More Leaks from the Palin Campaign

Sarah Palin

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On October 15, Palin saw a CNN story with a subtitle "The Palins and the Fringe," that detailed her connections with the Alaskan Independence Party, a statewide political party that advocates for Alaskans to take a vote about whether they want to secede from the union. Todd Palin was a registered member of the party from 1995-2002. The Governor herself had delivered opening remarks via videotape to their convention in 2008.

Most Alaskans aren't too freaked out by the AIP. We even elected a governor, Walter Hickel, who defected from the Republican Party and ran as an AIP candidate in 1990. I don't know what percentage of Alaskans would vote for secession, but this isn't really the point. We Alaskans can take it. We're a tough breed. But how would a vice presidential candidate being married to a secessionist play in Peoria? Not well, probably. To the rest of the country... let's face it. Secession is fringy.

Palin didn't like seeing the "pallin' around with secessionists" piece on CNN, nor a comment that was shouted out by someone holding an unflattering sign in a crowd that day.

So, bearing all that in mind, here are the emails between VP Candidate Palin and Steve Schmidt, McCain's chief strategist, starting with one from Palin (and do go back and read the entire article HERE):

"Pls get in front of that ridiculous issue that's cropped up all day today - two reporters, a protestor's sign, and many shout-outs all claiming Todd's involvement in an anti-American political party," Palin wrote. "It's bull, and I don't want to have to keep reacting to it... Pls have statement given on this so it's put to bed."

Her reference to a single protestor's sign and "many shout-outs" was indicative of Palin's occasional tendency to take anecdotal evidence of a minor problem and extrapolate it into something far more menacing.... It was not a time for distractions, but the campaign was compelled to deal with the drama that seemed to follow Palin wherever she went

Schmidt hit "reply to all" less than five minutes after Palin's e-mail was sent. "Ignore it," he wrote. "He was a member of the aip? My understanding is yes. That is part of their platform. Do not engage the protestors. If a reporter asks say it is ridiculous. Todd loves america."

This clear cut response from the campaign's top dog carried an air of finality, but it did not satisfy Palin. She responded with another e-mail, adding five more names to the "cc" box, all of whom traveled on her campaign plane.

OK...Just for the record, the box on the voter registration doesn't say "Independent" or "Alaska Independent" or "Independent Alaskan". It says "Alaskan Independence Party" and no Alaskan who was born and raised here, and has lived here all their life is going to confuse the Alaskan Independence Party with Non-Partisan. There is no remotely believable "Oops! Checked off the secessionist box by mistake!" scenario.

As this email story circulates throughout the state, there will be a lot of good chuckles over that "pants on fire" statement, believe you me. She might have thought she could fool the McCain campaign, but she's not fooling Alaskans.

 

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