A New Kind of Leader

I recently finished the latest Sarah Palin book.

I wouldn't recommend it. Much of the writing is repetitive and there's far too much self-analysis. On the other hand, the author, Joe Hilley, noted some tidbits about Sarah I hadn't known before:

[When running for lieutenant governor:]
While attending a candidate's forum in Fairbanks, a moderator asked her how she would handle commissioners who failed to effectively prioritize state budgeting demands. Without hesitating, Sarah replied, "I would encourage firing the guys who can't prioritize." p.58

During the summer she turned twelve she was baptized ... p. 64

Wasilla Bible Church [where the Palins attend] offers the most conservative worship style. Adele Morgan, a minister of music at the church, explains, "A lot of churches are about music and media and having a big profile. We are against that." p. 66

On one occasion she broke her hand while waiting to offload their catch to a tender boat. She had her hand tended to and returned the next day to continue working. p. 72

She said, "A good friend told me that in politics either you eat well or you sleep well... I wasn't sleeping well." [Before Sarah resigned from the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, exposing a major scandal] p. 74

No one expects us to agree on everything. But we are expected to govern with integrity, goodwill, clear conviction, and a servant's heart. [quote from Sarah] p. 79

Keeping it simple is my philosophy ... My desire is to see small, efficient government that's going to provide the basic services for Alaska, that's shared by the majority of Alaskans. And in keeping it simple, we know that Alaskans, we crave and we deserve leaders who are not going to approach all of our issues with just merely a partisan approach. [quote from Sarah] p. 91

In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers. And then there are those ... who use their careers to promote change. [quote from Sarah] p. 95

Of those women who are found to carry a child with Down syndrome, almost 90 percent choose to have an abortion rather than carrying the child to term. ... For Sarah there was never any doubt. She was going to have the baby. p. 130

I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion- I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this country. [quote from Sarah] p. 147

I have no more confidence in polls than I had before the election... I never did have any confidence in polls, and I haven't got any confidence now. I make my decisions on whether it's right or wrong from my point of view, and after I have all the information and all the facts I can get to go on. Polls have no effect on me whatever. [quote from Sarah] p. 149

As governor, Sarah Palin garnered a 90 percent approval rating, an astounding feat in politics. p. 156

Sarah Palin didn't set out to become popular. She set out to be the best leader she could be. Popularity followed. p. 157

While I was at it, I got rid of a few things in the governor's office that I didn't believe our citizens should have to pay for. That luxury jet was over the top. I put it on eBay. [quote from Sarah] p. 159

Because power corrupts, society's demands for moral authority and character increase as the importance of the position increases. [quote from John Adams] p. 160

I guess a small-town mayou is sort of like a "community organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities. I might add that in small towns, we don't quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they are listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren't listening. [quote from Sarah] p. 174