Sarah Palin on Civil Rights Republican Governor (AK); 2008 nominee for Vice President

1996: Disapproved of gay-parent books in public library

Sarah asked, "What would your response be if I asked you to remove some books from the collection?" Emmons said she would refuse. "So you would object to my censorship?"

"Yup," Emmons replied, "and it wouldn't be just me. It would be a constitutional question, and the ACLU would probably get involved."

"But suppose people were circling the library protesting about a book?"

" I will fight anybody who dictates what books can go on the selves," Emmons said.

2006: No choice but to comply with same-sex partner benefits

Sarah believed that a strong anti-gay turnout on a referendum on same sex benefits would pressure legislators into placing the constitutional amendment on the 2008 general election ballot. She therefore pushed the referendum bill through legislature, even setting aside $1.2 million to cover its cost. This was more than four times the amount that had been paid in benefits to the fewer than the 100 same-sex couples who qualified.

The referendum that Sarah hoped would lead to a constitutional amendment to deny health benefits to gay partners of the state employees won by a six point margin [but never led to an Amendment].

Women's movement was "seat at table"; now "control table"

Americans understand that the rise of the mama grizzlies is a healthy development, not just for women but for our country. It's the women's movement coming full circle, from demanding a seat at the table to sharing control of the table to provide a better future for our kids.

I am a feminist, and grateful beneficiary of Title IX

Slavery in Constitution was a lasting shame for a century

America follows faith in how we treat special needs kids

All the great religions call on us to follow the Golden Rule: to treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves. One of the best ways America follows this faith in a secular way is in the treatment we give to individuals with special needs. Without so much as mentioning religion, we strive to treat these most vulnerable members of our society the way we ourselves would like to be treated.

We could always do more, but America says a lot about itself in the way we support these amazing families. Not just with laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, but in our private lives; in countless individual gestures in countless communities, our faith-rooted values are put to work to help special kids and adults.

2008: Increased McCain's popularity among women by 20%

Donations and volunteers spiked up. Cable and radio could talk of little else but Sarah Palin. According to one poll, McCain's standing among white women had improved by a net twenty points (from 50-42 behind Obama to 53-41 ahead) in the blink of an eye. On Sep. 10, McCain & Palin appeared together in Virginia. 15,000 people swarmed--little girls wearing "STRONG WOMEN VOTE MCCAIN-PALIN" T-shirts, their mothers chanting, "Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!"

Since the moment Palin's selection was announced, Obama and his people had been struggling to calibrate a response to her and the variables she injected into the campaign. In Palin, the Obamans were confronting something with which they had no experience

College roommate openly lives in same-sex marriage

Respected court ruling allowing same-sex state benefits

I support the traditional definition of marriage. One man & one woman to make a marriage. And I don't support efforts that can lead to changing that definition.

But on this issue in Alaska, the court was the lawful interpreter of the state Constitution. The promise I had made when being sworn into office was to uphold the Constitution. That meant I would be bound by the judiciary's ruling. So when conservatives in the legislature passed a bill that would prohibit state benefits for same-sex couples, the court ruled it unconstitutional, so I vetoed it.

A few angry lawmakers visited my office, outraged that I hadn't bucked the court. A couple of them said I should have been willing to go to jail over the issue.

And if the people want to amend the Constitution via referendum, I told the lawmakers, they have the right to battle it out and do so.

Criticism of $150K wardrobe was deliberately sexist

I never asked stylists to purchase clothes; many of the items were never worn; and in the end the wardrobe items were all returned. It certainly wasn't true that I or my family had been on any kind of "big-time shopping trips."

I didn't care so much about the petty potshots because I knew they weren't true. But my family was made to look like a herd of hillbillies who had come to the big city and started living high on the hog, and that hurt me for them. My family is frugal.

And many wondered at the same time why no other candidates were being asked a thing about their hair, makeup or clothes. [One analyst suggested] this is deliberately sexist.

Fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

"There are the world's standards of perfection, and then there are God's, and these are the final measure," I said. "And the truest measure of any society is how it treats those who are most vulnerable." I went on to discuss specific policies a McCain-Palin administration would implement for special needs kids. For example, we would reprioritize some of the $18 billion a year Congress spends on its pork projects and instead fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. "We're going to get our federal priorities straight and fulfill our country's commitment to give every child opportunity and hope in life."

First female mayor of Wasilla; first female governor of AK

Doubtless, the 2008 presidential election will be known as one of the most startling examples of electoral politics yet witnessed in our country's history. While one major party nominated the first African American for the nation's highest office, its rival party selected its first female for the nation's vice president. Regardless of the outcome, this moment in political history marks a time of unprecedented change, as barriers of gender and race once thought impenetrable shatter into millions of pieces.

Non-support of anything but traditional marriage

BIDEN: Absolutely positively. Absolutely no distinction from a legal standpoint between a same-sex and a heterosexual couple. That’s only fair.

Q: Would you support expanding that beyond Alaska to the rest of the nation?

PALIN: Well, not if it goes closer and closer towards redefining the traditional definition of marriage between one man and one woman. And unfortunately that’s sometimes where those steps lead. I don’t support defining marriage as anything but between one man and one woman, and I think through nuances we can go round and round about what that actually means. I’m being as straight up with Americans as I can in my non- support for anything but a traditional definition of marriage.

Q: Let’s try to avoid nuance. Do you support gay marriage?

BIDEN: No. We do not support that. That is a decision to be able to be left to faiths.

PALIN: My answer is the same as his and it is that I do not.

I’m a feminist; equal rights for women

A: I do. I’m a feminist who believes in equal rights and I believe that women certainly today have every opportunity that a man has to succeed and to try to do it all anyway. And I’m very, very thankful that I’ve been brought up in a family where gender hasn’t been an issue.

Q: What is your definition of a feminist?

A: Someone who believes in equal rights. Someone who would not stand for oppression against women.

Equal pay for equal work; but not Ledbetter Act

A: I’m absolutely for equal pay for equal work. The Ledbetter pay act--it was gonna turn into a boon for trial lawyers who, I believe, could have taken advantage of women who [would] allege discrimination many, many years ago. Thankfully, there are laws on the books, there have been since 1963, that no woman could be discriminated against in the workplace in terms of anything, but especially in terms of pay. So, thankfully we have the laws on the books and they better be enforced.

Q: Why should a fear of lawsuits trump a woman’s ability to do something about the fact that women make 77 cents for every dollar a man makes?

A: There should be no fear of a lawsuit prohibiting a woman from making sure that the laws that are on the books today are enforced. I know in a McCain-Palin administration we will not stand for any measure that would result in a woman being paid less than a man for equal work.

Hillary put 18 million cracks in glass ceiling

Would like support from women’s groups, but won’t woo them

A: I don’t know, that’s their prerogative though. Again, this campaign is about very important issues that are not necessarily gender specific. Certainly, I would love to have their support, but I’m not going to change my positions in order to try to woo them over. Don’t have time to do that. We’re moving forward on a ticket of reform.

Vetoed bill denying benefits to gays, as unconstitutional

ADA brings expanded freedom to Americans with disabilities

• WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is one of the most compassionate and successful civil rights laws in American history. In the 18 years since the ADA was signed into law, more people with disabilities are participating fully in our society than ever before.
• WHEREAS, for the last 18 years the ADA has sought to ensure that people with disabilities are respected as equal citizens with equal opportunities: to access inclusive education, achieve gainful employment, and fully participate in the recreational, leisure, and social activities of our communities.
• NOW, THEREFORE, I, Sarah Palin, Governor of the state of Alaska, do hereby proclaim July 26, 2008, as 18th Anniversary of the ADA in Alaska, and encourage public officials, business leaders, people with disabilities, and all Alaskans to pursue the ADA’s full promise of equal opportunity and to celebrate the expanded freedom that the ADA has brought to our way of life.

Recognize Juneteenth to celebrate the end of slavery

• WHEREAS, Juneteenth is an annual holiday commemorating the ending of slavery--the oldest celebration of its kind. Its roots go back to June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce the war’s end and that all slaves were now free. That news took two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which had become official January 1, 1863.
• WHEREAS, today, Juneteenth is a day, a week, and in some areas, a month that is set aside to celebrate African American freedom.
• WHEREAS, in cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities, & religions are joining together to celebrate this extremely important historical event.
• NOW, THEREFORE, I, Sarah Palin, Governor of the state of Alaska, do hereby proclaim June 21, 2008, as Juneteenth Day in Alaska, and encourage all Alaskans to reflect on the importance of this celebration, and encourage citizens to take part in the events taking place in your communities.

HIV/AIDS among Alaska Natives is public health crisis

• WHEREAS, American Indians and Alaska Natives have experienced a long history of a lower health status, which includes a lower life expectancy and higher disease occurrence than other racial/ethnic groups due to inadequate health education, disproportionate poverty, discrimination in the delivery of health care services, and access to quality health care.
• WHEREAS, the spread of HIV/AIDS virus among American Indians & Alaska Natives poses a significant risk to the public health and well-being of these communities.
• WHEREAS, the status of HIV/AIDS epidemic among American Indians & Alaska Natives is a public health crisis that requires a focused national effort as well as tribal effort to bring attention to the prevention needs of Indigenous people.
• NOW THEREFORE, I, Gov. Sarah Palin, do hereby proclaim March 20, 2008, as: Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in Alaska, and ask the residents of Alaska to observe this day with appropriate programs and activities.

Recognize Martin Luther King holiday

• WHEREAS, as we observe the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we remember the dream of a great man--an American hero--and his message of social change through nonviolence.
• WHEREAS, Dr. King dedicated his life to empowering people, no matter their circumstances, and challenged them to lift up their neighbors and communities. He broke down barriers within our society by encouraging Americans to look past their differences and refused to rest until our Nation fulfilled its pledge of liberty & justice for all.
• WHEREAS, Alaskans will join volunteers across the nation who will celebrate Dr. King’s life & teachings by converting the holiday into a day of service, dedicated to meeting community needs.
• WHEREAS, yet more work remains In the words of Dr. King, “We will not be satisfied until ‘justice rolls down like waters & righteousness like a mighty stream.’”
• NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gov. Sarah Palin, do hereby proclaim Jan. 21, 2008, as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in Alaska.

Comply with same-sex partner benefits despite disagreement

In addition to adoption of the regulations, Governor Palin signed HB4002 today, which calls for a statewide advisory vote, proposed by the Legislature during its November special session. ”I disagree with the recent court decision because I feel as though Alaskans spoke on this issue with its overwhelming support for a Constitutional Amendment in 1998 which defined marriage as between a man and woman. But the Supreme Court has spoken and the state will abide.

Marriage only between one man and one woman

Value our cultural diversity

Prefers term “anti-rural” to “anti-Native”

When challenged by Lincoln, Palin changed her description of the e-mails from “anti-Native” to “anti-rural.”

“You’re changing your story right now!” Knowles said, tasting blood. The hour ended with Knowles saying Palin owed Lincoln an apology.

Special legislative session on same-sex health benefits

Ok to deny benefits to homosexual couples

Elected officials can’t defy the court when it comes to how rights are applied, she said, but she would support a ballot question that would deny benefits to homosexual couples. “I believe that honoring the family structure is that important,” Palin said. She said she doesn’t know if people choose to be gay.

No spousal benefits for same-sex couples

A: No, I believe spousal benefits are reserved for married citizens as defined in our constitution.

Top priorities include preserving definition of “marriage”

A: 1. Creating an atmosphere where parents feel welcome to choose the venues of education for their children.
2. Preserving the definition of “marriage” as defined in our constitution.
3. Cracking down on the things that harm family life: gangs, drug use, and infringement of our liberties including attacks on our 2nd Amendment rights.