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Todd Palin, husband of Sarah Palin: a 'true Alaskan' (L.A. Times Does a Positive Piece)
Los Angeles Times ^ | September 7, 2008 | Marjorie Miller

Posted on 09/07/2008 2:51:21 AM PDT by nickcarraway

A moose hunter, oil worker, snowmobile racer and hockey fan, 'first dude' Todd Palin is not a typical campaign spouse.

The quiet man standing next to Sarah Palin is nothing like the other three campaign spouses caught in the whirlwind of the presidential race, and not just because he's a man.

Todd Palin is a conservative, a moose hunter, an oil worker, a union man, a snowmobile racer, a hockey fan and a onetime backer of Alaskan independence. And in the frontier society of Alaska, his bona fides are not that unusual.

He's a "true Alaskan," said Ben Harrell, owner of the Mocha Moose cafe here.

Part Yupik Eskimo, Todd Palin is best known locally for winning the grueling 2,000-mile Tesoro Iron Dog snowmobile race four times.

In last year's race, 400 miles from the finish line he hit a snow-covered barrel that sent him flying from his machine. He broke his arm -- and still finished the race in fourth place.

"He's one of the more durable tough guys who just grits his teeth and gets through it," said his racing partner, Scott Davis. "Extremely competitive and determined."

In Wasilla -- population less than 10,000 -- Alaska's "first dude" is largely known as a hockey dad who has taken on more family responsibilities because of his wife's career as Alaska's governor and now the Republican candidate for vice president.

Over the years, Todd Palin has drawn criticism for allegedly sitting in on the governor's news briefings in her Juneau office and receiving some of her e-mails dealing with official business.

More seriously, the Legislature has launched an investigation into allegations that Todd and Sarah Palin tried to get her former brother-in-law fired from his job as a state trooper, claiming he'd threatened the family.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Alaska
KEYWORDS: 2008; alaska; firstdude; mccainpalin; palin; palinfamily; toddpalin
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1 posted on 09/07/2008 2:51:22 AM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway
In LA, where does a reporter get the lowdown on being Alaskan?

The Mocha Moose cafe of course! (Make it /w extra creme please)

2 posted on 09/07/2008 2:59:57 AM PDT by endthematrix
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To: nickcarraway
Todd Palin's snowmobile racing is sponsored by a variety of Alaskan companies -- oil companies in particular -- and that has also raised some concerns over conflicts of interest.

They manage to slip in a few of these little tidbits to sew the seeds of doubt.

3 posted on 09/07/2008 3:03:51 AM PDT by Cementjungle
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To: nickcarraway

Seems like a good guy, someone you’d want as a next door neighbor. I’d gladly let my kids hang with theirs, no problem.


4 posted on 09/07/2008 3:04:52 AM PDT by ovrtaxt (I <3 my PitBull. Sic em girl!!)
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To: nickcarraway

Ooopsie, the coffee shop was in Wasilla! They’d know!


5 posted on 09/07/2008 3:05:00 AM PDT by endthematrix
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To: nickcarraway
See also, from FReeper canucky's McCain/Palin - Great Photos of Rally:




6 posted on 09/07/2008 3:09:05 AM PDT by RonDog
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To: nickcarraway

bookmark


7 posted on 09/07/2008 3:15:27 AM PDT by GOP Poet
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To: RonDog

I sure hope the secret service is on their toes. There’s a lot of hate and rage going around these days.


8 posted on 09/07/2008 3:37:08 AM PDT by DB
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To: Cementjungle
They manage to slip in a few of these little tidbits to sew the seeds of doubt.

A few? I think it was condescending and smug.

9 posted on 09/07/2008 3:38:21 AM PDT by tsmith130
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To: nickcarraway
Linked to this article there is a poll to freep called Politics of Fashion asking if Sarah Palin is good enough for the VP position.

Politics of Fashion
10 posted on 09/07/2008 3:53:05 AM PDT by ljswisc
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To: nickcarraway
"He's one of the more durable tough guys who just grits his teeth and gets through it," said his racing partner, Scott Davis. "Extremely competitive and determined."

And, I could see a mutual admiration society look in the eyes of Todd Palin and Senator McCain. I bet the old fighter pilot wishes he was out there racing snowmobiles with Todd...

11 posted on 09/07/2008 4:08:49 AM PDT by LRS (NO DRILLING; NO PEACE!)
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To: nickcarraway
We do have a Todd Palin rule, ya' know.


12 posted on 09/07/2008 4:31:01 AM PDT by Jemian (Nobama - wants to kill babies & raise taxes; Palin - wants to kill taxes & raise babies!)
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To: RonDog

OMG! That’a a lot of people.


13 posted on 09/07/2008 4:35:24 AM PDT by defconw ("Hope is not a strategy")
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To: defconw

:o)


14 posted on 09/07/2008 4:40:10 AM PDT by RonDog
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To: Cementjungle

In todd’s defense, in Alaska there are probably not too many businesses (other than oil-related) that can write a check for a few grand out of their petty cash, local advertising fund.

I get calls all the time asking if I want to sponsor this or that. When I tell them our gross sales are under a million a year, they hang up. Never having been a telemarketer I suppose there is a magic number at which the conversation would continue, but I have no idea what that number may be.


15 posted on 09/07/2008 4:40:55 AM PDT by ByteMercenary (9-11: supported everywhere by followers of the the cult of islam.)
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To: Jemian
We do have a Todd Palin rule, ya' know.

That is true.

THUD

16 posted on 09/07/2008 4:45:06 AM PDT by mware (F-R-E-E, that spells free. FReerepublic,com baby)
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To: nickcarraway
[ Part Yupik Eskimo, Todd Palin is best known locally for winning the grueling 2,000-mile Tesoro Iron Dog snowmobile race four times. ]

In below zero-temp weather too... Most men don't finish that race.. The Ididarod dog race is even tougher.. that some Alaskan women even tough out.. and many don't finish either.. Dog or Man.. Alaskan sports ain't as easy.. as basketball, football, baseball, and even destruction derbys..

17 posted on 09/07/2008 4:45:31 AM PDT by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole....)
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To: RonDog

They need to start booking stadiums for their rallys.


18 posted on 09/07/2008 5:23:35 AM PDT by Rennes Templar (If the election were today, Obama would win.........in Europe.)
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To: nickcarraway
I'm have a little movie in my head that goes like this:

Mr Palin is grudgingly at a Washington party when some smuck politician says something about how attractive his wife is and how he would like to know her intimently, wink.. Upper cut, followed by jab and lights out... I would pay to see that!

19 posted on 09/07/2008 5:41:06 AM PDT by MrPiper
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To: RonDog

I saw one article tat sait that this was a picture of 2,000 folks that showed up. It looks like a damn sight more than 2000 to me. Anyone have a different count??


20 posted on 09/07/2008 7:47:34 AM PDT by noname07718 (Freedom is never more than one generation from extinction-Ronald Reagan 1993)
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