Posted on 02/10/2010 2:56:42 PM PST by DollyCali
Edited on 02/11/2010 5:38:22 AM PST by John Robinson. [history]
Sarah Louise Palin née Heath; born February 11, 1964 is an American politician, author, speaker, and political commentator who served as the Governor of Alaska from 2006 until she resigned in 2009. She was the Republican nominee for Vice President of the United States in 2008.
Palin was born in Sandpoint, Idaho, the third of four children of Charles "Chuck" Heath, a science teacher and track coach, and Sarah "Sally" Heath (née Sheeran), a school secretary. The family moved to Alaska when she was an infant. She played flute in the junior high band, then attended Wasilla High School where she was the head of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and a member of the girls' basketball and cross country running teams. During her senior year, she was co-captain and point guard of the basketball team that won the Alaska state championship, earning the nickname "Sarah Barracuda" for her competitive streak
In 1984, she won the Miss Wasilla pageant, finished third in the Miss Alaska pageant, playing flute in the talent portion of the contest, and receiving the Miss Congeniality award and a college scholarship.
She attended Hawaii Pacific University in the fall of 1982 and North Idaho College in the spring and fall of 1983. (In June 2008, the Alumni Association of North Idaho College gave her its Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award). She attended the University of Idaho in the fall of 1984 and spring of 1985, and attended Matanuska-Susitna College in the fall of 1985. She returned to the University of Idaho in the spring of 1986, receiving her bachelor's degree in communications with an emphasis in journalism from there in 1987.
After graduating, she worked as a sportscaster for KTUU-TV and KTVA-TV in Anchorage, and as a sports reporter for the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, fulfilling an early ambition.
In 1988, she eloped with her high school sweetheart Todd Palin, to spare her parents the expense of a "big white wedding." After the marriage, she helped in her husbands commercial fishing business.
Palin was a member of the Wasilla, Alaska city council from 1992 to 1996, and the city's mayor from 1996 to 2002. After an unsuccessful campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Alaska in 2002, she chaired the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission from 2003 until she resigned in 2004. In November 2006, she became the youngest person and the first woman ever elected Governor of Alaska.[
In 2008, Republican presidential candidate John McCain chose Palin as his running mate in that year's presidential election, making her the second female and the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party, as well as the first female vice-presidential nominee of the Republican Party.
On July 3, 2009, Palin announced she would not seek reelection as governor and that she was resigning effective July 26, 2009, eighteen months before the completion of her term. She cited ethics complaints that had been filed following her selection as running mate to John McCain as one of the reasons for her resignation, saying the resulting investigations had affected her ability to govern the state.
In November 2009, her autobiography Going Rogue: An American Life was released and it quickly became a best-seller. In January 2010 Palin began providing political commentary to the Fox News Channel under a multi-year contract
Speculation that she will run for the Republican Party presidential nomination in 2012 began following the defeat of the McCainPalin ticket in 2008. In February 2010 she stated she would not close the door on the possibility, and would run if she felt it was right for the country and for her family.
Happy Birthday Ms Sarah....
Wow! She was born exactly 155 years after Charles Darwin! Oh, that other guy, too. What’s his name?
The year of the Dragon. Same with Beck. Burn down their playhouse Sarah.
Not to be picky, but it says 2/11/1964 right below the headline.
(((PING)))
Hey, mine was Feb 7
anyways... she’s only 8 years older than me?? wow
We share the same birthday, February 11th!
Glenn Beck’s birthday is today.
Her birthday is the 11th, not the 12th. But Abe Lincoln’s is the 12th, so it all works out for the best. :)
Feb. 3rd for me, 1961 so I have a couple of years on her.
Happy belated B-day!
And Happy Birthday to you, Sarah!
Happy Birthday Sarah.
Call me.
THE LADY IS THREE YEARS YOUNGER THAN MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER, ALSO BORN IN FEBRUARY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SARAH AND SUSAN.
I was wondering myself. Is it the 11 or 12?
YUP.. I screwed up big time.. thanks to all who noted. I requested mods to fix. Appreciate the heads up! (I also put up the first ping w/o a ping list).. Guess I am not going to be high on the list of most wanted HTML/precision posters huh?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.