Once Elected, Palin Hired Friends and Lashed Foes

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/us/politics/14palin.html?hp ^ | sept 13,2008 | NY TIMES

[samkatz]

WASILLA, Alaska — Gov. Sarah Palin lives by the maxim that all politics is local, not to mention personal.

So when there was a vacancy at the top of the State Division of Agriculture, she appointed a high school classmate, Franci Havemeister, to the $95,000-a-year directorship. A former real estate agent, Ms. Havemeister cited her childhood love of cows as a qualification for running the roughly $2 million agency.

Ms. Havemeister was one of at least five schoolmates Ms. Palin hired, often at salaries far exceeding their private sector wages.

When Ms. Palin had to cut her first state budget, she avoided the legion of frustrated legislators and mayors. Instead, she huddled with her budget director and her husband, Todd, an oil field worker who is not a state employee, and vetoed millions of dollars of legislative projects.

[latina4dubya]

So when there was a vacancy at the top of the State Division of Agriculture, she appointed a high school classmate, Franci Havemeister, to the $95,000-a-year directorship.

the Clintons did the same thing... most politicians do this--hire people they know/trust... sheesh, even Lucille Ball did this with her sit-coms...

[Squantos]

Agree....whats wrong with hiring people one can rely on to get the job done, trust based on past performance / record etc ?

I’d hire my neighbors kid as a landscaper before I’d hire Obama bin Biden to mow my lawn.

[volunbeer]

“Compare this to Travelgate.”

_____________________________

Don’t forget the firing of every U.S. Attorney after taking office to get rid of one.

People don’t seem to understand that Palin was not the friend of the entrenched when she took office in AK.

Another non-story about the VP candidate = McCain win.

[Artemis Webb]

Prior to Sarah coming on the scene Alaska was run by two men. Frank Murkowski and Ted Stevens. They are both corrupt. Sarah couldn't and shouldn't have gone to their cronies to fill state openings.

[RetiredArmy]

Sounds like Klinton. He fired like 250 attorneys general and Bush fired nine and you would have thunk that he bombed St. Louis.

[Wife of D28Man]

No, samkatz, she doesn’t sound like Hilary. She sounds like a leader - someone who puts people she knows and trusts in positions of power and fires people who will get in the way of what she’s trying to accomplish. Hilary doesn’t simply fire people who get in her way; she destroys them. (Think White House travel office.)

Palin has accomplished a lot in her short tenure, and the people of Alaska love her.

Nossir! Sarah doesn’t sound like Hilary AT ALL.

[Lovebloggers]

Note that Havemeister’s father-in-law owns a large dairy farm in Wasilla.

http://dwb.adn.com/news/alaska/matsu/mat_maid/story/8982770p-8897080c.html

[Wild Irish Rogue]

Read the piece.
Wow !!
Are we sure this isn’t from the McCain/ Palin campaign ?
What’s not to like ?
She doesn’t suffer fools.
She doesn’t tolerate corruption.
She hires people she knows and trusts.
She doesn’t blab.
She requires that those around her keep confidences.
The citizens love her.
She gets things done.
She’s quick and bright and ethical.
She doesn’t bow down to the media.
But,...there is a horrible revelation..she sometimes uses personal e mail for state business.

[davidtalker]

Bingo.
This is Dem “opposition research” teaming with the Slimes to bring down Palin. Good news is this won’t change any minds. They had about a two week window to define her. They have failed. Voters are prepared for the sliming.

[xzins]

You hire people you trust.

The republican and democratic bureaucracies were not on her side....in fact, they opposed her and wanted to bring her down.

So, you break new ground.

I have no problem with it at all.

[mountainlion]

Once clinton got in he tried to hire friends but they and even him could not pass security clearance.

[Corin Stormhands]

Read the piece.

Exactly. There are some snarks in there, and yeah it's from the NYT. They don't like here.

But I'm reading and thinking, "Please, please President McCain, put her in charge of personnel."

[Northern Yankee]

Palin is a self made woman.

Hillary?... well... we know.

Palin is going to be a formidable foe. I am thinking that Obama has probably made the offer for Hillary to come back on the ticket. I am guessing she already told him to "stick it!"

[Brilliant]

Probably a bunch of BS, but I’m hoping it’s true. I’m tired of the GOP walking around with a kick me sign on.

[donnab]

Don’t underestimate them. Its going to get even uglier until November. They will pull out all the stops.
We need to keep reminding ourselves that a governor does not get an 80% approval for nothing. And remind ourselves that it means the 20% do not like her. We have to make sure that it is not the voice of the 20% we hear.

[Shady]

Nobody of importance reads the Gnu Yak Times anyway anymore. They know better.

[SkyDancer]

Sorta like the jilted lover on the rebound ..... any body will do other than Biden ....

[xrmusn]

When Bob Ehrlich defeated Kathleen KENNEDY Townsend in the Governors race, he started getting rid of the deadwood that had built up in the course of 1 party in control for many years.
The Dems immediately put him under investigation and hounded him with it for his entire term.
Now just what do you suppose Martin O’Malley did when he ousted Ehrlich after 1 term?

This is just like McCain trying to ‘make nice’ with BO.
How come WE all know that it is fruitless, but McCain and Co apparently think it will help or even think the ‘voting public’ will pay any attention?

[RedMonqey]

Instead, she huddled with her budget director and her husband, Todd, an oil field worker who is not a state employee,

Of course Hillary never gave Bill advice while in the Oral Office because she wasn't a federal employee or elected official.

What? You mean she did?/s

[dalereed]

If she didn’t I’d lose a lot of respect for her!