Palin e-mails reveal a powerful ‘first dude’
February 5th, 2010 . by TexasFredPalin e-mails reveal a powerful ‘first dude’
Officially he was the first gentleman of Alaska. More people called him the “first dude.” But newly released e-mails show that Todd Palin was busy doing more than snow machine driving and salmon fishing during Sarah Palin’s two and a half years as governor and vice presidential candidate.
Nearly 3,000 pages of e-mails that Todd Palin exchanged with state officials, which were released to msnbc.com and NBC News by the state of Alaska under its public records law, draw a picture of a Palin administration where the governor’s husband got involved in a judicial appointment, monitored contract negotiations with public employee unions, received background checks on a corporate CEO, added his approval or disapproval to state board appointments and passed financial information marked “confidential” from his oil company employer to a state attorney.
While 1,200 separate e-mails were released this week, 243 others were withheld by the state under a claim that executive privilege extends to Todd Palin as an unpaid adviser to the government. Still, just the subject lines of those e-mails provide a glimpse of the ways the Palins divvied up their responsibilities when she became governor in December 2006, less than two years before Republican Sen. John McCain pulled her onto the national political stage by nominating her as his vice presidential candidate.
The still-secret e-mails between Todd Palin and senior officials reach into countless areas of state government and politics: potential board appointees, constituent complaints, use of the state jet, oil and gas production, marine regulation, gas pipeline bids, postsecondary education, wildfires, native Alaskan issues, the state effort to save the Matanuska Maid dairy, budget planning, potential budget vetoes, oil shale leasing, “strategy for responding to media allegations,” staffing at the mansion, pier diem payments to the governor for travel, “strategy for responding to questions about pregnancy,” potential cuts to the governor’s staff, “confidentiality issues,” Bureau of Land Management land transfers and trespass issues and requests to the U.S. transportation secretary.
Full Story Here:
Palin e-mails reveal a powerful ‘first dude’
I already know what the Palin fans are going to say, ‘Well, look at the source, it’s MSNBC!’, I am certain that’s going to be the response from many. ‘MSNBC is the left wing MSM and they hate Sarah!’.
I know, I hear it all the time. I hear how I’m a Palin hater too.
It’s not true, I don’t hate Palin, I just think that she’s a very much overexposed fluff piece. I don’t see her as the leader of the Conservatives, the TEA Party, the GOP/RNC or this nation.
What I do see is a group of people that are so desperate for another Ronald Reagan that they are willing to canonize Sarah Palin and overlook the obvious.
Every time I see Sarah Palin I have alarm bells going off in my head. Maybe that makes me a ding-a-ling, but I think she’s a Media Whore and I just don’t see the political genius that so many seem to. I never saw it in Bill Clinton and his better half, our current Sec. of State, Hillary Clinton either.
What I DO see with this story about the behind the scenes activities of Todd Palin is a somewhat reminiscent throwback TO the Clinton administration.
“I’m not going to have some reporters pawing through our papers. We are the president” — Hillary Clinton commenting on the release of subpeonaed documents. SOURCE
I’m pretty sure that all husbands or wives exert at least some influence on the administration of their elected spouse, we’ve seen evidence of that in the past, the above quote is but one of many examples.
A vindictive elected official is bad enough, coupled with a vindictive spouse, one that’s allowed to participate in the daily grind of the job, and you have a combination that can be formidable, and I believe, dangerous! Sarah and Todd Palin have a low flash point when it comes to personal and family criticism, they are very thin skinned when negative opinions are espoused. They weren’t able to cope with the pressures of the Governors office in Alaska, how can anyone expect them to cope on a national and world stage? And yes, I did say THEY and THEM!
Palin and her staff stewed over the refusal of the state Public Safety Department to provide a plane so the children could fly to Todd’s family’s home in Dillingham; after all, they were going to attend a bill signing, so the travel requests could be justified. Sarah Palin called the decision “outrageous,” and an aide said it provides “a great excuse to privatize” the governor’s jet service.
The manager of the Palins’ travel schedule searched for a public event to use as justification (“I just need one”) to charge the state for an airplane flight for Palin’s daughter, Willow, who made the trip but had missed the event given as its justification.
Hmmm, that sounds strangely like the rants of Nancy Pelosi. As Speaker of the House she feels that she deserves a private jet.
It doesn’t sit well with me when the so-called Queen of Conservatism is spouting off just like the far left libs and moonbats. I guess Sarah Palin has it figured out, with rank comes privilege.
When Sarah Palin complained that the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner wrote a critical editorial after she did them the favor of meeting with the editorial board, Todd Palin advised the press chief to “take the news miner off the press release address list for a few days, see how long it takes them to realize their not on the list.”
Did I mention vindictiveness?
Then there’s this little gem that irritates me, Palin to campaign for McCain in Arizona.
John McCain is a RINO. There is NO arguing that fact. Palin going to the stump for John McCain makes me question her Conservative bonafides.
Sarah Palin is coming to Texas to campaign for our Governor, Rick Perry, in his quest to be re-elected to another term. I have a problem with that too. Not so much with Perry seeking another term, it’s just that I am again questioning the Conservative bonafides of Sarah Palin. I also question the level of Conservatism possessed by those that would have her speak in their favor. We KNOW that John McCain isn’t a Conservative, but Rick Perry is thought to be. I am guessing that fluff trumps any doubts of Conservatism as long as fluff gets you re-elected.
Yesterday I received an invitation to attend the Palin-Perry campaign affair, as a credentialed blogger. I was honored to have received that invitation from the Perry campaign, but I declined to attend simply because of Sarah Palin being the guest of note and her what I perceive to be faux Conservatism.
I believe, and have said before on this blog, several times, Sarah Palin is NOT what she is perceived to be. I believe that as more time passes, the more we’ll see of the REAL Sarah Palin. I fear that those warnings have been ignored for the most part.
No big deal actually, there are archives and nothing posted on the ‘net ever really disappears. I guess that’s why I blog. What better opportunity can a guy have to get his personal opinions out there for the whole world to see and critique?
Maybe I’m wrong, maybe I’ll lose readers over this, frankly, I don’t care, because if Sarah Palin is what I believe she is, we don’t need her and *The 1st Dude*. And if she turns out to be what I believe she will, I’ll make an I TOLD YA SO post too. 
We’ve already had the White Trash White House, why repeat the Bill and Hill debacle in reverse
McCain chose her to shore up the Conservative Base, not for her political savvy. And it shows. Palin is a Minor Leaguer sent up to the Majors way too soon if ever!
McCain chose her to have a pretty lady in his camp to defeat Hillary, he was nervous about a black man and/or a lady possibly becomming the POTUS, imo. It was a smart move on his part (he’s still an idiot though) but it was stupid that we allowed him to be the (R) candidate in the first place. Sarah is out for herself, she’s after the bucks and that’s it. She’s taking this opportunity to make as much money as possible. I dont think she’ll ever run & I dont think she cares if ppl thinks shes a rino, rep, conservative etc. She doesn’t show a great track record, if anything, she’s proven to be a rino-no doubt!! I liked a letter I put up yesterday but one thing I hated was the comparision being made to Reagan and Palin. There is NO comparison and the idiots better open their eyes. Calling her a Media Whore is sounding more and more suitable!
Fred, wish you went last night just to have the chance to see it and report back. That was an honor, even if you cant stand her.:-)
I would vote for Scott Brown now,,,before Palin gets my vote.
And I really don’t know much about Scott at this time.
Palin “ate the big Weenie” by going to cheer and promote for Mc Cain.
Remember the 1980 Savings Banks fraud that McCain was snarled up in with Keating.
I thought McCain got off that one, when he most likely had a part in it.
That one cost me personally a lot of money.
Therefore, I wouldn’t forget about it.
First, I would like to say that I really like Sarah Palin. I voted more for her than I did McCain during the election. In fact, I hoped McCain had won and then had a attack the day after being sworn into office. However, I do have some concerns about Palin that are growing. She is a little TOO religious for my liking. I am afraid that she may let this be too much of an influence in some of her decisions if she were to become POTUS. Second, I am disappointed to say the least that she is assisting McCain in his re-election. To give her the benefit of the doubt, I think she may feel obligated to McCain as he was the one that brought her to the big time or maybe she feels she will be alienated by the GOP to some degree if she doesn’t help McCain. After all, I am sure all politicians have to do things they don’t want to to stay in the game. However, I agree that McCain is a huge RINO and I can’t help but feel that she needs to severe that tie and move on with her career. I am still hopeful at this time that she makes a run for the presidency as even though she is not perfect, she appears to me to be the best the GOP has to offer so far. As for her experience, I think I would rather have a novice with good intentions than a professional politician with an agenda I don’t like. One of the benefits to her being somewhat of a newcomer to the national front is that she has less baggage and favors that could influence some of her policies and motivations on some issues. The GOP is not going to take the presidency back because they put the best candidate for the job…they are going to take it by giving the people someone they will like. Obama won the presidency because people liked him and how he talked and what he represented. I think Palin can be the GOP version of Obama. Not much experience, but likeable and relatable by the people casting votes. As far as Todd’s influence, I am not that concerned about it. If you look at Obama, I don’t believe the guy has presented a single issue or presented anything to the American people that was his own idea. Obama is a puppet, through and through and he does what he is told. I am sure if Palin becomes president, whe will be guided by many people behind the scenes. I guess all I can hope for at this time is a president that at least has a good heart and wants what is best for America and holds true to the dream our founding fathers created. I think Palin does. Finally, could she really be worse than Obama? Obama wants to transform America into a socialist country. I feel Palin would try keep the republic alive if she were president. Palin believes in freedom, believes in capitalism, and believes that both parties, Dems and Republicans alike, are full of crap and that she will do what is best for the people, instead of siding with her party just because they part of the GOP. Could we do better for president?….Yes. But at this time, who? Romney? Thompson? For now, she is my hope for 2012. Are last election was more like a choice on how you wanted to be executed, as either way, you were going to end up dead. Besides, putting Palin in the Oval office would be a big middle finger to the Libs and especially to McCain. That’s a plus in my book. Again, Palin is not my first choice, but like the last election, is a lack of options which makes her my pick for 2012 at this time. If another player pops up that looks better, than I will throw my vote at them. Whatever the case, Obama and his lackeys have to go and whoever can beat them at election time is the person we need.
sdkar, it’s not too often I just jump all over a comment but DAMN, are you f*cking retarded??
Sure, lets put a brainless ding-a-ling in the White House just to piss off the left and McCain…
Yeah, let’s put up a popular MILF just because she’s a popular MILF, forget the fact that shes a f*cking media whore that got run out of a Governors job because she couldn’t take the heat…
Sure, let’s ALL support a QUITTER.. America needs more QUITTERS in office…
It’s this kind of sheer stupidity that seriously makes me wonder about the MOONBATS on the right as much as I do the MOONBATS on the left…
And sdkar, for what it’s worth, line breaks are your friend… Sheesh…
And sdkar, line breaks are your friend… Sheesh…
Well dang now I gotta throw my 2 cents in the ring….
Sarah Palin would be a better POTUS than either Obama, Hillary or McCain…That being said, Why is the bar so low? The GOP faithful has already pronounced Brown as the next Ronald Reagan, and he’s yet to cast a vote. The GOP and it’s followers are pissing on us conservatives and trying to tell us it’s rain.
I don’t think Sarah Palin will even run in 2012, if she does she will be up against some real conservatives in the primary (Hopefully) and at that point she will be cast aside like an old shoe. For now though, I’m perfectly happy to watch Sarah Palin make the libturds head explode every time she says anything…It’s good theater.
As I’ve been saying for well over 3 years The real power is not the WH, it’s the congress, we need to put conservative ass’s in the seat. Then it won’t matter so much who is the POTUS…
And Fred, you and I differ on the Bill/Hillary, Sarah/Todd comparison… I’d love to have Sarah’s dress crumpled up under my bed, I’d love to have Hillary’s dress under my bed too, but she’d have to be in it. Todd was an oil worker, a sled dog racer and he’s a hunter and an avid outdoorsman. Bill is/was a lawyer.
Bushy, Congress is the place to be, and you got it right, that’s the power..
And as you said, she makes libtards heads explode, that’s a good thing…
Ya missed on one point though… Hillary doesn’t wear dresses…
Her BALLS might hang out…
BALLS?
Hello Fred! Sorry, I’ve been away for awhile. Got married four months ago.
So, Macker… Are congratulations in order?
No Robert! You and Fred are both wrong! To us gals there’s a huge difference. Todd can eat crackers in my bed anytime but keep Bill tied up outside as the watch-dog. LOL. Have to defend the girls, ya betch!
sdkar: I read your book & you’re really way off base. You need to get it together & decide what kind of American you are before preaching. Take a lesson in listening & reading. The comparison should not be made of Obama to Palin. Thats like comparing a lab rat to a guinea pig. Use better examples, kinda flakey dude. You say she’s too Religious and after reading your note I feel like I just got outta church service! And Roberts right! WHY IS THE BAR SO LOW? I have to ask the same thing!
MrChuck,
I forgot about the question of the McCain/Keating deal. I’m glad you pointed that out, thanks for reminding us!! I need to look closer into that, its been so long ago and seems forgotten.
“Sarah Palin would be a better POTUS than either Obama, Hillary or McCain…That being said, Why is the bar so low?”
I’ve liked Palin for some time. But, I’ll have to admit she’s chosen a course that has doomed her.
BZ
I will have to wait and see how all this shakes out—long way until 2012 and the wild geese will fly south 3 more times before then. I will save my ammo until the time is just right to unload. Far, far to early for me to even take aim. Does it sound like I’m avoiding taking a stance-yep!
Between Coulter and Palin the liberals are spinning like a top.The more they froth the stupider they look.
I would take Palin over BO in a heart beat. Still we are choosing the least and not the best. I haven’t been able to spot “the best” yet but I am looking. Anyone want a toss out a name that might be worth looking at. The current crop of political fools need a swift kick in the rear, and to be sent back to there former job as village idiot. Sending them to DC simply to clean up the town was a bad idea.
Fred…I agree line breaks would be nice….but unfortunately I type how I think…sometimes too quick. Also, I am not preaching at all…I am giving my opinion. I read this site everyday and like it very much. I don’t agree with everything, but I do agree with much of what is said here. I understand how you feel about Palin and I admit she is not the wonder girl to me that she was a year ago. She is starting to lose points IMO. However, I have to ask the question, who is better at this time? Who can beat Obama as he is surely going to run in 2012. As I said before…Palin is my pick due to a lack of options. I am hearing about Brown, but who the heck is he? As far as politicians go, Palin is not what we are used to but I am throwing caution to the wind and thinking maybe that would be okay for POTUS (we’ved tried a lot of ‘em and very little changes). So, unless the incarnation of Reagan comes along, I don’t know who to go with. At this time, my biggest concern (and I mean huge) is to get someone that can beat Obama. I don’t know who that is yet and I don’t see anyone being prepped for the fight against Obama. Maybe Palin is a quitter, but if I view it from her side, she saw it as a way to say FU to a lot of attackers and free herself up to make some money and a name for herself. She took herself out of the ring and gave up the fight to keep from being beat to death. Maybe she should have stayed in, but if she did they might have leveled something against her that would have been more damaging than her quitting. When I was a cop, I was at a dept that got pissed at me because I rubbed a higher up the wrong way. He made me his personal target and swore he would destroy me. I had more BS charges leveled against me daily for unbelieveable stuff that were extremely minor. Life was absolute hell. It doesn’t matter what is right or wrong, it was being done. For instance, I made a comment during a roadblock that “a haitian person could not drive”. I was talking about a guy who ran through my road block, almost ran me over, went up onto the sidewalk and kept going. Three months later, I was brought up on racial harassment charges. Guess what, I was found guilty. Try explaining to a potential employer that you were found guilty of racial harassment. It doesn’t matter what I explain, I was found guilty. I have been told many times that if I am hired and ever involved in a racial situation (which is almost every police situation when you are a white male) and there is a lawsuit, the police dept might as well move the decimal place over a couple of notches because it was me they hired knowing I “racially harass” people. I left that dept because these things kept coming at me. Before that, I was their star officer, being prepped for higher up with lots of commendations and awards. Then, I pissed of the chief and I was to taught a lesson. When I became a target, life was hell. I was afraid that evetually, something worse than “racial harassment” would eventually happen to me (and it was being planned) so I left while I still could. I guess that makes me a quitter just like Palin. So, I can understand Sarah Palin’s desire to get the hell out of Alaska. She had to before something really damaging happened to her. Something more damaging than being labeled a quitter. I know what it is like to go to a job everyday and be a target for destruction. Maybe I am right and maybe not, but I am using my life experience to relate, which is what we all do. Not trying to preach or say I am right and you are wrong, but wanted to show why I am thinking the way I am. As for me being retarded…maybe…hehe. I am absolutely mental thinking about Obama and what he is doing everyday and if the damage can truly be undone. I am not a Palinista and do not think she is God’s gift to politics, but I am behind her for now until someone comes along that has a better chance at beating Obama. 2012 is a long way off and only time will tell who that person is. I have to say I am more anti-Obama than pro-Palin. I will continue to watch out for a better option. If you have someone in mind for POTUS for 2012, I am sure you will let us all know and I will do my best to understand that person and support them if I agree. Again, sorry for the diatribe, but opinions were formed about me and I wanted to give more insight as to what I am thinking and why.
sdkar, We don’t differ on our opinion too much, but I must ask WHY SETTLE? Right now is the time we need to pick a strong horse to do battle in 2012, we have time to not put the same ol type of RINO in the race why hitch the wagon this early?
My opinion for what it’s worth, is that Reagan himself would face a large amount of criticism if he were in politics right now. He’d handle it better, but even Ron would get his ass handed to him on few issues. Remember, Reagan was the amnesty guy, IF he was out there now, Fred and Myself would hammering him for that.
I also know that Fred and Myself and several others are NOT one issue voters, but we are not party line voters either. We call them like we see them regardless of the letter behind their name. Right now Palin is a star in the eyes of “REPUBLICANS” she is NOT a star among Conservatives. Palin is an asteroid, pretty to look at, exciting for a few minutes but fades fast.
Palin is stumping for McCain, I believe it’s a payback for McCain’s pick for VP. I can understand the quid-pro-quo aspect and I’ll give her a pass on that. I like what Palin says most of the time (I don’t like HOW she says it, you betcha)
But right now, she is not up for election, she is not running a campaign, she is a speaker, a well paid speaker and a focus of liberal hate. She’s filling a very valuable role right now.
sdkar, one more thing, Hit return once in a while, even if it’s at the wrong time, it makes it easier to read.
All the fluff talk and such makes no difference to me. Sarah Palin booked out when the row got tough to hoe.
sdkar, please stop by CLO, I want to be able to ban your silly ass too!
Talk about stupid is as stupid does…
Just turned off Fox because they were airing Palin’s speech at the Tea Party convention in Nashville. I don’t want to here her crap any more than I want to hear Katie Couric interview Obama during the pregame show tomorrow!!!
Did anyone notice that Tea Party movement people turned out by the hundreds of thousands in DC to protest, but at this convention in Nashville they only have about 600 people in attendence??? It was only $500 per person to attend and do workshops and hear speakers. This tells me that most Tea Party People are NOT impressed with the main Keynote speaker!!!!
HAM, I think the TEA Party is shooting itself in the foot by backing Palin… Just my opinion..
But I will say again, if SHE is the best we have, WE are SO screwed…
Personally, I happen to like Sarah Palin, but I do not think she is Presidential material. A command of the issues, she does not have. Placing our hope in her as the next Ronald Reagan is completely ludicrous. They shouldn’t even be mentioned in the same breath.
Fred - Know this is going to piss you off but I thought Palin gave a pretty good speach last night. Woman is a bit confusing, but then they all are.
minuteman26 - Doesn’t piss me off in the least… Everyone has their own opinion of her, and when the REAL Sarah comes out, just remember, I told you so…
And if her going to Arizona to campaign for a RINO asshole like John McCain doesn’t bother you, that’s your call too, but in MY opinion, anyone that supports Gramps is a brain dead RINO themselves… And as to Palin’s supporters that think it’s just her giving respect, payback, whatever, that’s some LAME bullshit… She’s supporting a RINO loser, she’s supporting the son of a bitch that gave this nation the horror story known as Obama…
But if you’re cool with all that… Marvelous…
Fred - If I was a resident of Arizona, I’d be voting for J.D. Hayworth. Told you it would piss you off.
Apparently, you have never seen me PISSED OFF…
I just stated fact and opinion… Keep telling me how you’re gonna piss me off and you’ll see what it’s like when I DO get pissed off…
Don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry… ~David Banner~
Larry, as a person, Palin is OK, I don’t like her, I don’t hate her, I feel she’s just *there*…
Her lack of political acumen, and the almost *god-like* worship that so many have for her scares the hell out of me…
She’s Sarah Palin, not Joan of Arc… And she’s going to disappoint many before it’s over…
Fred - I’ll let it go with that. lol.