Comfortable in her own skin

Sarah Heath Palin has been in the news a lot lately. And, as usual, most of the coverage has not been very flattering. The continued bashing that this lady has taken got me to thinking. What is it about this woman that drives people crazy? Why does she set off liberals to a level never before seen? Just this week, Carl Cannon posted that the media had gone far beyond "normal" bias and had actually taken sides in the last election (see http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/07/08/sarah-barracuda-palin-and-the-piranhas-of-the-press/ ). Again I ask, what is it about this woman that causes pressure relief valves all over this nation to explode?

Before I get to my explanation, let's review some highlights from Sarah's biography. Sarah moved with her parents to Alaska in 1964 and graduated from Wasilla High School in 1982. She received a bachelor of science degree in communications-journalism from the University of Idaho in 1987 and married Todd Palin on August 20th of the next year. Sarah worked for a brief time as a sportscaster at a local TV station - if you need a reminder of what 80's hair was all about, check out http://bit.ly/OVJJZ. The launch into politics began in 1992 with her election to the Wasilla city council. In 1996, she was able to win the Mayor's race and served until 2003. Her first political defeat came in 2002 via a failed run for the Lt. Governor's seat. Governor Sarah Palin made history on Dec. 4, 2006, when she took office as the 11th governor of Alaska - she is the first woman to hold the office. Which brings us to July 3rd of this year and the announcement that she was stepping down. Everyone has different opinions as to what will happen to Sarah and what will she do next. I think she'll be just fine, all because of the reasons she drives progressives crazy.

Sarah Palin does not fit the mold of a female politician, according to the model prescribed by feminists, progressives, and libs in general. Remember the jingle for Enjoli perfume, "I can bring home the bacon...fry it up in a pan...and never, ever let you forget you're a man, 'Cause I'm a Woman." Sarah Palin could have starred in that commercial. She has that 'Hollywood' look, and she epitomizes the lyrics - and that's where the problem starts.

From my perspective, and I've never met the lady, Sarah Palin is comfortable in her own skin - in whatever role she undertakes. She is comfortable as a mother, I see a woman that can embody both the nurturing love for her children and the vigilant guardianship of a mother Grizzly defending her cubs. From the time the nation was introduced to her, it became obvious to all of us that family was very important. We saw that her family accompanied her on many of the campaign stops, and you had a sense they were there for more than just a photo op.

She is comfortable in her faith - and has been for some time. In high school, she led the local Fellowship of Christian Athletes group, and multiple pastors testify to her faithfulness in attendance of both worship services and discipleship classes. This maturation of her faith would be tested in 2008 with her fifth (yes, another source of discomfort for some) pregnancy. The strong pro life conviction, rooted in faith, produced these words:

"Trig is beautiful and already adored by us. We knew through early testing he would face special challenges, and we feel privileged that God would entrust us with this gift and allow us unspeakable joy as he entered our lives. We have faith that every baby is created for good purpose and has potential to make this world a better place. We are truly blessed."

Sarah is comfortable as an outdoors person. She actually enjoys hunting - and she goes after big game - Moose!! I've never gone moose hunting, but I can imagine you have to be a pretty good shot and that you would use a pretty powerful (more recoil) round to do the job. Most women don't want to get anywhere near a gun or rifle, much less a "high-power" gun. Not so with Sarah - whether hunting, fishing, or snowmobiling with her husband Todd, she is more than comfortable being outdoors.

Sarah is comfortable being on the point. Leading the pack is not a problem for her, I believe this is her preferred position. If you've heard her speak about why she got into local politics to begin with, you'll know she said no one was providing leadership! Sensing a vacuum of direction on the Wasilla city council, she entered the race and won her first election.

I admire this woman. I don't know enough about her to know if she would be a good presidential candidate or not. I do like that she is apt to "get all mavericky", but that also concerns me. I understand that her global worldview is probably her Achilles heel, and that she doesn't have all the answers. I would warn you with words again from my grandpa: "The man who says he has all the answers hasn't heard all the questions yet."

This much is obvious to me - from being a maternal rock to her children, to leading the state of Alaska during her term as the governor, to being a snuggle bunny for Todd - Sarah Palin appears comfortable in her own skin. That just drives some miserable people crazy because it looks like Sarah might just be getting ready to run.