Palin may have left Alaska, but she's not giving up her moose roots

John McCain and Sarah Palin began their post-convention tour of battleground states today in the small Wisconsin town of Cedarburg. But although Palin's biggest task in the coming months will be trying win over the lower 48, she's not about to abandon her Alaska roots.

How can we tell?

Follow the tracks. Moosetracks, that is.

That's the ice cream flavor she chose when she, McCain, and Cindy McCain made a stop at a Cedarburg sweets shop before their campaign appearance. The new vice presidential candidate ordered a large scoop of moosetracks -- vanilla ice cream with peanut butter cups and fudge -- served in a waffle cone.

Palin's affinity for all things moose is well documented. Indeed, the Republicans seem to be touting her moose-hunting skills as one of her qualifications for vice president.

During his GOP convention speech, Fred Thompson called her, "the only nominee in the history of either party who knows how to properly field dress a moose ... with the possible exception of Teddy Roosevelt."

And Cindy McCain, in her speech, said, “John has picked a reform-minded, hockey-mommin', basketball-shooting, moose-hunting, salmon-fishing, pistol-packing mother of five for vice president."

Palin, it seems, likes moose best when they're on her plate.  She has said in the past that her favorite meal is moose stew. (We found a recipe here).

Her propensity for hunting has alarmed some environmental activists. "Her philosophy from our perspective is cut, kill, dig and drill," John Rosenberg, the director of the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, told the Associated Press.

Some Republicans would take that as a compliment.

BREAKING NEWS UPDATE: Palin wasn't the only politician cooling off with ice cream in Cedarburg today. Sen. McCain also had a scoop. His order? Watermelon sorbet. We're not quite sure what that reveals, but we welcome interpretations.

-- Kate Linthicum

Photo: Toby Talbot / Associated Press

Comments

[Bryan@soapblox]

Is this a news article or a Press Release from the "Elect John McCain in 2008" Campaign?

What a horribly one-sided article! It's not even written well. With it's cliche lines and fake upbeat tone, I was falling asleep by the end of the second paragraph (yawn).

What the hell is happening to the L.A. Times? It's really fallen by the wayside.

[iH8uAll]

I FAIL to see why the media is so in love/lust with this woman. She is pathetic.

[Giffy]

Bryan@soapbox.com...

C'mon, Obama isn't the only that gets to be interesting.

I'm tired of hearing about old friends of Obama anyway.

[Reid]

I liked this article. I thought it was fun and not-mean spirited. Not everything has to be vitriolic with "end of the world" density when discussing election cantidates. Thanks for a refreshing read.

[stephen]

Palin is provided the great luxury of deriding the "elites" down here in the lower 48 because we are paying the bills of the oil rich state of Alaska. Though Alaska enjoys the lowest state and local tax rates of any state in the union by 15% from the nearest state ( Nevada) and about half of the highest ( New Jersey). They receive the biggest bang for their federal remittances $1.84 for every dollar sent to Washington, 25% more than next state and nearly three times what those eastern liberal elites in New Jersey receive. We sure could use some of that reform, how do you propose we pay for i?. So while her heroic refusal of "The Bridge to Nowhere" makes good copy it is a load of hockey puck.

[Tina]

There is a bigger issue here.

I worry about Senator McCains ability to make decisions becuase he was a POW

People who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress syndrome and have lots of fractures that were not treated properly will suffer from severe chronic pain and also have a tendency to have emotional out bursts. Later they will feel bad about these out bursts and will come and apologize.

Does any one know how Senator McCain is dealing with these issues ?

Here is a utube video from a decorated POW that illustrates this further

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080915/pow_video

[bobby]

She is not pathetic. And is going to be the next vice president of the United States

[eric]

#!##&$#!#^%

[luvwknd]

Funny, that moose picture kind of looks like Putin....err....I mean Palin!

Good Luck McShame & Putin - You'll be needing it regardless of the beastiality love for moose!

[beevee]

Sarah, the bambi killer.

[Melinda Terret]

What's wrong with kill, cut, drag and drill? These are things we need to do to survive in this life. There are some people who don't like to work, but like to have everthing handed to them on a silver platter. Real Americans can care for the earth and provide for themselves at the same time. Get a life if you think we'll ruin the planet by hunting our meat, drilling for our own resources..
McClain/Palin--2008 !!@@@!!!

[Robert]

Regarding Sarah Palin: Where's the beef?

[Phrank]

If none of our Presidents--good and bad--have been able to field dress a moose, it probably is not relevent to her potential for doing that job, Though as a threat to keep the Senate in line when she is in the chair as VP, it might have its advantages. All we really know about Palin, is the Republicans think she is so smart she can cram for being President in two to three weeks. Proving once again that the Republicans are bears of very little brain.

[Darius Sinclair (tm)]

There's no problem with this piece. It's just trying to find other stuff to write about instead of all politics. It did sneak a few political jargen in there though. It was written perfect, but it is a little refreshing to hear about positive stuff.

[ejhickey]

Thanks for the recipe. Glad to see it wolrs with Venison too. I usually bag one of these pests (deer) every year when they come into my back yard to munch on the trees and flowers. Can't wait to try it.

[NH]

Wow, finally a real woman.. the anti-Hillary!

We love Sarah, and hope she gets to be president. She is after all much more qualified than Obama!

[ratm]

This is a fluff piece designed solely to get page views for the LA Times. I think both the left and the right can agree that with just a few months remaining in this election season that media would better serve the American people by presenting the policy views of all of the candidates. Is knowing a candidate's favorite ice cream flavor going to help us decide how to vote in the election? No.

[Jennifer]

Palin is a wonderful example of a pitbull, except with lipstick. Fiercly loyal to the hand that feeds her, and willing to fight to defend her owners.

She was a perfect choice to have stand up and toss red meat at the RNC. She is a successful woman that isn't to proud to praise the greatness of the good, and old, boys like John McCain that are working for change in Washington.

If they can keep her out of the press and only expose her to softball questions, she could carry the ticket to victory.

I do have to question the values of a woman that chooses to have a special needs child while persuing a career as intense as POTUS She is either super woman, or incredibly selfish and America will have to decide for themselves what family values truly mean to them.

[CaptainHook]

Pistol Packin' Mama is an insult to real women. Real women fight for their own bodies, abhor their sons and daughters going to die in bogus wars, love their country and hate vapid patriotism.

But then, the christian conservative mass consuming Wal-Farting bible thumping sheeple haven't yet figured any of this out.

Lose your jobs and wave your bibles, idiots!

[Bugbuster]

Is this a girlie magazine? The text of this article reads like the text--that nobody reads--from one of those photo feature articles. Where's the full page photo?

[Jimbo]

Seriously folks, if Sarah did not have a vagina and the name
was Sam, John McCain would not have selected this person. Great move on the Republican party to go after the disappointed Hillary supporters, but, it's just a ploy. If you are buying into this because his V.P. is a woman, shame on you. I"m voting for McCain for what he stands for, not the gender of the V.P., who by the way, scares the hell out of me if dear old John dies in office.

[frank]

Yahoo! We goin' to have a moose burger cook out at the White House come January!! I'd much rather have a "pistol packin" Mama running things than that elitist with a law degree anyday!!

Good Luck America!

[Brian]

I've hear the "Alaska gets more Fed$$ per capita" argument before. What you conveniently fail to recognize is that Alaska has hard to reach, but important natural resources that our country needs... and a low population. The combination of these two points is the reason for the per capita stat the dems are throwing out.

Silly little dems.

[robin]

Uhh, that is moose 'harvesting'. If you want to be a member of the right, you have to start speaking like one.

[Jonah Bomber]

I'm no hunter, but I do love moose meat. I wish there was a good way to get it down here in the lower 48. It's my favorite meat.