Alaska Politics Blog

This is the place to talk about Alaska politics -- state, local, national. Public life in the Last Frontier has probably never been more interesting than right now -- the governor as candidate for vice president, the broad and still-evolving corruption investigation, a big election, powerful members of Congress under scrutiny, and the usual hardball Alaska politics. Come here for news, tidbits and information, and join the discussion. Keep your comments civil and on point. Avoid personal attacks. Do not use profanity. Posts that violate the Terms of Use will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be banned.


Erika Bolstad

Erika Bolstad covers Alaska issues, including the congressional delegation, from Washington, D.C., for McClatchy Newspapers. Before joining the bureau in 2007, she spent seven years as a reporter at the Miami Herald, where she covered politics, government and the state legislature. E-mail Erika at ebolstad@adn.com.

Sean Cockerham

Sean Cockerham writes about Alaska state politics. He spent three years based in Juneau for the ADN before joining the Tacoma News-Tribune to write about Washington state politics. He went to Iraq twice for the News Tribune, and previously wrote about Alaska government and politics for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. E-mail Sean at scockerham@adn.com

Kyle Hopkins

Kyle Hopkins covers politics and other stories for the ADN. He covered the 2006 campaign for governor, has blogged extensively about Alaska politics, covered Anchorage city government and was a reporter based in the Mat-Su. He grew up in Southeast Alaska and previously was a reporter at the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and Anchorage Press. E-mail Kyle at khopkins@adn.com

SECTION

Alaska political corruption

The FBI raided state legislatures offices in Aug. 2006, and the fallout since has been epic in Alaska's political world.

Bob Poe running for governor - 1/7/2009 1:50 pm

Before the storm - Palin e-mails from Aug. 27 - 1/7/2009 12:07 pm

Reid on punishment for Stevens - 1/7/2009 7:32 am

Polling on Palin vs. Murkowski - 1/6/2009 3:24 pm

Citgo 'suspends' free heating oil program - 1/5/2009 2:37 pm

Palin's comments on first grandchild - 12/31/2008 4:35 pm

Suicide council audit - 12/30/2008 9:11 pm

Son of Snowzilla - 12/30/2008 8:55 pm

'People' editor: No deal for baby photos. Yet. - 12/30/2008 1:12 pm

'Baby Name Bible' - 12/29/2008 8:14 pm

Anchorage Mayor: Begich out, Claman in Jan. 3 - 12/26/2008 12:40 pm

No trash power? (Plus: School board pay) - 12/26/2008 11:22 am

PETA's beef with Palin - 12/24/2008 12:02 pm

"The opportunities that were not seized." - 12/22/2008 1:48 pm

Palin's next big speech? - 12/22/2008 12:37 pm

Here we go - a look at potential 2010 election matchups (and Palin popularity) - 12/20/2008 1:42 pm

Hawker to Palin: Try again - 12/19/2008 5:11 pm

Video: Palin on salary, energy plan - 12/19/2008 9:58 am

Walt Monegan is planning to run for mayor - 12/18/2008 4:40 pm

Covering Juneau - 12/17/2008 5:07 pm

Palin says no to raise; energy plan delayed - 12/17/2008 2:19 pm

Meyer joins majority, gets LB&A (Updated with McGuire, Menard joining too) - 12/16/2008 5:45 pm

Heart to Palin: Stop using our song.

From Sean Cockerham in St. Paul --

The 1977 hit "Barracuda" by rock group Heart was Sarah Palin's theme song at the Republican National Convention. It' a nod to the fact that Palin was known as "Sarah Barracuda" when she played basketball at Wasilla High School.

Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart aren't happy. Here's the statement they sent out today, as posted on EW.com and a bunch of other web sites.

"Sarah Palin's views and values in NO WAY represent us as American women. We ask that our song 'Barracuda' no longer be used to promote her image. The song 'Barracuda' was written in the late 70s as a scathing rant against the soulless, corporate nature of the music business, particularly for women. (The 'barracuda' represented the business.) While Heart did not and would not authorize the use of their song at the RNC, there's irony in Republican strategists' choice to make use of it there."


  5     September 6, 2008 - 2:38am | citcate

Barracuda

Sarah Palin is flaunting her high school nickname, barracuda. Well, here is a definition from the Online Dictionary for the slang usage of the word, "vicious, greedy". Hmmmmm

  September 8, 2008 - 3:02am | wildbill3

Hmmmm

When you post the expression "Hmmmm" you lead one to believe that you are thinking. That however is obviously not the case.

  September 6, 2008 - 9:28am | deryck_87

Vicious

Hahahaha well if you have been paying attention to what she has been doing in this great state, she has been viciously helping out the people, but I haven't noticed anything GREEDY about her. Big deal she likes her nickname from high school. If you ask me all this shit being said about her and her family sounds like a bunch of bullshit high school drama.

  September 6, 2008 - 4:37pm | heatherkaye72

The people??

And what exactly deryck_87 has she done for the people of Alaska? She talks about America not having to rely on foreign oil...but yet she hired a company from CANADA to build a pipeline. Who do you think processes your beloved PFD application? NOT anyone in Alaska...we outsource to CANADA for that.

  September 8, 2008 - 3:00am | wildbill3

Well you better

jump all the democrats on that one then, because they and the republicans voted together on the pipeline issue. In fact, most Alaskans seem to be happy with the arraignment .Personally I would have preferred an "all American" company, but the legislature and the administration determined that the Canada firm gave us the best deal. So, I guess you must vote them all out of office... oh yea, you can't do that can you? Everyone else seems to be happy with the arrangement. To bad for you.

  September 6, 2008 - 5:38pm | n0se

She also hired......

....MCB Communications of Needham, Massachusetts to sell Alaska's gas pipeline to the Lower 48.

  September 7, 2008 - 7:19pm | dchacon2

Pipeline not consumer good

Palin administration and you need to understand a fundamental fact: Pipelines are not "sold" like the latest fashion in shoes. Pipelines are either needed or not and economic or not. Granted, the process of planning for and constructing a pipeline is much more complex - largely because of risk. But Palin understands nothing as complex as risk.

  4     September 5, 2008 - 7:25pm | n0se

i found this on a server in berkeley

HEart Barracuda

i like frank and moon's Valley Girl myself

  3     September 5, 2008 - 6:03pm | robindevoe

Nice going Heart

But they should have said "Use it all you want -- the lyrics certainly are fitting to the Republican nature."

(((BTW, saw Heart at an outdoor concert in Arizona in the late 80's -- they were good.)))

  2     September 5, 2008 - 10:32am | katie_doe

Good for Ann and Nancy Wilson

"Sarah Palin's views and values in NO WAY represent us as American women."

They're obviously smart and informed women.

  September 9, 2008 - 7:34pm | Hooks20

Good for Ann and Nancy Wilson

You go girls!!
From all I have read Sarah Palin's views and VALUES in no way represent most women in our country.
Not a very good example for her family either. Evidently her family don't count much to her or at least come first to her.
This North Carolina girl don't see a whole lot like her.

  1     September 5, 2008 - 8:38am | I_am_Spartacus

Lyrics

The chorus from Barracuda:

"If the real thing don’t do the trick
No, you better make up something quick
You gonna burn burn burn burn it to the wick
Ooooooohhhh, barra barracuda."

That's probably NOT the message Sarah wants to send.

  September 5, 2008 - 11:58am | Skeptical

Didn't SDog post this last night?

at least credit the guy in your footnote...

  September 5, 2008 - 10:51am | Emperor

Probably not...

....but it's accurate.

  October 30, 2008 - 1:30am | megal_i

han] You can download to

han]

You can download to ipod shuffle without itunes(sync to ipod without itunes) or transfer windows to ipod without itunes.

  September 5, 2008 - 9:04am | robc907

Oh,

SNAP!