Posted on 09/04/2008 9:36:31 AM PDT by Red Steel
I have known Sarah Palin for 15 years. Sarah’s leadership is founded in character, honor and ethics. Sarah’s character has been molded by her family, her faith and her life experience. It is reflected in her ability to make responsible leadership choices knowing she will offend people. America will learn Sarah’s optimism, not cynicism, makes her an awesome leader.
Sarah’s leadership role has demanded that she assess complex command situations and do what is best for those she serves and leads. Sarah is a public servant who has fought Alaska’s political establishment in and out of Alaska’s Republican Party leadership.
She confronted the unethical conduct of Alaska Republican Party Chair Randy Ruedrich, an appointed Commissioner on the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, the Alaska oil and gas industry watchdog. Sarah was forced to take this action because Republican Governor Frank Murkowski, his Chief of Staff Jim Clark and Attorney General Gregg Renkes would not address her concern, ignoring her.
Sarah resigned her position as Chair of the Commission due to the ongoing ethics misconduct. She did so because she defines character by her actions.
Alaska’s Republican leadership—U.S. Senator Ted Stevens, his son Alaska Senate President Ben Stevens, Governor Murkowski, his daughter U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski and Congressman Don Young—all supported Republican Party Chair Ruedrich’s unethical corrupt conduct. Sarah challenged Republican Party leadership from Alaska to Washington, D.C. on ethics.
Sarah is not the stereotype Republican political leader. She is not impressed by titles, positions or egos resulting from positions of perceived political power. Sarah challenged the so-called political pros on their own terms, in their own backyard, and won. Sarah realized Alaska’s corruption scandal was destroying Alaskans’ credibility nationwide. The FBI raids on our Alaska Legislature and statewide between the 2006 primary and general elections were defining for Sarah.
Sarah called within days of being sworn in as Governor to ask if I would assist her in addressing ethics and corruption in our legislative and executive branches. Sarah’s Ethics White Paper—written by me and former Democrat State House Minority Leader Ethan Berkowitz, now running for Congress—was published on January 18, 2007.
Sarah’s front-page headline read: “Legislature called to act on corruption.” Within hours of our Ethics White Paper publication Republican Senate President Lyda Green, House Speaker John Harris and House Majority Leader Ralph Samuels confronted Sarah stating she was not going to “tell the Legislature” how to address corruption and ethics. Their judgment of Sarah was dead wrong.
The FBI and Sarah defined Juneau’s corruption and the need for ethics reform in Alaska’s legislative and executive branches. Sarah’s position on ethics was affirmed with a parade of Republican legislators being convicted in Federal corruption trials with guilty pleas and cooperation by political insiders and lobbyists.
Sarah confronted Governor Murkowski’s Chief of Staff Clark’s inaction on Republican Party Chair Ruedrich and also his wrongful acts in terminating Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Irwin for identifying the Murkowski administration’s insider dealing and obvious conflicts of interest in the gas line negotiations with Alaska companies. Mr. Clark has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with the FBI on Alaska’s political corruption.
Sarah prevailed in tough negotiations to press forward on an Alaska gasline for America. At every stage of the public process Sarah was attacked for her leadership positions. But she prevailed. The political attacks on Sarah and her family have become personal. Her political opponents are jealous of Alaska’s loving wife and mother of five who exemplifies the American dream for women and men. Sarah’s hateful opponents in Alaska have been defined by their sexist, bullying characterizations of her.
Sarah is not perfect. When a “rogue” state trooper is still on the force after stating he was going to kill her father if certain action was taken Sarah faced a very unique problem. Todd Palin, her loving husband, faced a difficult problem. This Trooper’s unconscionable conduct now defines the bullying hate of ongoing attacks by Sarah’s political opponents.
Foreign policy evaluation is not new to Sarah. Alaska’s unique Arctic location, Alaska’s strategic oil pipeline, and our new gas pipeline project require Sarah’s understanding of America’s importance worldwide.
Shortly after she became governor, Sarah received an analysis defining the threat of worldwide Islamic terrorism. This analysis defined for Sarah worldwide foreign policy issues. It was provided to expand Sarah’s knowledge of America’s role worldwide and specific foreign policy. Sarah understands Western Civilization is at a crossroads. Sarah knows Islamic Fundamentalism is a great threat to the free world. Sarah’s character will define her leadership. Command is lonely but Sarah is ready.
Wev Shea, lifelong Republican, is an Anchorage attorney and former U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska. Shea served in Vietnam combat from 1967 to 1969, with a nuclear delivery certification in A-6 Intruder attack jets.
Sarah will make a great president in 2012.
I haven’t read this asked, so I will ask it......
HAVE WE FOUND OUR NEW RONALD REAGAN??
ON the live thread, during the RNC Convention last night, it was mentioned, many times.
And it wasn’t put as a question, but a statement.
She surely has many of the same qualities Reagan had, and maybe some he didn’t.
Sarah would make a great president now. Is it to late to flip the names on the ticket?
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