Posted by Jed Lewison on Tue Sep 2, 2008 at 5:34 AM Pacific

John McCain's 'Alaska First' Problem

Update, 12:57PM: For the record, the McCain camp is now denying any involvement by Palin in the AIP, and while it is apparently true that she was not technically registered with the AIP,  the McCain camp's blanket denial is impossible to square with this video. Update 2, 2:35PM: The state of Alaska now confirms that Todd Palin was in fact a member of the AIP until 2002, when Palin first ran for statewide office. Update 3, 2:40PM: CNN reports that Sarah Palin also addressed the AIP by video in 2006 as well as 2008.

::: :::

Original post: Building on the great research of Liz Arnett and others, I've edited together a video showing why Sarah Palin's past membership in and current ties to the secessionist Alaskan Independence Party is going to be such a big problem for John McCain.

Here's the key details:

  • In March, 2008, Sarah Palin recorded a video welcoming the convention of the secessionist Alaskan Independence Party (AIP), saying "we have a great promise to be a self-sufficient state, made up of the hardest working, most grateful Americans in our nation."
  • In October, 2007, Dexter Clark, the AIP's vice chairman, was recorded on video saying that Palin had been a registered member of the AIP before switching to the GOP to be viable.
  • In the same video, Clark says "the Federal goverment is just plain a monster" and "we don't say we are Americans, we say we are Alaskans."
  • Clark's comments were delivered at "The Second North American Secessionist Convention" in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
  • AIP's motto is "Alaska First. Alaska Always."

Big kudos to Arnett, who was the first to uncover Palin's ties to the AIP. georgia10 kept the heat on, and now both Jake Tapper and Marc Ambinder have covered the story.

John McCain's 'Alaska First' Problem

Update, 12:57PM: For the record, the McCain camp is now denying any involvement by Palin in the AIP, and while it is apparently true that she was not technically registered with the AIP,  the McCain camp's blanket denial is impossible to square with this video. Update 2, 2:35PM: The state of Alaska now confirms that Todd Palin was in fact a member of the AIP until 2002, when Palin first ran for statewide office. Update 3, 2:40PM: CNN reports that Sarah Palin also addressed the AIP by video in 2006 as well as 2008.

::: :::

Original post: Building on the great research of Liz Arnett and others, I've edited together a video showing why Sarah Palin's past membership in and current ties to the secessionist Alaskan Independence Party is going to be such a big problem for John McCain.

Here's the key details:

  • In March, 2008, Sarah Palin recorded a video welcoming the convention of the secessionist Alaskan Independence Party (AIP), saying "we have a great promise to be a self-sufficient state, made up of the hardest working, most grateful Americans in our nation."
  • In October, 2007, Dexter Clark, the AIP's vice chairman, was recorded on video saying that Palin had been a registered member of the AIP before switching to the GOP to be viable.
  • In the same video, Clark says "the Federal goverment is just plain a monster" and "we don't say we are Americans, we say we are Alaskans."
  • Clark's comments were delivered at "The Second North American Secessionist Convention" in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
  • AIP's motto is "Alaska First. Alaska Always."

Big kudos to Arnett, who was the first to uncover Palin's ties to the AIP. georgia10 kept the heat on, and now both Jake Tapper and Marc Ambinder have covered the story.

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