After months of scrutinizing the Obama campaign for his association with political activist Bill Ayers, now Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin of University of Idaho is the one who has found herself stuck in the middle of a social networking scandal.
Ivy league educated Alaskan Sen. Ted Stevens was convicted yesterday after being charged with seven felonies for lying on financial disclosure forms, and could face a maximum of 35 years in jail. He is 84 years old, and is the most senior Republican Senator.
I actually had the opportunity to meet Stevens multiple times in the summer of 2004. I grew up in Alaska and I had a student internship Washington, D.C. for the other Alaskan Sen., Lisa Murkowski. I remember meeting him in his office and being shocked at his appreciation for taxidermy paired with the general vibe of hostility that I got while being there.
My opinion of him only solidified when I saw clips of him referring to the internet as simply a “series of tubes” (um… what?!) in 2006, but, we’ve had ourselves some ignorant politicians before, so even that is forgivable.
What’s not forgivable is the hypocrisy of Alaskan Republican politicians, like Palin and Stevens. Palin’s claim to fame is that she is a “reformist,” and she is constantly attacking Obama for who he has associated with in the past. But, here she is, honoring a relationship with someone was convicted for corruption!
Ayers and Obama served on the same panel on an education board at one point, but their ties pretty much stop there. But, it was Stevens whose endorsement helped lead Palin to victory in the 2006 gubernatorial election, and he has said that they have “worked together for a long time.” He spoke in a campaign commercial on her behalf just two years ago, and she served as the director of the “Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service” group until as recently as 2005.
Stevens is adamant about his innocence, is trudging forward, and continues to work to be elected for another term as Senator. Palin refused to comment on whether or not she will vote for Stevens in the upcoming election next week and was hesitant to state that he should resign, which to me reveals her intention to vote for him and her loyalty to her felon friend. Felons can’t vote in the general election, but if reelected next week, Stevens will still hold one of the country’s most powerful leadership positions.
Ted and Sarah. These two popular politicians have made the state of Alaska’s regard for ethics go from powerful to puny. Who’s “palling around” with the bad guy now, huh Palin?