Going Rogue: An American Life (123 page)

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Going Rogue

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(maintaining that she already had a car), and dismissing her state-provided securiry furce (never mentioning-I imagine-that she was packing heat herself). I’m still waiting to hear the names of those other governors. 4. Even with her much-ridiculed “gosh and golly” mannerisms, she managed to put together a totally new approach to getting a natural gas pipeline builr that will be the biggest private construction project in the history of North America. No one else could do it even if they tried. If that doesn’t impress you, you’re trying too hard to be unimpressed while watching her do things like this while baking up a batch of brownies with her other hand.

5. For thirty years, Exxon held a lease to do exploratory drilling ar a place called Point Thomson. It made excuses the entire time for why it couldn’t start drilling. In truth it was holding it as an investment. No governor for thirty years could make it get started. This summer, she ,told Exxon she was revoking its lease and kicking it out. It protested and threatened court action. She shrugged and reminded them that she knew the way to the courthouse. Alaska won again.

6. President Obama wants the nation to be on 25 percent renewable resources for electricity by 2025. Sarah went to the legislature and submitted her plan for Alaska to be at 50 percent renewable by 2025. We are already at 25

percent. I can give you more specifics about things done, as opposed to style and persona. Everybody wants to be cool, sound cool, look cool. But that’s just a cover-up.

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SARAH

PALIN

I’m still waiting to hear ftom liberals

names of other

governors who can match what mine has done in two and a half years. I won’t be holding my bteath.

By the way, she was content to teturn to Alaska aftet the national election and go to wotk, but the haters wouldn’t let her. Now, these adolescent scteechers ate obviously not scuba divers. And no one ever told them what happens when you continually jab and pestet a barracuda. Without warning, it will spin around and teat yout face off Shoulda known bettet.

DEWEY WHETSELL

Alaska

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Acknowledgments

I ‘mverygladthiswritingexerciseisover.Ilovetowrite,but not about myself I’m thankful now to have kept journals about Alaska and my friends and family ever since I was a little girl. That practice allowed an ordetly compilation ovet the past weeks and let me summarily wrap up ar leasr some of my life so far, but next time, the focus will not be on me. The people I’ll acknowledge here are more interesting and inspiring. I would much rather have written about
you:
Mom and Dad, Chuck, Heather, Kurt, Molly, Payton, Lauden, Karcher, Happy, Kier, McKinley, Heath, and Teko—thank you for centering me and joining me every step of the way. Come along for the test of the ride! And Lena,Jim and Faye, Bob and Blanche, Kristi, JD, D.D., and all of your families-Kasey, Kandice, Alex, Miranda, Denali, Tori, Brooks, Skyler, Camryn, and Isha-plus aunts and uncles and cousins on all sides, from the extended
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Acknowledgments

Sheeran clan to those with

rich Alaska Native bloodline that

flows across the Last Frontier, it’s a privilege to be part of this full, diverse, blended family.

To those who supported the efforts for this manuscript: atrorney Robert Barnett and the many folks at HarperCollins-Brian Murray, Michael Morrison, Jonathan Burnham, and my editor Adam Bellow: I appreciate the opportunity to write a book! (Next time may it be about everyone else?) Thank you for your advice, hard work, and dedication. Thanks as well to Lynn Vincent for her indispensable help in getting the words on paper. The skills of Lynn and Meghan Stapleton, and the assistance ofIvy Frye, Anita Palmer, and Kim Daniels helped in so many ways to communicate the message in a truly collaborative process. I want to focus on those who helped build the road that I’ve been traveling, starting with all my teachers coaches. Besides

parents, no one influences a child more than a teacher. Thank you for letting me love to learn. And now all of my
kids’
teachers and coaches-thanks for your patience with our unconventional schedules, and despite some political opinions held by their mom, thank you for mentoring and loving the Palin kids anyway. Thank you John Hernandez and John Carpenter for giving me a shot at sports reporting. You chiseled away an ice ceiling twenty-two years ago and let me in the locker room. Roberta Niver! And Karen, Tiffany, DeAnn, Dawn, Christy, Barb, Juanita, Danielle, and other friends-I couldn’t do a rhing without your generous help with the kids, and I can’t rhank you enough for the babysitting, carpooling, overnights, diaper changing, storybook reading, arts and crafts and entertainment for the crew. Plus, the Elite 6, and Judy and Adele and the Menards, Ketchums, Dorwin and Joanne Smith, Kristan Cole, Kris Perry, Tom Van Flein and Meg (along wirh your patient families). I love you, my friends, and thank you for your support.

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AcknowledgmentJ

To Todd’s Slope buddies-thanks for swapping work schedules and passing along the calls and messages all these years· in the Gathering Centers. Your hard work for industry in America is unsurpassed. Todd misses you already.