a Republican can do except a perp walk that will get the ADN’s attention. I was one level below the cabinet and involved in some very controversial stuff for almost four years. They never called me or my cabinet level boss once.

Oh, God no, it wasn’t beyond reproach! It got so bad I took my football and went fishing six months before the end of Murkowski’s term, and just in time to not have the FBI snooping around my office. She was right to report what Randy Ruedrich, the Party Chair, was doing to the Department of Administration’s Ethics Supervisor or the Commissioner; she did both. Then when the Ethics Supervisor came to talk to her about what was going on, she basically blew it off; told him it was no problem. Next thing we know, she noisily resigns and plays kiss and tell, saying, inter alia, that nobody would respond to her allegations of misconduct by Randy. That sort of thing made the ADN’s leg tingle ’cause they hated Murkowski from way back and Randy was the head of the evil Republican Party. So, once Sarah bolted the Administration and, essentially, the Party, they loved her and loved her right up to the day Tony Knowles was the Democrat nominee for Governor. Even then they were nicer to her than they usually are to Rs and it continued so up until she became the VP nominee. Since then, they’ve unleashed Hell on her.

I’ve never said she was lying in her version of the events; I think she believes her version. Her version however is based on a misunderstanding of the law, her agency’s place in the org structure, her role, and the State’s processes. In other words she jumped to a conclusion based on faulty knowledge, acted on that faulty conclusion and brought on all sorts of bad things – and some good ones for her. I’m sure that when the Deputy Commissioner, who was the Department’s Ethics Supervisor, came to talk to her, she concluded that she was being blown off, since the DC was known to be a close associate of the Party Chair. As is her wont, she clammed up, e.g., the Couric interview. Then she quit and unleashed Hell. The rest is history.

A lot of them got their gravy trains taken away. They come across as bitter, ankle biters. Pay them no heed.

Fortunately, we have Achance to set us all straight about Palin. He has got the melody, chorus and hook down pretty good and now just keeps writing new verses. I think this is how Milton got his start.

she became the VP nominee.

Yeah, you’re right. It sure is. Maybe they (meaning the Republican leadership) should do something about that.

Boehner led the House “drill sessions” during the recess
Which led to passage of what? And when the existing legislation expired, Congress and the President have done what? Frankly, the “drill sessions” were nothing more than reaffirmation that GWB doesn’t have a clue about leadership.

Cantor authored an alternative to the first bailout bill, and some of his provisions got included in the final measure.
While he gets a pat on the back, this – unfortunately, given the Presidents proclivity to throw money – is a big zip.

Coburn and DeMint rallied Senate Republicans to block a couple of really bad bills.
And GWB pulled the rug out from under them.

Erick & Co. made RS the most improved conservative website.
Absolutely, but not the kind of stuff that gets you CotY. But we love ‘em for it.

Fred inspired a grassroots fire of sorts that I think we’re now seeing in several organizations such as Team Sarah, Next Right and Rebuild the Party.
I’d love it to be Fred but while he fired up the base, he also managed to put the fire out.

Newt founded the American Solutions think tank.
Yep. And Newt’s days of being voted “Anything” of the Year are over. Plus, given his comments on global warming, etc I’m not sure it would be appropriate.

I think the really interesting thing about this whole honor for Gov Palin is that we really don’t know how conservative she is. But she certainly did a fantastic job of firing up the crowds during the campaign. She was the only bright spot in a dark moment of history.