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Is a stupid fool who should not be allowed near civilised people.
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{{Infobox Governor
|image = Palin In Carson City On 13 September 2008.jpg
|imagesize = 200px
|caption=Palin in Carson City, Nevada, in September 2008.
|name = Sarah Palin
|order1 = 11th
|office1 = Governor of Alaska
|term_start1 = December 4, 2006
|lieutenant1 = [[Sean Parnell]]
|predecessor1 = [[Frank Murkowski]]
|order2 =
|office2 = Chairperson, [[Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission]]
|term_start2 =2003
|term_end2 =2004
|predecessor2 = Camille Oechsli Taylor<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.aogcc.alaska.gov/WhoWeAre/terms.shtml
|title=Commissioners - Terms in Office
|date=May 15, 2006
|publisher=Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, State of Alaska}}</ref>
|successor2 = John K. Norman<ref>
{{cite web |accessdate=2008-09-11
|url=http://housemajority.org/coms/hfin/john_norman_packet_05-04-07.pdf
|title=Biographical Information John K. Norman
|format=PDF|publisher=Alaska State Legislature}}</ref>
|office3 = [[Wasilla|Mayor of Wasilla]], [[Alaska]]
|term_start3 =1996
|term_end3 =2002
|predecessor3 = John Stein
|successor3 = [[Dianne M. Keller]]
|office4 = Member of the<br />[[Wasilla|Wasilla City Council]]
|term_start4 =1992
|term_end4 =1996
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1964|02|11}}<ref name="nga">
{{cite web |accessdate=2008-09-07
|url=http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=864bb9006da3f010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD |publisher=[[National Governors Association]]
|title=Alaska Governor Sarah Palin }}</ref>
|birth_place = [[Sandpoint, Idaho|Sandpoint]], [[Idaho]], [[United States|U.S.]]
|death_date =
|residence=[[Wasilla, Alaska|Wasilla]], [[Alaska]]
|party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|occupation = [[Businessperson]], [[Politician]]
|profession =
|alma_maters = [[Hawaii Pacific University]]<br /> [[North Idaho College]]<br /> [[Matanuska-Susitna College]]<br /> [[University of Idaho]]
|spouse = [[Todd Palin]] (since 1988)
|children = Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper, Trig
|religion = [[Non-denominational Christianity|Non-denominational Christian]]<ref name="TimeInt"/><ref>
{{cite news
|first=Eric |last=Gorski
|title=Evangelicals energized by McCain-Palin ticket
|date=2008-08-30
|publisher=[[Google News]]
|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g4-w_DCWffagBaQb8Il9a0R2hkPAD92SL7E00
|author=Associated Press
|accessdate=2008-08-31 }}</ref><!-- Q: What church do you attend? A: Wasilla Assembly of God. -->
|signature = Sarah palin signature.svg
|website = [http://gov.state.ak.us/ Alaska Governor Sarah Palin]
|footnotes= <br />
<center>'''More detailed articles about Sarah Palin:'''
[[John McCain presidential campaign, 2008|McCain–Palin campaign, 2008]]<br /> [[Governorship of Sarah Palin|Governorship of Alaska, 2006–present]]<br /> [[Mayoralty of Sarah Palin|Mayoralty of Wasilla, 1996–2002]]<br />
[[Political positions of Sarah Palin|Political positions]] {{·}} [[Electoral history of Sarah Palin|Electoral history]]<br />[[Public image and reception of Sarah Palin|Public image and reception]]</center>}}

'''Sarah Louise Heath Palin''' ({{Pron-en|ˈpeɪlɨn}}; born February 11, 1964) is the [[List of Governors of Alaska|governor]] of the [[United States|U.S.]] state of [[Alaska]] and the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]'s [[Vice President of the United States|vice-presidential]] nominee for the [[United States presidential election, 2008|United States presidential election of 2008]].

Palin was a member of the [[Wasilla, Alaska]] [[city council]] from 1992 to 1996 and [[mayor]] from 1996 to 2002. After an unsuccessful campaign for [[lieutenant governor#United States|lieutenant governor]] of Alaska in 2002, she chaired the [[Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission]] from 2003 to 2004. She was elected [[governor of Alaska]] in November 2006 by defeating the incumbent governor in the [[Republican]] primary and then a former two-term [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] governor in the general election. She is the youngest person to have been elected to the position, and is Alaska's first [[List of female state governors in the United States|female governor]].

On August 29, 2008, [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] presidential candidate [[John McCain]] announced he had chosen Sarah Palin as his [[running mate]] in the [[2008 U.S. presidential election]]. Palin was formally nominated at the [[2008 Republican National Convention]] in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]]. She is the [[List of female United States presidential and vice-presidential candidates|first woman]] to run on the Republican Party's presidential ticket and the first Alaskan nominee of either major party.

{{TOClimit|limit=4}}

==Early life and education==
Palin was born in [[Sandpoint, Idaho|Sandpoint]], [[Idaho]], the third of four children of Sarah Heath ([[née]] Sheeran), a school secretary, and Charles R. Heath, a science teacher and [[Track and field athletics|track]] coach.<ref name=newswire>
{{cite web |accessdate=2008-09-15
|url=http://media-newswire.com/release_1071985.html
|title=NIC alum selected as U.S. vice presidential candidate
|publisher=Media-Newswire}}</ref> She is of English, German, and Irish descent. The family moved to Alaska when she was an infant. As a child, she would sometimes go moose hunting with her father before school. The family regularly ran [[5000 metres|5&nbsp;km]] and [[10000 metres|10&nbsp;km races]].<ref name=Johnson>{{cite book|last=Johnson|first=Kaylene|year=2008|title=Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska's Political Establishment Upside Down|url=http://www.epicenterpress.com/pdf/firstchapter.pdf|publisher=Epicenter Press|isbn=0979047080}}{{harvnb|Johnson|2008|pp=15-17}}</ref>

Palin attended [[Wasilla High School]] in Wasilla, located 44&nbsp;miles (71&nbsp;km) north of [[Anchorage]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.anchorage.net/467.cfm |title=Alaska Maps and Charts |publisher=Anchorage.net |date= |accessdate=2008-10-14}}</ref> She was the head of the [[Fellowship of Christian Athletes]] chapter at the school and the [[point guard]] and captain of the school's girls' basketball team. She earned the nickname "Sarah [[Barracuda]]" because of her intense play.<ref name="Johnson p.27">{{harvnb |Johnson |2008 |pp=27-31}}</ref>

Palin attended several colleges and universities. In 1982, she enrolled at [[Hawaii Pacific University|Hawaii Pacific College]] but left after her first semester. She transferred to [[North Idaho College|North Idaho]] community college, where she spent two semesters as a general studies major. From there, she transferred to the [[University of Idaho]] for two semesters.<ref name="AP College"/><ref name="BooneSeattlePI"/> During this time Palin won the Miss Wasilla Pageant,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/mccain-surprises-palin-pick/story.aspx?guid={BA5FEDF2-42BA-496B-A3ED-511268BD02A1} |title=McCain surprises with Palin pick |accessdate=2008-08-29 |date=2008-08-29 |publisher=[[MarketWatch]]}}</ref><ref name=StLouisPD_20080830>{{cite news
|author=Peterson, Deb
|title=Palin was a high school star, says schoolmate
|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch
|date=August 30, 2008
|url=http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/columnists.nsf/debpeterson/story/23D7A0CF8A2E3A61862574B50011DB30?OpenDocument
|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5aWTqJxmb
|archivedate=2008-09-01
}}</ref> then finished third in the 1984 [[Miss Alaska]] pageant,<ref name="WaPo">
{{cite web |accessdate=2008-09-09
|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090800094.html
|title=Miss Alaska '84 Recalls Rival's Winning Ways
|work=[[Washington Post]]
}}</ref><ref name="usweekly">{{cite web |accessdate=2008-08-30
|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/news/sarah-palin-was-runner-up-in-1984-beauty-contest
|title=Gov. Sarah Palin Was Second Choice in '84 Beauty Contest
|work=[[US Magazine]]
}}</ref> at which she won a college scholarship and the "[[Miss Congeniality]]" award.<ref name=Johnson_p21>{{harvnb |Johnson |2008 |p=21}}</ref> She then attended the [[Matanuska-Susitna College|Matanuska-Susitna]] community college in Alaska for one term. The next year she returned to the University of Idaho where she spent three semesters completing her [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in [[communication studies|communications]]-[[journalism]], graduating in 1987.<ref name="AP College">{{cite news|url=http://www.adn.com/palin/story/516085.html |title=Palin education took her to five colleges |publisher=Associated Press via Anchorage Daily News | date-2008-09-04 |accessdate=2008-09-04}}</ref><ref name="BooneSeattlePI">{{cite news
|accessdate=2008-10-07 |date=2008-08-29
|url=http://www.localnews8.com/global/story.asp?s=8923484
|title=McCain's veep pick, Palin, has ties to Idaho
|author=Boone, Rebecca
|work=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

In 1988, she worked as a sports reporter for [[KTUU-TV]] and [[KTVA-TV]] in [[Anchorage, Alaska]],<ref name=US20080831>
{{cite web |accessdate=2008-09-01
|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/sarah-palin-tv-sports-reporter
|title=Video: Sarah Palin:Former TV Sports Reporter
|work=US magazine
|date=August 31, 2008
}}</ref> and for the ''[[Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman]]'' as a sports reporter.<ref name=Frontiersman20080906>
{{cite news
|url=http://frontiersman.com/articles/2008/09/06/opinion/editorials/doc48ba20a98c56e204165664.txt
|title=We know Sarah Palin
|work=[[Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman]]
|date=August 30, 2008
}}</ref> She also helped in her husband’s [[commercial fishing]] family business.<ref name=NatlJournal>
{{cite web |accessdate=2008-09-03
|url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/almanac/2008/people/ak/akgv.php
|title=Gov. Sarah Palin (R)
|work=Almanac of American Politics 2008
|publisher=[[National Journal]] }}</ref>

==City council of Wasilla==
{{see also|Electoral history of Sarah Palin}}
Sarah Palin was elected twice to the [[city council]] of Wasilla, in 1992 and 1995. Palin says she entered politics because she was concerned that revenue from a new Wasilla [[sales tax]] would not be spent wisely.<ref name="nytoutsider0829">{{cite web |last=Yardley |first=William |title=Sarah Heath Palin, an Outsider Who Charms |publisher=[[The New York Times]] |date=2008-08-29 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/us/politics/30palin.html?pagewanted=3&hp |accessdate=2008-08-30 }}</ref>

She ran for Wasilla city council in 1992, at age 28, against John Hartrick, a local telephone company worker, on a promise to bring "my progressive, competitive attitude" to the government.<ref name="wary">{{cite news
|url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/03/palins_alaskan_town_proud_wary/
|title=Palin's Alaskan town proud, wary
|work=[[Boston Globe]]
|date=September 3, 2008
}}</ref><ref name=WasillaVote>{{cite web |accessdate=2008-09-12
|url=http://www.cityofwasilla.com/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=451
|title=1992 Vote Results
|publisher=City of Wasilla
}}</ref> She won 530 votes to John Hartrick’s 310.<ref name="wary" /> On the council, she successfully opposed a measure to curtail the hours at Wasilla's bars by two hours, which surprised Hartrick because she was then a member of a church that advocated abstinence from alcohol.<ref name="wary" /> After serving on the city council for three years, she ran for reelection against R’nita Rogers in 1995, winning 413 votes to Rogers' 185.<ref>{{cite web |accessdate=2008-09-12
|url=http://www.cityofwasilla.com/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=452
|title=1995 Vote Results
|publisher=City of Wasilla
}}</ref>

According to Laura Chase of Wasilla, and former mayor John Stein, Palin as city councilwoman mentioned to her colleagues in 1995 that she saw the book ''[[Daddy's Roommate]]'' in the public library and did not think that it belonged there. The McCain-Palin campaign says that Palin was not advocating [[censorship]].<ref name=NYT2000913>{{cite news |accessdate=2008-09-28
|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/us/politics/14palin.html?em=&pagewanted=print
|title=Once Elected, Palin Hired Friends and Lashed Foes
|last=Becker|first=Jo
|date=September 14, 2008
|work=[[The New York Times]]
}}</ref> Chase later became Palin's campaign manager for mayor in 1996, when Palin defeated John Stein, and Chase is now a vocal critic of Palin.<ref>Gargill, David. [http://www.thenational.ae/article/20081003/REVIEW/565545479/-1/SPORT “Mystery, Alaska”], The National ([[2008-10-03]]).</ref> City of Wasilla Library records indicate that there was never a request for the library to remove the book and that no books were ever censored or banned.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityofwasilla.com/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=516|title=Reconsideration Requests of Library Materials|last=Keller|first=Diane}}</ref>

Palin did not complete her second term on the city council because she ran for mayor in 1996. Throughout her tenure on the city council and the rest of her career, Palin has been a registered Republican.<ref name="Lott">{{cite news
|author=Lott, Maxim. |url=http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/05/top-7-myths-lies-and-untruths-about-sarah-palin/
|title=Top 7 Myths, Lies, and Untruths About Sarah Palin
|work=Fox News
|date=September 5, 2008
}}</ref>

==Mayor of Wasilla==
{{main|Mayoralty of Sarah Palin}}
Palin served two terms (1996&ndash;2002) as mayor of Wasilla. At the conclusion of Palin's tenure as mayor in 2002, the town had about 6,300 residents.<ref name=popest2>{{cite web
|date=June 21, 2006
|url=http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2007-04-02.csv
|title=Table 4: Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places in Alaska, Listed Alphabetically: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2007
|format=[[Comma-separated values|CSV]]
|work=2007 Population Estimates
|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division
|accessdate=2008-09-05
}}</ref>
In 1996, Palin defeated three-term incumbent mayor John Stein,<ref name="KizziaT">{{cite news |first=Tom |last=Kizzia |url=http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/story/8334949p-8231037c.html |title='Fresh face' launched Palin: Wasilla mayor was groomed from an early political age. |work=[[Anchorage Daily News]] |date=2006-10-23 |accessdate=2008-09-01}}</ref> on a platform targeting wasteful spending and high taxes,<!--DEFUNCT LINK or previously good link messed up by bad editing--><ref name=Johnson_p45>{{harvnb |Johnson |2008 |p=45}}</ref> and Stein says that she introduced abortion, gun rights, and term limits as campaign issues.<ref name="nytimes090208">{{cite news|first=William|last=Yardley|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/03/us/politics/03wasilla.html?_r=1|title=Palin's Start in Alaska: Not Politics as Usual|work=The New York Times|date=2008-09-02|accessdate=2008-09-02}}</ref> Although the election was a [[nonpartisan blanket primary]], the state Republican Party ran advertisements on her behalf.<ref name="nytimes090208" />

===First term===
{{Double image stack|right|Wasilla City Hall.jpg|AKMap-doton-Wasilla.PNG|200|[[Wasilla, Alaska|Wasilla]] City Hall|Location of [[Wasilla, Alaska]]}}Despite a turbulent first year in office, Palin gained broad favor with Wasilla voters. She kept a jar with the names of Wasilla residents on her desk, and once a week she pulled a name from it and picked up the phone; she would ask: "How's the city doing?"<ref name="turb"/> Using income generated by a 2% sales tax that was enacted before she was on the city council,<ref name="WasCity">[http://www.cityofwasilla.com/index.aspx?page=136 City of Wasilla Document
Central] Links to official announcements and budget items</ref> Palin cut property taxes by 75% and eliminated personal property and business inventory taxes.<ref name="urlAs Mayor of Wasilla, Palin Cut Own Duties, Left Trail of Bad Blood - washingtonpost.com">
{{cite web |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/13/AR2008091302596.html |title=As Mayor of Wasilla, Palin Cut Own Duties, Left Trail of Bad Blood - washingtonpost.com |format= |work= |accessdate=2009-09-16}}</ref><ref name="Fresh face">
{{citation
|last=Kizzia |first=Tom
|title='Fresh face' launched Palin
|newspaper = Anchorage Daily News
|year=2006
|date=October 23, 2006
|url=http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/story/8334949p-8231037c.html
}}</ref> Tapping municipal bonds, she made improvements to the roads and sewers, and increased funding to the Police Department.<ref name="nytimes090208"/> She also oversaw new bike paths and procured funding for storm-water treatment to protect freshwater resources.<ref name="Fresh face"/> At the same time, she reduced spending on the town museum and blocked construction of a new library and city hall.<ref name="Fresh face"/> Palin ran for re-election against Stein in 1999 and won,<ref name=Johnson_p65>{{harvnb|Johnson|2008|p=65}}</ref> with 74% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cityofwasilla.com/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=41
|title=October 5, 1999 Regular Election; Official Results
|accessdate=2008-09-01
|publisher=City of Wasilla
|date=October 11, 2005
|format=PDF }}</ref> Palin was also elected president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors.<ref name="ref1">{{cite web
|url=http://www.adn.com/politics/v-printer/story/510153.html
|title=From Wasilla's basketball court to the national stage : Sarah Palin timeline |accessdate=2008-09-01
|work=Anchorage Daily News
|date=August 29, 2008
}}</ref>
Shortly after taking office in October 1996, Palin consolidated the position of museum director and asked for updated resumes and resignation letters from some top officials, including the police chief, public works director, finance director, and librarian.<ref name="newmayor">{{cite news
|url=http://www.mceades.com/graphics/palin_article1.jpg
|title=Wasilla’s new mayor asks officials to quit
|date=October 28, 1996
|work=Daily Sitka Sentinel}}</ref> Palin stated this request was to find out their intentions and whether they supported her.<ref name="newmayor" /> She temporarily required department heads to get her approval before talking to reporters, saying that they first needed to become acquainted with her administration's policies.<ref name="newmayor" /> She created the position of city administrator,<ref name="nytimes090208"/> and reduced her own $68,000 salary by 10%, although by mid-1998 this was reversed by the city council.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/background/story/521874.html |title=Palin wins Wasilla mayor's job (10/2/1996)||last=Komarnitsky|first=S.J.|work=TPM Election Central|date=October 2, 1996|accessdate=2008-09-21}}</ref>

According to Wasilla librarian Mary Ellen Emmons, Palin inquired two or three times in October 1996 as to how Emmons would handle any request to remove books from the library.<ref name="adn1">{{cite web|url=http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/story/515512.html |title=Palin pressured Wasilla librarian: Gov. Sarah Palin &#124; adn.com |publisher=Adn.com |author=RINDI WHITErwhite@adn.com |date= |accessdate=2008-10-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5766173&page=1 |title=ABC News: Did Sarah Palin Try to Ban Library Books? |publisher=Abcnews.go.com |author=Brian Ross |date= |accessdate=2008-10-14}}</ref><ref name="library">{{cite news
|url=http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2008/09/06/breaking_news/doc48c1c8a60d6d9379155484.txt |title=Palin: Library censorship inquiries 'Rhetorical'
|last=Stuart|first=Paul
|date=December 12, 1996
|work=Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman
|accessdate=2008-09-06}}</ref> John Stein, the former mayor of Wasilla and Palin's 1996 political opponent, said in September 2008 that Palin's "religious beliefs," and the concerns of some voters about language in the books, motivated her inquiries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1837918,00.html |title=Mayor Palin: A Rough Record - TIME |publisher=Time.com |author=Nathan Thornburgh / Wasilla, Alaska Tuesday, Sep. 02, 2008 |date=Tuesday, Sep. 02, 2008 |accessdate=2008-10-14}}</ref> In December 1996, Palin said she had no books or other material in mind for removal.<ref name="library" /> No books were removed from the library,<ref name="pressure">
{{cite news
|url=http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/story/515512.html
|title=Palin pressured Wasilla librarian
|last=White|first=Rindi
|date=September 4, 2008
|work=Anchorage Daily News
|pages=1B
|accessdate=2008-09-05
}}</ref><ref name="turb">
{{cite news
|author=Armstrong, Ken and Bernton, Hal |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008163431_palin070.html
|title=Sarah Palin had turbulent first year as mayor of Alaska town
|work=[[Seattle Times]]
|date=September 7, 2008
}}</ref> and Palin has stated that she would not allow her personal religious beliefs to dictate her political positions.<ref name="pastor">{{cite web|author=Kaye, Randi|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/08/palin.pastor/index.html|title=Pastor: GOP may be downplaying Palin's religious beliefs|publisher=CNN|date=2008-09-12|accessdate=2008-09-16}}</ref>

Palin fired Emmons and Police Chief Irl Stambaugh in January 1997, stating that she did not feel they fully supported her efforts to govern the city.<ref name="firings">{{cite news
|url=http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/510219.html
|title=Wasilla keeps librarian, but police chief is out
|last=Komarnitsky|first=S.J.
|date=February 1, 1997
|work=Anchorage Daily News
|pages=1B
|accessdate=2008-08-31
}}</ref> Following expressions of public support for Emmons and a personal meeting, Palin rescinded the firing of Emmons the next day,<ref name="pressure" /> stating that her concerns had been alleviated, and adding that Emmons agreed to support Palin's plan to merge the town's library and museum operations.<ref name="firings" /> Stambaugh, who along with Emmons had supported Palin's opponent in the election, filed a [[wrongful termination]] lawsuit alleging that his termination violated his contract, reflected [[Occupational sexism|gender discrimination]], and was for political reasons;<ref name=Toomey>{{cite news |author=Toomey, Sheila |url=http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/background/story/521942.html |title=Firing suit in Wasilla hits court (2/22/1997) |work=Anchorage Daily News |date=September 10, 2008}}</ref> he said, for example, that he had opposed a bill in the state legislature, supported by Palin, that would "permit concealed weapons in schools and bars."<ref>Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball.[http://www.newsweek.com/id/158738 "A Police Chief, A Lawsuit And A Small-Town Mayor"]; NEWSWEEK, Sep 13, 2008</ref> In fact, the bill stated: "A permitee may not carry a concealed handgun into or possess a concealed handgun within...or on school grounds."<ref>[http://www.legis.state.ak.us/BASIS/get_bill_text.asp?hsid=SB0177H&session=19 SB 177] (1996). The bill was subsequently vetoed by Governor Tony Knowles, and [http://www.legis.state.ak.us/BASIS/get_jrn_page.asp?session=19&bill=SB177&jrn=4402&hse=S his veto message] mentioned the opposition of Wasilla's police chief.</ref> The court dismissed Stambaugh's case, ordering Stambaugh to pay Palin's legal fees,<ref> {{cite web
|last=Isikoff
|first=Michael
|coauthors=Hosenball, Mark
|title=A Police Chief, A Lawsuit and a Small-Town Mayor
|publisher=Newsweek
|date=September 13, 2008
|url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/158738
|accessdate=[[2008-10-07]]}}</ref> ruling that the mayor had the right to fire city employees for any reason, including a political one, or for no reason at all.<ref name="lawsuit"> {{cite web|last=Komarnitsky|first=S.J. |date=March 1, 2000 |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AS&p_theme=as&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F793D42B8AA7008&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM| |title=Judge Backs Chief's Firing |work=Anchorage Daily News
|accessdate=2008-09-01 }}</ref> Palin hired Charles Fannon to replace Stambaugh as police chief.<ref>[http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2000/05/23/news.txt Knowles signs sexual assault bill]</ref><ref name=PalinResponds">{{cite news |title=FRONTIERSMAN EXCLUSIVE: Palin responds to questions |publisher=Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman |date=September 30, 2008 |url=http://frontiersman.com/articles/2008/09/30/breaking_news/doc48e1e1294d418713321438.txt |accessdate=[[2008-10-07]] }}</ref>

===Second term===
During her second term as mayor, Palin introduced a [[Initiative and referendum|ballot measure]] proposing the construction of a municipal sports center to be financed by a 0.5% sales tax increase.<ref name="wsjhockeyrink">{{cite web
|last=Phillips |first=Michael M.
|title=Palin's Hockey Rink Leads To Legal Trouble in Town She Led
|work=[[Wall Street Journal]]
|date=September 6, 2008
|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122065537792905483.html
|accessdate=2008-09-08
}}</ref> The $14.7&nbsp;million [[Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex]] was built on time and under budget, but the city spent an additional $1.3&nbsp;million because of an [[eminent domain]] lawsuit caused by the failure to obtain clear title to the property before beginning construction.<ref name="wsjhockeyrink"/> The city's long-term debt grew from about $1 million to $25 million through [[Democracy|voter-approved]] indebtedness of $15 million for the sports complex, $5.5 million for street projects, and $3 million for water improvement projects. A city council member defended the spending increases as being caused by the city's growth during that time.<ref name="fiscal">[http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/705/ “Numbers right, context missing”], Politifact.com from St. Petersburg Times and Congressional Quarterly ([[2008-08-31]]).</ref>

Palin also joined with nearby communities in jointly hiring the Anchorage-based lobbying firm of Robertson, Monagle & Eastaugh to lobby for federal funds. The firm secured nearly $8 million in [[Earmark (politics)|earmarked]] funds for the Wasilla city government, and another $19 million for other public and private entities in the Wasilla valley area.<ref name="ABCNews20080910">{{cite web
|url=http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Story?id=5765926&page=1
|last=Schwartz
|first=Emma
|title=Palin's Record on Pork: Less Sizzle than Reported
|publisher=[[ABC News]]
|accessdate=2008-09-24}}</ref> Earmarks included $500,000 for a youth shelter, $1.9&nbsp;million for a transportation hub, $900,000 for sewer repairs, and $15&nbsp;million for a rail project linking Wasilla and the ski resort community of [[Girdwood]].<ref name="wpearmarks090208">
{{cite web
|last=Krane |first=Paul
|title=Palin's Small Alaska Town Secured Big Federal Funds
|work=[[The Washington Post]]
|date=September 2, 2008
|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/01/AR2008090103148.html?hpid=topnews |accessdate=2008-09-02
}}</ref>
[[Term limits]] prevented Palin from running for a third term as mayor in 2002.<ref name="Timeline">{{cite news
|url=http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=5688162
|title=Timeline of Gov. Palin's life and career
|author=The Associated Press
|publisher=ABC News
|date=August 29, 2008}}</ref>

==Post-mayoral years==
In 2002, Palin ran for the Republican nomination for [[List of Lieutenant Governors of Alaska|lieutenant governor]], coming in second to [[Loren Leman]] in a five-way Republican primary.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.alaska.gov/02prim/data/results.htm
|title=State of Alaska Primary Election - August 27, 2002 Official Results
|accessdate=2008-09-03
|publisher=Alaska Division of Elections}}</ref> The Republican ticket of U.S. Senator [[Frank Murkowski]] and Leman won the November 2002 election. When Murkowski resigned from his long-held [[U.S. Senate]] seat in December 2002 to become governor, he considered appointing Palin to replace him in the Senate, but chose his daughter, [[Lisa Murkowski]], who was then an Alaskan state representative.<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://newmexicoindependent.com/view/when-i-knew-sarah
|title=The Sarah Palin I knew
|last=Gay |first=Joel
|work=New Mexico Independent
|date=August 29, 2008
|accessdate=2008-08-30}}</ref>

Governor Murkowski appointed Palin to the [[Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aogcc.alaska.gov/WhoWeAre/terms.shtml|title=Commissioners - Terms in Office|date=May 15, 2006
|publisher=Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, State of Alaska}}</ref> She chaired the Commission beginning in 2003, serving as Ethics Supervisor.<ref name="explains" /> Palin resigned in January 2004, protesting what she called the "lack of ethics" of fellow [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] members.<ref name=Johnson_p80>
{{harvnb |Johnson |2008 |p=80}}</ref><ref name="Rebel">
{{cite web
|last=Kizzia|first=Tom
|date=October 24, 2006
|url=http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/elections/story/8337406p-8233470c.html
|title=Rebel status has fueled front-runner's success
|work=Anchorage Daily News
|accessdate=2008-09-01}}</ref>

After resigning, Palin filed a formal complaint against Oil and Gas Conservation Commissioner Randy Ruedrich, also the chair of the state Republican Party,<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://alaskareport.com/news31/z49193_randy_ruedrich.htm
|title=Randy Ruedrich defiant, still employed
|last=Zaki |first=Taufen|last2=Dennis |first2= Stephen
|date=March 14, 2008
|Work=Alaska Report
|accessdate=2008-09-03}}</ref> accusing him of doing work for the party on public time and of working closely with a company he was supposed to be regulating. She also joined with Democratic legislator [[Eric Croft]]<ref name="weeklystandard">{{cite news|url=http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/851orcjq.asp?pg=1|title=The Most Popular Governor|date=2007-07-16|publisher=''The Weekly Standard''|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref> to file a complaint against Gregg Renkes, a former Alaska [[Attorney General]],<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.sitnews.us/0205news/020605/020605_resignation.html
|title=Attorney General Gregg Renkes Resigns
|date=February 6, 2005
|work=Stories in the News
|publisher=sitnews.us
|accessdate=2008-09-03}}</ref> accusing him of having a financial conflict of interest in negotiating a coal exporting trade agreement,<ref name=JuneauDailyNews2005>{{cite web |url=http://www.kinyradio.com/juneaunews/archives/week_of_03-07-05/juneau_news_03-08-05.html |title=Personnel board drops complaint against Renkes
|work=Juneau Daily News
|date=March 8, 2005
|accessdate=2008-09-09}}</ref> while Renkes was the subject of investigation and after records suggesting a possible conflict of interest had been released to the public.<ref>{{cite web |title="Renkes Mixed Personal, State Business"
|author=Dobbyn, Paula
|url=http://www.adn.com/news/government/renkes/story/42104.html
|date=December 5, 2004
|accessdate=2008-09-09
|work=Anchorage Daily News}}</ref> Ruedrich and Renkes both resigned and Ruedrich paid a record $12,000&nbsp;fine.<ref name="explains">
{{cite web
|url=http://dwb.adn.com/front/story/5572779p-5504444c.html
|title=Palin explains her actions in Ruedrich case
|accessdate=2008-08-30
|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]}}</ref><ref name=Johnson_p81>{{harvnb|Johnson |2008 |p=81}}</ref>

From 2003 to June 2005, Palin served as one of three directors of "Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service, Inc.," a [[527 group]] designed to provide political training for Republican women in Alaska.<ref name="palin-stevens-527">{{cite news
|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/01/palin_was_a_director_of_embatt.html |work=[[Washington Post]]|title=Palin Was a Director of Embattled Sen. Stevens's 527 Group
|last=Mosk|first=Matthew
|date=September 1, 2008
|accessdate=2008-09-01}}</ref> In 2004, Palin told the ''[[Anchorage Daily News]]'' that she had decided not to run for the U.S. Senate that year, against the Republican incumbent, [[Lisa Murkowski]], because her teenage son opposed it. Palin said, "How could I be the team mom if I was a U.S. Senator?"<ref>{{cite news
|first=Robin |last=Abcarian |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-motherhood4-2008sep04,0,1284515.story |title=Sarah Palin's 'new feminism' is hailed: Outside the convention hall, questions are raised about the pro-life working mother's family responsibilities
|work=Los Angeles Times
|date=September 4, 2008}}</ref>

==Governor of Alaska==
{{main|Governorship of Sarah Palin}}
[[Image:Sarah Palin Kuwait Crop2.jpg|right|thumb|Palin visits soldiers of the [[Alaska National Guard]], July 24, 2007.]]
In 2006, running on a clean-government platform, Palin defeated incumbent Governor Frank Murkowski in the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] gubernatorial [[primary election|primary]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/30/palins-rise-shows-willingness-buck-establishment/|title=Palin's rise a model for maverick politicians|publisher=[[Washington Times]]|accessdate=2008-09-03}} See also: {{cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/23/washington/24alaskacnd.html |title=Alaska Governor Concedes Defeat in Primary |accessdate=2008-09-03 |date=2006-08-03|publisher=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Her running mate was State Senator [[Sean Parnell]].

Despite being outspent by her Democratic opponent, she won the [[Alaska gubernatorial election, 2006|gubernatorial election]] in November, defeating former governor [[Tony Knowles (politician)|Tony Knowles]] 48.3% to 40.9%.<ref name=Johnson_p107>{{harvnb|Johnson|2008|p=107}}</ref> Palin became Alaska's first [[list of female state governors in the United States|female governor]] and at 42, the youngest governor in Alaskan history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gov.state.ak.us/bio.html |title=Alaska Governor Sarah Palin |publisher=Alaskan State Govt. |accessdate=2008-09-07}}</ref> She is the state's first governor to have been born after Alaska achieved U.S. [[Alaska Statehood Act|statehood]], and the first not to be inaugurated in [[Juneau]]; she chose to have the ceremony held in [[Fairbanks, Alaska|Fairbanks]] instead. She took office on December 4, 2006, and has been very popular with Alaska voters. Polls taken in 2007 early in her term showed her with a 93% and 89% popularity among all voters,<ref name="adn popularity">{{cite news|last=Ayres
|first=Sabra
|title=Alaska's governor tops the approval rating charts
|publisher=Anchorage Daily News
|year=2007
|date=May 30
|url=http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/story/8931698p-8831940c.html |accessdate=2008-09-16}}</ref> which led some media outlets to call her "the most popular governor in America."<ref name="weeklystandard"/><ref name="adn popularity"/> A poll taken in late September 2008 after Palin was named to the national Republican ticket showed her popularity in Alaska at 68%.<ref>{{cite news|title=Palin approval rating takes huge dive|publisher=Alaska Report|year=2008|date=September 24|url=http://alaskareport.com/news98/x61643_approval_rating.htm }}</ref>

Palin declared that top priorities of her administration would be resource development, education and workforce development, public health and safety, and transportation and infrastructure development.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gov.state.ak.us/bio.html |title=Alaska Governor Sarah Palin |publisher=Gov.state.ak.us |date= |accessdate=2008-09-15}}</ref> She had championed ethics reform throughout her election campaign. Her first legislative action after taking office was to push for a bipartisan ethics reform bill. She signed the resulting legislation in July 2007, calling it a "first step", and declaring that she remained determined to clean up Alaska politics.<ref>{{cite news|last=Halpin |first=James |title=Palin signs ethics reforms |publisher=Anchorage Daily News |date=2007-07-10 |url=http://dwb.adn.com/news/government/story/9120051p-9036359c.html |accessdate=2008-09-12 }}</ref>

[[Image:Sarah Palin Kuwait 14.jpg|thumb|left|Palin tries out the [[Engagement Skills Trainer]], July 24, 2007.]]Palin has sometimes broken with the state Republican establishment. For example, she endorsed Sean Parnell's bid to unseat the state's longtime at-large U.S. Representative, [[Don Young]].<ref name="WSJ">{{cite news |first=Jim |last=Carlton |title=Alaska's Palin Faces Probe |url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121746477267499109.html |work=[[The Washington Post]] |publisher= |date=2008-08-31 |accessdate=2008-09-05}}</ref> Palin has publicly challenged Senator [[Ted Stevens]] to come clean about the ongoing federal investigation into his financial dealings. Shortly before his July 2008 indictment, she held a joint news conference with Stevens, described by ''[[The Washington Post]]'' as needed "to make clear she had not abandoned him politically."<ref name="palin-stevens-527 " />

Palin promoted oil and natural gas resource development in Alaska, including in the [[Arctic National Wildlife Refuge]] (ANWR). Proposals to drill for oil in ANWR have been the subject of a [[Arctic Refuge drilling controversy|national debate]].<ref name="ANWR">{{cite news|url=http://www.ontheissues.org/Governor/Sarah_Palin_Environment.htm|title=State of the State Address Jan 17, 2007 |date=2007-01-17|accessdate=2008-09-01}}</ref>

In 2006, Palin obtained a passport<ref>{{cite news |first=Bryan |last=Bender |coauthors=Issenberg, Sasha |title=Palin not well traveled outside US |url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/03/palin_not_well_traveled_outside_us/ |publisher=Boston Globe |date=2008-09-03 |accessdate=2008-09-03}}</ref> and in 2007 traveled for the first time outside of [[North America]] on a trip to [[Kuwait]]. There she visited the Khabari Alawazem Crossing at the Kuwait–[[Iraq]] border and met with members of the [[Alaska National Guard]] at several bases.<ref name=visit>{{cite news |first=Bryan |last=Bender |coauthors= |title=Palin camp clarifies extent of Iraq trip:Says she never ventured beyond Kuwait border|url=http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/09/13/palin_camp_clarifies_extent_of_iraq_trip/ |publisher=Boston Globe |date=2008-09-13 |accessdate=2008-09-13}}</ref> On her return trip to the U.S., she visited injured soldiers in Germany.<ref name=interview>{{cite news |title=Palin's Interview with ABC News |publisher=''Fox News'' |date=September 11, 2008 |accessdate=2008-09-14 |url=http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/11/raw-data-palins-interview-with-abc-news/}}</ref>

===Budget, spending and federal funds===
[[Image:Sarah Palin Germany 3 Cropped.JPG|right|thumb|upright|Governor Palin in Germany, July 2007]]In June 2007, Palin signed a record $6.6&nbsp;billion operating budget into law.<ref name="Shinohara">{{cite news
|url=http://dwb.adn.com/opinion/story/9137864p-9054054c.html
|accessdate=2007-12-27
|last=Shinohara|first=Rosemary
|title=No vetoes here
|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]
|date=July 16, 2007
}}</ref> At the same time, she used her veto power to make the second-largest cuts of the construction budget in state history. The $237&nbsp;million in cuts represented over 300 local projects, and reduced the construction budget to $1.6&nbsp;billion.<ref name="alaskajournal1">{{cite news
|url=http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/070807/hom_20070708005.shtml
|accessdate=2008-09-01
|title=Lawmakers cringe over governor's deep budget cuts
|last=Bradner |first=Tim
|date=July 8, 2007
|work=Alaska Journal of Commerce
}}</ref> In 2008, Palin vetoed $286 million, cutting or reducing funding for 350 projects from the FY09 capital budget.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.adn.com/legislature/story/415749.html
|accessdate=2008-09-15
|title=Palin's veto ax lops $268 million from budget
|last=Cockerham |first=Sean
|date=May 24, 2008
|work=Anchorage Daily News
}}</ref>

Palin followed through on a [[campaign promise]] to sell the [[Westwind II]] jet, a purchase made by the Murkowski administration for $2.7&nbsp;million in 2005 against the wishes of the legislature.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/25/us/25jet.html|title="Jet that Helped Defeat an Alaska Governor is Sold."|author=Yardley, William|publisher=The New York Times|date=2007-08-25|accessdate=2008-09-18}}</ref> In August 2007, the jet was listed on [[eBay]], but the sale fell through, and the plane was later sold for $2.1&nbsp;million through a private brokerage firm.<ref>{{cite web|title=Governor's Plane Wasn't Sold on Ebay |work=The Washington Post|date=2008-09-06|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/05/AR2008090503722.html?referrer=digg|accessdate=2008-09-08}}</ref>

Palin lives in Juneau during the legislative session and lives in Wasilla and works out of offices in Anchorage the rest of the year. Since the office in Anchorage is far from Juneau, while she works there she is legally entitled to a $58 ''per diem'' travel allowance, which she has taken (a total of $16,951), and to reimbursement for hotels, which she has not, choosing instead to drive about 50&nbsp;miles to her home in Wasilla.<ref name="wash-post-nights">{{cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090803088.html |title=Palin Billed State for Nights Spent at Home |work=The Washington Post |author=Grimaldi, James V. | co-authors=Vick, Karl |date=2008-09-09 |accessdate=2008-09-09}}</ref> She also chose not to use the former governor's private chef.<ref>''The Anchorage Daily News'', January 20, 2008: Palin does not use the governor's private chef, whom Palin transferred to the Lounge of the State Legislature.</ref> In response to criticism for taking the ''per diem'', and for $43,490 in travel expenses for the times her family accompanied her on state business, the governor's staffers said that these practices were in line with state policy, that Palin's gubernatorial expenses are 80% below those of her predecessor, Frank Murkowski,<ref>Luo, Michael; and Leslie Wayne. [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/us/politics/10billing.html Palin Aides Defend Billing State for Time at Home]. ''[[New York Times]]'', 2008-09-09.</ref> and that "many of the hundreds of invitations Palin receives include requests for her to bring her family, placing the definition of 'state business' with the party extending the invitation."<ref name="wash-post-nights">{{cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090803088.html |title=Palin Billed State for Nights Spent at Home |work=The Washington Post |author=Grimaldi, James V. | co-authors=Vick, Karl |date=2008-09-09 |accessdate=2008-09-09}}</ref>

====Federal funding====
In her [[State of the State Address]] on January 17, 2008, Palin declared that the people of Alaska "can and must continue to develop our economy, because we cannot and must not rely so heavily on federal government [funding]."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagw.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=11244 |title=Citizens Against Government Waste: Alaska Begins to Grow Up |publisher=Cagw.org |author=Tuesday, January 29, 2008 By: Leslie K. Paige |date= |accessdate=2008-09-15}}</ref> Alaska's federal congressional representatives cut back on [[pork-barrel]] project requests during Palin's time as governor; as of 2008, Alaska was still the largest per-capita recipient of federal [[Earmark (politics)|earmarks]], requesting nearly $750 million in special federal spending over two years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26611103/ |title=McCain, Palin criticize Obama on earmarks - John McCain News - MSNBC.com |publisher=Msnbc.msn.com |date=September 8, 2008 |accessdate=2008-09-16}}</ref>

While there is no sales tax or income tax in Alaska, state revenues doubled to $10 billion in 2008, For the 2009 budget, Palin gave a list of 31 proposed federal earmarks or requests for funding, totaling $197 million, to Alaska Senator [[Ted Stevens]].<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Seattle Times|title=Palin's earmark requests: more per person than any other state|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008154532_webpalin02m.html}} See also: Associated Press: Taylor, Andrew, [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080903/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_palin_earmarks "Palins Pork Requests Confound Image"].</ref> Palin’s decreasing support for federal funding has been a leading source of friction between herself and the state's congressional delegation; Palin has requested less in federal funding each year than her predecessor Frank Murkowski requested in his last year.<ref>Bolstad, Erika. [http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/516743.html "Palin's Take On Earmarks Evolving"], Anchorage Daily News, ([[2008-09-08]])</ref><!--The cited source says: "One thing is clear: Palin has increasingly distanced herself from earmarking since she made her first trip to Washington D.C. to lobby Congress for money in 2000. And over the past year, it has been the leading source of tension between Palin and the state's three-member congressional delegation….For the 2007 federal budget year, the administration of former Gov. Frank Murkowski submitted 63 earmark requests totaling $350 million, Palin's staff said. That slid to 52 earmarks valued at $256 million in Palin's first year. This year, the governor's office asked the delegation to help them land 31 earmarks valued at $197 million."-->

===="Bridge to Nowhere" and Knik Arm Bridge====
{{see also|Gravina Island Bridge|Knik Arm Bridge}}
{{see also|Sarah Palin#2008 Vice-presidential campaign|l1=Use of "Bridge to Nowhere" in 2008 campaign}}
In 2005, before Palin was elected governor, a $442-million [[Earmark (politics)|earmark]] for constructing two Alaska bridges was passed in the U.S. Senate as part of an [[omnibus spending bill]]. The [[Gravina Island Bridge]] was proposed to connect [[Ketchikan]] to sparsely populated [[Gravina Island]] where an international airport serves over 200,000 passengers per year and the existing ferry carries 400,000 passengers per year.<ref name="APbridge">{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/22/alaska.bridge.ap/ |date=2007-09-22 |publisher=CNN.com |title='Bridge to nowhere' abandoned|author=Associated Press|accessdate=2008-09-17}}</ref> The [[Knik Arm Bridge]] (also known as "Don Young's Way" after Alaska's Congressman [[Don Young]]) was proposed to provide an alternate link between heavily-populated [[Anchorage, Alaska|Anchorage]] and Wasilla.<ref name="Garance">Burke, Garance. [http://community.adn.com/node/131399 “Palin and the Knik Arm bridge”], Associated Press via ‘’[[Anchorage Daily News]]’’ ([[2008-09-16]]).</ref> The Gravina Island Bridge proposal became nicknamed the "Bridge to Nowhere" because of the island's population of 50.<ref name="APbridge"/> More rarely, the term "Bridges to Nowhere" has been applied to both bridge proposals.<ref name="Tumble">{{cite news|last=Hulse|first=Carl|title=Two 'Bridges to Nowhere' Tumble Down in Congress |work=[[The New York Times]]|date=November 17, 2005|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/17/politics/17spend.html}}</ref> Using this pejorative term, critics of the two bridge proposals gave them national attention as symbols of [[pork-barrel]] spending, and [[United States Congress|Congress]] responded to the intense criticism by stripping the earmark from the bill before final passage in November 2005 and instead giving the $442 million to Alaska as transportation money with no strings attached.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/22/alaska.bridge.ap/|date=[[2007-09-22]]|work=CNN|title='Bridge to nowhere' abandoned}}</ref>

[[Image:palin nowhere.jpg|thumb|left|Sarah Palin visiting Ketchikan in 2006]]<!--The federal government had already provided funding, and the cited source does not indicate that she requested more federal funding during the 2006 gubernatorial race.-->

In 2006, Palin ran for governor with a "build-the-bridge" plank in her platform, supporting the use of state and federal funds to construct the two bridges. She said she sympathized with members of a community that had been characterized by the press as "nowhere," and that she would "not allow the spinmeisters to turn this project&nbsp;... into something that's so negative."<ref name="Stance">{{cite news |url=http://www.adn.com/politics/story/511471.html |title=Palin touts stance on 'Bridge to Nowhere,' doesn't note flip-flop |work=Anchorage Daily News |author=Tom Kizzia |date=2008-08-31 |accessdate=2008-09-08}}</ref> She also urged speedy work on building the infrastructure "while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist."<ref>{{citation |title=Where they stand (10/22/2006)| newspaper = [[Anchorage Daily News]] |year=2008 |date=August 29, 2008|url=http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/510378.html}}: "5. Would you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges? Yes. I would like to see Alaska's infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now - while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist."</ref>

As governor, however, Palin cancelled the Gravina Island Bridge in September 2007 saying that Congress had "little interest in spending any more money" due to what she called "inaccurate portrayals of the projects."<ref name="release">
{{cite press release
|url=http://gov.state.ak.us/archive-28635.html
|title=Gravina Access Project Redirected
|date=September 21, 2007
|author=Governor's Office
|publisher=Governor's Office&ndash;State of Alaska
|quote=Governor Sarah Palin today directed the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to look for the most fiscally responsible alternative for access to the Ketchikan airport and Gravina Island instead of proceeding any further with the proposed $398-million bridge.}}</ref> She opted not to return the $442 million in federal transportation funds.<ref name=Angers>{{cite news
|last=Rosen|first=Yereth
|title=Palin 'bridge to nowhere' line angers many Alaskans
|publisher=Reuters
|date=September 1, 2008
|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed7/idUSN3125537020080901
|accessdate=2008-09-05}}</ref> Palin did maintain her support for a controversial highway on the bridgeless Gravina Island, committing $25 million in federal funds to the project saying through her spokesperson that it would open territory for development. Alaska state officials said if the money were not used for the road it would have had to have been returned to the federal government.<ref>Kizzia, Tom. [http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/511471.html "Palin touts stance on 'Bridge to Nowhere,' doesn't note flip-flop"], ''Anchorage Daily News'' ([[2008-08-31]])</ref> She also directed state officials to explore other ways to provide access to the island.<ref name="release" />

Later, as a vice-presidential candidate, emphasizing her efforts to end abuses of "earmark" spending, Palin characterized her position as having told Congress "thanks, but no thanks, on that bridge to nowhere." This angered many Alaskans in Ketchikan who said that the claim was false and a betrayal of Palin's previous support for their community.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed7/idUSN3125537020080901 Palin "bridge to nowhere" line angers many Alaskans]: "In the city Ketchikan, the planned site of the so-called 'Bridge to Nowhere,' political leaders of both parties said the claim was false and a betrayal of their community...."</ref> Meanwhile, some critics complained that this statement was misleading, since she had repeatedly expressed support for the spending project and even kept the Federal money after the project was canceled. <ref>[http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/18/fact-check-did-palin-say-no-thanks-to-the-bridge-to-nowhere/ Fact Check: Did Palin say 'no thanks' to the Bridge to Nowhere?]: "The Facts: Palin voiced support for the plan while running for governor...
She rejected the bridge after she was elected and the project became a famous symbol of government waste. When she rejected the project as governor, Palin said objections to the project were "based on inaccurate portrayals," CNN has reported. Also, Alaska kept the federal money intended for the project, using it on other transportation projects. Verdict: MISLEADING"</ref>

Palin continues to support the Knik Arm project,<ref name="Garance"/> although in June 2008, she ordered a funding and feasibility review.<ref>"[http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/061008/sta_288713187.shtml Proposed bridge faces questions]". ''Juneau Empire'' ([[2008-06-10]]). Retrieved [[2008-09-29]]: "Palin, a former Wasilla mayor, has said she supports the idea of a Knik arm bridge. But she also said the authority's plans must be reviewed."</ref> According to news reports, local residents and officials of Anchorage and Matanuska-Susitna Borough, which would be connected by the bridge and causeway, are divided over the matter. Many residents feel a strong need for a more direct and less congested route linking the two areas, but many local officials have recently expressed concern that the bridge and causeway may be too expensive. Officials have discussed a [[ferry]] as an alternative, although Anchorage and Matanuska-Susitna Borough have disagreed as to the appropriate site for ferry landings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/535145.html |title=No-bridge resolution stirs Mat-Su: Alaska News &#124; adn.com |publisher=Adn.com |author=MELODIE WRIGHTmwright@adn.com |date= |accessdate=2008-10-14}}</ref>

===Gas pipeline===
{{see also|Alaska Gas Pipeline}}
In August 2008, Palin signed a bill authorizing the State of Alaska to award [[TransCanada Pipelines]] — the sole bidder to meet the state's requirements — a license to build and operate a pipeline to transport natural gas from the [[Alaska North Slope|North Slope]] to the [[Continental United States]] through Canada.<ref name="canada1">{{cite news |first=Yereth |last=Rosen |title=Alaska governor signs natgas pipeline license bill |url=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=2e84b1e8-9a4a-4558-ad05-21b517c50fae |work=[[Calgary Herald]] |publisher= |date=2008-08-27 |accessdate=2008-09-05}}</ref> The governor also pledged $500 million in seed money to support the project.<ref name="AGIA-unveil">{{cite web|date=2007-03-02|url=http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=170|title=Governor Palin Unveils the AGIA|work=News & Announcements|publisher=[[State of Alaska]]|accessdate=2008-09-01}}</ref> It is estimated that the project will cost $26 billion.<ref name="canada1"/> ''[[Newsweek]]'' described the project as "the principal achievement of Sarah Palin's term as Alaska's governor,"<ref name="Newsweek-pipeline-to-nowhere">{{cite web |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/160088 |title=Palin's Pipeline to Nowhere | Newsweek Periscope | Newsweek.com |format= |work= |accessdate=2009-09-23}}</ref> and the project still faces legal challenges from Canadian [[First Nations]] (aboriginal peoples).<ref name="Newsweek-pipeline-to-nowhere" />

===Public Safety Commissioner dismissal===
{{main|Alaska Public Safety Commissioner dismissal}}
<!---- ATTENTION -----
This is a SUMMARY section and is not meant to cover every
detail of the case. Please add new specifics to the main article,
not here. Thank you!
------ ATTENTION ----->
Sarah Palin dismissed Public Safety Commissioner [[Walt Monegan]] on July 11, 2008, citing performance-related issues, such as not being "a team player on budgeting issues."<ref name="Staff pushed" /> Monegan said that he had resisted persistent pressure from the Governor, her husband, and her staff, including State Attorney General [[Talis Colberg]], to fire Palin’s ex-brother-in-law, [[Alaska State Troopers|state trooper]] Mike Wooten; Wooten was involved in a child custody battle with Palin’s sister that included an alleged [[death threat]] against Palin's father.<ref name="Demer">{{cite news|last=Demer|first=Lisa|url=http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/510080.html
|title='Troopergate' inquiry hangs over campaign: 'Troopergate' inquiry hangs over campaign
|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]|date=August 30, 2008|accessdate=2008-09-05
|quote=For the record, no one ever said fire Wooten. Not the governor. Not Todd. Not any of the other staff. What they said directly was more along the lines of 'This isn't a person that we would want to be representing our state troopers.'}}</ref><ref name="monegan1a">{{cite news |first=Megan |last=Holland |title=Monegan says he was pressured to fire cop |date=July 19, 2008 |url=http://www.adn.com/politics/story/469135.html |work=Anchorage Daily News |accessdate=2008-07-22}}</ref> Monegan stated he learned an internal investigation had found all but two of the allegations to be unsubstantiated, and Wooten had been disciplined for the others.<ref name="monegan1a" /> He told the Palins that there was nothing he could do because the matter was closed.<ref name="grimaldi"/> When contacted by the press for comment, Monegan first acknowledged pressure to fire Wooten but said that he could not be certain that his own firing was connected to that issue;<ref name=monegan1a /> he later asserted that the dispute over Wooten was a major reason for his firing.<ref name="Demer1">{{cite news|last=Demer|first=Lisa|url=http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/510080.html|title='Troopergate' inquiry hangs over campaign|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]|date=2008-08-30|accessdate=2008-09-05
|quote=Monegan said he believes his firing was directly related to the fact Wooten stayed on the job. }}</ref> Palin stated on July 17 that Monegan was not pressured to fire Wooten, nor dismissed for not doing so.<ref name="Staff pushed">{{cite news |first=Sean |last=Cockerham |title=Palin staff pushed to have trooper fired |url=http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/492964.html |work=[[Anchorage Daily News]] |date=August 14, 2008|accessdate=2008-09-01 }}</ref><ref name="grimaldi">{{cite news|title=Long-Standing Feud in Alaska Embroils Palin|work=The Washington Post|first=James V.|author=Grimaldi, James V. and Kindy, Kimberly |date=August 31, 2008|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/30/AR2008083002366.html?hpid=topnews|accessdate=2008-08-31}}</ref> Monegan's replacement resigned on July 25, amid charges of sexual harassment in his previous job.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://community.adn.com/adn/node/127679 |title=adn.com &#124; Alaska Politics : Palin spokeswoman: Kopp never told governor about reprimand (Updated with comments from lawmakers) |publisher=Community.adn.com |author=Posted by Alaska_Politics |date= |accessdate=2008-09-02}}</ref>

The Republican-dominated<ref>[http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a1bK5E1F0sPg&refer=home "The state Legislative Council, which ordered the investigation, is dominated by Republicans", ''Palin Abused Power in Trooper Case, Alaska Probe Says (Update1)'']</ref> [[Alaska Legislature]] hired an investigator, Stephen Branchflower, on August 1 to review the Monegan dismissal; the atmosphere was bipartisan and Palin pledged to cooperate.<ref name="narrative">{{cite news |title=Palin probe has parallels to 2000 recount fight|author=Espo, David|date=September 19, 2008|publisher=[[Associated Press]]|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h1QK-1MBqB0z5YmCqDwmYzaotibwD93A1II00}}</ref><ref name="HiredHelp">{{cite news|url=http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/478090.html |title=Hired help will probe Monegan dismissal |author=Loy, Wesley |work=[[Anchorage Daily News]] |date=July 29, 2008 |accessdate=2008-08-29}}</ref> After she ordered her own internal investigation, Palin stated on August 13 that "pressure could have been perceived to exist, although I have only now become aware of it."<ref name="emails">{{cite news |title=Palin E-Mails Show Intense Interest in Trooper's Penalty |last=Grimaldi, James V. and Vick, Karl |work=Washington Post|date=September 4, 2008 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/03/AR2008090303210_pf.html |accessdate=2008-09-03}}</ref> Palin announced that officials had contacted Monegan or his staff about two dozen times regarding Wooten,<ref name="grimaldi" /> that she had only known about some of those contacts, that many of those contacts were appropriate, and that she had not fired Monegan because of Wooten,<ref name="contacts">{{cite web|url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/48172.html |title=Alaska's governor admits her staff tried to have trooper fired |author=Sean Cockerham |work=Anchorage Daily News |publisher=McClatchy|date=August 14, 2008 |accessdate=2008-08-29}}</ref> who remained employed as a state trooper.<ref name="IsWootenGood">{{cite news|url=http://www.adn.com/politics/story/476430.html |title=Is Wooten a good trooper? |author=Demer, Lisa|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]] |date=July 27, 2008 }}</ref> She placed an aide on paid leave due to one tape-recorded phone conversation that she deemed improper, in which the aide appeared to be acting on her behalf and complained to a trooper that Wooten had not been fired.<ref name="Bailey">[http://community.adn.com/adn/node/128981 "Namely, specifically, most disturbing, is a telephone recording apparently made and preserved by the troopers..."], Anchorage Daily News ([[2008-08-13]]).</ref>

Several weeks after the start of what the media referred to as "[[Alaska Public Safety Commissioner dismissal|troopergate]]", Palin was chosen as John McCain's running mate.<ref name="narrative" /><!-- This ref is duplicated just to clarify that it's not WP:SYNTH --> In a news story published on September 2, the state senator running the investigation complained that Palin's hiring of private lawyers hampered the investigation, and suggested that the results of the investigation were "likely to be damaging to the Governor's administration."<ref name="Isikoff">{{cite news
|author=Ross, Brian and Tepper, Len
|url=http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Story?id=5702697&page=1
|title='October Surprise' Over Palin Investigation?”
|publisher=[[ABC News]]
|date=September 2, 2008
|quote='It's likely to be damaging to the Governor's administration,' said Senator Hollis French, a Democrat… 'She has a credibility problem,' he said…. 'Now they may have to deal with an October surprise,' he said….}}</ref> On September 1, Palin asked the legislature to drop its investigation, saying that the state Personnel Board, a three-member panel whose members are gubernatorial appointees, had jurisdiction over ethics issues.<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |title=Palin seeks review of Monegan firing case: Governor makes ethics complaint against herself to force action. |url=http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/514163.html |work=[[Anchorage Daily News]] |publisher= |date=2008-09-03 |accessdate=2008-09-05 }}</ref> Palin also asked the Board to review the matter,<ref name="ADN0902">{{cite news |first=Lisa |last=Demer|title=Attorney challenges Monegan firing inquiry |date=September 2, 2008 | workr=[[Anchorage Daily News]] |url=http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/513137.html |accessdate=2008-09-02}}</ref> and on September 15, filed arguments of "no probable cause" with them.<ref>Van Flein, Thomas. [http://sayanythingblog.s3.amazonaws.com/09-08/palin-response.pdf "Motion for determination of no probable cause"] ([[2008-09-15]]).</ref><ref name="insubordination">{{cite news
|last=Loy |first=Wesley
|title=Palin accuses Monegan of insubordination
|work=Anchorage Daily News
|url=http://www.adn.com/front/story/527346.html
|date=September 15, 2008
|accessdate=2008-09-16
}}</ref> On September 19, the [[Todd Palin|Governor's husband]] and several state employees refused to honor [[subpoena]]s, the validity of which were disputed by Talis Colberg, Palin's appointee as Alaska's Attorney General.<ref>{{citation|last=Quinn|first=Steve |title=Alaska AG: State employees won't honor subpoenas| newspaper = [[The Guardian]]|location=UK |year=2008|date=September 17, 2008|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/7803852}}.</ref> On October 2, a court rejected Colberg's challenge to the subpoenas,<ref>{{citation|last=Cockerham|first=Sean |title=Judge refuses to halt Troopergate probe| newspaper = [[Anchorage Daily News]]|year=2008|date=October 2, 2008|url=http://www.adn.com/palin/story/543892.html}}</ref> and seven of the witnesses, not including Sarah and Todd Palin, eventually testified.<ref>{{citation|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jOTk11gvqDAgD0cY3i4WjI_2YOxwD93KM4LG0|newspaper=[[associated press]]|date=October 5, 2008|title=7 Palin aides to testify in abuse-of-power probe|name=Apuzzo, Matt}}</ref>

====Finding of violation of Ethics Act====
{{seealso|Branchflower Report}}
On October 10, 2008, the [[Alaska Legislative Council]] unanimously voted to release, without officially endorsing, one volume of the Branchflower Report, in which Stephen Branchflower found that firing Monegan "was a proper and lawful exercise of her constitutional and statutory authority."<ref name="Branchflower report">{{cite web|url=http://download2.legis.state.ak.us/DOWNLOAD.pdf | title=Stephen Branchflower report to the Legislative Council | author=Branchflower, Stephen | publisher= State of Alaska Legislature | date=2008-10-10| accessdate=2008-10-10}}</ref> The report also found that Palin abused her power as governor by violating the state's Executive Branch Ethics Act<ref>Branchflower report, page 8.</ref> when her office pressured Monegan to fire Wooten, stating that "Governor Palin knowingly permitted a situation to continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda, to wit: to get Trooper Michael Wooten fired."<ref name="branchflower66">Branchflower report, page 66.</ref> The report also said that Palin "permitted Todd Palin to use the Governor's office [...] to continue to contact subordinate state employees in an effort to find some way to get Trooper Wooten fired."<ref name="branchflower66"/> The report further found that Colberg had failed to cooperate fully with the investigation.<ref name="Rood1010">{{cite news | url=http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=6004368&page=1 | title=
Troopergate Report: Palin Abused Power: Unanimous but Contentious Vote to Release the Report to the Public | author=Rood, Justin |coauthors=Rutherford, Jessica| publisher=ABC News | date =2008-10-10 | accessdate=2008-10-10}}</ref>

On October 11, Palin's attorneys responded, condemning the Branchflower Report as "misleading and wrong on the law";<ref name="Palin response">{{cite news | url=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/10/11/response.branchflower.report.pdf | title=The Governor's Attorney Condemns the Branchflower Report as Misleading and Wrong on the Law" | author=Clapp, Peterson, Van Flein, Tiemessen, Thorsness LLC | date=2008-10-11 | accessdate=2008-10-11}}</ref> one, Thomas Van Flein, said that it was an attempt to "smear the governor by innuendo."<ref name="Dobbs">Dobbs, Michael.[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/10/four_pinocchios_for_palin.html “The Fact Checker: Four Pinocchios for Palin”], Washington Post ([[2008-10-13]]).</ref> Van Flein further argues that Branchflower's findings are flawed because Palin received "no monetary benefit" from her actions. Palin said that she was "very very pleased to be cleared of any legal wrongdoing, any hint of any kind of unethical activity there."<ref>{{cite news | url=http://community.adn.com/adn/node/132625 | title=Palin: 'Very much appreciating being cleared of any legal wrongdoing or unethical activity at all' (Updated with audio) | date=2008-10-12 | publisher=Anchorage Daily News}}</ref> ''[[The Washington Post]]'' wrote that "the report clearly states that she violated the State Ethics Act. Palin has reasonable grounds for arguing that the report cleared her of 'legal wrongdoing,' since she did have the authority to fire Monegan. But it is the reverse of the truth to claim that she was cleared of 'any hint of any kind of unethical activity.'"<ref name="Dobbs"/>

===Predator Control===
{{see also|Governorship of Sarah Palin#Predator control|l1=Palin's Predator Control policy}}
In 2007, Palin affirmed support for the 2003 [[Alaska Department of Fish and Game]] policy allowing the hunting of [[wolf|wolves]] from the air as part of a predator control program intended to increase [[moose]] and [[caribou]] populations for subsistence-food gatherers and other hunters.<ref name=ADN_20070511>{{cite web|url=http://dwb.adn.com/news/alaska/wildlife/story/8726730p-8628810c.html|title=State Puts Bounty on Wolves|publisher=Anchorage Daily News|date=March 21, 2007}} See also: {{cite web|url=http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/news/2007/5-11-07_nr.php|title=Governor Palin Introduces Bill to Streamline Predator Management Laws|publisher=Alaska Department of Game and Fish|date=May 11, 2007}}</ref> In March 2007, Palin's office announced that a [[Bounty (reward)|bounty]] of $150 per wolf would be paid to the 180 volunteer pilots and gunners, to offset fuel costs. Wildlife activists sued the state, and a state judge declared the bounty illegal on the basis that a bounty would have to be offered by the Board of Game and not by the Department of Fish and Game.<ref name=ADN_20070511/><ref name=ADN_20070331>{{cite news|author=DeMarban, Alex.|url=http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/wildlife/wolves/story/204937.html |title=Judge orders state to stop wolf bounties
|work=Anchorage Daily News |date=March 31, 2007}}</ref>

==2008 Vice-presidential campaign==
{{main|John McCain presidential campaign, 2008|Republican Party (United States) vice presidential candidates, 2008}}
{{Future election candidate|section|Palin, Sarah}}
[[Image:Palin waving-RNC-20080903 cropped.jpg|thumb|right|Palin addresses the [[2008 Republican National Convention]]]]

On August 29, 2008, in [[Dayton, Ohio]], [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[President of the United States of America|presidential]] candidate [[John McCain]] announced that he had chosen Palin as his [[running mate]].<ref name="cnn-taps" /> McCain met Palin in a February [[National Governors Association]], and it is reported that she made a favorable impression on him. He called Palin on August 24 to discuss the possibility of having her join him on the ticket.<ref name="NYT" /> As of July, Palin was one of those rumored to be under consideration, although she expressed to an interviewer that she was unfamiliar with the duties of the Vice President and the productivity of the position.<ref name="Kudlow and Company">{{cite news|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP5mIXrk4qI|date=July 31, 2008|work=Kudlow and Company|publisher=CNBC}}</ref> On August 27, she visited McCain's vacation home near [[Sedona, Arizona]], where she was offered the position of vice-presidential candidate.<ref>Dan Balz and Robert Barnes. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/30/AR2008083002377.html Palin Made an Impression From the Start]. ''[[The Washington Post]]'', 2008-08-31.</ref> Palin was the only prospective running mate who had a face-to-face interview with McCain to discuss joining the ticket that week.<ref name="NYT" /> Nonetheless, Palin's selection was a surprise to many as speculation had centered on other candidates, such as [[Minnesota]] Governor [[Tim Pawlenty]], former [[Massachusetts]] Governor [[Mitt Romney]], United States Senator [[Joe Lieberman]] of [[Connecticut]], and former [[Pennsylvania]] Governor [[Tom Ridge]].<ref name="cnn-taps" />

Palin is the second woman to run on a major U.S. party ticket. The first was [[Geraldine Ferraro]], the Democratic vice-presidential nominee in [[United States presidential election, 1984|1984]], who ran with former vice-president [[Walter Mondale]].<ref name="cnn-taps">{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/29/palin.republican.vp.candidate/index.html|title=McCain taps Alaska Gov. Palin as vice president pick|publisher=CNN|date=2008-08-29|accessdate=2008-08-29}}</ref>
On September 3, 2008, Palin delivered a 40-minute acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention that was well-received and watched by more than 40 million viewers.<ref>{{cite news |first=David |last=Bauder |title=More than 40 million people see Palin speech|url=http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/09/04/ap5391494.html |publisher=Forbes/AP |date=2008-09-04 |accessdate=2008-09-08}}</ref>

Conservative commentator [[Bill Kristol]] was a key proponent of choosing Palin, with the rationale that her presence on the ticket would provide a boost in enthusiasm among the religious right-wing of the Republican party, while her status as an unknown on the national scene would also be a positive factor for McCain's campaign.<ref name="Salon Radio">{{cite news|title=Salon Radio: Scott Horton|url=http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/radio/2008/10/15/horton/index1.html|date=Oct. 15, 2008|work=Salon Radio|publisher=Salon.com}}</ref>

Since Palin was largely unknown outside Alaska before her selection by McCain, her personal life, positions, and political record drew intense media attention and scrutiny.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://newsminer.com/news/2008/sep/03/alaska-delegates-see-more-republican-convention-at/
|title=Alaska delegates see more Republican convention attention
|work=Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
|author=Delbridge, Rena
|date=September 3. 2008
|accessdate=2008-09-08
}}</ref> Some Republicans felt that Palin was being subjected to unreasonable media coverage, a sentiment Palin noted in her acceptance speech.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/05/republicans_point_fingers_at_media_over_palin_coverage/ |title=Republicans point fingers at media over Palin coverage |work=The Boston Globe |author=Wangsness, Lisa |date=September 5, 2008
|accessdate=2008-09-08}}</ref> A poll taken immediately after the Republican convention found that slightly more than half of Americans believed that the media was "trying to hurt" Palin with negative coverage.<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/palin_power_fresh_face_now_more_popular_than_obama_mccain |title=Palin Power: Fresh Face Now More Popular Than Obama, McCain
|publisher=Rasmussen Reports
|date=September 5, 2008
|accessdate=2008-09-07
}}</ref>

[[Image:McCainPalin1.jpg|thumb|left|The Palins and McCains in [[Fairfax, Virginia]], September 2008.]]
During the campaign, controversy erupted over alleged differences between Sarah Palin's positions as a gubernatorial candidate and her position as a vice-presidential candidate. While campaigning for vice-president, Palin touted her stance on "the bridge to nowhere" as an example of her opposition to [[pork barrel]] spending.<ref name="Stance">{{cite news |url=http://www.adn.com/politics/story/511471.html |title=Palin touts stance on 'Bridge to Nowhere,' doesn't note flip-flop |work=Anchorage Daily News |author=Tom Kizzia |date=2008-08-31 |accessdate=2008-09-08}}</ref> In her nomination acceptance speech and on the campaign trail, Palin has often said, "I told the Congress 'thanks, but no thanks,' on that Bridge to Nowhere."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://portal.gopconvention2008.com/speech/details.aspx?id=38 |title=Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Alaska Governor Sarah Palin |publisher=2008 Republican National Convention |date=2008-09-03 |accessdate=2008-09-08}}</ref> Although Palin was originally a main proponent of the [[Gravina Island Bridge]], McCain-Palin television advertisements assert that Palin "stopped the Bridge to Nowhere."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/09/08/politics-of-the-bridge-to-nowhere.aspx |title=The Politics of the 'Bridge to Nowhere' |work=Stumper |publisher=''Newsweek'' |author=Romano, Andrew |date=2008-09-08 |accessdate=2008-09-08}}</ref> These statements have been widely questioned or described as misleading or exaggerations<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122090791901411709.html?mod=loomia&loomia_si=t0:a16:g2:r4:c0.0766691
|title=Record Contradicts Palin's 'Bridge' Claims
|author=Holmes, Elizabeth and Meckler, Laura
|work=Wall Street Journal
|date=September 9, 2008 |accessdate=2008-09-11}}</ref> by many media groups in the U.S.<ref name="Sydney Morning Herald">{{cite web |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/09/15/1221330749077.html
|title=Press picks over litter of lies on the Palin trail
|author=Davies, Anne
|work=Sydney Morning Herald
|date=September 16, 2008|accessdate=2009-09-15
|quote=Virtually every media group in the country has now concluded that Mrs Palin exaggerated her claim in her acceptance speech that she said, 'Thanks, but no thanks to the Bridge to Nowhere', a notorious federally funded project that involved building a bridge to a remote island in Alaska.
}}</ref> ''[[Newsweek]]'' remarked, "Now she talks as if she always opposed the funding."<ref name="An Apostle of Alaska">{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/157696/page/3 |title=An Apostle of Alaska |work=Newsweek |date=September 6, 2008 |accessdate=2008-09-08}}</ref>

In September 2008, a [[Sarah Palin e-mail controversy|hacker accessed a Yahoo! e-mail account Palin uses]], hoping to "derail her campaign", and posted information about her e-mails on the [[4chan]] message board.<ref name="derail">{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/sep/19/hacker-wanted-to-derail-palin/|title=Hacker wanted to 'derail' Palin|work=The Washingon Times|date=2008-09-19|author=Rowland, Kara|accessdate=2008-09-23}}</ref> The [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] and [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]] investigated.<ref name=AP_Jordan_20080922>{{cite news |author=Jordan, Lara Jakes |title=FBI searches apartment in Palin hacking case |url=http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/20080922/ap_on_el_pr/palin_hacked |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |date=September 22, 2008 |accessdate=2008-09-22}}</ref> On October 8, 2008, David Kernell, a 20-year-old student at the [[University of Tennessee]], entered a plea of not guilty in federal court in [[Knoxville, Tennessee]], the same day prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging him with intentionally accessing Palin's e-mail account without authorization.<ref name=AP_Kernell_20081008>{{cite news |author=MANSFIELD, DUNCAN |title=Son of Tenn. Democrat indicted in Palin hacking |url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iem-vu_mlRjRYfqkscEkw2ciRm7wD93MKS2O0 |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |date=October 8, 2008 |accessdate=2008-10-08}}</ref>

A series of polls suggested that Palin boosted John McCain's campaign and excited the Republican base.<ref name=Wallsten>{{citation
|last=Wallsten |first=Peter
|last2 = Hook | first2 = Janet
|title=Palin bounce has Democrats off balance
|newspaper = Los Angeles Times
|year=2009
|date=September 9, 2009
|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-palineffect10-2008sep10,0,6127222.story l}}</ref> The McCain campaign briefly reversed its poll deficit. Palin may have boosted support among white mothers.<ref>
{{cite news
|author=Calmes, Jackie
|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/31/america/31women.php
|title=Palin drawing women's attention, maybe not allegiance
|work=International Herald Tribune
|date=August 31, 2008
|accessdate=2008-08-31}}</ref><ref name=Agrell>
{{cite news
|author=Agrell, Siri
|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080910.CAMPAIGNWOMEN10/TPStory/International |title=Did Palin give McCain a boost with women?
|work=Globe and Mail
|date=September 10, 2008
|accessdate=2008-09-10
}}</ref> A [[Wall Street Journal|WSJ]]/[[NBC News]] poll taken on September 9 indicated that 34% of respondents were more likely to vote for McCain as a result of the Palin pick, while 25% were less likely.<ref>
{{cite news
|url=http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/09/09/wsjnbc-news-poll-palin-boosts-mccains-ticket/
|title=WSJ/NBC News Poll: Palin Boosts McCain’s Ticket
|last=Davis|first=Susan
|date=September 9, 2008
|work=[[Wall Street Journal]]
|accessdate=2008-09-10}}</ref> McCain chose Palin, in part, due to her potential to rally Christian conservatives behind his campaign.<ref name="NYT">Bumiller, Elisabeth; and Michael Cooper. [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/us/politics/31reconstruct.html Conservative Ire Pushed McCain From Lieberman]. ''[[The New York Times]]'', 2008-08-30.</ref>

[[Image:Sarah Palin Signing Autograph.JPG|thumb|Sarah Palin signing an autograph at a campaign rally in [[O'Fallon, Missouri]]]]

After announcing Palin as McCain's running mate, McCain's campaign initially restricted press access to Palin, allowing three one-on-one interviews and no press conferences with her.<ref>{{cite web|author=Garofoli, Joe|title=Palin: McCain campaign's end-run around media|year=2008|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle |accessdate=2008-09-30|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/30/MNTB1374LU.DTL}} Besides the perceived motive of protecting the Vice Presidential nominee from media questions, the McCain campaign sought to have her constantly at McCain's side because Palin drew crowds.</ref> Among the news organizations that criticized the restrictions were ''[[Newsweek]]'' and ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', but they still put Palin on their covers.<ref>{{cite web |author=Calderone, Michael |title=Sarah Palin has yet to meet the press |year=2008 |publisher=Yahoo News |accessdate=2008-09-09 |url=http://news.yahoo.com/story//politico/20080906/pl_politico/13208}}</ref> Palin's first major interview, with [[Charles Gibson]] of [[ABC News]], met with mixed reviews.<ref>{{cite web |author=Swaine, Jon |title=Sarah Palin interview: pundits give mixed reviews |year=2008|publisher=Telegraph |accessdate=2008-09-30|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/sarahpalin/2823573/Sarah-Palin-interview-pundits-give-mixed-reviews.html}}</ref> Her interview five days later with [[Fox News]]'s [[Sean Hannity]] went smoothly, with Hannity focusing on many of the same questions from Gibson's interview.<ref name="nytimes1">{{cite web |author=Nagourney, Adam |title=Concerns About Palin’s Readiness as Big Test Nears |year=2008|publisher=New York Times |accessdate=2008-09-30|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/us/politics/30palin.htm}}</ref> However, Palin's performance in her third interview, with [[Katie Couric]] of [[CBS News]], was widely criticized, prompting a decline in her poll numbers, concern among Republicans that she was becoming a political liability, and calls from some conservative commentators for Palin to resign from the Presidential ticket.<ref name="nytimes1"/><ref>{{cite web |author=Alberts, Sheldon |title=Palin raising fears among Republican conservatives |year=2008|publisher=Canada.com|accessdate=2008-09-30|url=http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=3d17bbf2-556a-480a-9dce-21b958a89663}}</ref> Other conservatives remain ardent in their support for Palin, accusing the columnists of elitism.<ref>{{cite web |title=Some conservatives express Palin doubts |year=2008|publisher=UPI|accessdate=2008-09-30|url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/09/28/Some_conservatives_express_Palin_doubts/UPI-42401222611984/}}</ref> Following this interview, some Republicans, including [[Mitt Romney]] and [[William Kristol]], questioned the McCain campaign's strategy of sheltering Palin from unscripted encounters with the press.<ref>{{cite web |author=Carol Costello, Dana Bash and Scott J. Anderson |title=Conservatives to McCain camp: Let Palin be Palin |year=2008|publisher=CNN|accessdate=2008-09-30|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/29/conservatives.palin/?iref=hpmostpop}}</ref>

Palin was reported to have prepared intensively for the October 2 [[United States vice-presidential debate, 2008|vice-presidential debate]] with [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] Vice-Presidential nominee [[Joe Biden]] at [[Washington University in St. Louis]]. Some Republicans suggested that Palin's performance in the interviews would improve public perceptions of her debate performance by lowering expectations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Palin prepping for debate in seclusion |year=2008|publisher=UPI|accessdate=2008-09-30|url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/09/30/Palin_prepping_for_debate_in_seclusion/UPI-67411222783104/}}</ref><ref name="nytimes1"/><ref>{{cite news|author=Daniel, Douglass
|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/5921063.html |accessdate=2008-08-11
|title=Obama backs away from McCain's debate challenge
|work=Houston Chronicle |date=August 2, 2008
|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> Polling from [[CNN]], [[Fox News Channel|Fox]] and [[CBS]] found that while Palin exceeded most voters' expectations, they felt that Biden had won the debate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/03/debate.poll/?iref=hpmostpop|title=Debate poll says Biden won, Palin beat expectations|accessdate=2008-10-04|publisher=Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.}}</ref>

Upon returning to the campaign trail after her debate preparation, Palin stepped up her attacks on the Democratic candidate for President, Senator [[Barack Obama]]. At a fundraising event, Palin explained her new aggressiveness, saying, "There does come a time when you have to take the gloves off and that time is right now."<ref>{{cite web| last = Johnston | first = Nicholas| title = Palin Takes `Gloves Off' Against Obama, Fills Attack-Dog Role| publisher = [[Yahoo! News]]| date = October 6, 2008 | url = http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20081006/pl_bloomberg/aj7yeq09er4q_1| accessdate = 2008-10-08}}</ref> In a campaign appearance on October 4, Palin accused Obama of regarding America as "so imperfect that he’s palling around with terrorists who would target their own country." The accusation referred to a ''[[New York Times]]'' article describing Obama's contacts with [[Bill Ayers]], a founder of the 1960s radical group called the [[Weatherman (organization)|Weathermen]].<ref>Cooper, Michael. [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/us/politics/05palin.html Palin, on Offensive, Attacks Obama’s Ties to ’60s Radical]. ''[[The New York Times]]''. October 4, 2008.</ref> The Obama campaign called the allegation a "smear",<ref>{{cite web| last = Obama '08 | authorlink = Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008| title = The Truth about Barack Obama and William Ayers| url = http://fightthesmears.com/articles/22/AyersSmear | accessdate = 2008-10-08}}</ref> citing newspaper commentaries critical of Palin's attack. Obama has condemned the Weathermen's violent actions.<ref>{{Citation| last = Dobbs| first = Michael| title = Obama's 'Weatherman' Connection| newspaper = [[The Washington Post]]| year = 2008| date = February 19, 2008| url = http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/02/obamas_weatherman_connection.html#more}}</ref>

==Personal life==
<!-- This section is linked from [[Track Palin]], [[Bristol Palin]], [[Willow Palin]], [[Piper Palin]], [[Trig Palin]] and [[Levi Johnston]]. Please update those redirects if this heading must be changed.-->
{{Redirect|Levi Johnston|the football player|Levi Johnson}}

In 1988, Sarah eloped with [[Todd Palin]], her childhood sweetheart, because her parents "couldn't afford a big white wedding."<ref name="White wedding">{{cite news |accessdate=2008-09-01 |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1050881/Why-John-McCains-beauty-queen-running-mate-grizzly-bear-office-wall.html
|title=Why John McCain's beauty queen running mate has a grizzly bear on her office wall |last=Graham |first=Caroline |date=August 31, 2008 |work=Daily Mail |location=UK }}</ref> Todd Palin works for the London-based oil company [[BP]] as an oil-field production operator and owns a commercial fishing business.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gov.state.ak.us/bio.php
|title=Sarah Palin's Biography |publisher=Governor's Office&ndash;State of Alaska |accessdate=2008-09-01}}</ref><ref name="nytoutsider0829">{{cite web |last=Yardley |first=William |title=Sarah Heath Palin, an Outsider Who Charms |publisher=[[The New York Times]] |date=2008-08-29 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/us/politics/30palin.html?pagewanted=3&hp |accessdate=2008-08-30 }}</ref> The Palins have an estimated combined [[net worth]] of over $1 million.<ref name="networth">{{cite web|author=Theimer, Sharon|url=http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=5931551|title=Estimates Show Palin Assets Top $1 Million|publisher=ABC|date=2008-10-01|accessdate=2008-10-01}}</ref>
<!-- Image is left aligned to comply with [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style#Images]] -->
[[Image:Palin family retouched.jpg|left|Palin family members at announcement of vice-presidential selection, 29 Aug 2008. From left to right: Todd, Piper, Willow, Bristol and Trig.|thumb]]

Palin describes herself as a [[hockey mom]]. The Palins have five children: sons Track (b. 1989)<ref name="Accurint">Accurint (Lexis/Nexis) public records search for Track Palin, www.accurint.com</ref> and Trig (b. 2008), and daughters Bristol (b. 1990), Willow (b. 1995), and Piper (b. 2001).<ref name="quinn">{{cite web |url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jHm4p1o8f_XnyTf0toCXLKGW4dtwD92SIC400 |title=McCain makes history with choice of running mate
|publisher=The Associated Press |author=Quinn, Steve and Calvin Woodward|date=August 31, 2008 |accessdate=2008-08-30}}</ref> Track enlisted in the [[U.S. Army]] on September 11, 2007,<ref name="AP-SonEnlists">{{cite news|last=Quinn |first=Steve |url=http://www.adn.com/iraq/story/220586.html |title=Palin's son leaves for Army boot camp |work=[[Anchorage Daily News]] |date=September 19, 2007 |accessdate=2008-08-29}}</ref> and subsequently was assigned to an infantry brigade. He and his unit deployed to Iraq in September 2008, for 12 months.<ref>{{cite news |title=Palin's son's job to guard his commanders in Iraq |publisher=Associated Press |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/09/06/america/NA-POL-US-Elections-Iraq-Sons.php |date=September 6, 2008|accessdate=2008-09-11 }}</ref> On September 1, 2008, Palin announced that Bristol was five months pregnant and that she intends to keep the baby and marry Levi Johnston, the father of the child.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/johnmccain/2662794/John-McCains-running-mate-Sarah-Palins-teenage-daughter-is-pregnant.html |title=John McCain's running mate: Sarah Palin's teenage daughter is pregnant - Telegraph |work=Telegraph |date=September 1, 2008 |accessdate=2008-09-01 }}</ref> Palin's youngest child, Trig, was prenatally diagnosed with [[Down syndrome]].<ref name="DemberADN">{{cite news|accessdate= |url=http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/382560.html |title=Palin confirms baby has Down syndrome|author=Demer, Lisa|date=April 21, 2008|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]}}</ref>

Palin was born into a [[Roman Catholic|Catholic]] family.<ref name="NewtonTIME">{{cite web|author=Newton-Small, Jay |url=http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1837536,00.html |title=Interview with Sarah Palin |work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=August 29, 2008}}</ref> Later her family joined the [[Wasilla Assembly of God]], which belongs to a [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] association of churches.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wasillaag.org/index.php?nid=3720&s=au|title=About us|publisher=Wasilla Assembly of God|accessdate=2008-09-11}}</ref> Palin attended the Wasilla Assembly of God until age 38. Palin says she switched to Wasilla Bible Church because she preferred the children's ministries there. <ref >{{cite web| author= Miller, Lisa and Coyne, Amanda |url= http:// http://www.newsweek.com/id/156679/output/print | title= A Visit to Palin’s Church | work=[[ Newsweek | Newsweek ]] | date= September 2, 2008}}</ref> When in Juneau, she attends the Juneau Christian Center.<ref>{{cite web |title=Statement Concerning Sarah Palin |url=http://www.jccalaska.com/images/10000/3000/582JU/user/palin.htm |publisher=Juneau Christian Center |date=2008-09-03 |accessdate=2008-09-04}}</ref> Her current home church is the [[Wasilla Bible Church]], an independent congregation.<ref name="miller">{{citation
|url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/156679
|title=A Visit to Palin’s Church: Scripture and discretion on the program in Wasilla.
|first=Lisa |last=Miller |first2=Amanda |last2=Coyne
|magazine=Newsweek |date=September 2, 2008}}.</ref> Palin described herself in an interview as a "Bible-believing Christian."<ref name="NewtonTIME"/> After the Republican National Convention, a spokesperson told CNN that Palin "doesn't consider herself Pentecostal."<ref name="pastor">{{cite web|author=Kaye, Randi|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/08/palin.pastor/index.html|title=Pastor: GOP may be downplaying Palin's religious beliefs|publisher=CNN|date=2008-09-12|accessdate=2008-09-16}}</ref>

==Political positions==
{{main|Political positions of Sarah Palin}}
{{see also|Public image and reception of Sarah Palin}}

<!--This is a SUMMARY section. Please add new details to the political positions article, rather than here. Thank you!-->
Palin has described the Republican Party platform as "the right agenda for America" because of its "respect for equality and respect for life and an acknowledgment that it is individual Americans and American families who can make better decisions for ourselves than government can ever make for us," and has stated that "individual freedom and independence is extremely important to me and that's why I'm a Republican."<ref name="TimeInt">{{cite news |first=Jay |last=Newton-Small |coauthors= |title=TIME's interview with Sarah Palin |date=2008-08-29 |url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1837536-1,00.html |work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |page=3 |accessdate=2008-08-30 }}</ref>

Palin is a [[Social conservatism|social conservative]]. A lifetime member of the [[National Rifle Association]] (NRA), she believes the [[Right to keep and bear arms|right to bear arms]] includes handgun possession, and has supported [[gun safety]] education for youth.<ref name="Braiker">{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/156276 |title=On the Hunt |last=Braiker|first=Brian |date=2008-08-29 |work=[[Newsweek]]|accessdate=2008-08-30}}</ref> She supports [[capital punishment]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ontheissues.org/Governor/Sarah_Palin_Crime.htm |title=Issues |last=Palin|first=Sarah |date=2006-11-07 |publisher=Palin for Governor (inactive web site)
|format=quoted in ''[[On the Issues]]''|accessdate=2008-09-01}}</ref> In a 2006 gubernatorial debate, responding to a question asking the candidates whether they would support teaching creationism in public schools, Palin stated that she supported teaching both creationism and evolution. Shortly after that debate, however, Palin said in an interview that she had only meant to say she supports allowing the discussion of [[creationism]] in public schools, but says it does not have to be part of the curriculum.<ref>{{cite news |author=Kizzia, Tom |url=http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/elections/story/8347904p-8243554c.html |title='Creation science' enters the race |work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]|date=2006-10-27}}: "the discussion of alternative views should be allowed to arise in Alaska classrooms: 'I don't think there should be a prohibition against debate if it comes up in class. It doesn't have to be part of the curriculum. She added that, if elected, she would not push the state Board of Education to add such creation-based alternatives to the state's required curriculum."</ref> Palin opposes [[same-sex marriage]] and supported a non-binding [[referendum]] for an Alaskan [[constitutional amendment]] to deny state health benefits to same-sex couples; however, early in her gubernatorial term she vetoed such a bill, citing its current unconstitutionality.<ref name="Demer">{{cite news|first=Lisa|last=Demer|url=http://dwb.adn.com/front/story/8508726p-8401181c.html|title=Palin to comply on same-sex ruling|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]|date=2006-12-21|accessdate=2007-12-27}}</ref><ref name="same-sex-unions" /> Palin has called herself "as [[pro-life]] as any candidate can be"<ref name="same-sex-unions">{{cite news|first=Kyle|last=Hopkins|url=http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/elections/governor06/story/8049298p-7942233c.html|title=Same-sex unions, drugs get little play|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]|date=2006-08-06|accessdate=2008-09-01}}</ref> and has called [[abortion in the United States|abortion]] an "atrocity."<ref name="believer">
{{cite news|first=Claire|last=Suddath|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1837523_1837531_1837538,00.html|title=Conservative Believer|work=[[Time magazine|Time]]|date= |accessdate=2008-09-16}}</ref> Palin has stated that abortion should be banned in nearly all cases, including rape and incest, except if the life of the mother is endangered.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.google.ca/news/url?sa=t&ct=ca/5-0&fp=48cb51f225805492&ei=-XTLSLnVMaXu-gGcpu3SBA&url=http%3A//seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008176778_palin13.html&cid=1245802241&usg=AFQjCNEab-GOPWNH7oLz8EEmAmj-mYSgfw|title=Palin won't concede change of heart on bridge
|work=Seattle Times |date=September 13, 2008|accessdate=2008-09-15}}</ref><ref name="Forgey">{{cite news
|url=http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/101906/sta_20061019031.shtml
|work=[[Juneau Empire]]
|title=Abortion draws clear divide in state races
|last=Forgey
|first=Pat
|accessdate=2008-08-30}}</ref> She supports sex education in public schools that encourages abstinence but also discusses birth control.<ref name="believer"/><ref>{{cite news
|first=Seema|last=Mehta
|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-sexed6-2008sep06,0,3119305.story
|title=Palin appears to disagree with McCain on sex education
|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=2008-09-06|accessdate=2008-09-16}}</ref>

Palin has promoted oil and natural gas resource exploration in Alaska, including in the [[Arctic National Wildlife Refuge]].<ref name="ANWR"/> She brought suit to overturn the listing of [[polar bear]]s under the federal [[Endangered Species Act]],<ref>{{Citation | title =
Alaska: Suit Filed Over Polar Bears | newspaper = [[The New York Times]]| pages = A19| year = 2008| date = August 6, 2008| url = http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/06/us/06brfs-SUITFILEDOVE_BRF.html?_r=1}}</ref> and also opposed listing the [[beluga whale]]s in Alaska’s [[Cook Inlet]] as an [[endangered species]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1837868,00.html|title=Palin on the Environment: Far Right|date=2008-09-01|accessdate=2008-09-04|publisher=Time|author=Bryan Walsh}}</ref> The official Alaska press release stated that she had "asked [the [[National Marine Fisheries Service]]] to work with the state and other scientists to finalize and implement a conservation plan for the Cook Inlet stock of belugas."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gov.state.ak.us/archive-24287.html|title=Governor Palin Urges Feds to not list Belugas as Endangered|publisher=State of Alaska|date=2007-08-07|accessdate=2008-09-03}}</ref>

On [[global warming]], Palin said that "a changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I'm not one though who would attribute it to being man-made."<ref name="anthroGW">{{cite news
|first=Mike
|last=Coppock
|url=http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/sarah_palin_vp/2008/08/29/126139.html
|title=Palin Speaks to Newsmax About McCain, Abortion, Climate Change
|work=Newsmax
|date=August 29, 2008
|accessdate=2008-08-29
}}</ref> She later said that "man's activities certainly can be contributing to the issue" and that "John McCain and I agree that we gotta do something about it."<ref name=interview/><ref name="anthroGW">{{cite news
|first=Mike|last=Coppock
|url=http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/sarah_palin_vp/2008/08/29/126139.html
|title=Palin Speaks to Newsmax About McCain, Abortion, Climate Change
|work=Newsmax Magazine
|date=2008-08-29|accessdate=2008-08-29}}</ref>

Regarding [[Foreign policy of the United States|foreign policy]], Palin supports preemptive military action in the face of an imminent threat, and supports U.S. military operations in [[Pakistan]]. She declined to give a yes or no answer regarding whether U.S. military forces should make cross-border attacks into Pakistan without the approval of the Pakistani government.<ref name=VOA>{{cite news
|url=http://voanews.com/english/2008-09-12-voa1.cfm
|first=Cindy |last=Saine
|work=[[Voice of America]]
|title=Republican VP Candidate Palin Defends Her Experience
|accessdate=2009-09-16}}</ref> She supports [[NATO]] membership for [[Ukraine]] and [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]],<ref name="url">{{cite news
|first=Jim
|last=Rutenberg
|date=September 12, 2008
|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/12/us/politics/12palin.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
|title=In First Big Interview, Palin Says, ‘I’m Ready’
|accessdate=2008-09-12|work=The New York Times}}</ref> and affirms that if Russia invaded a NATO member, the United States should meet its [[North Atlantic Treaty|treaty]] obligations.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.bostonherald.com/news/2008/view.bg?articleid=1118506&srvc=rss
|title=Palin leaves open the option of war with Russia
|author=Associated Press
|work=Boston Herald
|date=September 11, 2008}}</ref>

==Notes==
<!--2 Oct 2008, three columns takes up slightly less space and is easier to read-->
{{reflist|3}}

==External links==
{{SarahPalinSegmentsUnderInfoBox}}
{{commons cat|Sarah Palin}}
{{wikiquote|Sarah Palin}}
*[http://www.johnmccain.com/ Official Campaign Website for McCain/Palin 2008]
*[http://gov.state.ak.us/ Alaska Office of Governor Sarah Palin]
*{{CongLinks | congbio = | fec = | opensecrets = | votesmart = MAK17859 | ontheissuespath = Sarah_Palin.htm | legistorm = | surge = | govtrack = | findagrave = }}
*[http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=20061&c=429967 Palin 2006 campaign contributions] from ''Follow the Money''
*[http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=20061&c=435849 Palin/Parnell 2006 campaign contributions] from ''Follow the Money''
*[http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/ Ongoing news and commentary] from ''[[Anchorage Daily News|The Anchorage Daily News]]''
*[http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/p/sarah_palin/index.html Ongoing news and commentary] from ''[[The New York Times]]''
*[http://www.snopes.com/politics/palin/palin.asp Sarah Palin] rumor control from [[Snopes]]
*[http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/gop_convention_spin_part_ii.html Republican Convention Spin] and [http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/sliming_palin.html Sliming Palin] rumor control from [[FactCheck.org]]
*{{dmoz|Regional/North_America/United_States/Alaska/Government/Executive_Branch/Governor_Sarah_Palin/}}
*[http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/434/video-webex.html NOW: Meet Sarah Palin] video from ''[[PBS]]''
*[http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=5795641 Charlie Gibson Interviews Sarah Palin] from ''[[ABC News]]'', September 2008
*[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/24/eveningnews/main4476173.shtml?source=mostpop_story One-On-One with Sarah Palin] transcripts and videos from ''[[CBS News]]'' with Katie Couric, September 2008
* [http://publicservice.evendon.com/AKMoneganReport1M.htm Report on Abuse of Power With Support Documents, October 10, 2008]

{{s-start}}
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{{s-bef|before = John Stein}}
{{s-ttl|title=Mayor of [[Wasilla, Alaska]]|years=1996&nbsp;– 2002}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Dianne M. Keller]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before = [[Frank Murkowski]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Governors of Alaska|Governor of Alaska]]|years=2006&nbsp;– present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-ppo}}
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{{s-ttl|title=[[List of United States Republican Party presidential tickets|Republican Party vice presidential candidate]]|years=2008}}
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{{s-ttl|title=Chairperson, [[Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission]]|years=2003&nbsp;– 2004}}
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{{s-end}}
{{Sarah Palin}}
{{Governors of Alaska}}
{{USRepVicePresNominees}}
{{Current U.S. governors}}
{{United States presidential election, 2008}}
<!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] -->
{{Blpwatch|from=12/2008|reason=Major figure in Nov 2008 US elections}}
{{Persondata
|NAME = Palin, Sarah Heath
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Heath, Sarah Louise; Palin, Sarah Louise
|SHORT DESCRIPTION = Governor of Alaska
|DATE OF BIRTH = February 11, 1964
|PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Sandpoint, Idaho]]
|DATE OF DEATH =
|PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{lifetime|1964||Palin, Sarah}}
[[Category:Sarah Palin| ]]
[[Category:Alaska Republicans]]
[[Category:American Christians]]
[[Category:American women mayors]]
[[Category:American women state governors]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Governors of Alaska]]
[[Category:Mayors of places in Alaska]]
[[Category:Republican Party (United States) vice presidential nominees]]
[[Category:Female United States vice-presidential candidates]]
[[Category:University of Idaho alumni]]
[[Category:2008 Republican National Convention]]

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[[uk:Сара Пейлін]]
[[wuu:些拉 班琳]]
[[zh-yue:佩琳]]
[[zh:莎拉·佩林]]

Revision as of 22:02, 16 October 2008

Is a stupid fool who should not be allowed near civilised people.

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