Palin says her views represent "common-sense" conservative values, rather than "extreme" conservative values. (Eric Sowl/KTUU-DT) |
Channel 2 News: Just watching the crowds here today, cheering "Sarah 2012, president." Now you say it's not on your radar, but it's clearly on the radar of a lot of people. When people say ‘Sarah, you're going to be our next president', what do you say?
Sarah Palin: You know, I don't think that they're necessarily looking at me as an individual, just as that hockey mom from Alaska; they're looking for a voice, though. They are looking for someone who has the energy and the backbone to stand up for the everyday, hard-working American who just wants government back on their side.
They want common-sense conservative solutions to health care challenges, and to the growing deficit and debt in our nation. They want a very strong military, strong national defense. And I think some of them are looking at me right now as kind of a representation of that. But I know that I don't have to have that title or any title in order to make that difference and to support others who perhaps will be in office at that point to make that difference."
Channel 2 News: You said when you left office that one of the reasons you were doing it was because you could help Alaska more out of office, four months later do you still feel that is true?
Sarah Palin: Absolutely, more so than ever. And you know I think it was quite unfortunate those shackles there of the bureaucracy that were created by the adversaries, by the opposition playing this political game of personal destruction is what the adversaries were really engaged in up there with the false charges and the lawsuits and the ethics violations charges.
That was all so nonsensical, that Todd and I both said ‘Wait a minute, how are we helping Alaska, the state that we so dearly love, by allowing that opposition to shackle us and to hold our administration back, and to cost the state millions of dollars and thousands of staff hours to fight those false charges? Let's not let them win. Let's hand the reigns over to Sean Parnell, who's going to plow through this.'
His agenda is my agenda, and without the distractions, then Alaska will progress. So I know that Todd and I made the right decision there. And I know that we're going to be able to help Alaska in the Lower 48 and of course, in our state. People in Alaska need to realize too that the issues in Alaska are American issues-- energy independence that the Lower 48 is so counting on Alaska to produce, in that context, and national security issues that so affect Alaska. You know, we're all one big nation, and me being in-state and out-of-state to work on those things, it's going to be good for the 49th state.
Channel 2 News: So you see yourself, next year, the 2010 elections coming up, campaigning for like-minded candidates in the Lower 48?
Sarah Palin: Campaigning for candidates who understand Alaska and the position that we are in, and the contributions that we are to be making. Yeah, I'm not going to campaign for candidates who have any kind of anti-Alaska agenda. I'm going to continue to promote our state and our resource development and the same policies that we have up there when it comes to resource development, plus the pro-environment agenda that we have in Alaska. I'll campaign for issues and for people who get it.
Channel 2 News: Will we see you campaigning for Alaska candidates up north in The Great Land?"
Sarah Palin: Probably, probably. Like, you know, Sean Parnell running again, he'd better be running again. I'm going to be campaigning for him because his agenda, again, is the right thing for Alaska as he wants to slow down the rate of government growth there too and ramp up resource development. I'll campaign for him and others who are on the right track.
Channel 2 News: You supported the conservative candidate in that New York House 23 race, over the Republican candidate. Some people have said conservatives are trying to get rid of the moderate part of the Republican Party and pull the party right, is that's what's happening? Is that what you're doing?
Sarah Palin: No. First in that race, in New York 23, the Republican was more liberal than the Democrat in the race, so, you know, you didn't have a choice, really. Then, you have this underdog, this guy Doug Hoffman, who comes out of nowhere, under-funded, not well-known, but he had the right positions, and he said ‘Hey, I'm willing to give it a try. I'm offering myself up in the name of service.'
Somebody asked me about it, I said, ‘Sounds good. I'd support that guy.' And then that became that issue of my support. But, what I like about the Republican Party, and I'm not obsessively partisan, but what I love about the Republican Party, is we do get out in our primaries. We're not like a bunch of sheep with this herd mentality and how dare we have healthy competition and debate within a primary, and I think the other ticket is more along those lines.
Republicans, like in sports, understand that healthy competition makes you work harder, makes you produce more. And it's not a matter of trying to get rid of moderates within the party, it's just finding the best candidate through, yeah, some healthy debate and kind of duking it out in the primary. And that's how that person with the right values and the right positions, will surface, and then voters, fairly, will have a good choice."
Channel 2 News: Getting back to you and the presidential race, it's still too early to call, but I've heard your opponents say, ‘If she runs, if she's the head of the GOP ticket, that's an automatic win for the Democrats. She's like Barry Goldwater in '64, an ultra-conservative candidate that can't win'. What would you say to that?
Sarah Palin: You know it's funny that I would be characterized as this ultra-conservative candidate. I think it's a very common-sense conservative agenda that I have. And it's quite simple too. And that's what drives people crazy is I'm going to talk simply about it.
And a lot of politicians want to convolute things, and politicize things and make things more complicated for the voter than they need to be, and there's an agenda behind that. But, it's a common-sense conservative agenda that I have. It's just believing more in the inherent power and intelligence and value of the individual, in the small business, and a family, than in government. And if that's an ultra-extreme conservative agenda, then so be it. To me it's just common sense.
Channel 2 News: All right, so you went from being a relatively unknown Alaska Governor, to a political superstar. How has that been for you? How do you handle that kind of transition? Everybody wants a piece of Sarah Palin now.
Sarah Palin: You know, think how easy it is for me to be grounded and stay grounded. I'm exactly the same person as I was 20-some years ago when I got to work with you at Channel 2 as I am today. And, the kids keep me grounded. They keep everything in perspective. They don't give a hoot about some of the crap that goes on kind of on the periphery of what I and my family are engaged in right now.
And, you know, my perspective comes from having, I think, the right priorities. It's family and it's faith and it's freedom, loving this country. So it's not hard to stay grounded at all."
Channel 2 News: All right Sarah Palin, I know you're busy. Thank you so much taking the time…
Sarah Palin: Thank you so much, I'm glad that you were here. Thanks.
Channel 2 News: Thank you very much.
Contact John Carpenter at jcarpenter@ktuu.com
