tag:ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com,2009://8/tag:ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com,2008://31.42797- 2009-06-08T03:35:26Z Comments for Alaska, do we have a problem? Movable Type 4.24-en tag:ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com,2008://31.42797 2008-08-29T18:18:20Z 2008-08-29T18:19:28Z Alaska, do we have a problem? Would love to hear from my Midnight Sun peoples. What's the deal with old girl?... Ta-Nehisi Coates Would love to hear from my Midnight Sun peoples. What's the deal with old girl? tag:ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com,2008://31.42797-comment:122345 Comment from mark on 2008-08-29 mark http://blog.bloodstar.org *crickets chirp*

:)

Maybe they're all simply stunned into silence?

]]> 2008-08-29T18:54:42Z tag:ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com,2008://31.42797-comment:122348 Comment from Alaska on 2008-08-29 Alaska We hear you we hear you TNC but she is such a good wife and a very loving woman. Isn't she so pretty...just adorable. I bet she will just light up that white house.

:)

]]> 2008-08-29T19:06:59Z tag:ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com,2008://31.42797-comment:122381 Comment from Ta-Nehisi Coates on 2008-08-29 Ta-Nehisi Coates http://www.ta-nehisi.com LAWL. Clearly I've overestimated my reach. Wu-Tang allusions will only take you so far...

]]> 2008-08-29T20:48:03Z tag:ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com,2008://31.42797-comment:122397 Comment from Deborah on 2008-08-29 Deborah On the Alaska side, I think she does potentially appeal to the western libertarian moose-shooting independent, a group that was helping turn those red mountain states purple and maybe blue.

We'll have to see more speeches and interviews to determine if she comes across as so-gosh-darned commonsensical or fatally thin on resume. But the response has been very right-coast; not hearing much from the mountain states. Do none of Alaska's 700,000 odd residents read TNC? Is there an Idahoan or Montanan out there?

]]> 2008-08-29T21:24:36Z tag:ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com,2008://31.42797-comment:122406 Comment from Jamie on 2008-08-29 Jamie I have no idea how she'll come across to the rest of the country, but she's pretty popular in AK. The Republican establishment is so corrupt that she's just been a breath of fresh air. She's too conservative for me to vote for her, but I do like her a great deal.

Mostly I'm just irrationally excited about this happening to someone from my hometown!

]]> 2008-08-29T21:40:57Z tag:ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com,2008://31.42797-comment:122410 Comment from Deborah on 2008-08-29 Deborah Andrew found a second Alaskan to go with Jamie up there. So far we seem to be looking at "we really like her, but I don't know how she translates."

]]> 2008-08-29T22:00:48Z tag:ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com,2008://31.42797-comment:122422 Comment from hurls on 2008-08-29 hurls Well, I'm from the bottom (not top) of the West coast so I can't comment

But I'm thinking, TNC, that Wu-Tang allusions will actually get you pretty far in many cases, but not so much in Alaska

]]> 2008-08-29T22:51:12Z tag:ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com,2008://31.42797-comment:122467 Comment from stephen on 2008-08-29 stephen I managed to find one Alaskan with an interesting perspective.

What is McCain Thinking? One Alaskan’s Perspective.

]]> 2008-08-30T03:41:42Z tag:ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com,2008://31.42797-comment:122494 Comment from zic on 2008-08-30 zic A dKos diary written by a resident who grew up with her as mayor suggest she's mostly good at opening Walmarts and encouraging suburban sprawl; reports a steep decline in the schools while she held office.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/29/19534/4063/266/579434

]]> 2008-08-30T13:30:54Z tag:ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com,2008://31.42797-comment:122509 Comment from GM on 2008-08-30 GM Another great source is Andrew Halco , who ran against Palin for governor as an independent -- fairly thorough on the more substantive issues surrounding politics in Alaska.

Highly recommended.

]]> 2008-08-30T16:15:19Z tag:ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com,2008://31.42797-comment:122702 Comment from Ashley on 2008-08-31 Ashley Although I live in China, I still faithfully download my NewsHour podcasts. The Friday show had an interesting group of Alaska folks, both pro and con on her time in Alaska politics.

KAYLENE JOHNSON, Author, "Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska's Political Establishment Upside Down"; MICHAEL CAREY, Anchorage Daily News; LINDSEY HOLMES (D), Alaska State Representative

The final words....

JUDY WOODRUFF: How do you think she'll do, having watched her?

LINDSEY HOLMES: You know, I think it's going to be a real challenge for her. We're talking about a small-time mayor who's learning to be governor of the state, has been spending the last year-and-a-half gearing up to that, but I don't think has had much exposure to the national and international scene. I think it's going to be a really steep learning curve for her to get up to speed on the national and international issues.

MICHAEL CAREY: I am really not sure. I know that she will take this as a challenge. She said in the piece that you played that life is not for the safe; there are risks to be taken; the ship isn't built to stay in the harbor.

And I'm sure those beliefs, and her own personal faith, and her own sense of destiny will buoy her as she goes along. On the other hand, I don't think she's ever faced a challenge like this. And I'm confident that she really doesn't appreciate how difficult this is going to be.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec08/palintalk_08-29.html

]]> 2008-08-31T17:37:22Z