Sarah Palin: From TV Sports Anchor To Vice Presidential Candidate

John McCain's Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin was, once upon a time, a sports reporter for KTUU, Anchorage's NBC affiliate. Below, watch a clip of Sarah Heath, the future Alaska Governor and Vice presidential nominee, anchoring a sports report in 1988 — note her discussion of the Iditarod, the now-antiquated reference to the Hartford Whalers, and her declaration that Tommy Lasorda needs to learn how to relax:

Comments

[Tobiasism]

— Mayoral performance. Palin, who portrays herself as a fiscal conservative, racked up nearly $20 million in long-term debt as mayor of the tiny town of Wasilla — that amounts to $3,000 per resident. She argues that the debt was needed to fund improvements.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12987.html

Toward the very bottom.

[dnels14]

deer caught in head-light­s.. carley fiorina how do you feel being used and picked over by unknown and cluess mcpalin? answer honest please - all of your pictures shows that it felt like a body blow to the ribs and an uper cut to the chin.. please stay out of the ring

[unscum]

Does anyone think McCain picked Pallin because of her huge rack?

[Triangle1]

Having strong communication skills as a broadcaster/anchor is a huge plus as far as I'm concerned. That's real-world job experience. After 8 years with someone who could barely get through a speech, having someone who can clearly and effectively communicate on TV is a big plus. Obama is fine if he's prepared and reading from a teleprompter. But "off the cuff," he's a loose canon. The day he was in Hawaii talking to reporters with a short-sleeve black golf shirt on, I thought he was going to fall asleep at the mic. Even Bush could give a good speech if he's in a snazzy suit, flags in the background and the teleprompter rolling away. http://mespace.wordpress.com

[lovetheworld]

"That's real-world job experience"

And Barack Obama working for $13,000 a year for nearly for years on The South Side of Chicago is not? Is that what you're saying? Obama set up a job training site, conducted letter writing campaigns, spear-headed successful voter registration drives, educated residents about how to work to change environmental hazards in their community like asbestos. And he did all of this riding around in a beat up car, living below his means ($13,000 a year) and doing the hard grunge work of door to door knocking and phone banking.

Barack Obama is very clearly a real world candidate with real world job experience. Palin wishes she had even a minute of the insight, experience and judgment Obama brings to the table.

Nice try but your post leaves much to be desired.

[Chanel]

"Real World Job Experience". She was a broadcaster/anchor! Are you kidding me? So I guess being a sports broadcaster, PTA President, Mayor of a town of 8,000, and now governor of a state with more wildlife than humans makes her more qualified than both Obama and Joe Biden put together.

Please. Give me a damn break.

[6shtrs]

Maybe Obama has a opponent now who understand what he is saying and explain it to maccain.
He adores misses, It will work.

[ExYoungRepub]

I find myself of the opposite opinion.. I find Obama's "impromptu rolled up sleeves" snippets to be his best performances and find the teleprompter speeches to be more boiler plate and less compelling.
Moreover, I have yet to find anything from McCain either teleprompted or otherwise that touch on any real issues in any convincing manner. He has spent most of his campaign time criticizing Obama's inexperience and in a hyped up hypocritical waive of his hand appointed Palin, America's the most inexperienced woman in politics to be his second in command. How can anybody, with a straight face, defend such an irresponsible choice?

[mtrav]

What planet are you on? the shrub never, ever gave a good or anything like it speech in his life.

[Mirri]

Hard as you try, you just can't find an ugly picture of Palin. The best looks win votes in America. This is bad news for Obama. He was the prettiest, until last Friday morning. Now the cameras will all be focused on Palin. The media are just paparazzi.­...

[Chanel]

She's pretty, but the top of her ticket still isn't, and not even Sarah Palin can help him on that front.

The media will still be all over Barack, trust that. She's not engaging enough as a person as he is, and you almost have to watch her with the volume on MUTE. That voice...

**shutters**

[rmreddicks]

How hard have you tried? After you do all that trying, who cares? Oh, you care. Enough said.

[swift goat pet for truth]

HEY, MEDIA!!!

Trooper-gate.
Water-break-gate.
Baby-gate.
Bridge-to-­nowhere-ga­te.

This is too good for National Enquirer to pass UP!

Then, Corporate Media can have it.

[AdultFilmLegend]

"From TV Sports Anchor To Vice Presidential Candidate"

Yup. Paid her taxes. Paid into her retirement account.

...no sucking off the hind teat of cushy gov't job all her career.

Yup.

[barelyawake]

Here's the insane world we live in. We aren't allowed to hear the fact that Obama graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard and was the President of the Harvard Law Review (a post that Supreme Court justices have held) and compare that to Sarah getting a journalism degree from Idaho because of A) the media are journalists, B) the elitst charge, C) because it would offend Idaho viewers to explain that a Constitutional Law expert from Harvard is a thousand times more prepared to understand how Washington and foreign policy work than an ex-model taking "journalism" classes. Thus, we might elect a VP who has a high likelihood of being President who is absolutely unqualified because the media must be politically correct. It's literally insane. The nerve of people comparing a mayor of an ice floe to a top Constitutional professor who represented one of the largest states in the union. It's gotten to the point where people just argue sides and can't see when insanity has been reached. We are there.

[Browngoetz]

I lived in Wasilla while Sarah was mayor. She's not prepared to be President (or VP). See my video on Sarah at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AHMCMNnxmY

[LiberalBuzz]

Good video, but i would have made it tougher. Thanks for the link.

[rmreddicks]

Did she get those potholes filled?

[theophagousmonkey]

I wonder how much over the years Ms. Palin has collected in checks from the state of Alaska. It's my understanding that Alaskans receive checks every year from 'royalties' paid to the state from oil and gas companies. When a government entity charges a 'royalty', it's just another word for tax. And when a resident collects a check from a government entity it's known in the lower 48 as welfare. Togther, the scheme is a redistribution of wealth, the very thing Republicans blame Dems for with withering regularity. For an Alaskan, then the Drill Here, Drill Now mantra is a call for bigger welfare checks. I would like to see how Palin explains this seeming inconsistency.
And why just Alaskans? Why don't we all share in this 'royalty' scheme? Where's my check?

[swift goat pet for truth]

She slapped a windfall tax on big oil, then distributed it to the populace.

Just like Obama wants to do.

[rmreddicks]

Yeah, I think she just ended up raising the price of oil. Good for Alaskans. Kind of a penny pain for the lower 48 and the western 1. Seems to be a certain selfishness about Alaskan (white) politicians.

[kingdomemariner]

I have never wanted to poke my eyes out and jam pencils in my ears all at the same time until this clip aired.....­...I think she should go back to the "Wall-O-Bangs" hairstyle

[UnintendedConsequences]

We need access to John McCain's Medical records.

Please spread the word:
John McCain restricted which reporters saw his medical records and for only 10 minutes and they could not make copies.

We need to write/email the media and tell them to demand unrestricted access to McCains medical records.

Because of his reckless VP pick, its important that the media ask for unrestricted access to his medical records.

[rmreddicks]

Really. What's she doing with all those bees? Certainly she keeps a pencil herself stuck in that upsweep. (Upsweep. Is that what it's called?) I give the best hairdo vote to Biden.

[Jabo22]

Interesting Youtube of Karl Rove slamming TIm Kaine's experience to be VP which is now appropriate that Kaine has more experience tham Palin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNu1uRcs87I

Say no to the Skipper and Mary Anne

[Stew118]

She sounds as bright as a log.

[charon]

Yes, but more than a few logs are smarter than our present Republican President. Intelligence isn't really important to Republicans when it comes to electability.

[chick2008]

and a community organizer is running as president? what are his qualifications? 1 term senator, been running for president last 4 years, can read a teleprompt? that's experience to lead a nation on

[SeanGardner]

I see you neglected to mention Obama's 8 years in the Illinois State Senate. This chart put together by the NEW YORK TIMES summarizes the more than 800 bills Obama co-sponsored from 1996-2004. Check it out here: http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/07/29/us/politics/20070730_OBAMA_GRAPHIC.html

Here are a few of Obama's notable successes in the Illinois State Senate from 1996-2004:

- Helped pass a 5 percent earned-income tax credit for low-income working families in 2000; made the credit permanent in 2003.

- Voted for having Illinois endorse embryonic stem cell research. (2004)

- Successfully sponsored the Health Care Justice Act, a study of ways to implement a universal health care system statewide. (2004)

- Voted against restrictions on public funding of abortion. (2000)

- Successfully co-sponsored a prescription drug discount buying club program for seniors and the disabled. (2003)

- Successfully sponsored requirement that law enforcement videotape interrogations of suspects in some serious crimes. (2003)

- Successfully sponsored law enforcement study of the race of people pulled over for traffic tickets. (2003)

- Helped pass an overhaul of the state's troubled death penalty system. (2003)

- Unsuccessfully co-sponsored ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation. The measure became law after Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate. (2003)

- Successfully sponsored move to shield Illinois workers from federal rules that threatened overtime pay for some employees.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK FIRST chick2008.­..instead of coming to this site with your incredulous protestations.

[SeanGardner]

Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored close to 600 bills in the 109th and 110th Congress. Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored almost 20 bills that have become LAW since he joined the Senate in 2005. Senator Obama has also introduced amendments to over 50 bills, of which 16 were adopted by the Senate.

A few Obama successes: (1) Lugar-Obama legislation that has helped decrease the threat of old nuclear, biological, and chemical weapon in the former Soviet Union; (2) the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 which Obama co-authored and that led to www.USAspending.gov, which keeps Americans better informed on government spending.

Obama was also responsible for The Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act, which passed in July of 2007 and addressed the pathetic and grotesque treatment received by Veterans under the Bush. Obama's bill was responsible for the largest increase in veterans benefits in the 77 year history of the VA.

Do your research first...th­en post. I'm tired of telling you this.

[charon]

Some of Sen. Obama's background:

>U.S. Senator for Illinois since 2004
>Illinois state senator, 1997--2004
>Author of "Dreams From My Father," 1995
>Professor of Constitutional Law, Univ. of Chicago, 1992--2004
>President, Harvard Law Review, 1989--1990; editor, 1989
>graduated Harvard School of Law, Magna Cum Laude 1991
>associate and counsel, law firm of Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland 1993--2004
>Board of Directors for numerous organizations, including Woods Fund of Chicago, Joyce Foundation, Chicago Annenberg Challenge, Public Allies, among others

[flymic]

Deadline at Midnight:

Just a reminder..­. we have an election to win, and need your help!

Today is the last day of fundraising for the month, and Barack Obama is going to be having to play financial catch-up, as soon as John McCain's campaign funds are released.

We need him out there meeting voters and not having to raise money... that should be our job.

Donate today for Barack Obama... Now, when he really needs the money most.
https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/augeomcollection

If you need a good enticement, all those donating today will get a first edition Obama-Biden supporter kit, which includes a T-shirt, lawn sign, car magnet, and five buttons!

We all need to pull our weight and do all we can to make victory possible. John Kerry was outspent 2-1 in 2004, and lost Ohio by a narrow margin. As a result, each person in the U.S. owes their share of $3 Trillion -- approximately $10,000 -- just for Iraq alone. Can you afford another four years of more of the same?

Donate today, and be sure to spread the news to your friends, so that the campaign can report a stellar August! Invest in democracy, reform, and change we can believe in!

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