Another Co-WAP Hero!

Jill, one of our active supporters, attended Todd Palin's "meet & greet" in Denver yesterday. Here's her account of the experience:

I met Todd Palin yesterday, who was appearing at the Bass Pro Shop in north Denver. I got there about 20 minutes early and joined the sparse "crowd" waiting to meet the First Dude (which crowd included royalty - "Mrs. Wheatridge" - complete with sash). A reporter from USA Today spotted my Obama button and wanted to know why I was there. I told her I was there to see if I could "learn something" (repeating what Sarah Palin had said the day before as security removed an Obama supporter from her rally in Loveland). I told her I wanted to learn more about SP's "associations," particularly her association with a former member of the Alaskan Independence Party, a radical anti-American group. Again using SP's own words, I said I wanted to "call her out" on who she "pals around with." I also explained why I was supporting Obama.

The big moment arrived, and Todd Palin descended the grand wooden staircase near the fish tank. Cameras flashed, dogs barked (really), and people cheered. As I told my good friend, Mad., he's better looking in person (very, actually) than he is in pictures. He gave a short speech, encouraging those present to be sure to "get all their huntin' and fishin' buddies out to vote for his wife." My favorite part was when he said he wished he'd asked his wife a few more questions before agreeing to get involved in the whole VP-candidate thing. But, he explained further, when his wife wants to do something, he just gets out of the way!

After his speech, he started signing autographs, and I went up to him. He smiled and shook my hand. I asked him if he still believed that Alaska should vote on whether to secede from the United States (the official goal of the Alaskan Independence Party; check out their website, if you don't believe me: www.akip.org). He was startled and shot back, "I've never believed that." Why then, I asked, had he joined a group that believed that? He looked down at the printout I had in my hand from the Party's website, and recognized what it was. He started jabbing his finger at the paper, saying, "Do you see my name on that? Do you see my name on that?" I said, "Well, the chair of this group says you were a member." Again he said (pretty agitated at this point), "Do you see my name on that?" Then he turned his back on me and resumed shaking hands with the more admiring members of the crowd. My only regret was that I hadn't thought to bring along the page from the website that does indeed have his name on it (acknowledging his former membership in the party). He never did explain why he had joined the Party if he did not agree with their clearly stated goal (again, check the website, if you don't believe me).

By the way, the website page I did bring along prominently featured the following quote from the founder of the Alaskan Independence Party: "I'm an Alaskan, not an American. I've got no use for America and her damned institutions."

Pretty shocking who Sarah Palin pals around with!

We are still looking for media coverage of Todd Palin's event and will link to it when we find it!