Governor Palin: Darling of the Democrats

A look at Alaska's outgoing governor before she hit the national stage & when she was the darling of the Democrats whom defeated the standing Republican Governor.

This week Juneau will lose its most famous part-time resident when Sarah Palin turns the power of governor over to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell on Sunday, July 26 at a swearing-in ceremony in Fairbanks. It's been almost a year since Palin entered the national spotlight, which still shows no signs of dimming. Looking back through the CCW archives, 2007 seems like a very long time ago. So as we say good-bye to Governor Palin, we've collected some photos and article excerpts from the CCW archives in memory of the time before Palin was picked as Sen. John McCain's running mate, when she was a gubernatorial candidate and the Alaskan's first female governor.

The Gubernatorial Campaign
Talk of the ferry system, logging, mining and the future of Alaska filled the Ted Ferry Center in Ketchikan as community leaders from across the region attended the Southeast Conference. Palin was the first to speak and shared her vision for a positive outlook for Alaska. "I'd be honored if I could spend four years getting to know Southeast Alaska better," she said. "These are exciting times in our state. It can be a new frontier of development. Alaskans are demanding positive change, and I'm not going to let them down." Palin said the debate of building a road out of Juneau should not overshadow the need for a reliable ferry system although she does support the road project. "The ferry system is the highway system for the Southeast. We need to make sure that money is spent wisely," Palin said. "We don't need the road to become an either or project. I'll let the public process work." She said she also supports a bridge to Gravina Island. "It's not Nowhere, Alaska. It's a gem of the Southeast," she said. A former mayor of Wasilla, Palin said the idea of moving the capitol out of Juneau is a "non issue." "It's been a non-issue. There are so many issues in the state to be addressed as an united state," Palin said. "It's time for a positive change."

The CCW Interview
Sarah Palin was interviewed by former CCW editor Amanda Gragert for the Spring 2007 publication of Women in Business. The following are excerpts from the resulting article, published just months after Palin took office.

On the most offensive thing ever said to her (as of 2007):
"I remember, after getting elected (mayor of Wasilla), the most offensive thing ever said to me on a local and state level-a guy came up to me, and he was part of this good ol' boy network that was running the show there, and he said 'You have three strikes against you running for mayor.' I thought, 'I know he's going to say I'm too young, I'm female and I'm inexperienced,' but instead he said, 'Here are your three strikes against you,' and he named off my three kids, and I was so offended. The reason I was running was for those three kids - so the world is a better place for them."

On a mistaken identity while serving as mayor:
"Our receptionist was at lunch and I sat there answering the phones in the mayor's office and a guy walks by and says, 'You're way too young to be the mayor's secretary.' He didn't know who the mayor was and he thought I was too young to be the secretary. I thought, 'That's so cute,' and I didn't even correct him and say, 'I am the mayor.'"

On running for lieutenant governor in 2002:
"It was close, but looking back now I can't believe I thought it was practical to run at the time. I just had a baby, I was working full time as the manager and mayor of the city of Wasilla, didn't have any money or recognition but ran anyway; we did relatively well."

On deciding to run for governor:
"The second time around I didn't know if I should give that (running for lieutenant governor) a shot again because so many people were telling me 'run for lieutenant governor and get your feet wet that way.' Right off the bat I thought, 'If I'm going to put all that effort into running for office, and be serious about it - serious enough to win - then I'm going to run for governor.' I'm not going to settle for what so many people were telling me I should settle for. If you're going to do something you need to do it 110 percent, do what your gut is telling you to do and do it right. "We have such an opportunity to make a positive difference in this state, and I realize we have a limited time to do it - four years. When I won I was very relieved that the campaign was over; I'm of the mind of 'let's just get to work.'"

On being a mother and public servant:
"Being a mom makes this position easier because public service is supposed to be about being selfless. You're going to play second fiddle to what your own needs or wants are. You have to have a servant's heart to want to do this. "It's the same thing when choosing to be a mom. You know there's another life that you're responsible for. I know that I'm doing this for the right reasons. "I think it's all the more reason for more women and more moms to get into public service. They already know that the foundation truly is working as hard as you can to make other people's lives better."


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