The Palin family fishes -- and interviews -- in Bristol Bay. (Phil Wolczak/KTUU-DT) |
All of them wanted more details about why she plans to resign later this month -- as the Palins tried to net salmon, reporters fished for answers.
CNN brought its cameras. ABC news was there too, as well as NBC's Andrea Mitchell.
Mitchell met Palin's famous son Trig, and tried to pry information out of her daughter, Piper.
"Piper, which way did you vote when your mom polled the family? Did you want her to stop being governor?" said Mitchell.
Social graces aside, Mitchell was intent upon learning more about why Palin resigned with a year and a half to go in her term.
Palin mentioned distractions, like more than a dozen ethics charges that were either dismissed or resolved -- charges Palin says netted frustration, ate up state time, and were frivolous in nature.
"Two years ago I was out here commercial fishing," said Palin. "I caught a fish; somebody snapped a picture of me with the fish. It was used in a state seafood ad to promote Alaska wild seafood. I was hit with an ethics violation charge -- had to hire an attorney to prove that the seafood board was just doing its job."
Mitchell also asked Palin if she was simply bored with the job of being governor.
"Some people have said that you saw the bright lights from the national campaign and you came back and it was very hard to re-adjust to the nitty-gritty," said Mitchell.
"I'm a fighter. I thrive on challenge," said Palin.
In Mitchell's segment that aired Tuesday on the "Today" show, she asked Palin about the disappointment Alaskans have expressed over her resignation.
"You haven't finished the job, some would say," said Mitchell.
"You're not listening to me, as to why I wouldn't be able to finish that final year in office without it costing the state millions of dollars and countless hours of wasted time," said Palin.
Palin says she wants to use her time differently now.
"I know that she's going to help other candidates that share her same values try to get elected -- in Alaska and probably in the Lower 48 as well," said Palin's husband Todd Palin.
But as for the book deal and a possible run for the White House, the Palins didn't provide many details about the future.
"We don't know what she's going to do right now," said Todd Palin.
And for the time being, Palin is catching fish -- and catching media attention.
Palin told Mitchell that fishing helps her to restore her soul, which is something she says she needed to do after her announcement Friday.
The Anchorage Daily News was in attendance in Bristol Bay Monday, but only because they found out that national media were getting a chance to interview Palin and they demanded access.
Channel 2 has made repeated requests to the Palin administration for interviews with the governor since her resignation, but an interview has not yet been granted.
Contact Rhonda McBride at rmcbride@ktuu.com
