Palin's Record Shows Flexibility

Sarah Palin has quickly become known as hard-nosed conservative since being chosen the GOP’s VP candidate, but her political record shows that she has at times bent her ideology to achieve goals, the Wall Street Journal reports. Though staunchly pro-life, as governor she infuriated pro-lifers when she refused to tack anti-abortion measures to the coattails of one to build a high-priority Alaskan oil pipeline.

And while she showed classic fiscal-conservative zeal for cutting taxes both as mayor and governor, she also essentially raised taxes on energy firms when revising a oil production deal. She also asked Wasilla voters for a half-percent sales tax increase to build a hockey rink, a project its manager said she single-handedly pushed through: "Other people would talk about having a sports complex for years, and they'd still be talking about it if Sarah Palin hadn't come along and built it for them." (More Sarah Palin stories.)