Patti Higgins, chair of the Alaska Democratic Party (Mike Nederbrock/KTUU-TV) |
Palin received enthusiastic applause at the four campaign events she attended. But here at home the governor faced partisan criticism for her absence.
"We need checks and balances in Washington, D.C.," Palin said. "Re-electing Saxby will provide the checks and balances that are needed for our democracy."
Alaska Democratic Party Chair Patti Higgins criticized Palin for her absence, and for engaging in partisan politics far from Alaska after her two-month absence as a candidate for vice president.
"I mean really, is the governor going to qualify for the PFD? I think she's been gone that long," Higgins said. "My main complaint is the governor is not here, she's not doing her job, she's not doing what we paid her for, she's not living up to her promise to be our governor."
Higgins claims Palin is not focusing enough on Alaska issues -- such as high gas prices and the migration of Bush residents to Anchorage.
Bill McAllister, Palin's spokesperson, disagreed.
"I think that the Democrats are seizing upon what is a normal lack of external activity in state government to suggest the governor is not working," McAllister said. "In fact, all of you who have covered this process know that this was the calm outwardly before the unveiling of all the initiatives and the budget, which always occur in December."
The unveiling of initiatives will begin Thursday, McAllister said, with health care highlighted that day. Palin's stumping in Georgia is her first partisan absence since the election, he said.
Palin will be in Philadelphia for a meeting Tuesday between governors and President-elect Barack Obama, a meeting McAllister says she would attend with or without the side trip to Georgia.
It's unknown if Palin and Obama will meet one-on-one. She said last week she hoped to speak with him about Alaska energy projects.
Contact Jason Moore at jmoore@ktuu.com
