Palin, Iran, Militias and and Alaska Independence Party

[cyberianpan]

Salon has a fine piece of journalism investigating Sarah & Todd Palin's links to the Alaska Independence Party (AIP). The AIP got sponsorship from Iran to make their case for Alaska's secession at the UN General Assembly. Also the AIP had Palin change Alaska's laws to make guns easier to get and militias easier to form:

[FONT=times new roman, times, serif][SIZE=3]Salon (excerpts)
[FONT=Times New Roman]. During the 1990s, when Chryson directed the AIP, he and another radical right-winger, Steve Stoll, played a quiet but pivotal role in electing Palin as mayor of Wasilla and shaping her political agenda afterward. Both Stoll and Chryson not only contributed to Palin’s campaign financially, they played major behind-the-scenes roles in the Palin camp before, during and after her victory.

Palin backed Chryson as he successfully advanced a host of anti-tax, pro-gun initiatives, including one that altered the state Constitution's language to better facilitate the formation of anti-government militias. She joined in their vendetta against several local officials they disliked, and listened to their advice about hiring. She attempted to name Stoll, a John Birch Society activist known in the Mat-Su Valley as "Black Helicopter Steve," to an empty Wasilla City Council seat. "Every time I showed up her door was open," said Chryson. "And that policy continued when she became governor."[/FONT] [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman]

In that meeting, on Oct. 14, 1996, she appointed Stoll to one of the City Council's two newly vacant seats. But Palin was blocked by the single vote of then-Councilman Nick Carney, who had endured countless rancorous confrontations with Stoll and considered him a "violent" influence on local politics.

When Palin ran for governor in 2006, marketing herself as a fresh-faced reformer determined to crush the GOP's ossified power structure, she made certain to appear at the AIP's state convention.

[/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Clark's assertion that Palin was once a card-carrying AIP member was swiftly discredited by the McCain campaign, which produced records showing she had been a registered Republican since 1988. But then why would Clark make such a statement? Why did he seem confident that Palin was a true-blue AIP activist burrowing within the Republican Party? The most salient answer is that Palin was once so thoroughly embedded with AIP figures like Chryson and Stoll and seemed so enthusiastic about their agenda, Clark may have simply assumed she belonged to his party.[/SIZE][/FONT]

Excerpts from Salon's opinion piece:

[SIZE=4]The Palins’ un-American activities[/SIZE]

Imagine if the Obamas had hooked up with a violently anti-American group in league with the government of Iran.

“My government is my worst enemy. I’m going to fight them with any means at hand.” This was former revolutionary terrorist Bill Ayers back in his old Weather Underground days, right? Imagine what Sarah Palin is going to do with this incendiary quote as she tears into Barack Obama this week.
Only one problem. The quote is from Joe Vogler, the raging anti-American who founded the Alaska Independence Party

[COLOR=Red]Imagine the uproar if Michelle Obama was revealed to have joined a black nationalist party whose founder preached armed secession from the United States and who enlisted the government of Iran in his cause? The Obama campaign would probably not have survived such an explosive revelation. Particularly if Barack Obama himself was videotaped giving the anti-American secessionists his wholehearted support just months ago.[/COLOR]

I think Palin has got a very easy ride on this one. Her husband was in the AIP, she closely associated with it, appointing it's members to positions of influence, maing it easier to form militias and carry guns in public... and they had sponsorship from Iran !

Did McCain have any idea who he picked as his Veep?

cYp

[jfk2008]

What happenend to the party of Lincoln? Of Eisenhower?

How did these rabid, thieving, lying, anti-intellectual scum take it over?

[cyberianpan]

Washington Post has been to the fore of Palin reporting, e.g. this latest piece which questions Todd Palin's membership of Alaska Independence Party. His close role in Troopergate, sitting in on meetings etc brings him to the fore.

The WP has endorsed Obama today:

Barack Obama for President



[SIZE=2]Friday, October 17, 2008; Page A24 [/SIZE]
THE NOMINATING process this year produced two unusually talented and qualified presidential candidates. There are few public figures we have respected more over the years than Sen. John McCain. Yet it is without ambivalence that we endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president.



The choice is made easy in part by Mr. McCain's disappointing campaign, above all his irresponsible selection of a running mate who is not ready to be president. It is made easy in larger part, though, because of our admiration for Mr. Obama and the impressive qualities he has shown during this long race.

They see Palin as McCain's greatest negative. I think she is off the charts negative, the above issues involving Iran and her direct personal support of extremists are mind boggling. The Obama campaign didn't even have to use them. They were lucky to be able to win on the merits.

My wonder is now: will Palin finally be killed off post election (especially by the AIP issue) or will she have a punt at 2012 ?

cYp