Sarah Palin's renewable ambition

Whatever happened to "Drill, baby, drill"?

Last week, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin called a news conference to announce "a future where, ideally, 50% of Alaska's electricity is generated from renewable resources by 2025."

That's from the governor who can't wait to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and who sunk $500 million into a yet-to-be built gas pipeline. But now, she said, she would move to wean the state's far-flung villages from diesel oil to wind and geothermal and make the state's six utilities cease their in-fighting to more efficiently serve populated areas.

Palin's 50% goal one-ups California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who touts himself as the nation's green governor: Two months ago, he signed an executive order requiring 33% of Golden State electricity to be generated from renewable sources by 2020. President-elect Barack Obama, whose home state of Illinois is a major coal producer, has called for 25% renewable energy use nationwide by 2025.

Palin's staff said she would introduce legislation in the 90-day session which begins Tuesday. But some Alaskans are skeptical. "Sounds good but has no substance," wrote Moosemom, one of more than 530 commenters on the report in the Anchorage Daily News. Riverspots opined that the governor should have used the $500 million for the gas pipeline "to build a wind farm that could power all of Anchorage." And Polarbearlost huffed, "Gov. Palin is a visionary only for herself... Visionary to her means she can see Russia from her house."

--Margot Roosevelt

Photo: Gov. Sarah Palin winks during her vice presidential debate against Joe Biden in October. Credit: Scott Applewhite/Associated Press

Comments

[Stevan]

So Sarah Palin sets a goal for renewable energy that is TWICE what Barack Obama is calling for from the states - and you criticize her? This reminds me of when the MSM criticized Palin for not accepting a pay raise. Then you devote 20% of your article to a commenter trashing her online? You aren't even good at pretending that you are fair.

Next time you write an article on Palin, make sure you contact me for a quote. That would be fair right? I'm a commenter, too.

[greg]

For one thing, taking comments left on the Anchorage Daily News site is useless. If you bothered to look at the history of comments on any story related to Gov. Palin, you would have found that the overwhelming majority of them are negative, as is the reporting by the ADN. The majority of the comments are not from Alaskans, but from people as far away as FL, WI, MN, and even Europe, and India. The 0bama camp has targeted her for defeat in 2010, and one of their tactics is to flood Alaska's newspapers with negative comments about her, much like they did nationwide during the election. By utilizing the ADN, and their comment board as a source totally discredits your report. I'm guessing that actually reading the report she produced would be more work than you would care to do.

[Jim]

your experts you are quoting are typical comments section people, who do you even know those people are even Alaska residents? most of the commenters at ADN are from the lower 48 just causing trouble, ADN is swarming with out of state commenters

man , you cant use commenters as reputable sources

[Seattle2theleft]

greg. You are exactly right(wing). I am from Seattle and I go at least once a week to the ADN and promote OBAMA. 4 more sniveling republican Senators have announced they are not running (quitters!) for re-election. So we are putting our DEMOCRATIC feet on your conservative throats and stamping out any Palinesque brush fires long before they get started. Palin is no threat to anybody except the poor people of Alaska. But they're smart. Just like we eventually smacked down Ronnie Rayguns and The Shrub we will let 'The One' lead us to the Promised land! Amen! (and I'm a Jew!)

[Gordo Ruiz]

I find it fascinating that the first-off-the-mark comment on this blog entry slams the writer for being critical. Hmmm, are we Republaskans being a little hypersensitive? The main criticism alluded to being what? The phrase "drill baby drill?" After all, no one said Palin's "new act" was hypocritical, "drill baby" replaced by "don't drill baby".

There used to be a phrase "if you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen," but I think it's going to have to be replaced by "if you can't stand the heat, then STAY IN ALASKA."

[Carl]

Please don't write columns on Alaskan politics. You have no clue what is going on so please stop.... your newspaper is a liberal rag... for drug up celebs commentary... Leave the policy up to the politicians.

You should know that the Alaskans were expecting this energy plan before the Governor was even chosen as McCain's running mate. Opps? Like I said before, Stop discussing Alaskan policy because you folks are clueless. enjoy the cult like figure Obama.

[Tom]

Whatever happened to "Drill, baby, drill"?

Are you too dense to realize that dems in congress aren't letting the state of alaska drill for more oil? In fact they are introducing legislation to ban drilling in the wildlife refuge once and for all. Governor Palin realized a statement on this matter you could find it on the state site.

Do you even do research before you even write these columns?

[Gary P Jackson]

Margot, The Anchorage Daily News? Seriously?

Here's a fishwrap that is party of the McClatchy chain that has lost 99 percent of it's value, because it caters to the far left nut jobs.

What the hell happened to actual journalism?

Almost every commenter on their website is from somewhere else. Many paid to place negative comments there. Even better, most positive comments toward Governor Palin "mysteriously" disappear!

The hell of it is, Alaska ALREADY gets 25 percent of it's energy from renewable resources! In other words, already meeting the goal that our Dear Leader has given us to meet!

BTW, while you are quoting paid Obama "community organizers" in a far left hate newspaper, what ever happened to the video of Obama the LA Times is hiding ?

You know the one, the one the entire nation (except for Obots) demanded you release! The one honoring Rashid Khalidi in 2000.

You know the one, the one where the dance troupe simulates beheadings on stage?

Good God what a pitiful bunch of human beings you are at the Times.

[Josh]

'Whatever happened to drill baby drill?' Well, it's still there. As is her renewables policy. If during the campaign your MSM colleagues had bothered to cover Palin's policy statements rather than her fashion statements, you would have noticed she always talked about an 'all of the above' approach.

In this case, both policies are also clearly in Alaska's interest. Building the new pipeline and drilling in ANWR means more business for Alaska and therefore more jobs for Alaskans. Unfortunately, since connecting every local Alaskan community to the energy grid i prohibitively expensive, energy costs for Alaskan families are actually the highest in the nation. That means it makes sense for them to tap into any sources of locally available alternative energy. Which is why Alaska is already outperforming the rest of the country on renewables, and will keep doing so in future, partly thanks to Palin's new policy initiative.

So there you haveit: all of the above. Oh, and here's a quote for your next article: You can keep the Change. Palin 2012 - You Betcha!

[dis-appointment]

what a god awful picture. this woman is a pure embarrassment for the gop. didn't she ever take any media training so she'd learn not to make the stupid facial expressions she gets caught in that only add to her obviously stupid remarks. what a major dis-appointment. John McCain should be turned out in 2010 for running such a bad campaign and making such a bad choice that embarrased the gop and cost such devasting loses. Now we have basically a 1 party system, just like china, russia and cuba - shoo, shoo....ya' kno

[ericmiami]

She has promised to give every Alaskan a pair of silk boxers to keep warm. Why are they complaining?

[Alexandra]

Palin has a blatent history of saying whatever she thinks will make people see her as a "reformer." But, when put to the test, Palin's actions are not equal to her words. She is simply a PR person's dream -- she switches skins to accomodate the popular vote. What a farce she is.

[Dee]

Sarah is just trying to move to the left for the next election. While Bush was in office it was drill baby drill; Now that Obama is in she is suddenly looking for green energy---All she is really looking for is federal $$$$$$.

[chris]

sourcing a comments section for your article? and then only cherry picking negative comments along with a winking picture? I cant wait for your paper to go bankrupt and all you hacks can go work for the DNC.

[sheila]

according to most of the commenters here from Alaska, you should ignore all comments that come from outside the city the paper is published in, so that goes for all you crosseyed halfwits up north - we are ignoring you because this is OUR paper. go comment on the Anchorage Daily News site, okay?

Palin is a liar, a loser and an idiot, just like Schwarzenegger. Both are pretending to be something they are not, so they can shove through their crappy Big Business agendas and the media will still fawn over them. Schwarzenegger is so NOT GREEN, but he IS PR SAVVY, and you journalist just keep cutting and pasting from his press releases as though they are some kind of Bible truth instead of 100% spin. this jerk has vetoed every green building bill before him, has done NOTHING to help the planet except grandstand, has consistently prevented ratepayers from generating their own power and being paid for it, and has worked furiously to stop, overturn, crush, limit, "expedite" and otherwise defeat environmental reviews and public comments. All while the LA Times and other papers drool over his "green" credentials which are about as credible as Sarah Palin's.

so, the comparison is apt and they both need to GO AWAY.

[Politicus FInch]

Margaret, this is a DISGRACEFUL post. From the headline which assumes insincerity on the Governor's part, to the inclusion of quotation of two obvious wingnuts. There is nothing inconsistent with wanting to drill to tap America's existing resources while also incenting utilities to meet a more ambitious environmental goal. You may not like it (and I don't know that I do, either) but it is not necessarily a change.

I am an Independent Democrat, I live in the very heart of Los Angeles, and I am proud of President Obama and hopeful for our future under a Democratic administration. But I am also tired of the unreasonable, prejudiced, and bigoted negative coverage of Governor Palin. There is no other word for it. She doesn't fit your stereotype of an acceptable American (too redneck? too trailer trash? too Pentecostal? who knows) and so you feel she's an easy target for your slander and hatred. Get over yourself.

Our President said it eloquently today. We are all in this together, and have a shared responsbility to each other and the world. Governor Palin is attempting every day to do her part to fulfill that responsbility. Why don't you start?

[Ericmiami]

Alaskans are such crybabies. Sarah is sending them all a pair of silk boxers to keep them warm. What are they complaining about?

[Damian G.]

Someone tell me when "Drilly, Baby, Drill" meant "We only support drilling and to Hell with renewable resources"?

See:
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=1603
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=1604
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=1605

[dennis]

How sad and typical for another left wing journalist to try and take a shot at Sarah Palin. My guess is you were probably told by your boss that Gov. Palin's news conference to announce "a future where IDEALLY, 50% of Alaska's electricity is generated from renewable sources by 2025" is newsworthy, so do your job and write about it. But of course, you don't like her so you have to explain to your readers she isn't being honest. You write: that's from a governor who can't wait to drill for oil in ANWR and sunk $500 million in a yet to to be gas line". WELL THERE YOU GO AGAIN!!! Did you bother as a reporter to do your homework. Just go to Google, type in Sarah Palin. Go to Alaska Gov. and on the front page click on Gov. lauds Hely Clean Coal Project, or click on ANWR Legistration. You will read she is "dismayed that legistration has been introduced in congress to prohibit forever oil and gas development in ANWR. Barack Obama promised "everything was on the table". Gov. Palin not only did not put all her eggs in one basket. She anticipated that an all energy use approach was needed. Since being elected as governor she has sat down all the players and agencies concerning energy in Alaska and thank them for showing the way for all Alaskans on how to get things done. It appears after only two years in office she has managed to bring parties together that have fought for decades. So you see not only "Drill Baby Drill" is still on her table, but the $40 Billion pipeline, The Clean Coal Project, and not to mention all the other Renewable projects you so reluctantly had to report. It seems clear to anyone who wants their reporting to be truthful and accurate would see that not only is Gov. Palin a few steps ahead of Congess and Obama, who are just trying to find ways to spend money, but probably any other governor in the nation. This sounds like true LEADERSHIP to me.

As for your article Margot Roosevelt: Do your homework. Stop quoting unknown bloggers like Moosemom. Take your job more seriously and learn from this. Nobody is interested in your BIAS on what you believe Sarah Palin was really saying. GROW UP!! We will be watching.

[Tom]

That seems a reasonable goal looking 17 years out for wind and solar for electricity. I would have leaned more towards nuclear because the flow of power is more easily regulated. Maybe part of the other 50% could be nuclear.

The natural gas would be great too if some of it gets used by Alaska rather than all of it going to Canada or the lower 48.

And another thing to the haters on the left. Sarah is sincere about this. She really does care for Alaskans. She is ambitious, but all politicians are. What's good about Sarah is that she takes seriously her representing the people.

[Tom]

Anybody who thinks Sarah Palin is NOT pro-environment is drinking lefty kool-aid.

[Stacy]

Why can't you wait to see the plan, if it sounds plausible, then judge for yourself? Don't you think that's what we should be doing. Can't this country focus on renewable energy goals, and in the mean time try to get off of OPEC oil? Even 50% by 2025 isn't 100%. We need more sources of energy than just renewable. Can we not focus on getting things done in this country, and stop belittling someone who is willing to get to work. Or perhaps wars in the middle-east are your cup of tea?
I have read through some of the comments on this page, and I find your arguments childish for the most part. You got your President, and your acting drunk. Please, for the sake of this country, can we please start acting like adults in this country? These are serious times, for the benefit of anything you care about, please stop with this nonsense. Politics of personal destruction, will only destroy this country. That goes for both parties.
Politicus FInch, Spot on analysis, thank you for your intellectual honesty.

[Igor]

Looks like someone is mulling another run at national office.

Sure, it would have been nice for pols to go green becuase it's the right thing to do rather than the "cool" thing. But hey, whatever works.

[Go Steelers]

I dunno -- I think it's kinda mavericky

[catarina]

What a jealous hack you are, Margot! Next time, just stick to the reporting instead of your insulting innuendos.