Friday, September 5, 2008
836 - Geezer and Gidget go to Washington
These are unusual times in Wyoming and across our land and even across our world. Here are a couple of the things that have piqued my brain cells recently:
• Although Sarah Palin may be a great governor of Alaska, I worry that her Vice Presidential candidacy may be short-lived. Her biggest challenges are overcoming stereotypes and deflecting comic routines at her expense.
Let’s look at some of her virtues. Her work in battling the entrenched corrupt power structure of politicians/energy lobbyists in her state is worth celebrating. Especially when viewed from here in Wyoming, where so much of our political establishment is also intertwined with a similar energy establishment.
And it is easy to appreciate her pro-life approach in her personal life and her decisions to hasten energy development.
You have to love the fact that a presidential candidate has reached out to an unknown in a low-populated western state.
Former Speaker of the Wyoming House, Fred Parady and his wife Lisa Skiles, recently moved from Rock Springs to Alaska and had this to say:
“We met Governor Palin in Barrow in late June. She came up for the Nalaqutak Celebration, as our Inupiat Community was very successful in their whaling, receiving the gift of life of 9 whales.
“Sarah is a great choice - scrappy, spirited, feisty. If she helps Sen. McCain win, which they have a heck of a shot, then you are watching the first female president (to be) of the USA on her first trip across the national stage.
“Alaska loves her. She sold the state jet on eBay (Gov. Freudenthal should follow her lead!). She tackled the biggest energy issue in the country with her AGIA act (Alaska Gas Incentive Act - modeled on our Wyoming Natural Gas Pipeline Authority) to get a pipeline moving and she tackled corruption and business as usual head on.
“I read an article in the New York Times that said her selection called McCain`s vetting process into question. I couldn`t disagree more. His vetting process was based on leadership and talent. What is going on is a muckraking process, which is far different, and which the American people will see through. I especially think she is an inspiring choice in contrast to Sen. Joe Biden. There is talent in the USA outside the Senate!
“We love Alaska but can`t wait to get back to Laramie for some Cowboy football!”
The Paradys are working in the same school district as former Wyoming State School Supt. Trent Blankenship.
My friend Bruce Pozzi of Anchorage says: “Sarah is a very smart person. She is diplomatic, charismatic, knowledgeable about issues, and tough.
“Sarah is criticized about not having experience but hers is in more of an executive leadership capacity as compared with the three senators. Running a small town can be complex and while some consider Alaska to be small, it is a state small in population but very diverse in its needs with bush communities. And it has a large budget of nearly $4.7 billion that she oversees as chief executive.”
He said someone printed up thousands of tee shirts saying, “Our mama can beat your Obama.” Sold’em out in hours, he said.
As someone who wants to vote for John McCain I admit that I was initially surprised with this choice.
A heartbeat away from the oldest president we may ever elect? Already unbelievably busy, she looks like Superwoman with a huge state to run and five kids at home. But the Vice Presidency of the United States?
And for sure, she brought down the house during her speech at the Republican convention. This Tina Fey-look-alike seemed to have stepped right out of a Saturday Night Live skit as she blasted the Democrats.
She has been butt of some killer humor. One cartoon showed the new Republican motto as: “Geezer and Gidget 08.”
For more comic relief, check out Comedy Central’s take on the Sarah Palin pick on YouTube.com.
• Tom Friedman, the Pulitzer Prize winning columnist for the New York Times, recently offered a unique insight on how two countries can react very differently during similar times.
He laments how the countries of China and the USA have reacted in the last seven years.
China was awarded the Olympics in 2001, just before 9/11, and spent $57 billion on infrastructure in the ensuing years to get ready for the Olympics.
The USA, meanwhile, spent a trillion dollars in those seven years chasing terrorists and invading countries.
Interesting contrast.
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