palin helped push through key ethics reform in Alaska. And it is clear she now opposes one of Steven’s pet projects, the so-called Bridge to Nowhere (though past statements show she supported it initially). And it is even clear that Palin is not afraid to fight entrenched Republican interests in Alaska. What is less clear is whether Palin will take a definitive stand for or against Stevens before November.
August 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (418)
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Palin was put in office 18 months ago because some bigwigs got mad at her former mentor. Suddenly she's supposed to be all set for POTUS? My God man! She's a scandal-ridden nitwit.
Does McCain really think so little of Hillary supporters that he can put a sportscaster who is against all of Hillary's programs on the ticket and they'll jump because she lacks a penis? McCain is insane.
Posted by: INO | Aug 31, 2008 5:59:31 PM
Is this really a problem for her? I think not, didn't she tell them they didn't need a bridge to nowhere, which Stevens was supporting? Sure one might be torn but seems to me that she will be able to wade through the BS and make a choice whether it is popular or not. At least she isn't giving lame testimony such as "that's not the Ted I knew"
Posted by: david | Aug 31, 2008 6:00:03 PM
Mark Begich is not exactly known as the honest politician in Anchorage. He is not well liked by Anchorage voters but think he could win the state election and he is running against Stevens. Mark Begich and Bill Allen (VECO people) have been tight for years and a force against Stevens.
Hope some of the distortions and lies will be cleared up soon. Who said politics are not dirty and 2008 has been the worst in 50 years.
Sarah Palen may not be perfect but so much better than Obama with his corrupt buddies and background.
Posted by: Mary | Aug 31, 2008 6:00:17 PM
I thought Senator McCain was a man of honor, and I respected his experience and judgment. Now, I'm not so sure. A lot of conservatives will vote for Obama now because he seems like the more responsible and patriotic choice.
Posted by: IdahoNRA | Aug 31, 2008 6:01:21 PM
Yep, here we go again. Does anyone remember that BIDEN was attached the the housing mortgage crisis? NO! BECAUSE OUR LIBERAL WE LUV OBAMA BOY IS THE COMING SAVIOR! (More like anti-christ).
Posted by: kc-213 | Aug 31, 2008 6:03:54 PM
More Problems for Palin
Mother in-law doesn't know what she brings to the ticket. Baby drama and more.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article4647965.ece
Posted by: Mr. Unite Us | Aug 31, 2008 6:04:12 PM
Sarah must certainly feel Ted's pain, especially considering the fact that she under criminal investigation herself.
Maybe, they can pose together for mugshots later this year or next.
Hypocrites, one and all.
America can do better than McCain's Backwoods Barbie.
Posted by: Yawp | Aug 31, 2008 6:04:14 PM
I think the Palin pick COULD turn out to be very poor judgement from McCain. Everything I have learned about her so far suggests far right wingnut. If that is so, then the more of the same argument from the Obama side becomes a lot easier to make. (Though I think the Obama camp is going to have to be careful about attacking Palin, maybe they need some female surrogates to be put on woman-to-woman defense.)
Posted by: markymark | Aug 31, 2008 6:06:33 PM
When the media so favors one side over the other , you have to wonder what they're hiding. Thankfully, people are wising up to this in great part due to the internet.
Posted by: another Kathy | Aug 31, 2008 6:06:39 PM
I am a Hillary supported, and as of last Friday morning, I had decided to vote for Obama, (although I still didn't feel good about it). But when Palin was chosen, everything changed.
My vote will be for McCain/Palin and I feel really good about it.
Posted by: Kim | Aug 31, 2008 6:09:48 PM
WHAT ABOUT THE B^%ch WHO DESTROYED Wasilla do to HER EMINENT DOMAIN SCAM! The poor little town is STILL PAYING FOR!
Posted by: sam | Aug 31, 2008 6:10:47 PM
OH, and KIM ....you area NUT!
Even RIGHTWING Rasmussen Reports :
WEAK choice among women and moderates, the groups McCain was PANDERING to.
Posted by: sam | Aug 31, 2008 6:12:15 PM
By the way, do we have any clarification on the rumor flying around Alaska about the little baby with down syndrome being Palin's grandchild and her daughter's baby?
The daughter disappeared from high school for approximately five months last year during the pregnancy. Palin's vague explanation of the absence of her daughter from school was apparently that her daughter had mono for most of the year. Say what?!
Hmmm... Well, if it's fact, it certainly would explain how a woman who gave birth to a baby with down syndrome could be leave the baby at home and get right back to work in 3 days. She left the baby with its real mother. Ahem.
Old Man McCain, what have you done?
Posted by: Yawp | Aug 31, 2008 6:14:27 PM
Superwoman Palin, Alaska's Governor, oversees a highly corrupted Republican state. She has her own ethics issue being investigated by the Republican State Senate. History shows Palin to be a political opportunist so joining the McCain campaign is simply more of the same for her, and more of the same for McCain. Both are displaying judgments in forming this duo not worthy of holding the office of President.
Posted by: Lou R | Aug 31, 2008 6:15:07 PM
McCain/Palin cannot swim against an anti-GOP tide this November. John "W" McCain is tied to George "W" Bush fate. It is too late to distance himself from a failed Bush administration blunders on Iraq, Katrina & other failed domestic policies.
Posted by: Gaston | Aug 31, 2008 6:16:15 PM
I cannot encourage the L.A.Times, New York Times, ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBS etc.,enough, to continue their attacks on Governor Palin. You elected President Bush twice and you are well on the way to electing another Republican President. Your credibility is lower than Pelosi, Clinton, Boxer and...well, you know the pack! The person on the street is going from anger to laughing at your awkwardness!
Posted by: Whispin | Aug 31, 2008 6:18:08 PM
Wow, you guys bashing Democrats, calling names and hurling insults like you're in junior high school, and then patting yourselves on the back for your performances...
People like you, like Karl Rove and his ilk, and Rush Limbaugh, for example... YOU are what is wrong with this country!!
Let's GROW UP, shall we? At least Obama acts like an adult. And the rest of world can see that, even if we sophomoric Americans can't.
Posted by: mamacita | Aug 31, 2008 6:21:25 PM
New rumor going around she covered up for her daughters pregnancy by pretending herself to be pregnant.
http://boards.blackvoices.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ti-entertainmnt&tid=249824.
Posted by: pdogg757 | Aug 31, 2008 6:21:38 PM
There are two qualification for Palin
1) She is an woman and McCain thinks that is enough to get all the Hillary's supporters
2) She is a Christian fundamentalist radical, and McCain thinks that is enough to get all Christian votes.
Sorry McShame.... Karl Rove has been exposed.
Posted by: mbrane | Aug 31, 2008 6:22:03 PM
Just the fact that she wants public schools to teach about HER god, (I do state it as her god because it is not mine) I cannot ever vote for someone who wants to dumb down my children. If she wants to believe the world is 6000 years old she can. That is not a quality i want in my leader. She want to teach our kids that there is no point in Astronomy/ Evolution/ A-Biogenesis/ looking for life on other planets, pretty much all science , all we need to know is god did it all!...wtf
Posted by: Creamsykle | Aug 31, 2008 6:22:23 PM
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