A claim that Palin was a member of a fringe Alaskan Independence Party

[Ted King]

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/...-frin.html

Members of 'Fringe' Alaskan Independence Party Say Palin Was a Member in 90s

September 01, 2008 6:52 PM

The campaign of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., likes to herald the independence of its new running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Officials of the Alaskan Independence Party say that Palin was once so independent, she was once a member of their party, which, since the 1970s, has been pushing for a legal vote for Alaskans to decide whether or not residents of the 49th state can secede from the United States.

And while McCain's motto -- as seen in a new TV ad -- is "Country First," the AIP's motto is the exact opposite -- "Alaska First -- Alaska Always."

Lynette Clark, the chairman of the AIP, tells ABC News that Palin and her husband Todd were members in 1994, even attending the 1994 statewide convention in Wasilla. Clark was AIP secretary at the time.

"We are a state's rights party," says Clark, a self-employed goldminer. The AIP has "a plank that challenges the legality of the Alaskan statehood vote as illegal and in violation of United Nations charter and international law."

She says it's not accurate to describe the party as secessionist -- they just want a vote, she says, adding that the members of the AIP hold different opinions on what Alaska should be.

"My own separate opinion as an individual is that we should be an independent nation," Clark says. Others in the AIP "believe that being a commonwealth would be a good avenue to follow." Some advocate statehood -- but a fuller statehood than exists now.

She doesn't know what Palin's position was.

"It never came up in conversation," Clark recalls. "But when she joined the party, our platform was right under her nose."

Clark says that Palin left the party and became a Republican in 1996, when she first ran for mayor of Wasilla.

The McCain-Palin campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The AIP platform states that the purpose of the party is to "seek the complete repatriation of the public lands, held by the federal government, to the state and people of Alaska in conformance with Article 1, Section 8, Clause 17, of the federal constitution ... To prohibit all bureaucratic regulations and judicial rulings purporting to have the effect of law, except that which shall be approved by the elected legislature ... To support the privatization of government services ...”

[unquote]


If something equivalent to this came out about Obama or Biden you can be sure it would become a really big deal. It could be that the members of the group are making it up that Palin belonged so it may just fizzle out for that reason, but my hunch is that she really did belong. Of course she probably has changed her views since that time - not that the mid-nineties is all that long ago - but still, shouldn't this raise some doubts about her attitudes?

In the article there is a link to this YouTube of a video message Palin sent to the group's annual convention:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwvPNXYrIyI

[Grateful11]

I seriously don't think McCain researched this person enough. He saw an attractive woman
in a fairly powerful position and figured he could reel in some of the Hillary supporters, just
enough to push him over the top. Remember with as close as the last two elections were it
won't take much of a slight swaying of the public to win it for him.

[katkramer]

Yeah, I thought she might be alright at first...but now I think the whole thing is politically motivated.

[Wags]

ST. PAUL — A series of disclosures about Gov. Sarah Palin, Senator John McCain’s choice as running mate, called into question on Monday how thoroughly Mr. McCain had examined her background before putting her on the Republican presidential ticket.

On Monday morning, Ms. Palin and her husband, Todd, issued a statement saying that their 17-year-old unmarried daughter, Bristol, was five months pregnant and that she intended to marry the father.

Among other less attention-grabbing news of the day: it was learned that Ms. Palin now has a private lawyer in a legislative ethics investigation in Alaska into whether she abused her power in dismissing the state’s public safety commissioner; that she was a member for two years in the 1990s of the Alaska Independence Party, which has at times sought a vote on whether the state should secede; and that Mr. Palin was arrested 22 years ago on a drunken-driving charge.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/02/us/pol...tting.html

[kap]

umm, it hits the fan!

[Lux Interior]

[quote kap]it hits the fan!
What is excrement.

I'll take scatological references for $1000, Alex!

[samintx]

that she was a member for two years in the 1990s of the Alaska Independence Party, which has at times sought a vote on whether the state should secede;


This is hinted here in Texas also....I mean strong state's rights. I am not a Texan and don't believe in seceding...but strongly believe in state's rights.

[karsen]

I hear the movement to secede in Vermont is quite strong. If not for their delicious Maple syrup I'd say go right ahead.

[freeradical]

[quote karsen]I hear the movement to secede in Vermont is quite strong. If not for their delicious Maple syrup I'd say go right ahead.
I just bought some maple at Trader Joe's a few days ago. I couldn't believe how much more it cost than the last time I bought it.

[SteveO]

Palin in the fringe AIP is true. Yet another bad decision to highlight her lack of credentials and judgement.

Maple syrup is only going up from here. Global warming (which doesn't exist according to Palin) is screwing up the harvest out that way.