Palin Changed Colleges 6 Times

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin vows to battle political boys' clubs, but her mayoral record shows that girls' clubs can be useful too, the AP reports. While mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, Palin accepted gifts from merchants—even thanking one for an "awesome" facial—and argued for rulings that favored her family. Other examples abound: A waiver eased the sale of her house, and tax breaks helped a snow machine shop she co-owned with her husband. More»

Candidate has moderated ideology to achieve goals

(NEWSER) - 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. More»

Campaign aims to do the opposite of McCain

(NEWSER) - Team Romney’s rule of thumb: Do the opposite of everything John McCain did in 2008, or so reports Politico in a look at the campaign's strategy. The approach applies broadly, say advisers—focus hugely on the economy, fully engage in fundraising, integrate early with the Republican National Committee—but comes most into play in the search for a VP. The campaign doesn’t want to end up with its own version of Sarah Palin, so it is going to great lengths to avoid anyone who could be seen as unprepared. The goal, according to one official: Go with an "incredibly boring white guy." More»

She revels in acting insulted

(NEWSER) - The driving force behind Sarah Palin’s political career is victimization, writes Thomas Frank in the Wall Street Journal: She’s “a collector of grievances” who “runs for high office by griping.” The complaining appeals to those who see a “trampling of Middle America by the ‘elites,’” and she’s been doing it since she became a national figure. In fact, “the template was apparently set even before her big roll-out.” More»

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin’s return to Alaska from the national stage was not a pretty one, the New York Times reports in a look at the series of personal problems and political missteps that led to her surprise resignation as governor. Beset by a suddenly hostile legislature, ethics investigations, and strains at home, Palin’s allies pleaded with her to spend more time with her family and build a home-state agenda centered around creating jobs. But Palin, never one to take direction, instead dove into public feuds with Levi Johnston and David Letterman. More»