Can the Left Make the AIP Story Stick? — UPDATED
By Alan Stewart Carl | Related entries in Alaska, Barack, PalinDoes Sarah Palin have an affiliation with the Alaska Independence Party? Some AIP members say she does, but the McCain campaign says she has never been a part of that group. Right now, there appears to be little proof of her affiliation. Given that Alaska is smaller in population than most major American cities, I’d expect Palin’s path to have crossed with the group from time to time. For me to believe she’s ever shared or currently shares AIP’s secessionist views, I’ll need some concrete evidence.
Lack of such evidence will certainly not stop Barack Obama’s supporters from pushing the story. A complete lack of evidence that Obama shares the belief system of William Ayers hasn’t stopped conservatives from pushing that story. And in today’s political world of “two wrongs make a right†I don’t expect the AIP story to go away.
However, the Ayers controversy brings up an important point. Do Obama supporters really want to get into a “whose anti-American affiliations are worse†debate? After all, I don’t believe the AIP has done anything criminal unlike Mr. Ayers. And, if history is any indicator, the right is proficient at winning any debate about who’s more American. The left should be careful with this AIP story. Rumor and hearsay about Palin’s affiliations are probably not going to be enough to make the story stick in any influential way.
UPDATE: Reports now inidcate that Sarah Palin’s husband was a member of the AIP but records indicate Palin herself never was. Spouses are usually fair game in elections. We’ll see how this plays.
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September 2nd, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Doesn’t matter if they can make it stick. With the left, it never has. They’re throwing darts in a courtroom of public opinion. To them, the mere mention of a scandal is the same as it being true.
Won’t they ever learn?
September 2nd, 2008 at 3:55 pm
In this election season, I disagree, Alan. Yes, we want to throw down with Republicans any time we get the chance. We are collectively sick of them and their games. These are the people who attack war heroes as unpatriotic. I don’t think they’ll win these fights this year.
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:09 pm
This sort of stuff is extremely tedious for the non-partisans. It’s one thing if there’s really something to it. But when it’s no more than the sum of
“let’s interpret this in the worst way possible”
and
6 degrees of Kevin Bacon
then it’s just a waste of time for reasonable folks. We’ve got no real evidence Palin is or was sympatico with secessionist goals. Suppose she gave a speech and tried to draw into the mainstream process a misguided group that nevertheless has some decent insights. That sounds like a very reasonable thing to do.
Michael, I don’t see what this has to do with the G)P pointing out that John Kerry is a record-plumping douche. I’m all for tit-for-tat, but in this case there does not, at this point, seem to be anything to this. What’s the point in hurling rash charges with little or no basis when the baselessness is bound to come clearly to light?
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Palin registered as a republican once she decided to run for city council, but numerous AIP folks say she and her husband were active in the AIP before that, and he remained in the AIP after she ran as a republican. Witnesses put them at at least one AIP convention. AIP is founded on hatred for the US, and suggests that its members be active in the two major parties as well and infiltrate them to push the AIP agenda. If Obama’s serving on a board with a former terrorist is enough for the terrorists to brand him as a terrorists, this is enough to convict Palin of being a traitor.
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Here’s her video for the AIP.
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:15 pm
This is a recording of the founder of the AIP, someone still revered by the party.
And here is an article by ABC’s Jake Tapper.
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Somehow I just don’t think that anyone who writes this
can really say anything about what reasonable people think.
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Jim how does that prove she was in AIP?
She calls them her “competition” and talks about shared vision of upholding the Alaska constitution.
I don’t see anything bad about a candidate who actually welcomes third parties.
Also this whole secessionist stuff is overblown. This is the top 2 of their platform.
# To effect full compliance with the constitutions of the United States of America and the State of Alaska.
# To support and defend States’ Rights, Individual Rights, Property Rights, and the Equal Footing Doctrine as guaranteed by the constitutions of the United States of America and the state of Alaska.
They are just the state Constitution Party that has some added history of once being secessionist. The only big thing that is controversial is that they would like a vote that they feel the citizens of Alaska should have had.
1) Remain a Territory.
2) Become a separate and Independent Nation.
3) Accept Commonwealth status.
4) Become a State.
But it’s not even on their platform just their website goals.
And Gary, look how little traction the Ayers association has gotten. I suspect the same with this.
September 2nd, 2008 at 11:08 pm
To effect full compliance with the constitutions of the United States of America and the State of Alaska.
Actually that could use some clarification. What constitution are they talking about? The constitution of 1791 in its original form? The one we have now? Simply saying i am for the constitution is a total oversimplification of the arguments about how to interpret the constitution. Being for strict adherence to the original constitution is not something i would be so cool with. Slavery should not make a comeback, nor should women lose the vote and i like directly electing my senators.
states rights lost.
September 2nd, 2008 at 11:26 pm
[...] « Can the Left Make the AIP Story Stick? — UPDATED [...]
September 3rd, 2008 at 8:18 am
Gaucho,
Why would you parse words like that??
Which consititution?? It spells it out clearly. The consitiutions of the United States and the State of Alaska.
Do elected officials have the option of selecting to uphold the “1791 constitution” or the “constitution, including all of the amendments”, or can they pick and choose? Can an elected official who thinks prohibition was a good thing really say, “I’ll uphold and defend the consitution, with all ammendments except for #21″???
Quite being a dork.
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:04 am
What’s not relevant about being married to a secessionist?
The GOP is the party of “Country before party” and a previous Republician president , far from giving them well wishes as “good competition” waged war on secessionist rebels and tried their leaders for treason: that would be Abraham Lincoln.
Who represents the Republician party’s values now? Abraham Lincoln or Jefferson Davis?
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:37 am
AIP’s ultimate goal is to break from the USA. To some that translates to treason, and conflicts with McCain’s “Country First†argument. We know her husband was a member, that fact is documented. And while some argue if she was or wasn’t a member, she did address the AIP (about 6 months ago) and offered them encouragement, which is available for all to see online. Encouraging and praising an organization that some view as treason?? That is like saying you aren’t a card carrying member of the KKK and then letting someone video tape a speech where you say “keep up the good work boys!â€
September 9th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Palin married an AIP member (and involved him in her executive deliberations – per the privilege log), her political mentor is a current AIP member (former gov. per Newsweek), 2 AIP party leaders independently said she was a longtime member (before McCain denied it, and they claimed to have been confused), she attended several of their conventionso over the years, spoke live at one, and sent a video message “keep up the good work” this year. McCain’s denial just doesn’t pass the smell test.