Going Rogue: An American Life (72 page)

Afterward, in the rope line, I was moving through the crowd, shaking hands and signing posters and hats and shirrs, when I suddenly came to a stop. Standing on the other side of the rope were a

and two teenagets whom I could not miss. The

kids had Down syndrome. A boy and a girl.

“Hi, what’s your name?” I said to the girl, smiling. The girl stammered for a minute and finally managed to say,

“Sarah.”

“Sarah!” I said. “That’s my name, too! Ir’s so great to meet you, and we have the same name. Isn’r that amazing?” Then I turned to the boy, and my heart just

Trig’s face

flashed into my mind, and I thought,
This could be my son fifteen
years from now.

By then, Trig was going on five months old and we were still learning the ropes of having a child with Down syndrome. We were so enjoying this

guy with his just-happy-to-be-here

demeanor and his silly smiles, and watching him get stronger, chubbier, and more fun every day, just like any other baby. Still, we were curious about what was ahead. We were managing well with him as a baby, but what about a toddler? As a teenager?

I reached across the rope and laid my hand against the boy’s face. “Let me look at you,” I said. “I want to get a good look at how beautiful my Trig is going to grow up to be.”

.

249

.

SARAH

PALIN

8

John was a maverick, and he

he had picked me because in

many ways I’m wired the same. So early in the campaign, I called Bob Lester and Mark Colavecchio, talk radio hosts on KWHL in Anchorage. We used to call each other often, along with another great host, Eddie Burke, on a rival station, KBYR-when I had some state news to announce or when they had a hot topic to bounce atound on their shows.

,I had always had a fine relationship with the state and local media. They could call me up and within five minutes be up in my office to talk about any topic. Many repotters had my personal cell phone number, and I had theirs. That’s the way we operated. It helped us govern.

So, as the campaign bus barreled down a freeway somewhere in the middle of America, I punched up KWHL on speed dial.

“Hey, Bob, it’s Sarah!”

“Governor!” Bob said. “Good to hear from you! Finally!”

“Hey, I wanted to touch base, and I’ve gOt a true American hero sitting right here with me, and you should feel honored to hear him say hello. I’m going to put him on the line so he can say hi to Alaska.”

So I handed John the phone, and he was very funny and gracious and engaged in an upbeat, informative interview with KWHL and a whole lot of constituents.

Afterwatd, one

the campaign higher-ups told our staff,

“Don’t ever let her do that again.”

Oops.

It was a treat for Alaskans to hear from their governot’s friend, the top of the GOP ticket, but I suppose my handing John the phone with a radio host on the other end could be considered

•

252

•

Going Rogue

breaking rheir proper protocol. Since people did that ro me all through my time in public office, it didn’t seem particularly imptoper, especially fot a man whose campaign bus was called the

“Straight Talk Express.” That’s what John known fot-giving

the press incredible access and allowing them to ask him any question at any time.

I suspect it wasn’t that big a deal to John at all. But the lectures from on high began about my talking to the media, especially Alaska media. I told the campaign staff that part of my job as governor would be keeping in touch with

constituents via

local

contacts.

”Alaska has three electoral votes:’ Schmidt told me. “You don’t need to contact the Alaska media again.”

I would learn that this was typical of Schmidt. This was business, and I respected that aspect of personality. Not a

of camaradetie or rah-rah optimism. And that describes most othets in the ptofessional political caste. I was focused on meeting constituents every minute of the day and conducting State of Alaska business, so I didn’t pay much attention to what the paid opetatives wete doing and orchestrating. But I did notice that there was a jaded aura about some of them. Funny things that even Piper commented on-such as tumbling out of the bus in a pack, lighting cigarettes as they went so it looked like a walking smoke cloud with legs.

My Alaska spokeswoman, Meghan Stapleton, kept pushing for official campaign permission to grant interviews to the reportets 1’d been talking to at least weekly for years. Recognized for her intelligence, hard work, and political acumen, Meg had a huge following

her days on the ait in Anchorage, and I had never

met anyone like her. She had worked in

governor’s office, so

she knew my top priority was continuing to communicate with my constituents even during the national campaign.

•

253

•