Politicker.com -- Alaska News

[Anchorage Daily News] Trig Palin, Steelers fan

Alaska_Politics — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:50:00 -0500

From Erika Bolstad in Washington, Pennsylvania --

Sarah Palin says in her new memoir, "Going Rogue," that there are no coincidences. But how about this one?

I drove up to Washington, Pa., last night from Washington D.C. to do a story on Palin's book tour. (See tomorrow's paper.) The event was at a Sam's Club in one of those shopping centers dominated by big box retailers – a massive place that looks like hundreds of similar developments across America. After I'd interviewed a number of people outside the Sam's Club, I walked over to the Starbucks next door to write. (The sign above the drive-thru window: "Sarah, we have moose mugs!")

And right out in front of the coffee shop? Palin's mom, Sally Heath, Palin's aunt, Kate Johnson, and Palin's son, Trig.

[Anchorage Daily News] Murkowski on health care bill: "disappointing"

Alaska_Politics — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:30:00 -0500

From Erika Bolstad in Washington D.C. --

Don't expect Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski to cross party lines to vote for the health care bill released this week by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada.

Murkowski calls it "deeply disappointing and in many ways is even worse than the Senate Finance Committee-passed proposal."

"First and foremost, the American people have said, and both parties have agreed, that health care reform must reduce health care costs," she said. "But this bill doesn’t do that. In fact, it’s laden with budgetary gimmicks that would massively increase the size and reach of government and send federal spending into the stratosphere."

[Anchorage Daily News] Harry Noah resigned?

Alaska_Politics — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:59:00 -0500

From Sean Cockerham in Anchorage –

Fairbanks Rep. Jay Ramras says the governor’s in-state natural gas pipeline czar, Harry Noah, has resigned. But the governor’s office says it’s not so.

“Harry called me and said he resigned. Then (Gov. Sean Parnell’s legislative director) Jerry Gallagher called me and confirmed it as well,” Ramras told me in an email.

Parnell spokeswoman Sharon Leighow, however, said the governor’s office has not received a resignation letter and so considers him still in the job.

Leighow also said the governor has not asked for Noah to resign. Noah himself hasn’t returned my calls or an email about it.

Ramras today sent a letter (

[Anchorage Daily News] Did Palin distort her role in the Exxon Valdez lawsuit?

Alaska_Politics — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:25:00 -0500

From Erika Bolstad in Washington D.C. --

The fact checking of former Sarah Palin's new memoir continues, and now, questions have been raised about her role in the lawsuit against Exxon Mobil. People involved in the legal wrangling tell Reuters that they believe the former Alaska governor distorted her importance in the outcome of the two-decade lawsuit against ExxonMobile for the company's role in the 1989 oil spill in Prince William Sound.

Reuters: "Palin's claims of victory for the plaintiffs and of playing a role in achieving that victory are highly distorted, said the chief attorney for the approximately 32,000 plaintiffs that sued Exxon over damages from the worst oil-tanker spill in U.

[Anchorage Daily News] Odds and ends from Palinpalooza

Alaska_Politics — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:48:00 -0500

From David Hulen in Anchorage --

Ten things that caught our eye over the past 24 hours or so:

1. 10 Reasons That Sarah Palin Could Win the Republican Nomination (FiveThirtyEight.com) Excerpt:

She's tough to campaign against. Why? Because any perceived or real slight against Palin is taken by her supporters as an example of sexism, elitism, or media bias; just wait until Huckabee or Romney makes their first impolitic comment about Palin in a debate or an interview and watch the sparks fly.

2. Palin: Fort Hood 'profile' shooter ignored (And, finally, where Palin gets her news: Newsmax, Frontiersman, WSJ) Chicago Tribune politics blog, "The Swamp"

[Anchorage Daily News] "Going Rogue"

Alaska_Politics — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:20:00 -0500

From Erika Bolstad in Washington and Sean Cockerham in Anchorage --

Sarah Palin's book is out this morning and available at booksellers throughout Anchorage and nationwide. Friends and foes are busy scrutinizing every word of the 413-page HarperCollins book, a compilation af anecdotes, political prescriptions and score settling.

We're going through the book and will be posting excerpts of it throughout the day on the blog.

Are you reading it? Join in. But keep it on-point and keep it civil.

Our Alaska Newsreader has a roundup of Palin-related news today.

Page 18

Palin describes her diet: “I love meat. I eat pork chops, thick bacon burgers, and the seared fatty edges of a medium-well-done steak.

[Anchorage Daily News] Parnell on Palin's book

Alaska_Politics — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:10:00 -0500

From Erika Bolstad in Washington D.C. --

So has Gov. Sean Parnell read his predecessor's memoir? He doesn't have his hands on a copy of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's book yet, Parnell said Monday. The order is in, though, and the book's due out Tuesday.

"I promised to buy it, and I understand that my wife has ordered it from Amazon," Parnell said, "but I have not received it."

[Anchorage Daily News] Palin's Newsweek cover

Alaska_Politics — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:32:00 -0500

The issue of Newsweek that hit newstands today has Sarah Palin on the cover -- posing in a photo originally shot for a Runner's World magazine story.

Wonder where Newsweek is coming from on Palin? Not too hard to tell.

"How Do You Solve a Problem Like Sarah? She's Bad News for The GOP -- And For Everybody Else, Too."

Sarah Palin in Newsweek

[Anchorage Daily News] Palin's interview with Oprah

Alaska_Politics — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:16:00 -0500

From Erika Bolstad in Washington D.C. –

Oprah Winfrey’s show is on right now in Washington D.C., and here are some highlights from Oprah’s interview with former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. I'll be updating as the show continues:

On whether Oprah, who backed Barack Obama in the 2008 election, "snubbed" Palin by not having her on her show: "It didn’t register -- no offense to you, but it wasn’t the center of my universe."

On how her daughter, Bristol, reacted when the news broke she was pregnant:

"She had seen it on the news, and she was quite devastated, and perfectly honestly, she was quite embarrassed.

[Anchorage Daily News] Pearce steps down as federal coordinator of gasline

Alaska_Politics — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:14:00 -0500

From Erika Bolstad in Washington D.C. –

The Republican who heads up the federal agency overseeing the construction of Alaska's proposed natural gas pipeline is stepping down.

Drue Pearce, a former Alaska Senate president, was asked by President Barack Obama to step down from the small agency, known as the Office of the Federal Coordinator. Here’s a statement from her:

"It has been an honor to stand up a new federal agency and to serve as the first Federal Coordinator. I am a passionate supporter of the agency’s mission to bring Alaska natural gas to North American markets. I leave an effective and efficient agency with a highly skilled team of professionals actively pursuing our mission.