Alaska Beauty Queen Governor Sarah Palin Becomes McCain's Vice President Choice
Palin Not the Only Beauty Queen to Seek Political Office
Even before CNN's sources told them that they had information of a plane from Alaska touching down outside Dayton, the internet was burning with people searching all things Sarah Palin. One of CNN's reporters even showed the official Sarah Palin website, which reflected a screen that said his search had timed out. He said that he'd been trying unsuccessfully to access her site all morning.
But when the story broke, everybody began searching. The Top 100 Google Trends nearly became Sarah Palin and John McCain specific. That hasn't happened since Hurricane Fay made landfall and took over the Trends page.
And what did we find out about Sarah Palin? All kinds of things. She played championship high school basketball and was nicknamed "The Barracuda." That she's a snowmobiler. She likes to hunt moose and eat moose stew. She's a card-carrying member of the National Rife Association. She was mayor of the small Alaska town of Wasilla, where she had previously held a council seat. She's been governor of Alaska for two years. She has five children, the fifth of which has Downs Syndrome and is only four months old. Her husband is a commercial fisherman and a snowmobile race champion.
Sarah Palin is a former beauty queen.
What? Sure, she's pretty, but a former beauty queen? Upon closer inspection, it turns out to be true. She was Miss Wasilla in 1984 and runner-up to Miss Alaska. That's right. One step away from competing for Miss America. But she took it well. She won Miss Congeniality.
And that congenial spirit and a stand against unethical government in Alaska got her where she is today -- runner-up on the 2008 Republican presidential ticket.
But Sarah Palin is not the only beauty queen to reach for high office. Miss World 1993 Lisa Hanna won a seat in Jamaica's Parliament in September, 2007. There have been others (and we're not talking about Mitt Romney and John Edwards).
Former Miss Singapore 2000 Eunice Olsen won a seat in Singapore's Parliament in 2007. She became her country's youngest Member of Parliament.
Former Miss Finland 1991 (Miss Universe Pageant) Tanja Saarela was elected to the Finnish Parliament in 1999. She was later appointed to the position of Minister of Culture.
Miss World 1970 Jennifer Hosten of Grenada, became that small island nation's High Commissioner to Canada. Hosten also worked to improve trade relations between the United States and the Caribbean.
Miss Universe 1986 Barbara Teyde of Venezuela became that country's Minister of Tourism.
So Miss Alaska runner-up Sarah Palin, our Republican beauty queen vice presidential nominee, is in very good company.
But in the contest coming up on November 4, the Democrats will be hoping the McCain-Palin ticket continues that second place tradition...
Published by Saul Relative
WVU graduate, with degrees in History, English, Secondary Education, Computer Programming, and Psychology (and nearly a degree in Political Science). Originally from West Virginia, with stints in Virginia,... View profile
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11 Comments
Post a CommentWell thought out and interesting article. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for this info...I didn't know. I don't really have a problem with her having been a beauty queen, but I appreciate the info anyway. (And I'm not even a republican haha!)
Great article, you summed it up nicely.
You're right, Nancy. And she could very well be. This little problem with problems cropping up just as soon as she's nominated is not going to go over well...
Interesting article with lots of good info. I just heard someone on Larry King refer to Palin as McCain's Harriet Miers. Not a bad analogy.
No, Blowhard, simply pointing out that the man is all too close to death and that she stands to be president when he keels over. That does not mean it will happen or that I believe it will happen, just that there is a likelihood of it happening. Of course, the same can be said of Obama, I guess. And I am not using Palin as an excuse not to vote for McCain. I like McCain. But he got off the straight-talk express in Lynchburg, Virginia and that bothered me. Still, given that, I might still have voted for him if it wasn't for his militaristic stance. It's outdated, uneconomical, and foolish. Speaking of economics, throwing money at defense contractors and a black hole war of attrition, subsidized by the Chinese, is no way to rebuild an economy, either. Phil Gramm can kiss my ass. Bank failures, lending institutional failures, and corporate bankruptcies do not add up to a "mental recession."
Saul, I don't mean to be a prick here, but are you closer to the omniscient than the rest of us? The close of your last comment implied McCain is near death or likely to be during his presidency. Upon what do you base your opinion? The statistical age of death of men? McCain's momma is 95, and short of skin cancer, the man is in tremendous health. 16 to 18 days for weeks on end? Jesus Christ, I'm only 51 and i would not keep that schedule. As well McCain has hinted he will only seek 1 term, so we'll see, but the same things were said of Reagan and he soldiered on. We may all die tomorrow, but do we not continue on in spite of the statistical evidence to the contrary? I get your point, but it is sheer conjecture and I believe, based on your comments close, that you would not vote the Rep. ticket anyway, so why try to make it look like the VP pick is the reason you will not?
I think you overestimate Mrs. Palin's abilities to alter a landscape. Getting some common-sense legislation passed in a tiny state (population-wise) is far different than making effective change in the petrified halls of Congress. Many have come before her and tried. They have failed. Some have made a few nicks in the stone, but nothing ground-breaking or shattering. She will be no different. As for her personal toughness, I actually believe she is strong and resilient. As a vice president, she'll be as good as any other. But a Palin presidency (which is all too likely) would be interesting to say the least. She might make a good one, but I think I'll pass...
I haven't seen a lot of negative stuff on her as yet, Charlotte, except for her lack of experience. Where are you getting your news? Bay Buchanan was so defensive of her on CNN, you would have thought CNN's Campbell Brown had insulted Buchanan's entire family. All she asked was how McCain and the Republicans were going to continue arguing Obama's inexperience when they now had a prospective nominee with as little or less. Buchanan was nearly apoplectic. But I really haven't seen anything negative. A lot of surprise. A lot of questions. But otherwise no big deal. I must be missing something.
I don't think anyone can slam this tough lady. She may be pretty, but she is tough! She has wiped up crime in the past and if she does go to Washington she will clean up Washington too of all corruption... I think she is a great choice for VP. I am waiting to see how this election will finally go in November.