It’s a bit frosty here in the Northland, and we can’t blame it all on the calendar. Falling temperatures aside, the Alaskan perception and reception of Sarah Palin appears to be waning. Voters, increasingly frustrated over their governor’s apparent refusal to come clean over the Troopergate incident, are now voicing their opinions to a wider audience more bent on actually listening.

If a rally in downtown Anchorage last weekend was any indicator, a new genre of once-supportive Palin proponents is now setting the stage for the rest of this campaign, at least in Alaska. The party lines were blurred as voters stood fleece to fleece waving signs shrieking “Impeach Palin!” and “I can see corruption from my house!” in the sunny fall weather. You see, we have a problem with this current fiasco involving our governor; it appears to be dishonest, and frankly, Alaskans have dealt with too much alleged dishonesty lately. Just ask Senator Ted Stevens.

Yes, many Alaskans still do like Governor Sarah, it’s just that we’re now utterly confused. Why did she agree to answer all questions initially put before her, even saying she was “happy to cooperate“? “I have nothing to hide,” Ms. Maverick proclaimed on July 24th, as the state was glued to its small-time 5 o’clock news. There was every indication that the Legislature would investigate, a decision would be made, and the truth would prevail. But then our ice really began to shift. 

John McCain’s peeps had been prowling around the Palin homestead; McCain gave the Govenor an offer, she said “You Betcha”, and the rest is history. But wait, what about this Trooper thing? The Legislative Council voted unanimously (with 4 Democrats and 8 Republicans, by the way) to hire an investigator to look into the whole mess. 

Oops. Now we get nothing as the Troopergate investigator finds witnesses recanting stories and staff buttoning their lips while quaking in their Bunny Boots for potential inquiries ahead. We all know that Alaska State Trooper Mike Wooten did a few downright illegal activities while on the state’s payroll; shooting a moose without proper documentation in Alaska is akin to walking into Costco and raiding the meat department. For all Wooten’s debauchery, his beyond-bitter custody battle with Palin’s sister, questions still swirl around the Palin Team’s pressuring (including husband Todd), then overseeing Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan‘s termination.

Those who affixed Palin/McCain signs to their cars, children and sled dogs upon Sarah’s acceptance of the VP nomination are now beginning to stop and reconsider ability and integrity as a package deal. Both are now in question, and both are absolutes. While the State struggles to maintain some semblance of order in its desire to reach the murky depths of Palin’s side of the story, the McCain team continues its standard of “need to know.”  Do they think Alaskans don’t need to know?  We didn’t just fall off the Sno-Go, “ya know".

Erin K. Kirkland, a freelance writer and one of our MomBloggers, lives in Anchorage, Alaska. Check back for more on this series on her insider take on this historic election year.