From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
The pick of Sarah Palin caught almost everyone by surprise. Most signs last night seemed to point to Pawlenty, but McCain camp proved it can keep a secret REALLY well.

This was a bold move in this historic election, and a play for those Clinton supporters. Palin is a social conservative, and her views on abortion won't play well with most Democratic women. But this election has been a case study in identity politics. We'll see if she peels away some women.

The potential to grab some of those women voters is perhaps the best asset Palin brings to a McCain ticket. She also reinforces McCain's maverick image. She bucked her own party, launching an ethics investigation into the state party chairman with regard to his dealings with oil companies in the state. And being from Alaska, she's the ultimate outsider. She also also reinforces McCain's drilling message -- though she's for drilling in ANWR; McCain is not. She also represents the next generation of Republican leaders -- she's a fresh face.

But there are some potential pitfalls as well. Palin is currently under legislative investigation herself, accused of firing the state's public safety commissioner for not firing her former brother-in-law.

"A legislative panel has launched a $100,000 investigation to determine if Palin dismissed Alaska's public safety commissioner because he would not fire the trooper, Mike Wooten," the AP wrote earlier this month. "Wooten went through a messy divorce from Palin's sister. Palin has denied the commissioner's dismissal had anything to do with her former brother-in-law. And she denied orchestrating the dozens of telephone calls made by her husband and members of her administration to Wooten's bosses. Palin said she welcomes the investigation: 'Hold me accountable.'"

Although she's not linked to them, Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young are facing legal/ethical troubles. In fact, Stevens' trial will start in late September, so the Alaska Republican Party is a mess. And Palin's trooper trouble could play into that.

It will be interesting to see which story line catches on: "Palin, the reformer/maverick", or "Palin, under investigation?"

Ironically, Republicans have hit Obama on not being ready to be president, not ready to be commander in chief, because of his limited national experience. But Palin has only been governor of Alaska for less than two years and will surely face questions of whether she would be ready to step in as president. Of course, Republicans will point out that the difference is McCain and his experience are at the TOP of the ticket.

Additionally, it's not clear she would give any geographical advantage. Alaska has been solidly red -- it's only gone Democratic once (1964) since it became a state. Does she help in the West? It's not clear.

On the issues, she is anti-abortion rights and is a hunter and fisher. In fact, she's a card-carrying lifetime member of the National Rifle Association.

The 44-year-old, Idaho-born Palin is Alaska's first woman governor and the state's youngest governor as well. Palin, a graduate of the University of Idaho (majored in political science and journalism), was elected mayor of the town of Wasilla when she was 32. After she lost a bid to be lieutenant governor in 2002 -- by less than 2,000 votes, raising her statewide profile -- she went into the private sector, becoming chairwoman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.

Before getting into politics, she help run her husband's family commercial fishing business, according to the Almanac of American Politics. She also did work as a TV sports reporter.

She was described by the Anchorage Press as "a small-town, angel-faced mother of four, an avid hunter and a fisher with a killer smile who wears designer glasses and heels, and hair like modern sculpture, who's taking it to the boys every so softly."

On the personal side, she played high school basketball and her team won the state championship in 1982. She was nicknamed "Sarah Barracuda." According to the Almanac, she was Miss Wasilla in 1984 and competed in the Miss Alaska contest. She eloped with her high school boyfriend.


http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/200...29/1304605.aspx

Great choice for McCain. Finally a hot president....

j/k

Based on the intelligence of American voters I think McCain might win with her... A really good choice to take woman's votes away from Obama and portray himself as a change agent... Other than having a female VP he doesn't have many changes in store at all... I have to say this is a great move for McCain once again...

It's great for Obama, and awful for McCain. If he wanted a woman, she should've picked one that had some experience. This negates any inexperience claims the republicans have on Obama. Biden will rip her apart in the October 2nd debate, I can't wait.

Unless something very unusual happens, it is already written in stone: the next US President is going to be Barack Obama.

Other than surprising a lot of people, I really don't think this was a good choice for McCain.

I think most people vote based on issues (one of them not being whether or not the VP has breasts ). It really didn't matter to me who McCain picked, he wasn't getting my vote anyway.

The same people who reelected Bush dispite Guantanamo, Iraq and the patriot act are voting in this election. Lots of swing voters vote based on gut feelings or single vote issues...

Lots of democrats are switching to McCain...

Alessandro17, you don't live in the US so you get a pass but since winning the nomination Obama has been in a downward spiral of popularity... He has angered many of his own supporters and turned away many more... And John McCain has been doing better especially now with a good choice for VP.. Really makes McCain look better. McCain and a 44 year old are 100x better than McCain and say Fred Thompson...

I am saying this as a public service announcement to everyone!!!

Do not vote based upon sex, race, political affiliation, looks, family pressure, etc., etc., etc. Please sit down, and do your research. Make a list that is composed of issues that you feel you are affected by and care about. Put one nominee on the left, and one on the right. Give a check to that candidate who shares your view or feeling about that issue and move on to the next. Tally up the checks, and the nominee with the most checks get your vote. Again, please do your research.

People voting based upon political affiliation, pressure, or not wanting to break the flow of the crowd is what hinders the progress of this great country of ours.

Basically, please vote and please vote wisely. The future is literally in your hands...

Great post, SDRacer48.
I wish Italians had done the same before voting for Berlusconi.

+1 Great post.

Seems like my vote is going to Bob Barr, personally. McCain's choice of Palin for VP only makes him very slightly more appealing (not that there's much appeal to speak of). And Obama doesn't do anything for me at all. I don't want bigger government, which both Obama and McCain are proposing

So yes, Bob Barr 2008

HOW TO PICK A REPUBLICAN VP CANDIDATE:

1, See what people want:

ie. Hillary supporters want a woman, someone young to balance out McCain's age, someone with proper neo-con credentials to balance out McCain's liberalism, someone attractive to pick up the male idiot vote.

2, See what the party want:

(spoiler - the party 'want' whatever the people want, skip this one)

3, The ideal candidate will have next to no experience/real political weight.


Seriously, this is an election? The American electoral system is screwed. Conventions in football stadiums? VP candidates chosen from checklists? What the hell?

I'd be all for voting for Bobb Barr - but thats throwing your vote away. If I cared at all about personal liberties I would vote Obama over McCain... Guantanamo and the Patriot Act are permanent stains in Americas shirt...

I would hope we'd learn something from all this.

Not just the US, the allies as well.

Whereas voting democrat or republican isn't akin to banging ones head against a brick wall while expecting different results

THAT is my definition of "throwing away a vote"

Wow, just found out her daughter is pregnant. This has to affect her and the McCain bid!

So much for abstinence only!

Who is Sarah Palin? Here's some basic background:

She was elected Alaska's governor a little over a year and a half ago. Her previous office was mayor of Wasilla, a small town outside Anchorage. She has no foreign policy experience.1
Palin is strongly anti-choice, opposing abortion even in the case of rape or incest.2
She supported right-wing extremist Pat Buchanan for president in 2000. 3
Palin thinks creationism should be taught in public schools.4
She's doesn't think humans are the cause of climate change.5
She's solidly in line with John McCain's "Big Oil first" energy policy. She's pushed hard for more oil drilling and says renewables won't be ready for years. She also sued the Bush administration for listing polar bears as an endangered species—she was worried it would interfere with more oil drilling in Alaska.6
How closely did John McCain vet this choice? He met Sarah Palin once at a meeting. They spoke a second time, last Sunday, when he called her about being vice-president. Then he offered her the position.7

1. "Sarah Palin," Wikipedia, Accessed August 29, 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin

2. "McCain Selects Anti-Choice Sarah Palin as Running Mate," NARAL Pro-Choice America, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17515&id=136...ZIrAwVx&t=1

3. "Sarah Palin, Buchananite," The Nation, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17736&id=136...ZIrAwVx&t=2

4. "'Creation science' enters the race," Anchorage Daily News, October 27, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17737&id=136...ZIrAwVx&t=3

5. "Palin buys climate denial PR spin—ignores science," Huffington Post, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17517&id=136...ZIrAwVx&t=4

6. "McCain VP Pick Completes Shift to Bush Energy Policy," Sierra Club, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17518&id=136...ZIrAwVx&t=5

"Choice of Palin Promises Failed Energy Policies of the Past," League of Conservation Voters, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17519&id=136...ZIrAwVx&t=6

"Protecting polar bears gets in way of drilling for oil, says governor," The Times of London, May 23, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17520&id=136...ZIrAwVx&t=7

7 "McCain met Palin once before yesterday," MSNBC, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=21119&id=136...ZIrAwVx&t=8

goodbye USA, it's been great knowing you...

oh god I just had the scariest thought....

McCain is old, like really old. This clearly insane woman could become the leader of the free world...... If the Tories get into office here as well, I'm going to have to go find a rock to go hide under

Is this rock big enough for two?

All I can say is that I'm glad this RNC is just about over. I live just across the river from the Xcel center in St. Paul, and all the damn bridges keep getting shut down in attempts to block protesters (some of the more disruptive ones want to get from here to here) from getting close. Problem? I have to go about 5 miles out of the way to get anywhere!

Obama has only 130 or so days more experience and he is running for President. Most of my views are Moderate but my views on abortion are rather conservative; while being logical too as abortion is logically murder with governmental and provisional consent. Logically all Pro-Choice arguments seem like some sort of belligerent denial of life and logic.

OBmon
†††

Logically?

I share your views on abortion. I think it is absolutely obscene. I only marginally sympathize with its use where the physical or mental health of the mother is in jeopardy. That said, I am not prepared to forcibly impose what are clearly my personal beliefs regarding conception and human life on someone else. The risks are too great and I do believe we must all be free to follow the dictates of our own conscience. I don't necessarily agree with the logic employed by those in favor of abortion but to dismiss it outright while demanding they not do the same to our own line of reasoning is what I would call a belligerent denial.

Governor Palin is unequivocally a Pro-Lifer. I applaud her choice. However, we do not live in a theocracy. We are protected by a constitution that champions the rights of individuals and not majorities. Our civic sensibilities are evolving. I have little fear she or anyone will manage to reverse the course of social liberalization that is underway. My faith and understanding of what is correct moral behavior has never depended on public consensus or legal canon. In a democracy, law is just the basic framework that allows diverse individuals with diverse ideas the freedom to live together in relative harmony. No-Choice is what governments like the Afghani Taliban offered. Pro-Choice, in my book, is the only choice... regardless which side of the issue you are. I am free in considering human life begins at fertilization and that potentialities of sentience plays no role in my belief. Others are free to draw the line later on in gestation. We will all have to live with the consequences of our choices. I am neither judge nor jury.

I am a social liberal but a fiscal conservative... in other words, I HAVE NO PARTY! They all suck in one way or another.

Things that peek my interest in Palin:

She returned the federal funds for "The Bridge to No-Where" and sold the gubernatorial plane on eBay. She didn't have to do it. No one asked that she do it. But she did.

That town she was mayor of... her administration revamped and balanced the budget. Granted, it was only a budget of under $13 million but hey. She's fiscally responsible and believes in small government.

She's made a lot of enemies among the good old boy Republicans of Alaska AND she is known for speaking her mind and being tough of corruption.

She extended benefits to the same sex partners of state employees. She's did this even though she holds very conservative views regarding homosexuality.

I also like the fact she is new to politics. I think "experience" is highly overrated these days. Washington DC is chuck full of "experienced" politicians and look at where that's gotten us. How about people who can think for themselves and make decisions based on principle instead of political expedience or compromise?

I'm not saying she's a saint or that I know much about her. I'm just saying there are some intriguing things about her that warrant a closer look. There are still many unanswered questions. In my universe, I think I would prefer Obama's foreign policy coupled with McCain's domestic agenda. And I do say, "prefer" and not "100% totally agree!"

Here's something I've been working on, and I want to know what you all think, even the people who I never agree with:

This guy I work with is telling me that Palin is clearly a sign that the election is fixed. Sarah Palin is obviously chosen so that McCain will lose while making it look good. I'm having a hard time buying this (and it's not really the point of this anyway), but here's his reasoning on why she's such a poor choice:

[my point]She's not fully vetted. How could they have found so many skeletons in her closet? If this much garbage has surfaced in so little time, and she has so little mainstream political experience behind her, then they must not be trying really hard. This is the RNC! They certainly can dig up someone with fewer skeletons in the closet than Sarah Paliln! Can't they?

Anyway, here's what's occurred to me, and I'm putting it out there so that you guys can correct me if I'm wrong: Is she that much worse than Obama? Think about it: Obama has that building-bomber, Rev. Wright, dirty Chicago politics, etc. Palin has a child with a bun in the oven, that connection (was it ever fully explained?) to the secessionist party, etc.

Is she really as bad as they say? Is all this gonna just blow over, like it (sort of) has with Obama? Was she not vetted enough? [/my point]

I don't want to discuss whether or not McCain is throwing the election and trying to make it look good, at least not in this thread. If someone wants to start another one, I'll be happy to read it and even chime in.

5/10, because I agree with it but it didn't make me laugh.

BTW, doesn't Palin remind anyone else of Karen Walker?

And I was thinking SNL must sure miss Tina Fey about now... she'd make a perfect Sarah Palin!

Dude! I was thinking the same thing!!!!

This is originally from somebody who knows Sarah Palin personally. All of the information that can be verified, checks out.

The Truth About Sarah Palin:

Dear friends,

So many people have asked me about what I know about Sarah Palin in the
last 2 days that I decided to write something up . . .

Basically, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton have only 2 things in
common: their gender and their good looks.

You have my permission to forward this to your friends/email contacts
with my name and email address attached, but please do not post it on
any websites, as there are too many kooks out there . . .

Thanks,
Anne

ABOUT SARAH PALIN

I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992.
Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a
first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her
father was my child's favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a
first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more
City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the
residents of the city.

She is enormously popular; in every way she's like the most popular
girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and
won't vote for her can't quit smiling when talking about her because
she is a "babe".

It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She
kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents
for seven months.

She is "pro-life". She recently gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby.
There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.

She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.

She is savvy. She doesn't take positions; she just "puts things out
there" and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.

Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a
champion snowmobile racer. Todd Palin's kind of job is highly
sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his
work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or
so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their
major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything
like that of native Alaskans.

Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.

She's smart.

Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000
(at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about
670,000 residents.

During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running
this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been
pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had
gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had
given rise to a recall campaign.

Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a "fiscal conservative". During her 6
years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over
33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the
City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation
(1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a
regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she
promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they
benefited residents.

The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration
weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed
money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it
with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage
the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said
she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a
new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a
multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece
of property that the City didn't even have clear title to, that was
still in litigation 7 yrs later--to the delight of the lawyers
involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the
community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it
would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that
could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.

While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office
redecorated more than once.

These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.

As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus
in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will
make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she
proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.

In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she
recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while
she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today's
surplus, borrow for needs.

She's not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas
or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren't generated by
her or her staff. Ideas weren't evaluated on their merits, but on the
basis of who proposed them.

While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected
City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from
the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents
rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's
attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew
her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the
Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.

Sarah complained about the "old boy's club" when she first ran for
Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of "old boys". Palin
fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as
Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people,
creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally
grateful and fiercely loyal--loyal to the point of abusing their power
to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the
case of pressuring the State's top cop (see below).

As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla's Police Chief because he "intimidated"
her, she told the press. As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska's top
cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure
and she had every legal right to fire him, but it's pretty clear that
an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn't
fire her sister's ex-husband, a State Trooper. Under investigation
for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen
contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she
later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law. She tried to
replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded
for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew
her support.

She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in
help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town
introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council
became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She
abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn't
like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.

Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything
publicly about her.

When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got
the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one
of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid. She had no
background in oil & gas issues. Within months of scoring this great
job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the
high salary. I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the
structured hours, the work. Sarah became aware that a member of this
Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party)
engaged in unethical behavior on the job. In a gutsy move which some
undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all
her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and
garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a
gutsy fighter against the "old boys' club" when she dramatically quit,
exposing this man's ethics violations (for which he was fined).

As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from
Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel
politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the "bridge to
nowhere" after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.

As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget
guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing
projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative
action restored most of these projects--which had been vetoed simply
because she was not aware of their importance--but with the unobservant
she had gained a reputation as "anti-pork".

She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party
leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated
them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a
fiscal conservative.

Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah.
They call her "Sarah Barracuda" because of her unbridled ambition and
predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly
stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made
point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah's
mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and
experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.

As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package
of legislation known as "AGIA" that forced the oil companies to march
to the beat of her drum.

Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to
global warming. She campaigned "as a private citizen" against a state
initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from
pollution from mines, or tied up in the courts all mining in the
state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the State's
lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior's decision to list polar
bears as threatened species.

McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a
heartbeat away from being President.

There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more
knowledgeable and experienced than she.

However, there's a lot of people who have underestimated her and are
regretting it.

CLAIM VS FACT
*"Hockey mom": true for a few years
*"PTA mom": true years ago when her first-born was in elementary
school, not since
*"NRA supporter": absolutely true
*social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill
that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships
(said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
*pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to
promote it.
*"Pro-life": mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby
BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life
legislation
*"Experienced": Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has
residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska.
No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on
supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city
administrator to run town of about 5,000.
*political maverick: not at all
*gutsy: absolutely!
*open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at
explaining actions.
*has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
*"a Greenie": no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores
and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
*fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
*pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city
without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built
streets to early 20th century standards.
*pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on
residents
*pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city
government in Wasilla's history.
*pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union
doesn't make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim
that she is pro-labor/pro-union.

WHY AM I WRITING THIS?

First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed
voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting
programs in the schools. If you google my name (Anne, last name redacted

Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local
government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.

Secondly, I've always operated in the belief that "Bad things happen
when good people stay silent". Few people know as much as I do because
few have gone to as many City Council meetings.

Third, I am just a housewife. I don't have a job she can bump me out
of. I don't belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no
fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will
cost me somehow in the future: that's life.

Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100
or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah's
attempt at censorship.

Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid to
say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.

CAVEATS
I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in
spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for Governor)
from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of the City of
Wasilla, and I can't recall exactly what I adjusted for: did I adjust
for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it is impossible
for a private person to get any info out of City Hall--they are
swamped. So I can't verify my numbers.

You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for the
population of Wasilla, ranging from my "about 5,000", up to 9,000. The
day Palin's selection was announced a city official told me that the
current population is about 7,000. The official 2000 census count was
5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was Mayor from 1996 to
2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the mid-90's.