Wednesday, October 15, 2008

You can't go home again

For the last few weeks, especially in light of the semi-concluded Troopergate investigation, I've been curious as to how this national campaign would affect Sarah Palin's ability to act as governor upon her return to Alaska if and when the McCain/Palin ticket is defeated in November. Helpfully, the Anchorage Daily News gives a lay of the land. In short, Palin is expected to try to remain a player on the national stage, possibly by running for the Senate. Local perception of Palin, accordingly, has shifted from a view of her as a bipartisan governor, who often relied on Democratic members of the state legislature for support against Republican resistance to her initiatives, to a her current role as a "conservative lightning rod." Her approval ratings in Alaska are down but still formidable, and her ability to act effectively as governor is likely to hinge upon her ability to convince legislators and the public that she is acting in the state's best interest and not just to position herself for another national run.

As a side note, how outstanding is it to be able to read the Anchorage Daily News on my desktop? McCain may not have vetted Palin, but I can find years of newspaper coverage of her, both positive and negative, in an instant.

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