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

[editrix66]

I watched Morning Joe when they were not sure yet who McCain would appoint VP, and Scarborough said Palin would not do. Mika said it couldn't be right. Someone posted the exchange on Youtube. I thought it was funny because I think everyone forgot they were on TV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTbsbeY5k5k

[roch20]

Oh God her voice, it hurts so bad!!!!

[Mirri]

I love her voice. Finally someone who doesn't speak with a Harvard accent.

[Wilburrr]

Hey! What's the matter with that? K.D. Hayworth was a sportscaster before he was a congressman..... oh ..... wait...... yeah..... never mind.

[chick2008]

it's JD Hayworth

[Sensationalist]

Boy this really matters. We should pass a law so presidential and vice presidential candidates can not have been in news casting previously. It's absurd to think that we hadn't thought of that already.

[jameswellington]

Our presidential candidates are more and more becoming television personalities rather then tested thinkers with relevant resumes. Abraham Lincoln would NEVER have become president had there been a television handy. He was lanky, swarthy and he had a high pitched nasal voice. The GOP is thinking more and more like FOX NEWS and Rupert Murdoch. Hire Tony Snow as press secretary and nominate a former beauty queen as VP? It's insulting... why don't we just hold presidential elections like American Idol, and get it over with?

[rmreddicks]

Hey, don't leave out actors. This is a law worth pursuing. Would you want any of your local newscasters or any of the national newscasters as pres or veep? They don't even remember the idea of the fourth estate.

[Tommygun264]

And she just might be a grandmother:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/30/121350/137/

That's "family values" in action.

[jcwtts1]

I'll say it again, I get the point interesting article, but can we really win attacking a mother for protecting her daughter? It is a bad argument. We have so much stuff with this woman let attack her for policy, for experience but let leave her daughter out of it.

J

[TreetopFlyer]

You've got to be kidding. This issue is HUGE!

[miatch]

Exactly. This story makes her look GOOD not BAD, And it's none of our business. She's is going to fall apart on her own, I really wish we wouldn't pursue this

[crookedlawyer]

Seeing as how she and everyone else are constantly congratulating her for her "courage" in following her own stated, rigid belief that abortion should be illegal in all cases, it's a big deal.

If she was really pro-life, she would have announced that Bristol was pregnant and that she fully supports her daughter's choice to bear the child. If it's indeed true that she went to these lengths to hide her daughter away in shame and they score her own political points by claiming the disabled child for her own, her political career would be over.

[MajorKong]

What would Rove do with this if she were a Democrat?

[swift goat pet for truth]

It is not the crime.
Its the coverup.

[Busterdawg]

This is how far we have sunk, huh? Using the tactics of personal destruction to further our cause... just like the right-wing.

Sickening, really.

If the extreme left of the party truly embraces this as tactic they want to pursue then all bets are off. Everything becomes fair game. Do we really want to get in to Michelle Obama's "salary bump"

You remember what I'm talking about... this is where Michelle Obama's, who works for the University of Chicago Hospitals, salary jumps from $121,910 in 2004, just before Obama is elected to the Senate, to $316,962 in 2005, just after he takes office.

The next year, 2006, Obama submits a list of earmarks that includes, $1 million for the construction of a new hospital pavilion at the University Of Chicago.

Must be a coincidence... or the good Senator just happened too forget where is wife worked.

[Pcharlestw]

Obviously you either do not live in Chicago, or know anything about the University of Chicago Hospital, because not only are they the best hospital in the city, but there research and cancer care is second to none. Considering how the U of C hospital is in the heart of Hyde Park on the South Side (where Obama not only lives, but represented at that time); not to mention the services they provided (and lack of services they were able to provide, due to long waits, and overcrowding, by poorer patients with chronic health conditions, who have NO insurance) it seems that Barack Obama, along with the other state representatives who must vote for bills to pass, as well as needing state executive approval by the governor, believed it was necessary for the promotion of welfare. Obama did what representatives do... REPRESENT their consituents.

Unless you have proof of illegal activity, conjecture along does nothing but make you look silly.

[noamjunior]

when you support abstinence-only for 16 year olds and you cover up your 16 year olds pregnancy that makes you a hypocrite

[nellie]

I think she's a good sportscaster, which makes sense since she majored in journalism.

The more I see of this woman, the more I like her. I just don't agree with her politics, and I think her experience, her knowledge, and her perspective are all local to Alaska. Not only that, her successful experience is centered around oil and gas. Many of her other management decisions have been disastrous.

So let's critique her for what's really valid, because those arguments will stand up to whatever the right wing might try to justify.

[blueshield]

I do not believe she or her family deserved to be lured into the election buzzsaw. She's clearly way out of her depth.

Nothing good can come of this for her, her children, women in politics, or the nation.

The only one with something to gain is Mc.Cain, for his personal political ambition.

Really disgusting.

[instagladiator]

So, you're saying that she didn't have a Yes/No choice? Her Yes choice put her on Mc Twits team - as whatshisname said "She's fair game!" So.......

[swift goat pet for truth]

As Cheney said of our maimed troops: "So? They volunteered."

[idahospud44]

A journalism degree for the University of Idaho, one of the biggest party schools in the west. No advanced degree, no published articles at the college. Her degree is a joke.
http://idahospud44.wordpress.com/

[Busterdawg]

Quick.. send that in to the Obama Campaign. They need to lead with that for Monday "University of Idaho Joke says a senior Obama Campaign Official"

That will go over big time with all those Americans who couldn't afford to get into Harvard and had to go to a State School.

[Swerinjer]

more logs for the fire-what a brainless bimbo.

[instagladiator]

Yeah, those Alaskan logs take longer to burn.

[peskime]

I see Ms Palin has had the same hair style since 1988. Methinks a makeover is in the works! LOL

[1sparrow]

her nomination for VP candidate has less cred then nominating a newspaperboy to be batman. i wish more people would ask the question of what happens when shes excused and or blocked from the election process. i certainly believe she will be. more so everyday-and its only been 2 days.

[CBS]

Well she has definitely proved her manhood and is a far better s h o t than Ch....eney

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2008-08/41999285.jpg

[wyson]

Do you have any videos of her at 7, 8 or 9 months pregnant. I love a good conspiracy theory.
Big news huffington should at least be reporting on.

[swift goat pet for truth]

Apparently DailyKos is running with this story.

TPM has the Water-Break-Gate.

She's the gift that keeps on giving.

[BartLA]

And she looks good in a FLAG BIKINI.

http://thebruceblog.wordpress.com/2008/08/31/sarah-palin-do-you-like-my-flag-bikini-the-perfect-huntin-attire/

[CBS]

I wonder if they can use that on a New Yorker....I doubt if MO ever touched a rifle or had a 'fro...but the ticket is a joke....

http://www.sfbaysailingpix.com/pez2008p1.htm

[CBS]

That B52 hairdo is worth a NYer cover in itself....that is probably where she stores the ammo

[MVRWC]

You leftys are so apoplectic about this VP choice, it's cracking me up. This is hysterical and very entertaining. What are you so freaked out about? If you think this is going to do John McCain's campaign in, what are you so worked up about? This is so funny. GO SARAH! YES

[RightBrain]

Expect the Dems to become REALLY unhinged as the Republicans outmaneuver them once again. They going to fall extra hard this time given the early expectations of Obama.

[MVRWC]

Unhinged is right. The whole reaction is so over the top. This was a brilliant move on the part of John McCain.

[CEPHALUS]

Tell me somebody Is this a mugshot or a picture of her bad hair day?

[ramblingjohnny]

That just a typical 80s hair style. She look a lot more loose than she is now. But John Roberts on CNN use to be JD Roberts on MuchMusic in the 80s! From what I remember of it the 80s was one frack up decade.

[alittleskeptic]

During Palin's time either on the city council or as mayor of Wasilla, around 1999, her father -in-law, Jim Palin, was apparently in some chief position on the Alaska Science and Technology Foundation ( ASTF). That foundation had lots of funds that were given for various projects through grants and there was a least one company (Kinetic Aviation or something like that) considered for a large grant from them based upon their locating a plant in Wasilla. I think that effort was eventually dropped by Wasilla, Kinetic never got the money and it is not clear why. In Palin's favor, it may have been that she realized there could be at least an appearance of a conflict of interest. I found just one article on it in the Sitka newspaper archives. It is another of those interesting bits that seem to be turning up around her.